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Bullet Catcher #1
Bullet Catcher: Complete Season 1
The Dark Tower meets True Grit in this epic fantasy Western.
Imma once dreamed of leaving her isolated desert town and becoming a bullet catcher, an outlaw who can fend off bullets with a bare hand. But that was before her brother died, and before the bullet catchers were wiped out. Now, Imma's stuck washing dishes. But when a mysterious bullet catcher comes to town, everything changes. Determined to become a bullet catcher herself, Imma follows him. She's hoping to find answers and a purpose. What she finds will change not only her life, but her whole world.
Imma once dreamed of leaving her isolated desert town and becoming a bullet catcher, an outlaw who can fend off bullets with a bare hand. But that was before her brother died, and before the bullet catchers were wiped out. Now, Imma's stuck washing dishes. But when a mysterious bullet catcher comes to town, everything changes. Determined to become a bullet catcher herself, Imma follows him. She's hoping to find answers and a purpose. What she finds will change not only her life, but her whole world.
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First published February 4, 2016
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June 1, 2016
“Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backward.”
----E.E. Cummings
Joaquin Lowe, an American author, pens a thrilling and heroic western-themed tale in his debut YA book, Bullet Catcher that unfolds the journey of a young teenage girl who escapes her small town into the deadly desert on the footsteps of an unidentified bullet catcher, in memory of her childhood dreams as well as her dead elder brother's wish to become a bullet catcher. But this journey turns out to be challenging so will she make it?
Synopsis:
A coming-of-age tale re-imagined as a searing Western epic.
In the small town of Sand, populated by gunslingers and surrounded by endless desert, Imma washes dishes and grieves for a life she never had. She and her brother, Nikko, dreamed of escaping to become bullet catchers, a legendary band of outlaws who can deflect bullets with their hands. But they were wiped out years ago, Nikko with them. And leaving is impossible when walking into the desert means certain death.
When she sees a stranger catch a man's bullet and turn it back on him, Imma knows it can only mean one thing: the bullet catchers live on, and this is her way out.
Determined to follow him, Imma starts a journey that will take her to her physical extremes and force her to question just what family means and who she really is: bullet catcher or gunslinger; hero or monster.
Imma, an orphan, works as a cleaner in a bar in her small town with a population of 500 people called, Sand. She and her elder brother, "Nikko", who grew up in an orphanage, always had this dream to become a bullet catcher, a person who can catch bullet either with his hand or with his teeth and can bend it and reverse its direction to the person it is coming from. Hence Nikko escapes from their orphanage to follow his dreams and also promises his little sister to come back for her when he has earned a lot of money. Unfortunately, Nikko never returns and And Imma easily guesses that death has claimed her brother and hence she needs to escape her wretched life from Sand and into the killer desert. And one fine day, a bullet catcher walks into the bar where she works, whose bravery left her in awe and hence she immediately decides to follow him through the desert to be trained under him. But the journey is long where she needs to confront her own decisions and choices and that she need to carry a lot of scars in order to become a bullet catcher.
This story is unlike any other YA stories, neither cheesy nor predictable or not even slightest bit of typical. This story is extraordinary and beats all other YA stories, as it has no teenage romance or a damsel in distress kind of heroine or a way too independent heroine who despite of her bravery is still supported and surrounded by two guys, and lastly, the setting is immaculately painted thus giving the readers a clear vision of what the protagonist is experiencing with her own eyes.
The author's writing style is articulate and is laced with thrill and gripping adventure. The narrative is equally engaging as well as powerful to keep the readers stick to the core of the story till the very end. The story might be unrealistic as there is no such thing or there is logical explanation behind catching a bullet with bare hands, although the author has skillfully demonstrated the act step-by-step with as much as logic and details possible, thus making the readers comprehend with the explanation to some extent. The pacing is quite fast and as it moves with unexpected twists and turns.
The background is one of the best aspect of this book. The desert and the sandy backdrop give a western flair to this story, which will keep the readers interested peaked at every turn of the page, since the desert that the author painted is not only vivid and easy to visualize, but it is uncertain with each step and quite challenging as no food or water or animal or livelihood can be found through the golden stretches of sand. And yes with the author's in depth description, it will make the readers stand right in the middle of that desert.
The characters are well-developed, and it is also one of the best quality of the book that makes the story enchanting. The main protagonist, Imma, in short for Immaculada Amaya Moreno, is a fifteen years old teenager who has been adopted into a bar in order to provide for cheap labor cost. Yet Imma is determined to leave her hometown and take the risk to walk into the killer desert all on her own to become a bullet catcher and her long, hard, struggling journey though the sand into the unknown is highly relatable and striking. Imma is a brave girl who trust her family above all and with a back story, the readers can easily contemplate with her grief and determination. The supporting cast is also quite well-etched out.
The author, here, explores the relationship between a teacher and a student, who is also strikingly and genuinely developed through trust issues and discipline. Although the training might sound bit unrealistic, but the relationship and the bond between these two characters will keep the readers rooting for them till the very end. The author also explores a brother-sister relationship and how inevitable it is, but I would rather not talk about it, as there lay so many twists and turns and probably, spoiler.
