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Cowboy Necromancer #1
Infinite Dusk
The 'before people' liked their electricity, fast food, and pretty decorations.
People now, survivors of the Reset, have a much harder time just staying alive thanks in no small part to their memories being stripped away, and the skyscraper-sized floating alien monoliths known as Godwalkers that can show up at any time and destroy everything.
Sterling Monedero is not your typical necromancer; even with the game system and mancer class forced onto him by the Godwalkers, he just wants to farm his peppers in peace and live out the rest of his troubled existence in quiet. He did that whole 'trying to get revenge on the Godwalkers' thing five years ago, and failed miserably.
But when the Godwalkers show back up for their own bit of revenge - and Killbilly bandits appear trying to impose a pepper tax - the tough-as-bones loner decides enough is enough. It's time to reassemble the team, kick some much needed ass, and put an end to the alien threat once and for all.
Or die trying.
Join Sterling as he travels across the arid Southwest on his skeletal horse, getting glimpses and insights into what the before people were actually like. Set in a richly imagined post-apocalyptic New Mexico, this gritty LitRPG western features superpowered mancers, terrifying animal-skeletal hybrids known as amalgamations, an intricate game system, a slew of rebels, and a big dose of Southwestern mysticism.
Inspired by The Dark Tower, Old Man Logan, and Red Dead Redemption, best-selling author Harmon Cooper takes you on a high-octane thrill ride through desolate landscapes and urban decay, on an adventure that doesn't know how to back down from a challenge, one filled with witty dialogue, killer action, and good ol' fashioned Southern defiance.
523 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2021
751 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
Harmon Cooper
141 books363 followersHarmon Cooper is the author of over sixty fantasy works. His bestselling series include Pilgrim, War Priest, Cowboy Necromancer, and Tokens and Towers.
His series, The Feedback Loop, is one of the earlier GameLit works first published in 2015. An earphone award winner for the series Death's Mantle, Harmon won the LitRPG/GameLit Audiobook of the Year award for Sacred Cat Island, narrated by Legends and Lattes author Travis Baldree.
Harmon write progression fantasy, cultivation fantasy, and LitRPG/GameLit.
His series, The Feedback Loop, is one of the earlier GameLit works first published in 2015. An earphone award winner for the series Death's Mantle, Harmon won the LitRPG/GameLit Audiobook of the Year award for Sacred Cat Island, narrated by Legends and Lattes author Travis Baldree.
Harmon write progression fantasy, cultivation fantasy, and LitRPG/GameLit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 7, 2021
I have no idea how low people's expectations are that this piece of junk got such a high evaluation.
The MC is an idiot repeating the same basic mistake over and over again. Do you remember all those bad movies where the bad guy who already overpowered the good guy keeps talking and talking until the good guy managed to come up with a plan and in turn overpower the good guy and win? If the bad guy would have shut up and just shot the good guy it would have all been over.
Same thing happens here. The MC insists on not finishing what he started and instead waits until the bad guy manages to come up with a completely unexpected and surprising move (sarcasm alert) that disarms the MC and reverses the situation.
On top of that, there is sooooo much utterly useless fluff, you could bring the book down to 120 pages easily without anything of value being lost. I really don't care about all the detailed rolling of cigarettes and the various breakfasts of the MC. There is not much story left when you deflate it to its real size.
The MC is an idiot repeating the same basic mistake over and over again. Do you remember all those bad movies where the bad guy who already overpowered the good guy keeps talking and talking until the good guy managed to come up with a plan and in turn overpower the good guy and win? If the bad guy would have shut up and just shot the good guy it would have all been over.
Same thing happens here. The MC insists on not finishing what he started and instead waits until the bad guy manages to come up with a completely unexpected and surprising move (sarcasm alert) that disarms the MC and reverses the situation.
On top of that, there is sooooo much utterly useless fluff, you could bring the book down to 120 pages easily without anything of value being lost. I really don't care about all the detailed rolling of cigarettes and the various breakfasts of the MC. There is not much story left when you deflate it to its real size.
March 31, 2021
This one did nothing for me.
The main character was a joke, at no point did I see a cowboy necromancer. All I saw was a sorry excuse for a character constantly hesitating, making the story more interesting. Well, trying to anyway. The tone was forced, the pacing was slow, the characters were just plain bad. This one is a let down.
The main character was a joke, at no point did I see a cowboy necromancer. All I saw was a sorry excuse for a character constantly hesitating, making the story more interesting. Well, trying to anyway. The tone was forced, the pacing was slow, the characters were just plain bad. This one is a let down.
November 9, 2021
This was my first encounter with this genre and I enjoyed the quirky style.
I am only a casual gamer, but do like RPGs when I get into the mood. This book was like being in one, which I guess is the point!
Sterling used to be a normal human being, then the reset came and everything changed. If you still live, you have abilities that make you way more dangerous than you were before. Apply to this a post apocalyptic landscape, set in the barren wastelands of New Mexico, warring factions of people eager to increase their level points, and an alien race with serious technological firepower that destroys anything that steps out of line, and you get the bare bones of this story.
