What do you think?
Rate this book
Sawbones
“I was to make myself a killer.”
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
Seven names were on the doctor’s list. Seven men and women scattered all over the United States and its western territories. Seven souls judged guilty by a mysterious man with no past apart from the loss for which his enemies are blamed. The War Between the States is over, but Septimus Whitehall intends to wage a bloody war of his own and he is willing to cut down almost anyone who stands in his way. From New York City and Boston on the cusp of the Gilded Age to the war-ravaged ruins of Alabama and Arkansas, through the mythic American West and beyond, Whitehall will practice his violent vocation until everyone on that list meets the Sawbones.
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
Seven names were on the doctor’s list. Seven men and women scattered all over the United States and its western territories. Seven souls judged guilty by a mysterious man with no past apart from the loss for which his enemies are blamed. The War Between the States is over, but Septimus Whitehall intends to wage a bloody war of his own and he is willing to cut down almost anyone who stands in his way. From New York City and Boston on the cusp of the Gilded Age to the war-ravaged ruins of Alabama and Arkansas, through the mythic American West and beyond, Whitehall will practice his violent vocation until everyone on that list meets the Sawbones.
ebook
Published July 5, 2018
10 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Ed Kurtz
56 books145 followersEd Kurtz is the author of THE RIB FROM WHICH I REMAKE THE WORLD and other novels. His short fiction has appeared in numerous collections, and has been honored in Best American Mystery Stories as well as Best Gay Stories. Kurtz lives in Minneapolis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 31, 2019
Sawbones is one of the most original stories I've read in 2018. Set in the mid-1860s, it's the story of a man out for revenge after a flophouse fire takes the life of a woman he has strong feelings for, even though they've barely spoken.
Calling himself, Dr. Septimus Whithall (not his real name), he sets off on a cross-country journey to find and dispose of those responsible. Not an easy task by any means...
I carefully pressed my hand against the back of my head and found moist, hot brains fully exposed to the elements. It was sticky to the touch, and my eyes were filled with glittering white stars each time my fingers made contact. My skull, or at least most of it, was gone. Chipped and broken.
At times Sawbones is a visceral, cringe-inducing, and violent story. Totally immersive in the way the tale takes the reader from the comfort of their reading place to this wonderful world created by the author.
One could hardly live in Hell and not expect to get burned.
If I've learned anything from reading the work of Ed Kurtz, it's to expect the unexpected. If I could read only one author. His name would be Ed Kurtz. I need more than five stars to rate this exceptional novel.
Sawbones is something completely different and if you're up for the challenge, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the ride.
Totally recommended.
Published by Crossroad Press and available in paperback, e-book, and Audible formats.
From the author's bio, Ed Kurtz is the author of The Rib from Wich I Remake the World, Nausea, Angel of the Abyss, and others. Ed is also the author of numerous short stories. His work has appeared in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, BEAT to a PULP, Shotgun Honey, Thuglit, and several anthologies, including The Best American Mystery Stories 2014. Ed resides in Connecticut.
Calling himself, Dr. Septimus Whithall (not his real name), he sets off on a cross-country journey to find and dispose of those responsible. Not an easy task by any means...
I carefully pressed my hand against the back of my head and found moist, hot brains fully exposed to the elements. It was sticky to the touch, and my eyes were filled with glittering white stars each time my fingers made contact. My skull, or at least most of it, was gone. Chipped and broken.
At times Sawbones is a visceral, cringe-inducing, and violent story. Totally immersive in the way the tale takes the reader from the comfort of their reading place to this wonderful world created by the author.
One could hardly live in Hell and not expect to get burned.
If I've learned anything from reading the work of Ed Kurtz, it's to expect the unexpected. If I could read only one author. His name would be Ed Kurtz. I need more than five stars to rate this exceptional novel.
Sawbones is something completely different and if you're up for the challenge, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the ride.
Totally recommended.
Published by Crossroad Press and available in paperback, e-book, and Audible formats.
From the author's bio, Ed Kurtz is the author of The Rib from Wich I Remake the World, Nausea, Angel of the Abyss, and others. Ed is also the author of numerous short stories. His work has appeared in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, BEAT to a PULP, Shotgun Honey, Thuglit, and several anthologies, including The Best American Mystery Stories 2014. Ed resides in Connecticut.