In a nutshell, the story is captivating to read with a young, honest, strong and powerful heroine, and with a story that will keep the readers on their edges as there is so many raw violence and death that holds the power to frighten the minds of the readers.
Verdict: A promising and powerful YA contemporary story with guns and battles.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Joaquin Lowe, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----E.E. Cummings
Joaquin Lowe, an American author, pens a thrilling and heroic western-themed tale in his debut YA book, Bullet Catcher that unfolds the journey of a young teenage girl who escapes her small town into the deadly desert on the footsteps of an unidentified bullet catcher, in memory of her childhood dreams as well as her dead elder brother's wish to become a bullet catcher. But this journey turns out to be challenging so will she make it?
Synopsis:
A coming-of-age tale re-imagined as a searing Western epic.
In the small town of Sand, populated by gunslingers and surrounded by endless desert, Imma washes dishes and grieves for a life she never had. She and her brother, Nikko, dreamed of escaping to become bullet catchers, a legendary band of outlaws who can deflect bullets with their hands. But they were wiped out years ago, Nikko with them. And leaving is impossible when walking into the desert means certain death.
When she sees a stranger catch a man's bullet and turn it back on him, Imma knows it can only mean one thing: the bullet catchers live on, and this is her way out.
Determined to follow him, Imma starts a journey that will take her to her physical extremes and force her to question just what family means and who she really is: bullet catcher or gunslinger; hero or monster.
Imma, an orphan, works as a cleaner in a bar in her small town with a population of 500 people called, Sand. She and her elder brother, "Nikko", who grew up in an orphanage, always had this dream to become a bullet catcher, a person who can catch bullet either with his hand or with his teeth and can bend it and reverse its direction to the person it is coming from. Hence Nikko escapes from their orphanage to follow his dreams and also promises his little sister to come back for her when he has earned a lot of money. Unfortunately, Nikko never returns and And Imma easily guesses that death has claimed her brother and hence she needs to escape her wretched life from Sand and into the killer desert. And one fine day, a bullet catcher walks into the bar where she works, whose bravery left her in awe and hence she immediately decides to follow him through the desert to be trained under him. But the journey is long where she needs to confront her own decisions and choices and that she need to carry a lot of scars in order to become a bullet catcher.
This story is unlike any other YA stories, neither cheesy nor predictable or not even slightest bit of typical. This story is extraordinary and beats all other YA stories, as it has no teenage romance or a damsel in distress kind of heroine or a way too independent heroine who despite of her bravery is still supported and surrounded by two guys, and lastly, the setting is immaculately painted thus giving the readers a clear vision of what the protagonist is experiencing with her own eyes.
The author's writing style is articulate and is laced with thrill and gripping adventure. The narrative is equally engaging as well as powerful to keep the readers stick to the core of the story till the very end. The story might be unrealistic as there is no such thing or there is logical explanation behind catching a bullet with bare hands, although the author has skillfully demonstrated the act step-by-step with as much as logic and details possible, thus making the readers comprehend with the explanation to some extent. The pacing is quite fast and as it moves with unexpected twists and turns.
The background is one of the best aspect of this book. The desert and the sandy backdrop give a western flair to this story, which will keep the readers interested peaked at every turn of the page, since the desert that the author painted is not only vivid and easy to visualize, but it is uncertain with each step and quite challenging as no food or water or animal or livelihood can be found through the golden stretches of sand. And yes with the author's in depth description, it will make the readers stand right in the middle of that desert.
The characters are well-developed, and it is also one of the best quality of the book that makes the story enchanting. The main protagonist, Imma, in short for Immaculada Amaya Moreno, is a fifteen years old teenager who has been adopted into a bar in order to provide for cheap labor cost. Yet Imma is determined to leave her hometown and take the risk to walk into the killer desert all on her own to become a bullet catcher and her long, hard, struggling journey though the sand into the unknown is highly relatable and striking. Imma is a brave girl who trust her family above all and with a back story, the readers can easily contemplate with her grief and determination. The supporting cast is also quite well-etched out.
The author, here, explores the relationship between a teacher and a student, who is also strikingly and genuinely developed through trust issues and discipline. Although the training might sound bit unrealistic, but the relationship and the bond between these two characters will keep the readers rooting for them till the very end. The author also explores a brother-sister relationship and how inevitable it is, but I would rather not talk about it, as there lay so many twists and turns and probably, spoiler.
In a nutshell, the story is captivating to read with a young, honest, strong and powerful heroine, and with a story that will keep the readers on their edges as there is so many raw violence and death that holds the power to frighten the minds of the readers.
Verdict: A promising and powerful YA contemporary story with guns and battles.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Joaquin Lowe, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
August 16, 2020
Bullet Catcher is an exciting weird western set in a great desert known as the Southland where Bullet Catchers and Gunslingers battle it out, nursing age-old grievances. Bullet Catchers are semi mystical people trained in anticipating and catching bullets in the palm of their hands like some secret karate trick. In the dusty western towns, filled with saloons and dusty trails, there are few Bullet Catchers left. Most towns are Gunslinger towns. Imma knew her brother left the orphanage to find the Bullet Catchers so when one wanders into the saloon where she is doing the dishes, Imma grabs her few possessions and follows into the dry parched land, seizing on her brother's dream. A great fantasy setting with more territory to be covered in a sequel.