Having read another Sci fi western series by another author, this immediately appealed to me. I loved Sterlings passion for chillis, being a fan myself (although I prefer mine way higher on the scoville scale). The love of the Mexican history comes across nicely and there are some fascinating glimpses into an interesting past. The characters stand out nicely, all very individualistic with their own opinions and alliances, and the abilities that even the lower levels have make this an unusual and interesting read.
One thing that I noticed that I didn't really think was necessary was the recapping of what happened in the earlier chapters. Having read them already, I felt that this was a bit of padding to a certain extent. I appreciate that the author was maybe doing this for the benefit of readers who don't read books above a certain length, but it wasn't really necessary.
Ignore this, and you will enjoy your journey, fighting alongside Sterling, swearing in Spanish and having an all round good time.
I am only a casual gamer, but do like RPGs when I get into the mood. This book was like being in one, which I guess is the point!
Sterling used to be a normal human being, then the reset came and everything changed. If you still live, you have abilities that make you way more dangerous than you were before. Apply to this a post apocalyptic landscape, set in the barren wastelands of New Mexico, warring factions of people eager to increase their level points, and an alien race with serious technological firepower that destroys anything that steps out of line, and you get the bare bones of this story.
Having read another Sci fi western series by another author, this immediately appealed to me. I loved Sterlings passion for chillis, being a fan myself (although I prefer mine way higher on the scoville scale). The love of the Mexican history comes across nicely and there are some fascinating glimpses into an interesting past. The characters stand out nicely, all very individualistic with their own opinions and alliances, and the abilities that even the lower levels have make this an unusual and interesting read.
One thing that I noticed that I didn't really think was necessary was the recapping of what happened in the earlier chapters. Having read them already, I felt that this was a bit of padding to a certain extent. I appreciate that the author was maybe doing this for the benefit of readers who don't read books above a certain length, but it wasn't really necessary.
Ignore this, and you will enjoy your journey, fighting alongside Sterling, swearing in Spanish and having an all round good time.
August 9, 2021
Took forever to complete. Why? The story kept repeating itself in circumstantial moments, such as the habit of lighting a cigarette, moving to another town to ask questions, finding this person to do this one thing, checking his level and point system, cycling back over to lighting another cigarette, moving to another town, …. et cetera.
Why did I keep reading? Because this was my first litRPG genre pickup. I was curious. Super curious actually. At the beginning it had me hooked. I enjoyed the imaginative life of a person turned to a character in a video game through some unexplained calamity. It was new to me. And as a fan of video games there was no reason for me not to enjoy the plot and environment, which was on point. The setting is desert style with Mexican appeal. I truly enjoyed that about it. But when you realize that it’s jumping back into a cycle of sorts, as a reader, you tend to lose interest. It’s natural.
To explain, it is more like a real video game where you have a quest and eventually you realize, “Holy crap, all these missions are exactly the same with different side characters that we interact with along the way.” In writing, with full imagination at your finger tips there is no reason to have a repetitive sequence of events. Video games are limited to digital engineering that limit the response and actions a character may take. You can only do so much before it’s back to doing the same thing over again. In writing we know that is not the case. Here, the imagination was limited in my opinion.
I enjoyed the characters. Sterling was believable, except for the whole elongated profanity that you’ll soon come to know. It was funny, hilarious even, the first time. But that changed quickly when overuse of the quirk was introduced. You can only repeat something so many times before it becomes annoying. It’s like someone pulling a joke on you at work come to realize that it’s happening every day and you don’t know how to politely say “that it’s annoying the hell out of me, so please stop it.” Other than Sterling, the side characters are also interesting. They have major/minor roles and interaction with them make for more relatability.
Character and environment, those are the key points. The story, it was long. Longer than expected to end that way it did. Because my Kindle version is spaced double, the page count amounted to 756 pages. The reading was easier on the eyes, but the story seems longer because of this. It’s a formatting issue. Not a big deal. But the story ending so simply and the repetitive nature of it all pulled me to average this book at 3 stars.
Like I said, the beginning was amazing. I enjoyed the video game format, from perks, levels, and charms. This was coming together really neat. But that cycle started and I picked up on it, ruining my reading as I felt like I had to go through another village, to do the same thing, to meet another person, to smoking another cigarette.
How would I fix this? Start the story later where Sterling meets someone already. Use exposition to fill in the gaps and move on to forming of a team to defeat the Godwalkers. Very simple.
I would read150 pages, move forward a few chapters read some more and then finish the book. It was fun, but all of it was not needed.
Why did I keep reading? Because this was my first litRPG genre pickup. I was curious. Super curious actually. At the beginning it had me hooked. I enjoyed the imaginative life of a person turned to a character in a video game through some unexplained calamity. It was new to me. And as a fan of video games there was no reason for me not to enjoy the plot and environment, which was on point. The setting is desert style with Mexican appeal. I truly enjoyed that about it. But when you realize that it’s jumping back into a cycle of sorts, as a reader, you tend to lose interest. It’s natural.
To explain, it is more like a real video game where you have a quest and eventually you realize, “Holy crap, all these missions are exactly the same with different side characters that we interact with along the way.” In writing, with full imagination at your finger tips there is no reason to have a repetitive sequence of events. Video games are limited to digital engineering that limit the response and actions a character may take. You can only do so much before it’s back to doing the same thing over again. In writing we know that is not the case. Here, the imagination was limited in my opinion.
