The Dust and the Dark Places: Part One

The Dust and the Dark Places #1

by Andrew D. Gracey

A ruthless and gritty Western inspired by the dime novels of the 1800s.

America, 1883. Gunslinger Benjamin Dance wanders the relentless wastelands of the Mojave Desert, lost and near death, his wounded body clinging to the back of a bloodstained horse. As night falls, an unexpected encounter with the mysterious and secretive stranger Jasper Bennett gives Benjamin an opportunity for survival.
With darkness surrounding them, Benjamin and Jasper seek solace in the light of a campfire. It is here that Benjamin recalls his remarkable history with the Two-Faced Reaper himself, Howling Jack Holloway.

Jasper is alarmed. He has heard savage tales about Howling Jack and the Devilfall Bastard Six before, and he cannot believe that Benjamin is after the bounty on the heads of the most dangerous outlaws in Nevada.

But Benjamin is not after the bounty. His pursuit of Howling Jack is entirely personal. This gunslinger is focused on nothing else but getting revenge on the man who ruined his life.

Inspired by the tropes and themes of 1800s dime novels, The Dust and the Dark Places perfectly captures the madness, debauchery and beauty of the American frontier. With epic themes of love, loss and redemption, this novel is both a reimagining and a homage to the traditional Western.

Genres: Westerns, Historical Fiction

259 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2019

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat to read. Author Andrew D Gracey is a captivating storyteller who creates a lush western setting that you can feel right down to the scorching sun overhead and the prickly mesquite trees. Jasper is wandering alone through this wasteland when a horse brings an unconscious injured rider to his campsite. As the two set watch for the night, Benjamin is convinced to tell his story of how he came to be there.

“The Dust and the Dark Places” is a winding, atmospheric historical that sets you back at the turn of the century with talk of the Gold Rush, typhoid, hunting for outlaws, and gangs that ride the plains and terrorize towns on horseback. I was drawn into the story of Benjamin and his brother James, two boys with a close bond from surviving an abusive household. With good pacing, intriguing storytelling and interesting characters, this was quite a page turner. Loved the modern-day twist on the old western tale. Familiar tropes are there for lovers of the genre. But Molly is no damsel needing to be rescued, and this had a refreshingly modern sensibility to it. Themes of honor and revenge, loyalty and justice abound. Characters are forced to choose between the thirst for revenge and love. As Jasper aptly puts it, sweet revenge isn’t so sweet after all. Looking forward to book two.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[Jeremy Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic. A Western Epic in its greatest form. This book reminded me a lot of Stephen King's writing, particularly with the scenes during Benjamin's lost boyhood. It made me laugh out loud and it made me choke up in places. I could not put this down.

Only complaint is that it ends abruptly. I hope the author gets to releasing Part Two ASAP.

A well deserved 5 star from me!

[Kevin Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much i enjoyed this book after I got it for free as part of an introductory promotion on Reddit. I was surprised at the quality of a self published novel and thought the character development was great. Really interesting plot and idea - looking forward to Part two

[Aubrey Cleeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little rough around the edges and could do with some tidying up but I really loved this book. It really kicks off at the end of the second chapter and the rest is a gritty, blood filled delight. Would recommend to anyone for loves historical fiction and Westerns.

[E.M. Swift-Hook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coming of age book set in the Wild West

Ben Dancer, badly injured, finds himself being tended by a man called Jasper. As they wait out the night by a campfire in the middle of nowhere, Ben tells the tale of how he got there.

Confession time, when I was in my teens I loved reading westerns and Louis L'Amour counted as one of my favourite authors. When I was a bit older I became a passionate fan of spaghetti westerns and their moody atmospheric exploration of the human condition. It has been a very long time since I read a western though and I was looking forward to doing so.

The opening is superb, very 'spaghetti western' in style and sets the scene so the reader is expecting an exciting story to follow. And, to be fair, there is some excitement to be had, a goodly amount of graphically described brutality too, which again echoed more of the spaghetti than the L'Amour for me.

But my main impression was that this was not really a western at all, except in so far as it was set in some kind of old west setting. This book is far more of a coming of age book. Very slow-paced, lots of exploration of childhood friendships and experiences.

The writing style is very good. Easy to read and flow with. Few jarring moments to break immersion. The story is engaging, in places just a bit too predictable, but with some lovely enigmatic moments too.

For me, the biggest issue is the pace, which is glacial to slow. But not in the intense, tension building, atmospheric way the spaghetti's do it, more in the 'a lot of story irrelevant scenes' kind of way.

I'd recommend this book highly to those who enjoy coming of age stories, have a hankering for westerns and are fine with prolonged scenes of graphic violence.

[Kelly Channick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action-Packed Western with intriguing characters

The Dust and Dark Places is a fun, action packed western. From the start, the reader is introduced to Jasper and Benjamin— both of whom seem to be full of mystery. After Benjamin jumps into his woeful tale of his life, the adventure truly begins and never stops! The beautifully written descriptions of both the setting, action and characters made it very easy to visualize everything. I truly felt like I was fighting alongside Benjamin and Molly! The good news is, the adventure doesn’t end here, as the sequel is sure to be just as fulfilling (which is awesome, seeing as the ending had a great cliffhanger!). I highly recommend for all types of readers.

[Jack Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been asked to provide an honest review by the author of this book. This is part of a online book review website.