December 24, 2018
I've been a fan of Ed Kurtz for a while now. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say this is his finest work to date. Be warned though: this is not your father's Western. It's a Western in time and location only, I'd say. This is a deep dive into the mind of a killer, told in his own words. You will find it tricky to root for him. You will find it difficult to sympathize with him. However, the time of Reconstruction Era America was filled with nasty characters doing nasty things. Kurtz brings this world to life and forces you to see past the veneer and shows you the bad and the ugly with little quarter asked.
If you are in the mood for something dark and out of the ordinary, this epic is just what you need. Highly recommended.
If you are in the mood for something dark and out of the ordinary, this epic is just what you need. Highly recommended.
January 24, 2021
This novel follows a less reputable sort as he travels the nation immediately following the Civil War to murder those who he feels have wronged him. The so-called protagonist is not a likable fellow, though neither are the folks he's after. If you're a reader who needs a strong, relatively moral protagonist (this guy is more than just flawed), then this book is probably not for you. I am no such reader and thoroughly enjoyed the character's logic and journey. The genius of the book is in its themes and how they play out with whom the main character kills and does not kill, all set against the well-researched backdrop of a war-torn country. Definitely recommended.
June 13, 2022
Septimus had an agenda and he had to complete that mission. The story for me was rather long, but the reading the story was worth it. The writer entertained me with the many obstacles and trenches Septimus had to endure just to pull off his mission. In certain parts of the book there are page turning moments. Other times certain parts of the story pick with some intense action that will have hanging on the edge. I like how the writer has Septimus narrating the story from his point of view. This seems to allow the reader get close to him and read the story from his mind.
April 12, 2022
This book is a rarity because I love all things horror and gory but even two scenes in this book made me pause and shudder. However, I felt the book was far too long and some of the details got a little monotonous. I appreciated the historical fiction aspect but the main character, Septimus Whitehall, or so his name is when we meet him, strikes me as a bit ridiculous. As for the motives for a revenge killings, this one is flimsy at best and you don't wind up rooting for the bad guy to get his vengeance.
It was an OK book but not something I would read again. If you're willing to slog some of the parts are good but others were just dull.
It was an OK book but not something I would read again. If you're willing to slog some of the parts are good but others were just dull.
August 25, 2018
Long live SawBones
I found that I was pulled into this epic novel that takes one on a journey into vengeance and depravity. I found myself rooting for Septimus and his journey across the country. Along the way we meet many others that he comes into contact with and these people are usually just as nasty as he it. Excellent story.
I found that I was pulled into this epic novel that takes one on a journey into vengeance and depravity. I found myself rooting for Septimus and his journey across the country. Along the way we meet many others that he comes into contact with and these people are usually just as nasty as he it. Excellent story.
July 18, 2022
All for Love.
This is a very well written novel and it's why I stuck it out. The whole premise of the story kinda ruins it for me, he is doing all this for a someone hes never met?
This is a very well written novel and it's why I stuck it out. The whole premise of the story kinda ruins it for me, he is doing all this for a someone hes never met?
January 27, 2019
As I write this, I am about 3/4 of the way through this book. It's my first exposure to this author, and it does not disappoint.
The narrator, who seems pretty sketchy and may not be reliable (I don't know yet), has a strong, well-defined voice. Since it's a first-person narrative, the reader only sees what the narrator believes to be true. In this story, that perspective makes for a wild and uncertain ride. The more we learn about the narrator and his past, the less certain we become of his sanity.
It's a dark tale with quite a few twists and some laugh-out-loud moments. It's set just after the end of the Civil War. Most of the narrative is set on the east coast and other "civilized" regions of the US and, overall, it has a Victorian feel to it. The narrator does venture west into the territories, and the story adopts more of a Western tone, but the author handled the transition well. The narrator, surrounded by "Wild West" characters, retains his own Victorian nature, and it gives a "fish out of water" aspect to those interactions.
The narrator, who seems pretty sketchy and may not be reliable (I don't know yet), has a strong, well-defined voice. Since it's a first-person narrative, the reader only sees what the narrator believes to be true. In this story, that perspective makes for a wild and uncertain ride. The more we learn about the narrator and his past, the less certain we become of his sanity.
It's a dark tale with quite a few twists and some laugh-out-loud moments. It's set just after the end of the Civil War. Most of the narrative is set on the east coast and other "civilized" regions of the US and, overall, it has a Victorian feel to it. The narrator does venture west into the territories, and the story adopts more of a Western tone, but the author handled the transition well. The narrator, surrounded by "Wild West" characters, retains his own Victorian nature, and it gives a "fish out of water" aspect to those interactions.