I enjoyed the characters. Sterling was believable, except for the whole elongated profanity that you’ll soon come to know. It was funny, hilarious even, the first time. But that changed quickly when overuse of the quirk was introduced. You can only repeat something so many times before it becomes annoying. It’s like someone pulling a joke on you at work come to realize that it’s happening every day and you don’t know how to politely say “that it’s annoying the hell out of me, so please stop it.” Other than Sterling, the side characters are also interesting. They have major/minor roles and interaction with them make for more relatability.
Character and environment, those are the key points. The story, it was long. Longer than expected to end that way it did. Because my Kindle version is spaced double, the page count amounted to 756 pages. The reading was easier on the eyes, but the story seems longer because of this. It’s a formatting issue. Not a big deal. But the story ending so simply and the repetitive nature of it all pulled me to average this book at 3 stars.
Like I said, the beginning was amazing. I enjoyed the video game format, from perks, levels, and charms. This was coming together really neat. But that cycle started and I picked up on it, ruining my reading as I felt like I had to go through another village, to do the same thing, to meet another person, to smoking another cigarette.
How would I fix this? Start the story later where Sterling meets someone already. Use exposition to fill in the gaps and move on to forming of a team to defeat the Godwalkers. Very simple.
I would read150 pages, move forward a few chapters read some more and then finish the book. It was fun, but all of it was not needed.
February 11, 2021
I've been so looking forward to reading this book. The cover is phenomenal and every time I saw it, it made me want it all the more. I wasn't disappointed in any way.
This was absolutely fantastic! It has all the elements I love between its pages, and here's just a few:
a rough-around-the-edges good guy, and a loner who dresses so damn cool;
a 'before' (that has been deleted from everyone's minds) and an 'after' (called the Reset) with a game system and stats;
the wearing of charms to further point scoring;
a skeletal horse, yeah!;
lots of bad guys (and gals) called Killbillies (love it!), and I mean they are evil;
huge amalgamations of animals (you'll see what I mean!);
a great deal of talking about Mexican food (who doesn't like this?) and chillies in particular. I love chillies. The hotter, the better;
and an Inventory List. I do love a great Inventory List.
The main things about Sterling Monedero are that he is a cowboy, and a necromancer. I love necromancers and their powers. I also love that Sterling and his horse have the names of previous Harmon Cooper characters. If you're a fan, you'll be thinking of the strengths and weaknesses of said characters, too.
Sterling just wants peace and quiet in his new life as a chilli pepper farmer, after failing to get rid of the violent mahoosive hovering columns of stone called 'Godwalkers' five years ago. That act had consequences he did not expect. The Godwalkers, however, don't believe in peace and quiet...
At 779 pages, this is a big book, but I can personally guarantee that you'll zoom through it like a rocket. The writing and storyline are excellent and you'll be rooting for Sterling. The characterisations are full, flawed (like real people), and interesting. There's plenty of action and the setting is a very believable Reset New Mexico.
As in every Harmon Cooper work, there's twists, turns and surprises, pain and sacrifice. The reader learns a wee bit more about Sterling's life prior to the Reset. To move on in the game, there's only one way to get Mana points, and it's not something that Sterling goes out his way to do. However, if he has no other choice then he will. You may find yourself cheering at these parts. I know I did. My enjoyment factor went through the roof! I loved this book and sincerely hope that this series will be a long one. I think you can personally tell that the author enjoyed writing this.
I voluntarily chose to read an early copy, then honestly reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. I enjoyed this so much that I chose to purchase a copy for myself.
This was absolutely fantastic! It has all the elements I love between its pages, and here's just a few:
a rough-around-the-edges good guy, and a loner who dresses so damn cool;
a 'before' (that has been deleted from everyone's minds) and an 'after' (called the Reset) with a game system and stats;
the wearing of charms to further point scoring;
a skeletal horse, yeah!;
lots of bad guys (and gals) called Killbillies (love it!), and I mean they are evil;
huge amalgamations of animals (you'll see what I mean!);
a great deal of talking about Mexican food (who doesn't like this?) and chillies in particular. I love chillies. The hotter, the better;
and an Inventory List. I do love a great Inventory List.
The main things about Sterling Monedero are that he is a cowboy, and a necromancer. I love necromancers and their powers. I also love that Sterling and his horse have the names of previous Harmon Cooper characters. If you're a fan, you'll be thinking of the strengths and weaknesses of said characters, too.
Sterling just wants peace and quiet in his new life as a chilli pepper farmer, after failing to get rid of the violent mahoosive hovering columns of stone called 'Godwalkers' five years ago. That act had consequences he did not expect. The Godwalkers, however, don't believe in peace and quiet...
At 779 pages, this is a big book, but I can personally guarantee that you'll zoom through it like a rocket. The writing and storyline are excellent and you'll be rooting for Sterling. The characterisations are full, flawed (like real people), and interesting. There's plenty of action and the setting is a very believable Reset New Mexico.
As in every Harmon Cooper work, there's twists, turns and surprises, pain and sacrifice. The reader learns a wee bit more about Sterling's life prior to the Reset. To move on in the game, there's only one way to get Mana points, and it's not something that Sterling goes out his way to do. However, if he has no other choice then he will. You may find yourself cheering at these parts. I know I did. My enjoyment factor went through the roof! I loved this book and sincerely hope that this series will be a long one. I think you can personally tell that the author enjoyed writing this.
I voluntarily chose to read an early copy, then honestly reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. I enjoyed this so much that I chose to purchase a copy for myself.
August 24, 2021
Have you ever met that one person who always gets constantly distracted by sidequests while playing an RPG? Yeah, Sterling, the titular Cowboy Necromancer, is basically the IRL version of that person. Also, he's obsessed with peppers. Like, really, REALLY obsessed.
And yet, despite constantly being pulled in by every girl in need of rescue or old friend that just happens to know where some buried treasure is located, Sterling still managed to move forward on his main mission at an amazingly fast clip. I was rather surprised at just how much got packed into one book, which is saying a bit because this is not a short novel in any way.
In fact, that's probably what I liked most about this story- just how much there was to it. There's the main thrust, of course: Sterling has his farm blown to smithereens by a giant alien obelisk, and sets out on a path of revenge obliterating anyone who stands in his way. Then there is the whole host of other characters, each with vibrant personalities and a host of amusing witticisms that make them memorable and enjoyable to read. There are also the little touches- how much time the author clearly spent researching his setting, going into such lush detail about the State of New Mexico and its history. There is the MC's love of haiku, which spring up and add flavor to many of the quieter scenes. There is the artwork, which adorns virtually every chapter. There is the RPG system, which was complex but not overly so, allowing Sterling to gain abilities that kept the action scenes fresh and unrepetitive. All of it flowed together to make a whole that was far greater than what I had expected to find lurking behind its pages.
And then there are the peppers too. So many names and varieties, histories, uses, I've already forgotten more about peppers while reading this book than I ever knew before picking it up.
At the end of the day, if you are wondering if this is a story worth reading, the answer is a wholehearted yes. Its fast-paced, exciting, and most of all, fun.
And yet, despite constantly being pulled in by every girl in need of rescue or old friend that just happens to know where some buried treasure is located, Sterling still managed to move forward on his main mission at an amazingly fast clip. I was rather surprised at just how much got packed into one book, which is saying a bit because this is not a short novel in any way.
In fact, that's probably what I liked most about this story- just how much there was to it. There's the main thrust, of course: Sterling has his farm blown to smithereens by a giant alien obelisk, and sets out on a path of revenge obliterating anyone who stands in his way. Then there is the whole host of other characters, each with vibrant personalities and a host of amusing witticisms that make them memorable and enjoyable to read. There are also the little touches- how much time the author clearly spent researching his setting, going into such lush detail about the State of New Mexico and its history. There is the MC's love of haiku, which spring up and add flavor to many of the quieter scenes. There is the artwork, which adorns virtually every chapter. There is the RPG system, which was complex but not overly so, allowing Sterling to gain abilities that kept the action scenes fresh and unrepetitive. All of it flowed together to make a whole that was far greater than what I had expected to find lurking behind its pages.
And then there are the peppers too. So many names and varieties, histories, uses, I've already forgotten more about peppers while reading this book than I ever knew before picking it up.
At the end of the day, if you are wondering if this is a story worth reading, the answer is a wholehearted yes. Its fast-paced, exciting, and most of all, fun.
May 28, 2024
Started out intriguing, became almost painfully dull DNF
Post-apocalyptic, LitRPG, Faux-Western, Repetitive dumb and repetitive.
Maybe two and a half stars if you're not fussed by plot or continuity.
I was into the first few chapters. I thought this was going to be a pretty good book. Then two things happened that took the fun out of it. 1. the book contradicted itself. 2. the MC killed people for EXP points that basically crossed the line into murder. Despite the fact the book had been getting steadily dumber, (what the heck? Good dumb can be fun!) that murder for EXP was what soured the whole thing. I just can't cheer for a character after stuff like that. I kept reading to finish it, but it just got worse and even more repetitive.
When you find yourself doing housework to avoid reading a book, it's time to get a new book.
Ps. Hand rolled cigarettes don't work like that. Have you ever tried to make a roll-up outdoors? even on the calmest day the rolling paper suddenly discovers gusts of wind you can't feel and the tobacco goes flying. The MC never once needed to pick loose tobacco out of his mouth like he would in reality. Hand rolled cigarettes go out all the time and need to be relit over and over. And lastly and most infuriating, He only needed a smoke when it would look cool, that's not how addiction works either Mr. Copper. Addiction is the only reason someone would smoke nasty hand rolled cigarettes.
Post-apocalyptic, LitRPG, Faux-Western, Repetitive dumb and repetitive.
Maybe two and a half stars if you're not fussed by plot or continuity.
I was into the first few chapters. I thought this was going to be a pretty good book. Then two things happened that took the fun out of it. 1. the book contradicted itself. 2. the MC killed people for EXP points that basically crossed the line into murder. Despite the fact the book had been getting steadily dumber, (what the heck? Good dumb can be fun!) that murder for EXP was what soured the whole thing. I just can't cheer for a character after stuff like that. I kept reading to finish it, but it just got worse and even more repetitive.