The Dust and the Dark Places is a gritty Western inspired by old dime novels. It is recreated with the aims of pleasing a modern audience, therefore there are a number of strong female characters and words and themes that suit in today's world.

The novel relies on a significant amount of dialogue which the author uses this with great effect and it really underlines the emotions that the characters feel. As a result, the cast are well rounded and written and their motivations are sincere.

The plot is the books strongest point. It is strongly character driven and uses the brutal events to its full advantage. I was drawn in to these scenes and thought they were well written.

This is a book that I really enjoyed. It is easy going but very effective.

[Kristian Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man is sitting by the fire, somewhere in the West of the USA, in the late 19th century. A gravely wounded man is brought to the fire by his horse, and his wounds are tended by the man by the fire.

As he regains consciousness, the two men start exchanging tales, and we come to learn the story of the main protagonist, Benjamin. It's a tale of revenge, following a brutal past. I like a good revenge story, like the various films by Quentin Tarantino, and The Dust and the Dark Places is a good addition to the format.

This is Andrew Gracey's debut novel, and it's a very good debut. The author seeks to rekindle the old dime novels from the period, in a modern package. The end result is riveting, and the reader ends up turning the pages to find out how Benjamin can face the ghosts of his past, without losing himself in the process. I found the novel breathed life into the old Western tales, and it reminded me of the atmosphere in old Western movies, like The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

I can highly recommend the novel, and I'll be looking forward to reading the sequel, to find out how the story ends.

[X. Culletto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Gracey certainly knows how to spin a yarn. I had to put down The Dust and the Dark Places several times, due to life, but always was keen on picking it up again. The way the story unfolds is masterfully done, and the main characters are multi-dimensional, with virtues and vices.

Benjamin, the main character of Part One, has a bleak past even before his family becomes entangled with a band of local villains. The encounter, which happens relatively early in the book, changes his life forever, driving him to become the man he always wanted and yet never wanted to be.

The writing in this book is excellent (a few minor errors excepting). Some of the descriptions are downright poetic, and combined with the old west setting, make for superb storytelling.

This book is clearly only one part of two, and though I looked for it, I couldn't find Part Two on Amazon. Reading both parts seems essential to really see the full picture of this world.

The book has adult language and graphic scenes (one especially disturbing one involving a horse) that I feel potential readers should be aware of. But anyone interested in an old west story will certainly love this book.

[Aaron Goodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a peer reviewing service. These are my thoughts on this book, although I have had limited contact with the author.

This book is really engaging. The world is beautiful, yet grim, and the writing is very well composed. The fight scenes and battles are brilliantly crafted.

I particularly enjoyed the prelude chapters and the campfire scenes. They make a nice break from the action and it is constantly refreshing to see new scenarios and meet new characters. I am interested to see how they develop over the next book.

5 STARS
TIM NICE

[Marcus Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good Western. Very violent, as it should be. Very much looking forward to the next installment

[Edward Rickford · Rating 4 out of 5]

** This review can also be found on Amazon and at edwardrickford.com**

Westerns have long enjoyed a hallowed place in historical fiction and they are enjoying a resurgence in literary circles in recent years. I picked up The Dust and the Dark Places knowing very little about the setting or the author, but I only needed to read a few pages to know the author had put a great deal of research and thought into the book.
Set in the late 1800s, the story takes place in a time when lawlessness still pervaded the Mountain West and makes use of generous flashbacks to provide the backstory for the protagonist, Benjamin of Hope Springs. He spends most of his early childhood fantasizing about life outside his small town and spends his down-time reading dime novels, when he isn’t getting into trouble with his friends of course. His step-mother and his father are both alcoholic and abusive so Benjamin’s desire to escape is both understandable and natural.
As it turns out, his father is bitten with the same bug and stirs up a great deal of trouble in the next town over when he goes on a shameful bender. Unfortunately for Benjamin, trouble follows his father back home and a group of outlaws decide to make an example out of him. Benjamin and his brother are soon dragged into the mix, and the ensuing violence alters the course of Benjamin’s life. In a matter of minutes, he loses the one person he always looked up to, and he is forced to abandon almost everything he knows.
Owing to his age, the outlaws decide to spare him, but the small mercy counts for little with Benjamin. He dedicates himself to seeking revenge and spends years hunting down the outlaws who destroyed his childhood. In the interests of not giving away too much of the story, I won’t get into much more of the plot but I think what I like most about the story isn’t the plot so much as the author’s dedication to craft. The prose is both fluid and engaging, and the research is top-notch.
Whether Gracey is describing the specific mechanisms of a rifle or the arid setting, it’s abundantly clear The Dust and the Dark Places is the product of impressive scholarship. When I read up on the author, I wasn’t surprised to learn he had a background in law enforcement but I was very surprised to learn he lives in the UK. If anything, it makes me respect his research all the more. Both the language and the details feel authentic to the time and place, and I think congratulations are very much in order. The Dust and the Dark Places is not for everyone--a scene involving a whipped horse and a restrained prisoner is particularly graphic--but readers who enjoy Westerns will find much to enjoy in this story. It is not a stand-alone novel by any stretch of the imagination but considering the quality of the writing, I imagine most readers will be quite willing to pick up the next installment.

[Matt Gianni · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE DUST AND THE DARK PLACES: PART ONE is the first in Andrew D. Gracey's two-part (so far) series set in the American West of the 1870s and 1880s. It centers on innocent-youth-turned-gunslinger Benjamin Dance, after a horse delivers his unconscious and bullet-pierced body to the desert campfire of vagrant Jasper Bennett.
With an extensive use of flashbacks, his story is told - from the innocent but troubled upbringing with his brother James and friends Chick Austin and Audrey Kennedy, to the destructive encounter with Samael Mott, Howling Jack Holloway, and the rest of the Devilfall Bastard Six and the Black Outlaw Riders.
The gritty settings and dialogue seem authentic Old West - it is clear much research went into this story. The writing is very clean, indicating either a rigorous layered revision process or professional editing. Looking forward to THE DUST AND THE DARK PLACES: PART TWO.

[Florian Armas · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are very few people who can survive the barren and untamed deserts of the western states of America.” This novel proves it once more. The author stated that it’s dark and gritty. He is right. There is a certain dark beauty in the opening chapter, it’s mysterious, and of course gritty, but it flows in an almost lyric, surreal way. The description of the place around the mesquite tree, and the meeting between the two strangers, one of them badly wounded, are captivating. And in this strange place under the desert moon, Benjamin’s story starts to flow, his life open out. The death of his mother. His broken father. The killing of his brother. His broken life. His need of revenge.

The writing is excellent, going poetic sometimes; it makes the reader feel even better the grit in the narration. The author is a good storyteller, and he had an interesting story to tell.

[Mary Elizabeth Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by dime novels of yesteryear, Andrew Gracey has set out to write an old fashioned western with a twist. The likeable hero Benjamin is a brave, stubborn and sensitive fellow who can occasionally shed a tear.

Gracey's opening chapter is magnetic. The author evokes the blazing heat and perils of the Mojave Desert. A vagrant, desperate for respite, shelters under a welcome mesquite tree. Gracey is good at creating a sense of place.

He is not so successful in creating a sense of the past. Chapter Two steps back a few years and introduces a trio of teenagers, young Benjamin and his pals Chick and Audrey. These three behave and sound like teenagers from the mid 20th century, not from 1877. In fact, the whole concept of the teenager is a 20th century invention. In the 19th century, the American world consisted of children and adults. In addition, the dialogue in this chapter felt a little stilted and formal. Young people in 1877 would not refer to native Americans as “indigenous”. Such political correctness doesn't suit the genre. However, over the ensuing pages the dialogue grew more casual and credible.

I imagine it was a bow to political correctness that prompted Gracey to include women, in 1881, amongst the outlaws, the lawmen and as sidekicks. Women in jeans, no less. Levis were invented in 1870, but it is stretching credulity to dress a woman in jeans in 1883.

Benjamin's story unfolds over one long night around a campfire in the shelter of that mesquite tree as the vagrant, Jasper, draws him out. Benjamin has set out to avenge the extremely brutal murders of his heroic brother and his ne'er-do-well father. Now he is in rough shape and needs the ministrations of this unlikely saviour.

Gracey crafts exciting action scenes. A cleverly orchestrated attack on the bad guys is particularly vivid, as are various fight scenes. He has a flair for conjuring up the deafening noise, the hideous smells, the blood and gore of battle. And he devotes pages to some of the deeper questions as Benjamin wrestles with a fundamental ethical dilemma.

Anachronisms crop up here and there and Andrew Gracey occasionally betrays his British origins. Expressions like “wind you up” and “clocked” are widely used in the UK, but perhaps not in 19th century America. “Closure” had a very different meaning in 1880 and it seems unlikely that anyone would have filled a saddlebag with “amenities”. I wondered if we were venturing into time travel when Benjamin was imagining high rise apartment buildings.

As a fan of well researched historical fiction, I admit to being picky. And these are minor points, after all, which do not seriously harm a good yarn. The book is excessively violent in places, but that brutality essentially drives the plot. It will be interesting to read the sequel, which tells the story from Jasper's point of view.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A full-throated western in the tradition of the late 19th-century dime-store novels. Knowing the author hails from England, his ability to conjure the setting of the American West is impressive. He creates a realistic picture of the landscape and the hardship of the Mohave desert.

There’s a good story here, although there were times it felt overwritten when a spare hand would have been better. A few words were too British (whilst instead of while) and there were some hints of modern words that made me question whether they’d have been in use at that time.

This is a two-part story and set up as a frame--strangers meet in the middle of the night and share a campfire. At Jasper’s prompting, Benjamin, who is on the verge of death, is compelled to tell his backstory. This is when the real plot begins.

Benjamin launches into the retelling of his life. With his mother dead, his father all but abandons him to drink and a whorish lush for a stepmother. Benjamin longs to join his older brother, James.

I won’t spoil the story, but suffice to say there were all the requirements of a good western with villains and a gang of outlaws. I found the middle section a little too long, but the climax includes a gun battle and then leads back to the campfire where the tale begins.

I was disappointed when the book ended abruptly. I understood why the author chose to do this; it’s an effective set up for the sequel. It just felt like I was robbed of a satisfying ending.

Rating - 3.6 rounded up to 4 stars

[Thomas Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does have a slightly "rough around the edges" feel, understandably as it's the writer's first novel and self-published- but I enjoyed the story and read it quickly.

The structure of the book worked well for me, with strangers meeting under mysterious and trying circumstances, and one encouraging the other to tell his story. The story is paced very well, it moves along nicely while still giving enough for the characters to be fleshed out- I think the characters are very strong.

When I say it was a bit "rough" I don't mean errors, I'm thinking of certain elements that I think were a bit over-done and could have been smoothed down a bit in editing. For example there are at least three characters who lay it on quite thick in terms of trying to explain to Benjamin that the road he is taking in life is a dark one, that could have been toned down a little. Also Benjamin for me becomes maybe a little too stubborn and snarly, but that's just personal taste. I think also sometimes reactions to something said or done were explained when they didn't really need to be. But the writing as a whole is nice and lean and direct.

Overall I think the author's enthusiasm for the Western genre comes through in the book and gives it the force and passion that makes it a very enjoyable read, and I'll be reading part 2 soon.

[Avalon Dane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is the first book by Andrew D Gracey. What a fantastic read! The author’s use of vivid detail and well-developed characters pulls you right in to the rough and tumble world of an 1800s western.

The story begins with a vagrant man wandering the desert alone under the scorching sun. As darkness falls, he makes camp under a lone tree. Later that night, a horse arrives carrying a young, unconscious man with severe injuries. The older man, Jasper, after a bit of debate (making the reader wonder whether this Jasper is a good man or not) decides to tend to the stranger’s injuries.

When he awakes, the young man is suspicious and antagonistic. Eventually, Jasper convinces this younger man, Benjamin, to tell his tale. To explain what brought him out to such a desolate and deadly place, and in such bad shape. The story then moves back and forth between Benjamin’s tragic tale and the night these two strangers share in the desert.

Villains rise and fall as heroes emerge, with a fast-paced and well thought out plot. For me, the only part that lagged a bit was the final shoot-out, but that’s because I had become so intrigued by Benjamin and Jasper that I was dying to figure out what connection they might share, other than finding themselves alone in the desert. It was the perfect setup for the second book, which I'm looking forward to reading.

[Christopher Jessulat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to begin.

Generally, I'm not a fan of Westerns. I'm also not usually a fan of self-described "dime store" fiction. So, I think it's fair to emphasize this really isn't my typical read. But I *loved* the cover design, and with all this extra time on my hands, and despite what I thought might have been my better judgment, I figured I'd give it a shot anyway.

Glad I did.

The story opens with intent. It's deliberate and visceral, and fast. But despite the immediate feeling of urgency, it's a slow burn and reads more like a sweeping narrative rather than something excessively punchy. At its core, its a tale of revenge in a Western backdrop. It's descriptive, engaging - great characters. Sometimes the dialogue feels a little clunky, maybe an attempt at a throwback to period language, not sure - but it didn't detract from the scene.

For me, the truest test to whether or not I've enjoyed a read is whether or not I'd pick up the sequel. This isn't my usual fare, but I'll read the next. That - to me - says this is a story worth reading.

[L.J. Scar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture the opening scene. A vagrant man, Jasper, alone in the desert broken down and destitute. Along comes a rider, Benjamin, unconscious and bloody on a horse obviously not his own. As the wounds are tended, the rider is able to tell his story- one of vengeance that may never be fulfilled.

Benjamin's story begins at the age of 16 when the horrible life he had been given becomes a whole lot worse. With the help of friends, acquaintances and lovers his six-year journey seeking revenge leads him to the end which is the opening scene at the campfire.

I enjoyed the book. Chapters are long but named for the scene, place or year making the context clear. The character of Benjamin was so weak and scared that I couldn't imagine him being able to carry out a vendetta. Then again I'm basing that on the westerns that Hollywood produces. This is a standalone with good continuation if the reader so desires. Book 2 is Jasper's story.

[Rosetta Overman · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the opening, we're introduced to a wanderer in the desert. All we know about him is that he has just escaped an ordeal and, a little later, that his name is Jasper. When Benjamin is carried up to the campsite, broken and bleeding, things start to get interesting. Following the troupe of many Westerns, Benjamin has a dark past that has led him to seek revenge. The interesting thing that takes away some of what makes this story a slight cliché is that Jasper wants to help Benjamin essentially be a better person by assessing his own story and thought process, something that has rarely, if ever, been introduced in the genre.

Benjamin's story takes readers through a range of emotion, and I found that I quite liked his character. Even the secondary characters were interesting. The only thing I felt took a bit away from the story would have to be the time skip. There is a small romance subplot that would be stronger is it didn't feel like Benjamin just had a thing for adventurous redheads. I would've liked a little more diversity in a story about the Old West, especially since this story takes place in the same time frame as American Indian Wars, which would've been something everyone heard about. The oversight isn't that big a deal and honestly wouldn't have played too much into Benjamin's personal story (except that Geronimo was probably just as much a wanted man as Howling Jack, if not more so and might explain the Army's lack of involvement in Orchard), I just think a little bit of true history mixed in even in passing could've been interesting. And this observation doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the story.

I liked that there is a toeing of an invisible line throughout this story. The British spelling in a story about the American West was a little weird, but it stops standing out so much the more you read. The dialogue can also be a little strange, switching from proper English to some bastardization of the language akin to that in movies and books.

[D. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers hoping for a light and cheery mail-order-bride type Western novel will likely not enjoy The Dust and The Dark Places. The novel begins with a wandering "vagrant", Jasper, trying to survive in the unforgiving Mojave Desert. We aren't told much about him, other than he has his share of regrets and closely held secrets. A lone horse brings into his makeshift camp a gravely injured young rider, who shares his heart-wrenching story after Jasper revives him.

In his introduction, the author references the dime novels that were popular in 19th century America before introducing one of their biggest fans, Benjamin Dance, a youngster living in an isolated central Californian community in the 1870s, the son of a bitter widower who has given himself over to alcohol addiction and an unhealthy relationship with a vile woman whom the young boy despises. Their once prosperous farm reflects the destitute state of the family's relationships. James, Benjamin's older brother, took off to a nearby community, Orchard, to work as soon as he was old enough to leave the dysfunctional family behind. But as difficult as the young teen's home situation is, that's far from the worst this story has to dish out.

At times, if you'd told me I was reading a dystopian novel rather than a historical Western, I would have believed you. The Black Outlaw Riders, a powerful outlaw gang, is progressively eliminating law enforcement and conquering one small community at a time, transforming prosperity into hopelessness. James visits his family after Orchard surrenders to the gang, leading to shuttered businesses and citizen flights. James, now a vigilante intent on undermining the gang's spreading toxic influence, is clearly concerned for his family's well-being. The gang has its own way of meting out justice, and they track down Benjamin and James' father and his lady-friend for unpaid drinking-related debts and misbehavior in the gang-run saloon/brothel in Orchard. The results are tragic, leaving Benjamin the only (simultaneously guilt-ridden and wrathful) survivor of his family.

After suffering through the devastation caused by the outlaws, young Benjamin finds some refuge in the friendship of his two close childhood friends, Chick and Audrey (who with Benjamin make up the Hopeless Three). But these two end up becoming a couple, furthering his isolation. Despite finding a profitable livelihood on a ranch, he feels his life will have meaning only if he exacts vengeance against the two outlaws primarily responsible for murdering his father and brother, Howling Jack Holloway (the Two-Faced Reaper) and Samael Mott, both members of the more exclusive Devilfall Bastard Six. Six years after his family's slaughter, his homicidal quest leads Benjamin to Orchard, where he meets Molly, who shares the same murderous goal. In the nail-biting conclusion, Benjamin puts his lust for revenge above his love for Molly by sending her off on a perilous quest alone.

The descriptions in this novel are vivid (although a deep-dive edit would be useful to make sure they all coincide with reality). You can taste the heartless dust, hear the howls of hungry wolves, see the endless desert landscape, feel the searing pain of shattered bones but even more of lost loved ones, both human and, in this case, equine. Nothing is black and white. The good guys, such as Benjamin, are not purely good. And the bad guys, such as the desert vagrant and even Howling Jack, are not purely evil. What does come across is the senseless futility of our stubborn tendency to stay on a destructive path that leads us further into heartache and away from who we started off to (and could still) be.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the positives and negatives of not only the Old West but also human nature. As a friend, William, tells Molly, "Everyone has scars, Molly. It's what you do in spite of them. That's what's important." This book is not a complete story as it continues into the sequel, which apparently presents the vagrant's story and may resolve some dangling questions, such as what happened to Molly.

"Raw" and "gritty" would be too popular adjectives to describe this novel, and it is unlikely to appeal to historical Western aficionados who seek sweet romances and happy endings. But the writing quality is excellent and warrants five stars.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's stated intention was to write an homage to the Western dime novel. To that end, the book includes many of the elements of those works: a hero with a need for revenge, guns, shoot-outs, booze, tough but tender women, and a mare named Marilyn.
This is also a coming of age story, as the main character, Benjamin Dance, is an unfortunate youth who escapes the bad parts of his life by reading dime novels. The terrible crime perpetrated against him and his family early in the book is described in full, lurid colour, complete with sound effects and a plethora of grisly details. Like this: "The primer ignited and the bullet rushed from the gun. It caught Emma in the chest, cracking through her ribcage and puncturing her heart. She fell screaming, her body jerking, a torrent of blood pumping from her chest."
The rest of the book is devoted to Benjamin's resolve to get revenge on the two men behind the murders. Several chapters include Benjamin's friends, Chick and Audrey. The three have a joking relationship that is shown at length. To me some of the dialogue sounded more like 1977 than 1877 and made me wonder if the book included time travel.
After Benjamin learns to shoot, he sets off with Marilyn to carry out his mission of revenge in the ravaged town of Orchard, home of the Black Outlaw Riders. These folks spend much of their time drinking, fighting, and killing. These activities are described in full, living colour with sound effects. All this leads up to a big showdown and consequences I will not mention for fear of spoilers.
Because this is Part I, the book ends abruptly, with important issues unresolved and revelations yet to be made. At this stage, questions remain about Benjamin's pursuit of revenge and the sort of man he wants to be.
The transitions between the 1883 campfire scene and what led up to it are clearly labelled. No confusion there.
Other positives include the author's sincere enthusiasm for the genre, strong female characters, a fairly good job on the American desert setting, and thorough character development. Even though the early chapters are slow, they did make me care about Benjamin enough to hope things worked out for him, whether or not he got his revenge.
My biggest problems with the book start with the florid language, although I recognize it's in keeping with the style of dime novels. Examples: "screams which bellowed from his mouth," "the words uttering with a drunken slur." Words expected in Westerns, such as "ain't" and "nothin'" appear alongside phrases like "that epiphany you promised me," which sounds like present-day New Age lingo. Benjamin, Chick, and Audrey refer to themselves as "teenagers," a word that did not come into common use until well into the 20th century.
The pacing is slow, with too many pages spent building up to crucial scenes. I thought an important slice of plot was missing, between naive Benjamin arriving in Orchard and teaming up with Molly, to just before the final showdown. I would have liked to see more of what he and Molly did during those years to change him from a guy who has never killed anyone into a hardened gunslinger.
The central question of the book—is it right to hate someone who has wronged you and to spend your life hunting down and killing them—keeps being presented to Benjamin (and the reader) by different people, such as his friend William, Verne the saloon-keeper, and Jasper the mystery man. Eventually, it felt contrived and became a barrier to immersion in the story. The frequent mentions of young Benjamin's love of dime novels had the effect of reminding me that I was reading a novel, rather than experiencing it.
I acknowledge the author's intention to write a rip-roaring Western. Other readers, who may be better acquainted with the Western genre, think he succeeded. For whatever reason, I must count myself among the minority who disagree.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

1877, Hopesprings Sierra, NV Forest. Robert “Bobby” Dance (father, drunk) was giving Benjamin Dance (16, son) the business.
Maureen Dance (stepmother) was trying to intervene.
Benjamin quick sweeping the veranda & took off with his 2 friends: Chick Austin & Audrey Kennedy.
Benjamin shared his life story 1st. with Chick & Audrey.
Orchard on horseback is a couple of hours away. 8 people have been killed. The Crooked Cards Gang & the Rustlin’ Guns have about taken the town over. The Sheriff was booted out the door.

The Hopeless Three gang had finally arrived.
Their encounter with a so-called lawman didn’t last long.
Benjamin & James Dance (son/brother) were sitting on the bank but hadn’t caught any fish yet.
The barkeep said their parents had run up a tab at every bar & no one will serve them until they pay their debt.
Benjamin & James had just arrived back home.
Samael (Black Outlaw Riders) came to collect his money from Robert & Maureen.
Things didn’t go as planned.
Howling Jack Holloway (aka Two-Faced Reaper, Black Outlaw Riders leader, Devilfall Bastard Six founder) had just arrived the next morning.
Sarah, & Gus (Latino man) Black Outlaw Riders were still alive.
The other 2 Black Outlaw Riders: Dewey & Emma were shot/killed.
1881, Dead Man’s Ridge. Benjamin was having a tough time keeping up with Chick & Audrey.
William Garett (rancher’s son) had rode up on Marilyn (chestnut horse) & brought them a cool canteen of water.
William taught Benjamin how to shoot a rifle.
He gave Marilyn to Benjamin.
Orchard. Louisiana Hotel/bordello. Deadwood Saloon. Benjamin Dance (Gunslinger) introduced himself to Molly Stevens (Dove).

Later the place was set on fire.
Benjamin finally met up with Samael.
1883. Mojave Desert America. People were still hunting for the unknown vagrant man.
The dark came with the cold. It was time for him to rest for the night.
A campfire was built to take the chill off him.
A mare with a rider had wandered up to the campsite.
Jasper Bennett knew the man would not survive the night; he had been shot & there was blood all over the horse.
The bullet had gone straight through & out his other side.
AM. Benjamin Dance (Gunslinger) wanted a drink out of Jasper’s canteen.
The 2 of them were getting to know each other.
Benjamin shared his past with Jasper. His story was of Howling Jack Holloway (Two-Faced Reaper) & the Devilfall Bastard Six & the Black Outlaw Riders.
US Marshal Moseley was on the lookout for Howling Jack Holloway.
$5-grand reward dead/alive.

I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

Warning: This book contains adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader. If you are especially sensitive to this type of material, it is strongly advised not to read any further.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written Historical Fictional Western book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters & facts to keep track of. This could also make another great Western movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author (s); Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Author; PDF book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Diane McGyver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dubbed “A ruthless and gritty Western inspired by the dime novels of the 1800s”, I decided to read "The Dust and the Dark Places" by Andrew D. Gracey because I loved the old western novels of the 60s and 70s my oldest brother had bought, read and gave to me to read. I’m also a huge fan of older western movies and television shows.

The essence of those story lines was found in "The Dust and the Dark Places". Bad guys did horrible things to good guys, and the surviving good guys sought revenge, eventually learning it didn’t fill the void in their hearts. Along the way they found friends and love and sometimes lost one or both. Gracey captured the ruthless and gritty elements of these stories.

The book was slow to start, and I found the characters talked too much. Then again, I’m a huge Clint Eastwood fan, and less is more when it comes to talking in westerns. As teens, Benjamin and his friends poked fun more like they were in the 1980s rather than 1880s. Some of the terms used (Shut your pie hole – appeared in 1980s) weren’t around in the 1800s. These, plus terminology (female horse), the at times confusing scene set-ups and things that stretched the imagination, like so many female gunfighters in the gang, bolted me out of the story.

[Spoiler Alert - beyond this point, details shared may spoil the reading pleasure of this book.] For instance, Chapter II, Part One introduced the setting, the town of Hopesprings. Benjamin’s home is described as on the outskirts of town. It was not just run down, but was described as if abandoned with windows and the roof having caved in during the heavy spring rains. Well, this was late summer, and Benjamin sat beneath a nearby tree reading. All he had to look at was the rundown house, which soon revealed his father and the woman he shacked up with. They lived in the house. While it’s possible, the description of the house made it appear unlivable. These two conflicting ideas brought me out of the story. It was the first time in the book this happened but not the last.

Flash forward to the killing scene of James, and we see Chick run across the road from Benjamin’s house to help. I was not only thrown out of the story, but to the ground to eat dirt. What? Why were there houses that close? Why hadn’t the opening scene revealed this? Why hadn’t Benjamin, as he sat beneath the tree looking at his surroundings think, that’s where my friend, Chick, and his family live. Look at their farm, all successful, and now look at ours, rundown and decrepit. The comparison between the two would have been easy to do, but it wasn’t. It was as if nothing but barren land surrounded the Dance farmhouse.

Benjamin, the main character, was a sympathetic character to a degree, and I hoped he survived. While he had been the innocent one dragged into this fight, he had the choice to walk away many times. The one I sympathized with the most was Marilyn, his horse. She had no choice, so when she died, I blamed that directly on Benjamin, which made me less sympathetic to him. I believe the lack of sympathy developed for the characters was because of the constant head-hopping. Not only did it reduce the suspense and tension in the story, it kept me from attaching a strong emotion to one character.

This book is only half the story. The answers you seek as the story takes form are not answered until book two. I’ll be honest, this was the first time I’ve read a book that did not contain the full story. It was disappointing to not have some sort of ending.

[Randall Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern take on the Western.

“The Dust and the Dark Places (Part One)” by Andrew Gracey is a neo-Western that takes its inspiration from a re-imagination of 19th Century dime novels of the day.
The novel is beautifully written, evoking both the time and place of a bygone era. The novel’s first chapter lead this reader to believe that the rest of the book would be a trading of tales between a pair of wounded and damaged men (Jasper and Benjamin) around a campfire in the desert to help them survive the night. I expected one of the men to tell a story, followed by a story from the other. Instead of a tale told in the first person, the author chooses to tell the story of Benjamin Dance in the third person. It seemed to interrupt the well set-up device of his excellent opening chapter, and it wasn’t until several long chapters later, when we returned to the campfire, that I understood that this was the story that Benjamin told to Jasper. I think my confusion would have been alleviated had the author simply stated in the chapter’s title, something like: The Personal History of Benjamin Dance, as told to Jasper while waiting for the dawn. The way it is, I mistakenly thought he abandoned the device to write a more complete history of the character.
That issue aside, Benjamin’s tale continues with several violent, wrenching tales of death in the dust of the pioneer West. The language is vivid and quite descriptive of both the mundane and the extreme, utilizing gory violence, of which there is a great deal. While Gracey’s goal is that of a dime novel, his descriptions of the many violent scenes reminded me more of Alexander Jodorowsky mixed with Quentin Tarantino. Those who do not care for violent imagery should take note. However, I had no problem with it.
I found it interesting to learn that Gracey is English, because he captures American vernacular so skillfully with all the grammatical faults one would expect to find spoken by the common man of the imagined past in a country far from his own.
The book was extremely well proofed and edited with most of the errors coming in the last quarter.
Gracey’s characters are well-drawn and sympathetic when meant to be, cowardly and detestable as well.
My biggest complaint with the book is its unsatisfying cliffhanger ending, if it can even be called that. It seems as though the story was meant to get us to purchase the next book. My experience has been that one cliffhanger is often followed by another, and then another, with no end in sight. It’s the author’s duty, in this reader’s opinion, to provide a satisfying ending, even while foreshadowing further conflict to be addressed in the sequel.
That aside, it didn’t take away my enjoyment of Gracey’s writing and use of language. His writing shows great talent and ability. Now, if it only had a more satisfying ending, I would be happy.

[Phillip Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dust and the Dark Places is a lot slower than most dime novels. I expected a shoot 'em up Spaghetti Western. To me, a dime novel should have TEN shootouts. This was more like a revenge story with a payoff only in the final 10 percent. Even then, it's set up for a sequel. I expected more action, so I was disappointed in its absence. The writing is good and the story fits what most would expect from a western. The rest of my review will contain spoilers.

The Good.
The opening chapter was strong and intriguing. Normally, I don't like media res (I prefer a linear story), but this one did draw me in.

There was one shootout early on and it was great.

The scene showing the reason for Benjamin's revenge was nice. Not quite a shootout, but important executions. James and the horse was another highlight.

Benjamin has to train for years and is still cowardly and unsure of himself. I hate it when the protagonist gets instant Batman skills. Benjamin earned what little competence he had.

Benjamin immediately becomes meek when he arrives in Orchard.

The fire plan to divide and conquer the Black Outlaw Riders was genius. It was a lot more likely to succeed than just running in with guns a blazing.

Molly had to save Benjamin against Samael. He tried to do the honorable thing, and it went poorly.

Molly chose chasing Jack instead of helping Benjamin. Her priorities stayed true.

The Bad.
The book was way too slow for me (or a dime novel, for that matter). I wanted B-action movie violence.

There were some unnecessary words used (e.g. rise UP).

There were long chapters without scene breaks, so I had to really hunker down for reading periods that weren't as convenient, but I refuse to stop without one of these pronounced breaks.

The author has something against contractions. Dialogue always felt clunky because so many people avoided them half the time. Furthermore, the dialogue was off with phrases inappropriate for the time. At one point Molly (or was it Clarissa) told Benjamin she'd be "his wingman." Since the story takes place in 1883 (20 years before airplanes) I highly doubt this phrase would have been used.

There were perfect opportunities for action scenes that were skipped. First, when the two factions of the Black Outlaw Riders squared off. Second, the two years Benjamin and Molly were bounty hunters. As I said above, my dime novels should have dime novel gratuitous violence.

The Technical.
There is graphic violence and swearing.

There is sexual innuendo.

[Mary Markstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat reluctantly, Jasper bandaged up the badly injured stranger who rode into his camp on a blood soaked horse. As the night wore on, Benjamin told Jasper his tragic story in flashbacks. Benjamin had to grow up fast when his mother died and his father took to drink and re-married a pretty nasty woman.
Benjamin's childhood was shattered by the slaying of his family by the Black Outlaw Riders over unsettled debts. He was especially devastated by the brutal murder of his brother James by the sadistic Samael.
When his friends let him down he set off alone to track down Samael and Howling Jack. His thirst for revenge took him on a road which would change him for ever. He could never go back to being that little kid again.
He found himself in a world without law and order where drunkenness, prostitution and mindless violence were the norm. He'd never killed anyone before and doubted if he had the stomach for it. Romance came into his life when he met Molly who had her own past demons to pursue. She was however no snowflake. Together they joined the band of bounty hunters but not for the money.
I love the old Spaghetti Western and as I read this story I kept thinking that it would make a great movie.
I found the graphic violence and animal cruelty a bit off-putting at first but it is not gratuitous and the writer does not glorify the violence.
The dialogue between Jasper and Benjamin was very realistic and well written. Jasper made Benjamin face up to difficult dilemmas such as whether it was worth risking his relationship with Molly in order to reap his revenge for his family's murder.
The circling of the wolves was symbolic of his troubled conscience. The shock came when Jasper revealed his true identity and the story ended on a cliff-edge to be continued in the sequel.
A well written, fast paced book with an engaging plot and complex characters.

[Laura Koerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how this book began: the campfire, the man on the run, the horse that appears out of the darkness carrying a nearly dead rider…the concept of two men telling their backstories while sharing a desert night. Great start!
But I thought the middle sagged a bit. When Benjamin starts recounting his teen years, there was too much conversation and often the same conversations are repeated. The plot does pick up, and the action does accelerate though outlaws and adventures into the inevitable shooting scenes. I mean “inevitable” in a good way—this is a Western so there has to be gunplay! And the themes are the classic ones: revenge and loyalty.
I had some trouble with the writing, It’s intended to be a recreation of dine novels, so purple prose is to be expected and I enjoyed the purplish aspect of the writing. But the switching from language that sounds modern to language that sounds old-fashioned threw me.
I do appreciate how hard it is to recreate the literary feel of another era. I enjoy real nineteenth century American literature of the West. The University of Oklahoma publishes books written in the 1800’s by people who experienced the West, and I have read quite a few of them. Roughing It, Wah-to-yah and the Taos Trail, and The Oregon Trial: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky Mountain Life are outstanding examples. The all time classic is Tough Trip through Paradise. These books are first person accounts written in the 1800 about the West when it was wild. To me, authenticity is so much more compelling than even the best re-creation! So I rarely read fictional Westerns.
Maybe I was just not the right reader for this book. After all, the dime novels were intended for people who had not experienced the West, and this book probably is aimed at people who do not read nineteenth century primary resources.
So this review is not really based on my reaction. Instead I am guessing how a reader of Westerns would react. I think this book has the drama, excitement, and lawless frontier background that readers of Westerns would like.

[Tristen Kozinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5

Westerns are not my usual genre but the title for this book teased my interest enough that I decided to brave it. What this means is that I cannot really comment on how generic it reads and I don't know what points are relevant to veterans of the genre.
All that being said, I liked the book. The prose was decent and the characters mostly good. I found particular enjoyment in just the theme of it being a western, which is obviously different from the fantasy I usually read, and the theme felt well handled, with a consistent and tone and enough descriptions to sell it for me. I also like the underlying narrative of this being a story told around a campfire by two strangers, but that does also introduce the first minor qualm I had with the story. While all one story, the book is separated into three shorter stories featuring our MC at different stages in his journey. The result of this is limited progression for the character(s), with most of it occurring off-screen and what interactions the characters share are mostly means for the author to tells us about them. This makes sense in the campfire sections because they're strangers and, but in the actual recounting it doesn't.
There were also times where the story felt melodramatic to me, such as when one character proclaims his history to be the most tragic and that it will display the uttermost depths of human depravity and it amounts to his family being murdered in a fairly inoffensive way. Yes, tragic and well worth the story that derives from it, but by no means worth the pejoratives. This might somewhat be because I like dark fantasy, which tends to lean more towards 'burning whole villages alive' on the awful scale, but it still felt hyperbolic to me.