March 30, 2016
Actual rating 3.5
While the blurb of this book might hint at certain similarities to other young adult titles, this one differs from most in a few key areas:
The main character isn’t a special snowflake.
She’s not thrown into the situation.
There is NO ROMANCE.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
While the blurb of this book might hint at certain similarities to other young adult titles, this one differs from most in a few key areas:
The main character isn’t a special snowflake.
She isn’t predestined. She stubborn to a fault, which is how she manages to get herself involved in these events. She bruises easily, she gets seriously injured, she ends up covered in scars. She isn’t one of those people who sees herself as plain while everyone else talks about how stunning she is. Actually, with the exception of looking similar to her brother who tread the same tracks before her, her looks don’t come into the story at all.
She’s not thrown into the situation.
With the exception of the appearance of the bullet catcher in town, there isn’t a catalyst that makes Imma leave her horrible life. She might not realise until he shows up, but she’s been ready to leave suddenly for a while, she was just waiting for an opportunity. She makes the decision to take this chance.
There is NO ROMANCE.
That’s right. No romance, no love triangle, no “girl has important job to do but throws it all in because of the love of her life she’s just met”, no “this being a teenager thing is just so hard, and why can’t we be together?!”
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
November 25, 2022
It's Thanksgiving morning, and I'm watching the remaining leaves fall, coaxed from the river birches by a languid breeze. My family, all under one roof, an increasingly sporadic occurrence, still slumbers as I sip my coffee. I've just finished this podcast, Joaquin Lowe's compelling weird-west tale of found family and redemption, elevated by Inés del Castillo's flawless narration. This epic has left me with eyes wet and a smile on my face. I am thankful for moments like these.
July 26, 2016
**3.5 stars**
Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...
I haven't had much experience with Westerns in young adult fiction, with the exception of Vengeance Road, but I really enjoyed Bowman's novel, so I decided to give this one a go. I really liked this one! It's been a while since I've read about a mentor and mentee relationship, and one that's got a good adventure to go along with it. Bullet Catcher had grit, guns, and a whole lot of badassery.
I loved Imma's character. Even though she's a bit younger than most young adult heroines, she's hell of a lot stronger than most of them. I'm glad there's the internal conflict that plays out when she tries to understand who she is and whose side she's on. Also? No love interest! While, yes, I do love a good romance and all, I enjoyed the fact that there's no boys distracting her from her goals with relationship drama.
There's a pretty big twist halfway through the book, and this is pretty much where the internal conflict starts, as well as the gunslinger side of the story. I liked that there were two sides to this, and Imma gets to explore the both of them. While she's trying to figure out what exactly is going on, her emotional struggle felt real and personal. There's a lot of stakes that comes with her choice, and of course–a bunch of guns flying off at every corner.
A wonderful adventure set in the wild, wild west that middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy, Bullet Catcher was a heck of a story. Historical fiction with a touch of magical realism, don't hesitate to pick up this one because you're in for a real treat.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...
I haven't had much experience with Westerns in young adult fiction, with the exception of Vengeance Road, but I really enjoyed Bowman's novel, so I decided to give this one a go. I really liked this one! It's been a while since I've read about a mentor and mentee relationship, and one that's got a good adventure to go along with it. Bullet Catcher had grit, guns, and a whole lot of badassery.
I loved Imma's character. Even though she's a bit younger than most young adult heroines, she's hell of a lot stronger than most of them. I'm glad there's the internal conflict that plays out when she tries to understand who she is and whose side she's on. Also? No love interest! While, yes, I do love a good romance and all, I enjoyed the fact that there's no boys distracting her from her goals with relationship drama.
There's a pretty big twist halfway through the book, and this is pretty much where the internal conflict starts, as well as the gunslinger side of the story. I liked that there were two sides to this, and Imma gets to explore the both of them. While she's trying to figure out what exactly is going on, her emotional struggle felt real and personal. There's a lot of stakes that comes with her choice, and of course–a bunch of guns flying off at every corner.
A wonderful adventure set in the wild, wild west that middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy, Bullet Catcher was a heck of a story. Historical fiction with a touch of magical realism, don't hesitate to pick up this one because you're in for a real treat.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
May 3, 2016
From the "overall" section of my review:
Overall, Bullet Catcher was a lively, immensely entertaining and highly addictive book for fans of YA Western, adventure and mystery. Joaquin did an amazing job of writing one of my favourite books of the year so far! I can't wait to read more about the YA Western genre and see more to come from Joaquin in the future. Five stars completely.
Full review: http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
Overall, Bullet Catcher was a lively, immensely entertaining and highly addictive book for fans of YA Western, adventure and mystery. Joaquin did an amazing job of writing one of my favourite books of the year so far! I can't wait to read more about the YA Western genre and see more to come from Joaquin in the future. Five stars completely.
Full review: http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
June 14, 2016
Imma is an abandoned orphan who wants to catch bullets. Not as daft as you might think. Catching bullets needs a teacher so we have a Mr Miyagi style training session then some bad guys appear - because you need to fight someone. That's when the Western genre starts to get philosophical - is anyone really all that bad? or good for that matter.
Ah well either way it's a fine tale. I'd like a sequel please.