February 20, 2019
Sawbones is an enthralling read and I was transported as if by time machine to the merciless period following America’s Civil War. Traveling from the post-war South to the grime of New York City and the vast expanse of the Old West, the titular sawbones is on a mission of vengeance, scratching names off a list as he develops his abilities as a killer. At times murderous, at others righteous, the novel puts readers in the worn shoes of Septimus Whitehall as we learn the art of the executioner alongside him, leaving us to make our own peace with his decisions. Author Ed Kurtz reveals the story with cunning detail and literary aplomb to create a book that was hard to put down. The writing was so good that I have had troubling settling on another novel in its wake.
May 3, 2022
Sawbones by Ed Kurtz.
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
A very good read with good characters. Violent and bloody. 4*.
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
A very good read with good characters. Violent and bloody. 4*.
May 4, 2022
Sawbones by Ed Kurtz.
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
A very good read with good characters. Violent and bloody. 4*.
In 1865, a man calling himself Septimus Whitehall slashed, shot, and burned his way from New York to California in a frenzy of violence. This is his own story, told in his own words.
A very good read with good characters. Violent and bloody. 4*.
February 12, 2019
Different
Definitely a little gory and bloody. After a while it started to get to be a little bit too much.
Definitely a little gory and bloody. After a while it started to get to be a little bit too much.
May 17, 2022
This review originally appeared on my blog: http://www.gimmethatbook.com/sawbones...
Thanks to NetGalley and Crossroad Press for this review copy!
SAWBONES is quite the unusual read. The author creates a sympathetic character in Septimus Whitehall as he travels from New York City to the Dakota Territory, seeking to murder those who are on his “list” of victims. Whitehall is avenging the death of his only love by taking the lives of those who were involved in her death, either directly or indirectly. There is wonderful detail in the author’s descriptions of Five Points in the 1800’s, as well as the Civil War, and the unsettled West. As I read, I felt as if I were there, seeing, hearing and smelling the same things Septimus was.
Another curious and fascinating thing about SAWBONES is the author’s use of language. I consider myself to be quite familiar with the English language; yet there were many words that I needed to look up. As I read the definitions I felt as if I had struck gold. I became familiar with words such as effigial, pantophagy, and raillery. As I’ve said before, any book that makes me look up definitions is always a winner.
Septimus is at times a complete gentleman and then a murderer. He stalks his prey yet remains courteous to others. He is clearly an intelligent man with deep emotions but with a singular goal; eliminate those on his macabre list. During his journey he encounters many roadblocks, skirting his own death all the while. He is a solitary man with one purpose in life, and it is easy to cheer him on as he searches for his victims.
This is definitely a violent and gory read, but the balance of gore and period detail are perfectly blended. As I kept reading, I wondered when the book would draw to a close – it is actually quite long. However, the author kept me interested by throwing in some action just as the book bordered on dull/too much description. That being said, I totally loved SAWBONES. It’s a quirky, intelligent read that will stay with you long after you are done reading. I would love to see a sequel to see what Septimus is up to now.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crossroad Press for this review copy!
SAWBONES is quite the unusual read. The author creates a sympathetic character in Septimus Whitehall as he travels from New York City to the Dakota Territory, seeking to murder those who are on his “list” of victims. Whitehall is avenging the death of his only love by taking the lives of those who were involved in her death, either directly or indirectly. There is wonderful detail in the author’s descriptions of Five Points in the 1800’s, as well as the Civil War, and the unsettled West. As I read, I felt as if I were there, seeing, hearing and smelling the same things Septimus was.
Another curious and fascinating thing about SAWBONES is the author’s use of language. I consider myself to be quite familiar with the English language; yet there were many words that I needed to look up. As I read the definitions I felt as if I had struck gold. I became familiar with words such as effigial, pantophagy, and raillery. As I’ve said before, any book that makes me look up definitions is always a winner.
Septimus is at times a complete gentleman and then a murderer. He stalks his prey yet remains courteous to others. He is clearly an intelligent man with deep emotions but with a singular goal; eliminate those on his macabre list. During his journey he encounters many roadblocks, skirting his own death all the while. He is a solitary man with one purpose in life, and it is easy to cheer him on as he searches for his victims.