When you find yourself doing housework to avoid reading a book, it's time to get a new book.
Ps. Hand rolled cigarettes don't work like that. Have you ever tried to make a roll-up outdoors? even on the calmest day the rolling paper suddenly discovers gusts of wind you can't feel and the tobacco goes flying. The MC never once needed to pick loose tobacco out of his mouth like he would in reality. Hand rolled cigarettes go out all the time and need to be relit over and over. And lastly and most infuriating, He only needed a smoke when it would look cool, that's not how addiction works either Mr. Copper. Addiction is the only reason someone would smoke nasty hand rolled cigarettes.
December 20, 2025
spoilers
kill me dead in Minecraft if I have to listen to this MC talked about how ashamed he is of the "incident" that happened 3 years ago. you'd think he committed war crimes in Ukraine or used his Granny's heart medicine to get high resulting in her death based on the drivel spewing from this man's mouth. I would take either of those options over what we get, the big reveal is that he was teleported away and therefore unable to help his friends fight resulting in two of their deaths. did he teleport intentionally? did he dally on the way back so as to avoid the fight? is he a coward? no, no, and no. he's simply written poorly, the worst part is that other parts of the book are great compared to this! like his love of peppers, over done at times, his love of New Mexico, the history of the various native tribes indigenous to that area ect.
don't read this book, read Harry Potter
kill me dead in Minecraft if I have to listen to this MC talked about how ashamed he is of the "incident" that happened 3 years ago. you'd think he committed war crimes in Ukraine or used his Granny's heart medicine to get high resulting in her death based on the drivel spewing from this man's mouth. I would take either of those options over what we get, the big reveal is that he was teleported away and therefore unable to help his friends fight resulting in two of their deaths. did he teleport intentionally? did he dally on the way back so as to avoid the fight? is he a coward? no, no, and no. he's simply written poorly, the worst part is that other parts of the book are great compared to this! like his love of peppers, over done at times, his love of New Mexico, the history of the various native tribes indigenous to that area ect.
don't read this book, read Harry Potter
February 12, 2021
A Wild Weird West tell.
The story was really fun to read as the author took the time to use the world building to make the story more real as the description of the landscape out west was so vivid. The RPG mechanics of the book was easy to follow and very interesting. The characters are intriguing as they are literally a blank slate on background so the author can do anything with the characters backstory in the future to help keep me entertained. Overall it was really enjoyable. I was given a advanced copy of this book for a honest review of this book.
The story was really fun to read as the author took the time to use the world building to make the story more real as the description of the landscape out west was so vivid. The RPG mechanics of the book was easy to follow and very interesting. The characters are intriguing as they are literally a blank slate on background so the author can do anything with the characters backstory in the future to help keep me entertained. Overall it was really enjoyable. I was given a advanced copy of this book for a honest review of this book.
August 8, 2021
It's Cowboys, it's post-apocalyptic, it's magic, it's aliens, it's D&D,
It's Cowboys, it's post-apocalyptic, it's magic, it's aliens, it's D&D, what's not to like? I'm currently living in South Texas. The author gets the culture of the Southwest and spins it into a dark future world that is surprisingly fun with lots of gratuitous violence to go around. So do a binge-watch weekend of "Seven Samurai," the two "Magnificent Seven" flicks, all of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns and " Cowboys and Aliens" then sit down with this book, Morricone's and Bernstein's music playing in the background and enjoy this romp. Introduce it to your D&D group, play an adventure in this world and order the second book! I did. And I just found a couple of figures that I can kitbash into my own Cowboy Necromancer!
It's Cowboys, it's post-apocalyptic, it's magic, it's aliens, it's D&D, what's not to like? I'm currently living in South Texas. The author gets the culture of the Southwest and spins it into a dark future world that is surprisingly fun with lots of gratuitous violence to go around. So do a binge-watch weekend of "Seven Samurai," the two "Magnificent Seven" flicks, all of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns and " Cowboys and Aliens" then sit down with this book, Morricone's and Bernstein's music playing in the background and enjoy this romp. Introduce it to your D&D group, play an adventure in this world and order the second book! I did. And I just found a couple of figures that I can kitbash into my own Cowboy Necromancer!
May 5, 2023
I really struggled with this one. I had mostly checked out by about the halfway point, but I slogged through to the end, nonetheless. I think I can really only tolerate a protagonist of dubious competence for so long before he simply becomes tiresome. Especially if his incompetence isn’t played for laughs.
The main character of this story is, or at least should be, a bona fide badass necromancer. But he seems to approach every potential conflict in the most asinine, boneheaded, run-in-screaming way possible. He drinks when he should obviously stay sober. He stops sneaking after the first kill. He monologues at the same villain he mocked for monologuing, and refrains from/fails to kill the guy, even though he’s been dreaming about it for chapters.
The storytelling is extremely repetitive, like the author expected I walked away from the story for a week between chapters. The protagonist tells his life story to everyone he meets, then internally comments that he’s said too much, like it was a surprising slip-up. And I’d estimate fully 10% of the prose is descriptions of him smoking.