Ah well either way it's a fine tale. I'd like a sequel please.
February 5, 2016
Imma is an orphan living in a tuff world where she has to fend for herself. The bullet catcher becomes her idol and gives her aspirations.
This book reminded me of an old western. It ran beautifully like a film in my head. It was fast paced and rather exciting. Fun fantasy. Something different. 4.5 stars out of 5.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book reminded me of an old western. It ran beautifully like a film in my head. It was fast paced and rather exciting. Fun fantasy. Something different. 4.5 stars out of 5.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2015
This book is amazing! A sophisticated YA novel.
June 27, 2022
I want to know how much the author / publisher paid that reviewer who called this a "fresh piece of YA that is completely unpredictable" (paraphrased), because I am going to need quite a substantial pay out to lie like that.
I started listening to this one on realm.fm, thinking it was a different book I had recently come across (The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter). I only realized my mistake almost halfway through, and by this point I kind of wanted to see where the story went. Plus, free audiobook to listen to while working so what's not to like?
Well, this book for starters. Most of the YA cliches are in here: abandoned orphan thinking in simple black-and-white terms, making a pest of herself to adults, putting pride over all else, and then the long-lost brother presumed dead turns out to be the villain of the piece. The plot is fairly straight-forward and predictable. The characters are fairly straight-forward and predicable. The setting was the most interesting part (futuristic western is an awesome mix) but then that ended up being misogynistic, classist and predictable (hey it wasn't racist, yay!).
I really like the idea of bullet catchers. Bullets move so fast, and Americans are so obsessed with guns, it's like the perfect fantasy amalgamation. Finally a way to protect yourself from a gun-obsessed society! But also not, because there was a war before this book even began which had wiped out most of the bullet catchers. I am tired of the "last of their kind" trope as well.
Also, if you told me our protagonist was 8 instead of 16 I would have no problem believing that.
There's a million minor inconsistencies, things glossed over, details that are deemed unimportant and thus never included in the text. It's not my cup of tea, to be honest.
And if you told me this author believes horses are cars, I'd totally believe that too. They pick up a pair of tired horses, just come into town after (presumably) a day of travel since there's nothing else around, and then ride them out of town, then "We’ve been galloping at full speed for maybe an hour." and the horses haven't died? Horses cannot run that long!! When will fantasy authors realize horses are not cars!? This completely breaks immersion, honestly. (And then they continue galloping on the horses for another extended period of time after this as well - you're literally riding a corpse). Add on top of that that it's her first time riding a horse, she's on it for literally hours, then has no difficulty walking, climbing up on it again, or even sleeping from pain that night, and I call shenanigans. No way. This author needs to educate themselves on horses, geez.
Which I guess sums up my experiences with this story: I'm tired of these tropes and how prevalent they are. I'm bored of stories that scrimp on necessary details that add coherence. I've definitely outgrown most YA, but even so a story should be satisfying to read. I read the occasional middle grade book because it has a good premise (Eva Ibbotson anyone?) and they often hold up better than most YA. At this point I don't think you can blame the intended audience market but rather the inferior writing. Either way, I won't be reading the sequels.
I started listening to this one on realm.fm, thinking it was a different book I had recently come across (The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter). I only realized my mistake almost halfway through, and by this point I kind of wanted to see where the story went. Plus, free audiobook to listen to while working so what's not to like?
Well, this book for starters. Most of the YA cliches are in here: abandoned orphan thinking in simple black-and-white terms, making a pest of herself to adults, putting pride over all else, and then the long-lost brother presumed dead turns out to be the villain of the piece. The plot is fairly straight-forward and predictable. The characters are fairly straight-forward and predicable. The setting was the most interesting part (futuristic western is an awesome mix) but then that ended up being misogynistic, classist and predictable (hey it wasn't racist, yay!).
I really like the idea of bullet catchers. Bullets move so fast, and Americans are so obsessed with guns, it's like the perfect fantasy amalgamation. Finally a way to protect yourself from a gun-obsessed society! But also not, because there was a war before this book even began which had wiped out most of the bullet catchers. I am tired of the "last of their kind" trope as well.
Also, if you told me our protagonist was 8 instead of 16 I would have no problem believing that.
There's a million minor inconsistencies, things glossed over, details that are deemed unimportant and thus never included in the text. It's not my cup of tea, to be honest.
And if you told me this author believes horses are cars, I'd totally believe that too. They pick up a pair of tired horses, just come into town after (presumably) a day of travel since there's nothing else around, and then ride them out of town, then "We’ve been galloping at full speed for maybe an hour." and the horses haven't died? Horses cannot run that long!! When will fantasy authors realize horses are not cars!? This completely breaks immersion, honestly. (And then they continue galloping on the horses for another extended period of time after this as well - you're literally riding a corpse). Add on top of that that it's her first time riding a horse, she's on it for literally hours, then has no difficulty walking, climbing up on it again, or even sleeping from pain that night, and I call shenanigans. No way. This author needs to educate themselves on horses, geez.
Which I guess sums up my experiences with this story: I'm tired of these tropes and how prevalent they are. I'm bored of stories that scrimp on necessary details that add coherence. I've definitely outgrown most YA, but even so a story should be satisfying to read. I read the occasional middle grade book because it has a good premise (Eva Ibbotson anyone?) and they often hold up better than most YA. At this point I don't think you can blame the intended audience market but rather the inferior writing. Either way, I won't be reading the sequels.
July 13, 2020
I feel like we missed a lot of key points in this story, namely Imma doesn't interact with a lot of people. I appreciate the ruthless nature of this world, though I wanted a little bit more depth when it comes to the history of Bullet Catchers vs Gunslingers, the war, and how Bullet Catchers are "made". Most of Imma's BC training happens "offscreen" - and while we see Nikko's special bullet catching glove, as well as several other feats of technology, we don't get explanations or analysis on what this tech means.
I will say, however, that the story grew on me. I flew through the last four episodes and would definitely come back to listen to the next season!
I will say, however, that the story grew on me. I flew through the last four episodes and would definitely come back to listen to the next season!
June 22, 2016
Being a YA Western with a slight pinch of fantasy, the premise of the Bullet Catcher instantly caught my attention. And while I must admit, although the book didn't wow me quite the way I had hoped, there were still plenty of things to like.
Imma is an orphan, barely surviving as a dishwasher in the middle of a small, barely-on-the-map desert town. But when she witnesses a stranger catch a gunslingers bullet—she discovers that the legendary bullet catches aren't as extinct as everyone believed. Now with nothing to lose but her life, Imma sets out on a journey through the desert, determined to become a bullet catcher herself. But convincing the bullet catcher she is worthy to be trained is another matter… and as secrets are uncovered, Imma will learn that her childhood heroes may just turn out to be monsters after all…
This was such an intriguing book. The story is based around the bonds of friendship built between teacher and student, brother and sister, young minds and old… there is no romance whatsoever. This alone made the story a refreshing read. However this book also explored the darker themes of forgiveness vs revenge, and showed that every action has a consequence.
For example Imma is a very unusual heroine. Everything that happens to her is generally because of a choice SHE made, and for the most part she learns from her mistakes and grows a little more with every decision. However as much as I liked her as a character, I often felt she failed to ask the right sort of questions, which therefore led her to trust the wrong people and make bad choices.
That said, the plot was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. However when Imma’s brother, Nikko, enters the story, I kept waiting for Imma to be all, “Where have you been these last ten years? Why didn't you come back for me?” — but she never did. For me this was a HUGE underlying niggle throughout the rest of the story. From that point on I also found Imma to be too placid, and a little sheep like. Brotherly love is one thing, but I disliked how she blindly followed Nikko and accepted everything he said so easily.
Of course the action picks up again at the end of the book, and I was happy when Imma seemed to get her old feistiness back. However I really think it was the western style backdrop, plus the life or death situation of the bullet catcher that really kept the story moving forward. Without these things the book actually had little world building or backstory, or much depth at all really.
As a reader, I’m big on understanding the why behind everything. Why are the bullet catchers and gunslingers enemies? What started it all? Why doesn't Imma question her brother? Why does the bullet catcher withhold his name? Why can bullet catchers bend bullets? Is it really just a case of trying hard? With these questions left unanswered, I felt the book read well on the surface, but lacked a little in the foundations.
All in all though, this was a nice afternoon read and certainly something I would recommend for those in search of something a bit different. 3.5 stars!
Imma is an orphan, barely surviving as a dishwasher in the middle of a small, barely-on-the-map desert town. But when she witnesses a stranger catch a gunslingers bullet—she discovers that the legendary bullet catches aren't as extinct as everyone believed. Now with nothing to lose but her life, Imma sets out on a journey through the desert, determined to become a bullet catcher herself. But convincing the bullet catcher she is worthy to be trained is another matter… and as secrets are uncovered, Imma will learn that her childhood heroes may just turn out to be monsters after all…
This was such an intriguing book. The story is based around the bonds of friendship built between teacher and student, brother and sister, young minds and old… there is no romance whatsoever. This alone made the story a refreshing read. However this book also explored the darker themes of forgiveness vs revenge, and showed that every action has a consequence.
For example Imma is a very unusual heroine. Everything that happens to her is generally because of a choice SHE made, and for the most part she learns from her mistakes and grows a little more with every decision. However as much as I liked her as a character, I often felt she failed to ask the right sort of questions, which therefore led her to trust the wrong people and make bad choices.
That said, the plot was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. However when Imma’s brother, Nikko, enters the story, I kept waiting for Imma to be all, “Where have you been these last ten years? Why didn't you come back for me?” — but she never did. For me this was a HUGE underlying niggle throughout the rest of the story. From that point on I also found Imma to be too placid, and a little sheep like. Brotherly love is one thing, but I disliked how she blindly followed Nikko and accepted everything he said so easily.
Of course the action picks up again at the end of the book, and I was happy when Imma seemed to get her old feistiness back. However I really think it was the western style backdrop, plus the life or death situation of the bullet catcher that really kept the story moving forward. Without these things the book actually had little world building or backstory, or much depth at all really.
As a reader, I’m big on understanding the why behind everything. Why are the bullet catchers and gunslingers enemies? What started it all? Why doesn't Imma question her brother? Why does the bullet catcher withhold his name? Why can bullet catchers bend bullets? Is it really just a case of trying hard? With these questions left unanswered, I felt the book read well on the surface, but lacked a little in the foundations.
All in all though, this was a nice afternoon read and certainly something I would recommend for those in search of something a bit different. 3.5 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a fan of westerns in general, I thought this was a really good take on the genre that will appeal well to teen readers. Imma, the main character, is interesting and relatable - I felt invested both in her story and her growth as a character. I loved that the story allowed us to learn about both the bullet catchers and the gunslingers - this insight made for a balanced story overall.
March 10, 2016
If there’s a debt to be paid, it’s to oneself.
Imma’s parents are dead and her beloved brother, Nikko, has run from the orphanage; now she must find her own way. Imma becomes entangled in a world of obligations, betrayals, and no second chances. Through the harsh deserts and mean water parched towns, she learns how to catch and deflect bullets … and she learns much, much more: about life and honesty, about the desert and death.
If all of this sounds a little heavy, Imma’s searing honesty and determination made me really want her to succeed and the plot twists and turns like a rattlesnake to a satisfying climax. There’s a well drawn cast of secondary characters including the mentor, the Bullet Catcher; an old Gunslinger, Hartright; the beloved Nikko and his friend, Cloak.
The book is full of beautiful descriptions and deftly worded images which makes it a pleasure to read. I enjoyed being absorbed into the Bullet Catcher’s world where a girl learns what it is to decide between hard choices and where Imma finally realises: If there’s a debt to be paid, it’s only to oneself.
Imma’s parents are dead and her beloved brother, Nikko, has run from the orphanage; now she must find her own way. Imma becomes entangled in a world of obligations, betrayals, and no second chances. Through the harsh deserts and mean water parched towns, she learns how to catch and deflect bullets … and she learns much, much more: about life and honesty, about the desert and death.
If all of this sounds a little heavy, Imma’s searing honesty and determination made me really want her to succeed and the plot twists and turns like a rattlesnake to a satisfying climax. There’s a well drawn cast of secondary characters including the mentor, the Bullet Catcher; an old Gunslinger, Hartright; the beloved Nikko and his friend, Cloak.
The book is full of beautiful descriptions and deftly worded images which makes it a pleasure to read. I enjoyed being absorbed into the Bullet Catcher’s world where a girl learns what it is to decide between hard choices and where Imma finally realises: If there’s a debt to be paid, it’s only to oneself.
January 16, 2017
Gun slinging & sharp shooting in a west like you’ve never imagined, Bullet Catcher is a wonderful meandering through rugged adventures and soul searching alliances.
I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the unique novels I've micro-reviewed in this post, but Bullet Catcher was my favourite.
Lovin' the cover too! Bullet Catcher is an all round winner. 5 stars.
Read more at: "https://zbookzing.blogspot.co.nz"
May 6, 2016
I just finished reading "The Bullet Catcher" by Joaquin Lowe. The Wild west with a twist, the Gunslingers Vs The Bullet Catchers, those that can turn a bullet around with their bare hands and fire it back at you, or simply deflect the oncoming fire. A riveting read with desolate landscapes belonging to another world.
February 23, 2016
From the first sentence, couldn't put it down!
Read it over a week end.
Read it over a week end.
February 26, 2016
While I loved watching the relationship between Imma and the Bullet Catcher develop, but my favorite character by far was Endd. Really hoping she comes back in the next book?
April 13, 2016
This was enjoyable, but weird. And I am not at al sure how I feel about it yet. Full review to come.
April 23, 2017
1st reader: 5 Stars
June 25, 2018
Bullet Catcher, by Joaquin Lowe, is one of the coolest books I’ve read for ages – it’s a YA genre-mash of wild west, steampunk and sci-fi and brings a really original twist to the old gunslinger legends.
About a young down-on-her-luck girl called Imma, this desert-based tale is about how Imma decides to leave her hometown and seek a new life. When she was an orphan her brother, Nikko, abandoned her to try his own luck in the desert wilderness…but he never returned. So when Imma meets a stranger in town, she sees a chance to become someone new and hunt for her lost brother.
The stranger is the Bullet Catcher. He is everything you’d want from a grisly, old, experienced, wild west-tainted gunman…except he doesn’t use guns. He bends bullets in mid-air and bounces them off himself in a rare, magical skill of bullet catching. And this twist is what totally captivated me to this story.
What arises from Imma’s meeting with the Bullet Catcher, is a mythologically exciting backstory of ancient wars between the real gunslingers and the bullet catchers. Imma learns to be a catcher, until she finds her brother again…and he is the desert’s top, evil gunslinger baddie. And he wants to indoctrinate his sister into the ways of the gunslinger, so he can destroy the bullet catchers once and for all.
The story is pretty violent in places, and has swear words, so it is definitely upper-MG or more probably YA. But the level of violence is in context with the story of blasted Badlands, drunken gunslingers, cyborg gun-shooting technology and a general feeling of apocalyptic wilderness and desperation.
Imma is a brilliantly resilient and brave character who literally goes through hell in this story. She and this book are wholly captivating and I’d highly, highly recommend it. So good!
About a young down-on-her-luck girl called Imma, this desert-based tale is about how Imma decides to leave her hometown and seek a new life. When she was an orphan her brother, Nikko, abandoned her to try his own luck in the desert wilderness…but he never returned. So when Imma meets a stranger in town, she sees a chance to become someone new and hunt for her lost brother.
The stranger is the Bullet Catcher. He is everything you’d want from a grisly, old, experienced, wild west-tainted gunman…except he doesn’t use guns. He bends bullets in mid-air and bounces them off himself in a rare, magical skill of bullet catching. And this twist is what totally captivated me to this story.
What arises from Imma’s meeting with the Bullet Catcher, is a mythologically exciting backstory of ancient wars between the real gunslingers and the bullet catchers. Imma learns to be a catcher, until she finds her brother again…and he is the desert’s top, evil gunslinger baddie. And he wants to indoctrinate his sister into the ways of the gunslinger, so he can destroy the bullet catchers once and for all.
The story is pretty violent in places, and has swear words, so it is definitely upper-MG or more probably YA. But the level of violence is in context with the story of blasted Badlands, drunken gunslingers, cyborg gun-shooting technology and a general feeling of apocalyptic wilderness and desperation.
Imma is a brilliantly resilient and brave character who literally goes through hell in this story. She and this book are wholly captivating and I’d highly, highly recommend it. So good!
September 14, 2020
Bullet Catcher is a unique series, a blend of coming of age, fantasy western, and family drama. It's perfect for fans of The Gunslinger (Dark Tower) and True Grit, but it comes with a few twists of it's own. The first two seasons are currently available on Serial Box, with the third on the way. My review is only for the first season of the series (though I do plan on diving into the second season asap).
In case Serial Box is new to you, here's a quick rundown. Serial Box curates experiences as much as stories. When a series is being actively updated, a new episode drops each week. Then you can either read or listen to it (or a combination of the two – my personal preference).
Imma has spent the last few years alone. As you might imagine, she's used to loss. First, she lost her parents. Then, she lost her brother, when he went off to follow his dream of becoming a bullet catcher.
Now? Now she's set to follow her brother's footsteps, all while creating a new dream just for herself. Only, it isn't that simple. Regardless of what complications it's going to bring about, Imma is going to take the opportunity she has found.
“Memory is a monster, far worse than anything lurking under a bed.”
I don't know about you, but I am completely hooked on this series. I listened to the whole thing in about a day, and it left me practically drooling for more. I fell in love with Bullet Catcher – with the world, the characters, and every little detail it had to offer.
Thankfully, I still have season two to binge through. Hopefully I can pace myself better this time around, so the wait for season three won't be complete torture.
I'll confess that I had a little bit of trouble getting into Bullet Catcher at first. I always struggle with new audiobooks though, so I think that's a me problem. Once I got into it though, I really got into it. I loved Imma's story, and every little twist and turn.
Even when I could guess what some of those twists were, I still loved it. In a way, that made it all the more satisfying, because it all made sense. The story flowed in such an organic and memorable way.
I honestly really loved the tone and theme of Bullet Catcher. I enjoyed The Dark Tower, and this carried with it several of those themes. But with a strong female lead, and a few other details to make the world stand on it's own. To me, it was everything I'd been looking for in a fantasy western (and then some).
I just looked it up, and it looks like you can get Bullet Catcher for a decent price on Kindle as well. That being said, if you can, spring for the Serial Box version. Ines del Castillo's narration brings the story to a whole new level, it's fantastic, and totally worth it.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
In case Serial Box is new to you, here's a quick rundown. Serial Box curates experiences as much as stories. When a series is being actively updated, a new episode drops each week. Then you can either read or listen to it (or a combination of the two – my personal preference).
Imma has spent the last few years alone. As you might imagine, she's used to loss. First, she lost her parents. Then, she lost her brother, when he went off to follow his dream of becoming a bullet catcher.
Now? Now she's set to follow her brother's footsteps, all while creating a new dream just for herself. Only, it isn't that simple. Regardless of what complications it's going to bring about, Imma is going to take the opportunity she has found.
“Memory is a monster, far worse than anything lurking under a bed.”
I don't know about you, but I am completely hooked on this series. I listened to the whole thing in about a day, and it left me practically drooling for more. I fell in love with Bullet Catcher – with the world, the characters, and every little detail it had to offer.
Thankfully, I still have season two to binge through. Hopefully I can pace myself better this time around, so the wait for season three won't be complete torture.
I'll confess that I had a little bit of trouble getting into Bullet Catcher at first. I always struggle with new audiobooks though, so I think that's a me problem. Once I got into it though, I really got into it. I loved Imma's story, and every little twist and turn.
Even when I could guess what some of those twists were, I still loved it. In a way, that made it all the more satisfying, because it all made sense. The story flowed in such an organic and memorable way.
I honestly really loved the tone and theme of Bullet Catcher. I enjoyed The Dark Tower, and this carried with it several of those themes. But with a strong female lead, and a few other details to make the world stand on it's own. To me, it was everything I'd been looking for in a fantasy western (and then some).
I just looked it up, and it looks like you can get Bullet Catcher for a decent price on Kindle as well. That being said, if you can, spring for the Serial Box version. Ines del Castillo's narration brings the story to a whole new level, it's fantastic, and totally worth it.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
July 20, 2021
This is a fantasy western, set in a fictional place called Southland. It's mostly desert, with small towns dotting the landscape with names like Sand, Tablerock, and Las Pistolas. The action starts years after a war between a group called the Gunslingers and a group called the Bullet Catchers. The Bullet Catchers, and their ability to somehow catch and turn bullets away from themselves, have almost died out. A young orphan named Imma escapes from her abusive adoptive guardian to follow a man she believes is one of the last bullet catchers, in the hopes that he'll train her to become one of his kind. She gets more than she bargained for along the way.
This was *really* good. Imma is a great protagonist. She's tough. She's got grit. She's not "Sarah Conner bad ass". She has determination. She gets knocked down. A lot. But every time she gets back up. She meets a lot of great characters. I won't lie, some of the story is *very* similar to the Star Wars/hero's journey archetype. I predicted much of what would happen. But Imma and the characters she meets and the journey she takes makes the whole thing worth it.
This was *really* good. Imma is a great protagonist. She's tough. She's got grit. She's not "Sarah Conner bad ass". She has determination. She gets knocked down. A lot. But every time she gets back up. She meets a lot of great characters. I won't lie, some of the story is *very* similar to the Star Wars/hero's journey archetype. I predicted much of what would happen. But Imma and the characters she meets and the journey she takes makes the whole thing worth it.
August 18, 2020
Bullet Catcher was a solid read that was very entertaining. I don't usually read Westerns but this one grabbed my attention from the beginning and Joaquin Lowe's characters just pulled me in. The bullet catching abilities was also refreshing and added an element of intrigue and sci-fi. Imma is a fantastic heroine and you instantly want to cheer her on as she embarks on her path to become a bullet catcher while overcoming the loss of her brother, Nikko, who is presumed dead after leaving their orphanage years earlier.
Joaquin Lowe's writing style is clever and the pacing of conflicts and story points of this book were just perfect, i never found a dull moment. The characters are well developed and overall this captivating world that Lowe has written makes me wonder why I haven't read more western books. I guess I was waiting for the right one to come along like a tumbleweed rolling in the dessert.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Joaquin Lowe's writing style is clever and the pacing of conflicts and story points of this book were just perfect, i never found a dull moment. The characters are well developed and overall this captivating world that Lowe has written makes me wonder why I haven't read more western books. I guess I was waiting for the right one to come along like a tumbleweed rolling in the dessert.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2020
Interesting coming of age story, and a quick read (only had four days to read for free from Serial Box, so good that it was quick!). First season of a continuing plot, not sure if I'd read the next, as it's sort of out of my normal comfort read style, but if you like westerns with female protagonists with agency, you'll like this one. Still have some questions about the history of this world, which I suppose in a serial novel is a good thing. As should probably be expected for a story with "bullet" in the title, there is blood and the attendant horror of wounding. This story does end its arc, leaving open the overall plot without hanging off a cliff, thank you.
November 10, 2020
Joaquin Lowe uses the tropes of the Western in a strange world where the battle is between gunslingers and Bullet Catcher (ebook from Serial Box). Bullet catchers have all but wiped out by gunslingers who can shoot faster. Imma was washing dishes in Sand when a man who may have been the last bullet catcher walks in. She follows him out into the desert, and eventually he teaches her some of his skills, but he is on a mission of vengence against a gunslinger named Bullet. Circumstances finds Imma caught between the bullet catcher, his friends, and her missing brother, and the growing tyranny of the gunslingers. Neat.Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
March 2, 2021
Fun twist on the western
If you like reading westerns, this book hits all the marks and then some. Brooding characters with grizzled pasts, rough terrain, plenty of rogue violence, and then the addition of a cool and subtle fantastical element by way of the bullet catcher and gunslinger characters. They all have a simple, supernatural allure about them that is so naturally woven into the story, I found myself often wondering how real history hasn't spoken of bullet catchers before. A quick but enticing read that leaves me wanting to pick up the second book straight away and continue the journey.
If you like reading westerns, this book hits all the marks and then some. Brooding characters with grizzled pasts, rough terrain, plenty of rogue violence, and then the addition of a cool and subtle fantastical element by way of the bullet catcher and gunslinger characters. They all have a simple, supernatural allure about them that is so naturally woven into the story, I found myself often wondering how real history hasn't spoken of bullet catchers before. A quick but enticing read that leaves me wanting to pick up the second book straight away and continue the journey.
February 19, 2019
So far an unfulfilling read. I was excited by the premise but the delivery falls short. Scenes that could have been packed with intricate details and world building are rushed and brushed over which really kills it for me.
The character of the Bullet Catcher is interesting but otherwise there aren’t many things keeping me invested in this story. I’m hoping that something changes now that i’m at the midway point.
The character of the Bullet Catcher is interesting but otherwise there aren’t many things keeping me invested in this story. I’m hoping that something changes now that i’m at the midway point.
December 8, 2021
3.8 stars. Yep .8. I listened to the Realm production read by Inés del Castillo. The reading was nicely done with some decent sound design to boot. Bullet Catcher is set in a Wild West not too far apart from our own- where martial discipline and technology bend the possibilities of reality. Fun and entertaining.
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