This is definitely a violent and gory read, but the balance of gore and period detail are perfectly blended. As I kept reading, I wondered when the book would draw to a close – it is actually quite long. However, the author kept me interested by throwing in some action just as the book bordered on dull/too much description. That being said, I totally loved SAWBONES. It’s a quirky, intelligent read that will stay with you long after you are done reading. I would love to see a sequel to see what Septimus is up to now.
February 23, 2020
After enjoying Kurtz's other book 'The rib from which I remake the world', which was like being sucked into a classic 1950's B-movie with characters and language drawn almost to perfection, I was looking forward to seeing what other worlds this author had conceived. I was very disappointed by 'Sawbones'.
It started off enjoyable enough - a kind of civil war era Pulp Fiction, complete with awkward murders, violent brawls, characters who all use the bombastic language fitting of the times and plenty of macabre settings like crypts, dungeons, operating tables and battle fields. It's a fun mash-up of sorts.
Unfortunately the protagonist remains two-dimensional: we never get any satisfactory back story or explanation for his chosen path and he just seems to be motivated my meagre parodies of love and hate rather than the real thing. The fact that he never even knew the 'love' that he sets out to avenge made me at times bewildered, frustrated or just annoyed. It seems like lazy writing to not bother to provide a proper motive.
The author might want to find a new editor - in Chapter eighteen I was shocked to learn that one of the villains on our man's list, 'Jeb Stake' is already dead: "I drew a line through several of them, of course: Cornelius Jackson, Althea James, Little Jake, Jeb Stake" - at this point I was mad at myself for somehow having missed the detail of Jeb's death so I furiously paged backward until I found the scene where he was supposed to have met his demise and sure enough he hadn't - Jeb had gotten away and doesn't actually meet his end until much later. I appreciate that it's easy to make mistakes like this in early drafts but It's just disappointing as a reader who paid for a finished novel about a list of people being dispatched.
I also got tired of how many other characters in the story were described as fat. Seriously, the author describes most characters as 'fat', 'rotund' or 'portly' and mostly sticks to such trite physical descriptions. Is the author just being lazy?
I enjoyed the zany dark comedy of the main character being so careless and bumbling as an assassin, and the constant feeling of being chased while also being the hunter. It's got a bit of a 'No country for old men' feel to it. The language was sometimes very rich and enjoyable and if only the motivation for the central plot of the kill list had made more sense and been grounded in something tangible I think this book could have been so much better. Sadly, it wasn't, and it never lived up to any of my expectations.
It started off enjoyable enough - a kind of civil war era Pulp Fiction, complete with awkward murders, violent brawls, characters who all use the bombastic language fitting of the times and plenty of macabre settings like crypts, dungeons, operating tables and battle fields. It's a fun mash-up of sorts.
Unfortunately the protagonist remains two-dimensional: we never get any satisfactory back story or explanation for his chosen path and he just seems to be motivated my meagre parodies of love and hate rather than the real thing. The fact that he never even knew the 'love' that he sets out to avenge made me at times bewildered, frustrated or just annoyed. It seems like lazy writing to not bother to provide a proper motive.
The author might want to find a new editor - in Chapter eighteen I was shocked to learn that one of the villains on our man's list, 'Jeb Stake' is already dead: "I drew a line through several of them, of course: Cornelius Jackson, Althea James, Little Jake, Jeb Stake" - at this point I was mad at myself for somehow having missed the detail of Jeb's death so I furiously paged backward until I found the scene where he was supposed to have met his demise and sure enough he hadn't - Jeb had gotten away and doesn't actually meet his end until much later. I appreciate that it's easy to make mistakes like this in early drafts but It's just disappointing as a reader who paid for a finished novel about a list of people being dispatched.
I also got tired of how many other characters in the story were described as fat. Seriously, the author describes most characters as 'fat', 'rotund' or 'portly' and mostly sticks to such trite physical descriptions. Is the author just being lazy?
I enjoyed the zany dark comedy of the main character being so careless and bumbling as an assassin, and the constant feeling of being chased while also being the hunter. It's got a bit of a 'No country for old men' feel to it. The language was sometimes very rich and enjoyable and if only the motivation for the central plot of the kill list had made more sense and been grounded in something tangible I think this book could have been so much better. Sadly, it wasn't, and it never lived up to any of my expectations.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews