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Once Upon a Fang in the West
The Braided Pony saloon is no stranger to gun fire and blood stains on the floor. But when a mysterious gunslinger turns up dead in Ruby's room, it's up to the town's drunken sheriff to investigate. Lucky for him, Samuel, a fast talking vampire, arrives looking to settle a score and attempting to resurrect his dead friend. Now they're on the hunt across the rocky plains of the Wild West to recover the life that was stolen.
204 pages, Hardcover
Published May 4, 2021
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27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 4, 2021
It starts with a mysterious stranger drinking alone in the local saloon and ends with three dead men. At least, they appeared to be men at first, but the manner in which they died brings that into question. Why stake a man through the heart and, better yet, what kind’ve man has the strength to do such a thing?
It is a question that concerns the Sheriff a great deal, not least because he knows exactly what kind of man he is dealing with. He has encountered his kind before when he was called upon to put down a nest of vampires in his younger days. Now, the vampires are the least of his concerns, as something a lot more deadly has settled in his town and he may need to join forces with those he’d previously hunted down if he’s going to be able to stop it.
Once Upon A Fang in the West throws all kinds of things at the reader and it really doubles down on the more outlandish elements of the story. It reads like a classic spaghetti western, the whole book, particularly the pacing, feeling very cinematic. Then, Dover throws in some vampires, ghosts and demons to make things a little more interesting, dials the violence up to eleven, and gives some fun little nods to how out there what we are reading truly is. There is rarely a dull moment in ‘Once Upon A Fang In The West’ and if the title sounds like something you might read, then the contents certainly won’t disappoint.
One of the things that worked very well was the non-linear narrative, which is constantly switching between characters and often giving the reader flashbacks to their past lives that go some way to explaining certain plot details or character motivations without unnecessary or clunky monologues or info dumps. These flashbacks are always perfectly placed, doing nothing to slow down the books' forward momentum and often prove to be some of the story’s highlights.
I also liked the characters a great deal and there wasn’t one that I could honestly say wasn’t a lot of fun to spend time with. While Finn and the Sheriff shared a lot of the limelight with Ruby (a personal favourite character of mine) I also really enjoyed the subplot involving Jesse and found him to be one of the breakout characters. There was also some history suggested between Finn and Samuel that was very engaging, and that I would have liked to have seen explored further.
If there was one issue I had with the book, it’s that there is so much going on, that I left feeling like some sub-plots got a more satisfactory resolution than others. Finn and Samuel have a strained relationship, to say the least, and we get some insight into why thanks to some flashbacks, but it feels like a bit of a leap and there are elements of their former friendship that feel like they could have been embellished a little more to justify the vitriol between the two in modern-day. Same with the Sheriff and Jesse. Their relationship is perhaps the most interesting the book has to offer and the backstory told in the flashbacks is rich and satisfying, but it didn’t have the thematically substantial resolution it deserved. These are small complaints, only glaring due to the overall quality of the book as a whole.
Once Upon A Fang In The West is one in a long line of horror westerns being released right now, but dismissing it as just one in a crowded pack would mean missing out on a very entertaining and original read. It feels like there is a lot more mileage left in this world that Dover has created and, should he care to write a follow-up, I can guarantee that I will be there on release day to find out what other adventures he has in store.
This review was initially written for and published by Horroroasis.com
Check out their site for horror book and movie reviews, articles, giveaways and more.
It is a question that concerns the Sheriff a great deal, not least because he knows exactly what kind of man he is dealing with. He has encountered his kind before when he was called upon to put down a nest of vampires in his younger days. Now, the vampires are the least of his concerns, as something a lot more deadly has settled in his town and he may need to join forces with those he’d previously hunted down if he’s going to be able to stop it.
Once Upon A Fang in the West throws all kinds of things at the reader and it really doubles down on the more outlandish elements of the story. It reads like a classic spaghetti western, the whole book, particularly the pacing, feeling very cinematic. Then, Dover throws in some vampires, ghosts and demons to make things a little more interesting, dials the violence up to eleven, and gives some fun little nods to how out there what we are reading truly is. There is rarely a dull moment in ‘Once Upon A Fang In The West’ and if the title sounds like something you might read, then the contents certainly won’t disappoint.
One of the things that worked very well was the non-linear narrative, which is constantly switching between characters and often giving the reader flashbacks to their past lives that go some way to explaining certain plot details or character motivations without unnecessary or clunky monologues or info dumps. These flashbacks are always perfectly placed, doing nothing to slow down the books' forward momentum and often prove to be some of the story’s highlights.
I also liked the characters a great deal and there wasn’t one that I could honestly say wasn’t a lot of fun to spend time with. While Finn and the Sheriff shared a lot of the limelight with Ruby (a personal favourite character of mine) I also really enjoyed the subplot involving Jesse and found him to be one of the breakout characters. There was also some history suggested between Finn and Samuel that was very engaging, and that I would have liked to have seen explored further.
If there was one issue I had with the book, it’s that there is so much going on, that I left feeling like some sub-plots got a more satisfactory resolution than others. Finn and Samuel have a strained relationship, to say the least, and we get some insight into why thanks to some flashbacks, but it feels like a bit of a leap and there are elements of their former friendship that feel like they could have been embellished a little more to justify the vitriol between the two in modern-day. Same with the Sheriff and Jesse. Their relationship is perhaps the most interesting the book has to offer and the backstory told in the flashbacks is rich and satisfying, but it didn’t have the thematically substantial resolution it deserved. These are small complaints, only glaring due to the overall quality of the book as a whole.
Once Upon A Fang In The West is one in a long line of horror westerns being released right now, but dismissing it as just one in a crowded pack would mean missing out on a very entertaining and original read. It feels like there is a lot more mileage left in this world that Dover has created and, should he care to write a follow-up, I can guarantee that I will be there on release day to find out what other adventures he has in store.
This review was initially written for and published by Horroroasis.com
Check out their site for horror book and movie reviews, articles, giveaways and more.
April 26, 2021
Absolutely loved this one. So many fresh ideas. Enjoying the new horror western craze. This one fits in perfectly.
May 4, 2021
The west gets weird in this tale of mayhem. The author starts with a unique take on vampires, adds a dangerous predator that hunts them, and mixes it up with a main character stricken by trauma to serve a straight shot of horror and action.
Note: I received a copy of the story in advance in exchange for a fair review.
Note: I received a copy of the story in advance in exchange for a fair review.
April 21, 2021
The name of the town is the first clue that this isn’t your typical Western. The frontier outpost of Thrall has all the expected accoutrements: saloon complete with rotgut whiskey and ladies of the night; livery stable, mercantile, schoolhouse, and church; drunken sheriff haunted by a past mistake; mysterious stranger; oh, and vampires.
Samuel, an ancient vampire and necromancer, is hunting something worse, a monster that preys on his kind and humans. He has tracked it to Thrall and persuades the sheriff to join the hunt by freeing him from the ghost that has haunted him for 15 years. With nothing better to do, the ghost comes along for the ride. Samuel resurrects Finn, a powerful vampire with whom he has a complicated relationship. There follows a lot of ridin’ and shootin’ and bloodshed.
I enjoyed Dover’s assured use (and subversion) of the expected tropes of both Western and horror fiction. The characters are developed well beyond cardboard, yet remain true to their roles. I was particularly fond of Jesse, the ghost of a youth cut off before manhood, who uses his afterlife to learn and grow and see the world. I also loved the old-fashioned innocence of the chapter titles that baldly state what is coming next while carrying ominous overtones.
Recommended if you like a loving sendup and can stomach oceans of gore.
I received an advance-reader ebook from the publisher.
Samuel, an ancient vampire and necromancer, is hunting something worse, a monster that preys on his kind and humans. He has tracked it to Thrall and persuades the sheriff to join the hunt by freeing him from the ghost that has haunted him for 15 years. With nothing better to do, the ghost comes along for the ride. Samuel resurrects Finn, a powerful vampire with whom he has a complicated relationship. There follows a lot of ridin’ and shootin’ and bloodshed.
I enjoyed Dover’s assured use (and subversion) of the expected tropes of both Western and horror fiction. The characters are developed well beyond cardboard, yet remain true to their roles. I was particularly fond of Jesse, the ghost of a youth cut off before manhood, who uses his afterlife to learn and grow and see the world. I also loved the old-fashioned innocence of the chapter titles that baldly state what is coming next while carrying ominous overtones.
Recommended if you like a loving sendup and can stomach oceans of gore.
I received an advance-reader ebook from the publisher.
August 1, 2021
I was never a fan of Westerns, but the way Dover incorporates horror with the genre makes the book a must-read. I'm definitely excited to read more from this author.
July 28, 2021
An old grudge between a moralistic bloodsucker and his more pragmatic peer triggers Once Upon a Fang in the West, a witty vampire western that’s hard to put down once you start reading. John Dover resorts to all the features of the classics in both genres to deliver a story that’s funny, bloody, and even philosophical at times. Whiskey and blood flow in equal parts, while we read what is probably our first account about vampires being so afraid, that they organize the whole town—with the blessing and aid of the sheriff—on a campaign to get rid, once and for all (really?), of that much meaner, thirstier and hungrier thing, Ruby, that lies in wait for the next opportunity to strike big.
Our trust and empathy for these vampires grows, as we see how they have to come out in the open—at the bar, of course—to reveal their sucking skills to everyone, in order to persuade the townsfolk to cooperate for their common sake.
Along this journey, we get intimate with the motivation of each male character: the moralistic vampire who feeds on animals, in order to preserve his former species, no pleasure involved; the pragmatic, cynical sucker, who creates a sort of union to collaborate with; the spirit of a young man floating in the air, not fully convinced of being dead, who has existential doubts and qualms; a sheriff who can’t clean up his conscience for having shot the kid for a petty issue. All the males, men or otherwise, have some degree of decency: each displays his own code of behavior, and the conversations reveal interesting views that shape them as distinct, even though they all share one thing: a relative respect for the law and the sheriff’s uniform.
And then, of course, we have Ruby, the cannibalistic female vampire everybody loves or fears—or both. Ruby is the epitome of the empowered woman taken to the extreme. Certainly, feminism is none of her concerns in this cowboy town, as her possibilities, good taste, and strengths are way beyond. She is all a perfect woman can be in the collective imagination of these men, and more. She’s the kind, enthusiastic, and supportive prostitute, fun to be with, who’s protected by the barman if needed (ha!), and who has no trouble sleeping with whomever has the need of her charms. And that’s what makes the plot so funny, as we see these tough macho men grieve when they realize their collective sweetheart is a huge threat for all.
Dover’s Once Upon a Fang in the West is a hilarious page-turner Western, as well as a very explicitly gore vampire tale that binds the genres. Just pour yourself a shot of whiskey and wear an apron before reading.
Our trust and empathy for these vampires grows, as we see how they have to come out in the open—at the bar, of course—to reveal their sucking skills to everyone, in order to persuade the townsfolk to cooperate for their common sake.
Along this journey, we get intimate with the motivation of each male character: the moralistic vampire who feeds on animals, in order to preserve his former species, no pleasure involved; the pragmatic, cynical sucker, who creates a sort of union to collaborate with; the spirit of a young man floating in the air, not fully convinced of being dead, who has existential doubts and qualms; a sheriff who can’t clean up his conscience for having shot the kid for a petty issue. All the males, men or otherwise, have some degree of decency: each displays his own code of behavior, and the conversations reveal interesting views that shape them as distinct, even though they all share one thing: a relative respect for the law and the sheriff’s uniform.
And then, of course, we have Ruby, the cannibalistic female vampire everybody loves or fears—or both. Ruby is the epitome of the empowered woman taken to the extreme. Certainly, feminism is none of her concerns in this cowboy town, as her possibilities, good taste, and strengths are way beyond. She is all a perfect woman can be in the collective imagination of these men, and more. She’s the kind, enthusiastic, and supportive prostitute, fun to be with, who’s protected by the barman if needed (ha!), and who has no trouble sleeping with whomever has the need of her charms. And that’s what makes the plot so funny, as we see these tough macho men grieve when they realize their collective sweetheart is a huge threat for all.
Dover’s Once Upon a Fang in the West is a hilarious page-turner Western, as well as a very explicitly gore vampire tale that binds the genres. Just pour yourself a shot of whiskey and wear an apron before reading.
April 24, 2021
Wow, what an amazing book!
Dover knows this writing business because he delivers on all counts: description, character development, rich details when and where needed, and overall brilliant prose.
The creative town of Thrall has everything from the church to schoolhouse, saloon, and ... of course, hungry vampires and great fight scenes! (Some of the best fight scenes I've read this year!)
Pace, tension, and gore are all so well done that I want to read more from this author ASAP!
I was given an advanced copy from the publisher for an honest review - and this is that review.
Dover knows this writing business because he delivers on all counts: description, character development, rich details when and where needed, and overall brilliant prose.
The creative town of Thrall has everything from the church to schoolhouse, saloon, and ... of course, hungry vampires and great fight scenes! (Some of the best fight scenes I've read this year!)
Pace, tension, and gore are all so well done that I want to read more from this author ASAP!
I was given an advanced copy from the publisher for an honest review - and this is that review.
April 20, 2021
This story moves from one deliciously gruesome event to the next at breakneck speed. Before you know it, you've finished the tale and read of innumerable dismemberments. Dover's lush descriptions are a delightful contrast to the violent and harsh experiences of his characters. The world of Samuel and William is nothing short of immersive. Smells of whiskey, blood, and dirt waft off of every page.
**I was provided with an ARC of this book for an honest review.
**I was provided with an ARC of this book for an honest review.
May 5, 2021
Thrall, a slow cow-poke town all but forgotten, on the edge of nowhere, left to dry up with few future prospects. That is until the slimy & smarmy Samuel shows up. Things go sideways from there. And oh, how Thrall’s dry, desolate soil aches to be quenched, even if it’s with the blood of many of its own townsfolk.
I don't want to cover too much of the plotline to give away any spoilers, but it's sufficient to say that when trouble brews in Thrall, it quickly festers, like so much gut-rot.
The enemy of your enemy is supposedly your friend, right? But how far would you go to defend your town from a vile creature of unspeakable horrors when that “friend” is an unsavory vampire? Haunted by his own demons, Sheriff William must find out in this fast-paced, pulpy tale of evil, gory deaths, and bloody dealings between himself and several unwanted visitors to his Old West town.
William is offered a deal to get away from his demons, one that he cannot pass up. But you know what they say about making a deal with unsavory characters: it'll come back to bite you. And bite it does!
I loved the fast-paced nature of the Wild West romp. Mr. Dover cleverly mixes the well-established genres of Vampire Horror and Spaghetti Westerns to give new twists to both. He created a unique character in Jesse, the ghost of a youth cut down by an accident, whom I found especially interesting. If you like horror or westerns, you’ll like this book. If you like BOTH genres, then you’ll *LOVE* this book.
The narrative feeling is downright homey with smart dialogue and just enough exposition to give honest feelings about (and challenges to) the characters without slowing down the plot. It is, after all, a pulp fiction-styled novel, designed to keep your interest with thrills, chills, and some surprises. The chapters are quick and titled as you might see in an early silent film, lending additional context to the old-timey feeling of the story.
And what a story it is… Prepare for lots of blood and a flesh-rending good time!
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of the manuscript in exchange for my honest opinion and feedback. Hope this has helped you decide to buy the book. You won’t be disappointed.
I don't want to cover too much of the plotline to give away any spoilers, but it's sufficient to say that when trouble brews in Thrall, it quickly festers, like so much gut-rot.
The enemy of your enemy is supposedly your friend, right? But how far would you go to defend your town from a vile creature of unspeakable horrors when that “friend” is an unsavory vampire? Haunted by his own demons, Sheriff William must find out in this fast-paced, pulpy tale of evil, gory deaths, and bloody dealings between himself and several unwanted visitors to his Old West town.
William is offered a deal to get away from his demons, one that he cannot pass up. But you know what they say about making a deal with unsavory characters: it'll come back to bite you. And bite it does!
I loved the fast-paced nature of the Wild West romp. Mr. Dover cleverly mixes the well-established genres of Vampire Horror and Spaghetti Westerns to give new twists to both. He created a unique character in Jesse, the ghost of a youth cut down by an accident, whom I found especially interesting. If you like horror or westerns, you’ll like this book. If you like BOTH genres, then you’ll *LOVE* this book.
The narrative feeling is downright homey with smart dialogue and just enough exposition to give honest feelings about (and challenges to) the characters without slowing down the plot. It is, after all, a pulp fiction-styled novel, designed to keep your interest with thrills, chills, and some surprises. The chapters are quick and titled as you might see in an early silent film, lending additional context to the old-timey feeling of the story.
And what a story it is… Prepare for lots of blood and a flesh-rending good time!
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of the manuscript in exchange for my honest opinion and feedback. Hope this has helped you decide to buy the book. You won’t be disappointed.
March 20, 2022
A campy, gory story that is well-suited for wattpad readers. There was an interesting take on vampire lore and opportunities to develop characters and their relationships deeply, but they weren't explored...
I found the characters to be flat, relationships shallow, plot and character motivations flimsy. I ended up skimming the last half of the book because the writing was too descriptive in that amateur cringy sort of way a lot of online work can be. Half way through the book an image of two guns started appearing between passages in the already choppy and short chapters (again, as if it was originally serialized on wattpad). It seems strange since they didn't appear earlier.
Some of the scenes felt almost cinematic. Perhaps, the author should try screenwriting instead?
I found the characters to be flat, relationships shallow, plot and character motivations flimsy. I ended up skimming the last half of the book because the writing was too descriptive in that amateur cringy sort of way a lot of online work can be. Half way through the book an image of two guns started appearing between passages in the already choppy and short chapters (again, as if it was originally serialized on wattpad). It seems strange since they didn't appear earlier.
Some of the scenes felt almost cinematic. Perhaps, the author should try screenwriting instead?
May 10, 2021
Good read
Nice twist near the beginning of the book. I didn't see that coming. Can't say more or would give away too much.
I wish that the reader was told what type of creature was doing the killing.
Liked the gore!
The ending between the main characters was swift and pretty disappointing, in my opinion.
Still, an enjoyable read and one I will definitely recommend!
This is trivial, but I thought the chapter titles were unneeded. You'd read a couple of sentences, new chapter title. Most of the book was like that. Made it feel like the work of a school assignment. Took away from the flow of the book.
Nice twist near the beginning of the book. I didn't see that coming. Can't say more or would give away too much.
I wish that the reader was told what type of creature was doing the killing.
Liked the gore!
The ending between the main characters was swift and pretty disappointing, in my opinion.
Still, an enjoyable read and one I will definitely recommend!
This is trivial, but I thought the chapter titles were unneeded. You'd read a couple of sentences, new chapter title. Most of the book was like that. Made it feel like the work of a school assignment. Took away from the flow of the book.
June 7, 2021
Once Upon a Fang in the West by John Dover is a brilliant splatter western with vampires!
Need I say more?!
I had a blast reading this action and gore filled tale! This had everything that I look for in splatter westerns and I already cannot wait to re-read this story.
If this isn’t on your radar yet, and you love splatter westerns and vampires with amazing characters, this is one you need to go grab a copy of right away!
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
Need I say more?!
I had a blast reading this action and gore filled tale! This had everything that I look for in splatter westerns and I already cannot wait to re-read this story.
If this isn’t on your radar yet, and you love splatter westerns and vampires with amazing characters, this is one you need to go grab a copy of right away!
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
May 7, 2021
I really enjoyed this romp in the old west! Monsters meets horror meets classic gunslinger and everything in between. The best one liners that actually made me laugh out loud (and wake my sleeping hubby). Solid world, clean storytelling, fun characters. Definitely worth your time.
April 19, 2022
DNF at about 30%.
There were several reasons that I did not finish this novel.
Some of those reasons were aspects that I just don't really dig in novels. The biggest, perhaps, was the third-person omniscient POV, which made it very hard for me to really relate to--or root for--any of the characters. Similarly, the scenes changed too abruptly, which created a very jarring effect that I did not care for. I also really, really disliked the scene . I'm not usually easily squicked by violence in novels, but this? This was an entirely new level of gore that felt nothing but gratuitous and, honestly, I sort of had to force myself to kind of zone out during this section.
MOST of the reasons I had to put the book down were stylistic.
For one, the dialogue was HORRIBLE: cliched, predictable, and with barely any spark of originality or true wit to speak of. In addition, not only was the dialogue predictable, it felt forced and unnatural. I have no doubt that if the dialogue were to be said aloud in the context of a play or audio drama, it would be unbearable to listen to. (Also, and this is a minor thing, but I felt like there should have been more of a Southern Drawl™ to the characters' speech? Most of the time, the dialogue felt stiff and formal.)
Also, the writing was really clunky in general? I'm not sure if the author was going for a certain style or affectation, but the end result made me feel like it was written by a child. There was no fluidity to the prose (even simple prose can be fluid. This was just clunky) and I was often jerked out of the story mid-paragraph by how lackluster the writing was. The overall effect made me think that this must have certainly been a first-draft--the draft that was published could definitely use a rewrite to polish it up at the line-level.
Anyway, I would have LOVED to read a good Western-Horror hybrid, but this did NOT come anywhere close to satisfying that desire.
There were several reasons that I did not finish this novel.
Some of those reasons were aspects that I just don't really dig in novels. The biggest, perhaps, was the third-person omniscient POV, which made it very hard for me to really relate to--or root for--any of the characters. Similarly, the scenes changed too abruptly, which created a very jarring effect that I did not care for. I also really, really disliked the scene . I'm not usually easily squicked by violence in novels, but this? This was an entirely new level of gore that felt nothing but gratuitous and, honestly, I sort of had to force myself to kind of zone out during this section.
MOST of the reasons I had to put the book down were stylistic.
For one, the dialogue was HORRIBLE: cliched, predictable, and with barely any spark of originality or true wit to speak of. In addition, not only was the dialogue predictable, it felt forced and unnatural. I have no doubt that if the dialogue were to be said aloud in the context of a play or audio drama, it would be unbearable to listen to. (Also, and this is a minor thing, but I felt like there should have been more of a Southern Drawl™ to the characters' speech? Most of the time, the dialogue felt stiff and formal.)
Also, the writing was really clunky in general? I'm not sure if the author was going for a certain style or affectation, but the end result made me feel like it was written by a child. There was no fluidity to the prose (even simple prose can be fluid. This was just clunky) and I was often jerked out of the story mid-paragraph by how lackluster the writing was. The overall effect made me think that this must have certainly been a first-draft--the draft that was published could definitely use a rewrite to polish it up at the line-level.
Anyway, I would have LOVED to read a good Western-Horror hybrid, but this did NOT come anywhere close to satisfying that desire.
December 22, 2022
Weird enough that I still think about it every now and then.
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