The mechanics of the game elements seem to come and go as is convenient. The protagonist should be many times stronger than a typical human, except when that gets ignored. He rarely loads up on summoned zombies, even though that’s his strength. He never stores strong zombies in his inventory, except his horse, nor explains why not. He worries about wasting mana firing his mana-powered pistol, but routinely shoots people point-blank instead of using his sword. He can pull things in and out of his inventory with a thought, but carries the sword and pistol in scabbard and holster, and often drops them to the ground in the heat of battle or gets himself into trouble because he’s obviously armed. He has a weirdly small mana reserve, considering his level and class, and constantly worries (rightly) about running out of mana, but never actually does. And he keeps ending up in or putting himself into situations where his necromancer powers are basically useless, and never does a single clever or exploitative thing to overcome such difficulties.
Finally, I’m doubtful about the method and mathematics of the leveling system. With the exception of some rare monsters, leveling happens exclusively by killing people. And when the world became gamified, 90% of the population was wiped out. If the state of New Mexico had roughly 2 million people, and that’s been reduced to 200,000, that doesn’t exactly leave a giant population of cannon fodder for leveling up. And every living soul appears to have achieved some significant leveling. Based on what we’ve seen Sterling do in this novel and his total level of XP, I’d estimate he must have killed a solid couple thousand people. If you had wiped out 1% of the population of your state, I would think you’d have one hell of a reputation and an exceptionally menacing skillset. But Sterling appears to be practically unknown and nearly gets himself killed in every fight.
At least the setting feels legit, with the mix of Spanish and English and many small details of the local culture and landscape.
I listened to this novel as an audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job.
The main character of this story is, or at least should be, a bona fide badass necromancer. But he seems to approach every potential conflict in the most asinine, boneheaded, run-in-screaming way possible. He drinks when he should obviously stay sober. He stops sneaking after the first kill. He monologues at the same villain he mocked for monologuing, and refrains from/fails to kill the guy, even though he’s been dreaming about it for chapters.
The storytelling is extremely repetitive, like the author expected I walked away from the story for a week between chapters. The protagonist tells his life story to everyone he meets, then internally comments that he’s said too much, like it was a surprising slip-up. And I’d estimate fully 10% of the prose is descriptions of him smoking.
The mechanics of the game elements seem to come and go as is convenient. The protagonist should be many times stronger than a typical human, except when that gets ignored. He rarely loads up on summoned zombies, even though that’s his strength. He never stores strong zombies in his inventory, except his horse, nor explains why not. He worries about wasting mana firing his mana-powered pistol, but routinely shoots people point-blank instead of using his sword. He can pull things in and out of his inventory with a thought, but carries the sword and pistol in scabbard and holster, and often drops them to the ground in the heat of battle or gets himself into trouble because he’s obviously armed. He has a weirdly small mana reserve, considering his level and class, and constantly worries (rightly) about running out of mana, but never actually does. And he keeps ending up in or putting himself into situations where his necromancer powers are basically useless, and never does a single clever or exploitative thing to overcome such difficulties.
Finally, I’m doubtful about the method and mathematics of the leveling system. With the exception of some rare monsters, leveling happens exclusively by killing people. And when the world became gamified, 90% of the population was wiped out. If the state of New Mexico had roughly 2 million people, and that’s been reduced to 200,000, that doesn’t exactly leave a giant population of cannon fodder for leveling up. And every living soul appears to have achieved some significant leveling. Based on what we’ve seen Sterling do in this novel and his total level of XP, I’d estimate he must have killed a solid couple thousand people. If you had wiped out 1% of the population of your state, I would think you’d have one hell of a reputation and an exceptionally menacing skillset. But Sterling appears to be practically unknown and nearly gets himself killed in every fight.
At least the setting feels legit, with the mix of Spanish and English and many small details of the local culture and landscape.
I listened to this novel as an audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2024
I just couldn't get into this one. The main reason is a wildly inconsistent main character. His competence levels vary by extreme levels based on what the story needs chapter by chapter. He constantly mouths off like he is the biggest badass in every scene but then fails to back that up.
At one point he is in an extremely vulnerable situation and makes insanely menacing threats at his captors when it doesn't look like he has the ability to follow through. It left me expecting some awesome way for him to get out of it, but it turned out he was just waiting for some plot armour to arrive, and even when it does he fails to follow through.
On top of this, the mystery just didn't work for me. The whole reset thing felt less like a driving force in this story and more like a reason to not have to develop important story points the reader needs to get into the book. There were points at the beginning where I genuinely felt like I was reading the second book in a series without reading the first.
The best example I have of this is the opening chapters. I genuinely thought the book was giving us one of those action packed cold opens that is followed by the story jumping back in time to tell us how they got to that point. Instead the story just continues from there. The trouble is that there have been no introductions to anything, nothing to settle you into this story and this world. You just get saddled with a protagonist you don't know who is in a world you don't understand and who uses a magic system that hasn't been properly explained. You have no idea of the stakes, the driving motivation or the competencies of any of the characters.
Ultimately this just didn't work for me. There were enough interesting elements here that I genuinely think there's a version of this book that could be awesome, but unfortunately it wasn't this one.
At one point he is in an extremely vulnerable situation and makes insanely menacing threats at his captors when it doesn't look like he has the ability to follow through. It left me expecting some awesome way for him to get out of it, but it turned out he was just waiting for some plot armour to arrive, and even when it does he fails to follow through.
On top of this, the mystery just didn't work for me. The whole reset thing felt less like a driving force in this story and more like a reason to not have to develop important story points the reader needs to get into the book. There were points at the beginning where I genuinely felt like I was reading the second book in a series without reading the first.
The best example I have of this is the opening chapters. I genuinely thought the book was giving us one of those action packed cold opens that is followed by the story jumping back in time to tell us how they got to that point. Instead the story just continues from there. The trouble is that there have been no introductions to anything, nothing to settle you into this story and this world. You just get saddled with a protagonist you don't know who is in a world you don't understand and who uses a magic system that hasn't been properly explained. You have no idea of the stakes, the driving motivation or the competencies of any of the characters.
Ultimately this just didn't work for me. There were enough interesting elements here that I genuinely think there's a version of this book that could be awesome, but unfortunately it wasn't this one.
February 23, 2021
Alert
First, my review: “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Second, I am not a bot...at least I don’t think I am. Yes this is copy pasta (just learned that term, so fun!) simply because I feel like any book I read deserves acknowledgement but at the same time my feelings on reviews conflict with the normal review process.
I enjoyed this book, so my goal is to promote it and help the author. If you are a potential reader, just stop reading now and take the above as all you need to know. I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. It is my opinion that Art needs to be experienced at an individual level. You are the only one that can determine what you like and don’t like. Don’t let others make that decision for you. You should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews. Or not if you don’t think this book is for you. That choice is all yours and the beauty of art appreciation. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
If you are a member of the IAK Guild (thanks, Jason) or part of the review police, feel free to criticize me and challenge my philosophy on reviewing art. I think we all love a good debate. The forums are open and I welcome your comments. I was wrong in my previous request to get you to stop. Your blatant disregard for that request has led to some fun discussions. Growth is important for us all.
Cheers
First, my review: “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Second, I am not a bot...at least I don’t think I am. Yes this is copy pasta (just learned that term, so fun!) simply because I feel like any book I read deserves acknowledgement but at the same time my feelings on reviews conflict with the normal review process.
I enjoyed this book, so my goal is to promote it and help the author. If you are a potential reader, just stop reading now and take the above as all you need to know. I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. It is my opinion that Art needs to be experienced at an individual level. You are the only one that can determine what you like and don’t like. Don’t let others make that decision for you. You should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews. Or not if you don’t think this book is for you. That choice is all yours and the beauty of art appreciation. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
If you are a member of the IAK Guild (thanks, Jason) or part of the review police, feel free to criticize me and challenge my philosophy on reviewing art. I think we all love a good debate. The forums are open and I welcome your comments. I was wrong in my previous request to get you to stop. Your blatant disregard for that request has led to some fun discussions. Growth is important for us all.
Cheers
April 26, 2022
I have to start by saying I am not much of an RPG lit fan. I do like Weird West, which is what I thought this was, and I wasn't wrong, really. I think the criteria is met. I also like video games, so why am I not an RPG lit fan? Not so crazy about books that are basically bad, lazy sword and sorcery tales, that's why.
This story is not that.
This story does take place inside a game, or does it? Maybe? Was it the real world that went topsy turvy or was it always a game that was written over? I pondered that a bit as I read and never came to a decision. What I do know is that the world build is solid. The rules for magic are in place. Sterling Monedero might just be one of my favorite protagonists of the year. It's early, I know, but he's a character you just like, despite the whole raising the dead thing.
There is action. There is humor. There is definitely odd. There is real human tragedy and sadness. We are taken on a personal quest. We are taken on a raid that is never referred to as a raid. We meet some very believable people/characters. CN never lets you forget about the game, but it has to keep reminding you because it doesn't read like a game.
Oh, and if you like spicy food? This book will also make you hungry. Fair warning. Definitely will be reading book two.
Well done, Mr. Cooper. Well done.
This story is not that.
This story does take place inside a game, or does it? Maybe? Was it the real world that went topsy turvy or was it always a game that was written over? I pondered that a bit as I read and never came to a decision. What I do know is that the world build is solid. The rules for magic are in place. Sterling Monedero might just be one of my favorite protagonists of the year. It's early, I know, but he's a character you just like, despite the whole raising the dead thing.
There is action. There is humor. There is definitely odd. There is real human tragedy and sadness. We are taken on a personal quest. We are taken on a raid that is never referred to as a raid. We meet some very believable people/characters. CN never lets you forget about the game, but it has to keep reminding you because it doesn't read like a game.
Oh, and if you like spicy food? This book will also make you hungry. Fair warning. Definitely will be reading book two.
Well done, Mr. Cooper. Well done.
September 20, 2022
Author Harmon Cooper does it again, with another great fantasy series. This one is a fantasy RPG series set in a dystopian New Mexico. Here's the setup: five years ago about 10% of humanity got some kind of magical power or ability. The rest of humanity's heads exploded.
This was done by some alien race that also gave the surviving humans a stat counter in their heads and the ability to put items in inventory, just like a role-playing game (RPG).
Then we're introduced to Sterling, the pepper farmer who dresses like a cowboy. The alien race has these god-things vehicles that are the size of skyscrapers and can teleport. If they detect any electrical power being used, they obliterate it. Sterling and his crew of super-powered humans destroyed one, and they had been searching for him since. They found him and destroyed his pepper farm and house.
Now Sterling really hates them. He's off to assemble his old team, which includes a drugged up shaman, a plant girl, and a super-strength girl, plus a few others. Cooper's characters are what really make me binge on his writing.
Give it a try if you like fantasy, RPG fiction, or dystopian action.
This was done by some alien race that also gave the surviving humans a stat counter in their heads and the ability to put items in inventory, just like a role-playing game (RPG).
Then we're introduced to Sterling, the pepper farmer who dresses like a cowboy. The alien race has these god-things vehicles that are the size of skyscrapers and can teleport. If they detect any electrical power being used, they obliterate it. Sterling and his crew of super-powered humans destroyed one, and they had been searching for him since. They found him and destroyed his pepper farm and house.
Now Sterling really hates them. He's off to assemble his old team, which includes a drugged up shaman, a plant girl, and a super-strength girl, plus a few others. Cooper's characters are what really make me binge on his writing.
Give it a try if you like fantasy, RPG fiction, or dystopian action.
March 7, 2021
Absolutely Fantastic
This book brings a new take on post apocalyptic litrpg genre that is to die for!! The fact that the story starts several years in to the changes coming, so we don't have to deal with some MC just getting their legs under them, is refreshing. The story starts with action, and the world building happens naturally as the story goes. The MC is a wonderful Mish mash of identities: A pepper farmer, necromancer, poet and cowboy. He is simultaneously overpowered, but still struggles in fights due too being out of the game so to speak for a while. The very game like system takes a few key elements similar to others, but still remains wholly unique. So the story is full of twists and turns that keep you excited to see what happens next, and what we as readers learn about this new world. All told I was delighted by the story, and looking forward to the next installment! Also, as someone who has been considering moving to New Mexico, I really appreciate all the info on the state we get through the story, in a very natural way!!
This book brings a new take on post apocalyptic litrpg genre that is to die for!! The fact that the story starts several years in to the changes coming, so we don't have to deal with some MC just getting their legs under them, is refreshing. The story starts with action, and the world building happens naturally as the story goes. The MC is a wonderful Mish mash of identities: A pepper farmer, necromancer, poet and cowboy. He is simultaneously overpowered, but still struggles in fights due too being out of the game so to speak for a while. The very game like system takes a few key elements similar to others, but still remains wholly unique. So the story is full of twists and turns that keep you excited to see what happens next, and what we as readers learn about this new world. All told I was delighted by the story, and looking forward to the next installment! Also, as someone who has been considering moving to New Mexico, I really appreciate all the info on the state we get through the story, in a very natural way!!
May 12, 2022
I don't enjoy books where the main character goes from a nobody to overpowered in the first chapter and when this book starts the main character is already level 59. However, he doesn't feel massively overpowered. I mean he does go around killing multiple opponents but that seems reasonable and there is often (but not always) a sense that he is in danger and things could turn out really badly for him.
I'm also not a big fan of Westerns but this cowboy story is appealing. It has moments where it feels like Stephen King's The Dark Tower series and other moments where it is uniquely Harmon Cooper. The Mexican sprinkled in, the food references (so many peppers!) and the gritty desert feeling add up to a really enjoyable book.
Near the end with the Shaman and his on-again, off-again lover, I wanted to shout "I told you so!" You could feel something bad was going to happen but it was almost inevitable and unstoppable.
The story swept me along, sometimes grinning, sometimes kicking and screaming but always engaged.
I'm off to get the next book in the series.
I'm also not a big fan of Westerns but this cowboy story is appealing. It has moments where it feels like Stephen King's The Dark Tower series and other moments where it is uniquely Harmon Cooper. The Mexican sprinkled in, the food references (so many peppers!) and the gritty desert feeling add up to a really enjoyable book.
Near the end with the Shaman and his on-again, off-again lover, I wanted to shout "I told you so!" You could feel something bad was going to happen but it was almost inevitable and unstoppable.
The story swept me along, sometimes grinning, sometimes kicking and screaming but always engaged.
I'm off to get the next book in the series.
January 10, 2023
I listened to the audiobook, so I really enjoyed the western protagonist, and it reminded me a bit of like mad, Max meets dungeons and dragons. However, as somebody who reads a lot of game lit, I will say that this really had no reason to be in that genre. The character is way over powered to start the novel, all of his friends are way over powered, so you basically see no evolution of these characters, which is half the enjoyment of the genre. also, there are a lot of repetitive scenes where the character goes to one location will be ambushed and then make a quick getaway, rinse and repeat.
This was a long book and it probably could’ve been trimmed down to about half of what it was, but I didn’t hate it. There were some moments where I enjoyed the main character and his gruff stick. However, I don’t think this author really knew what he wanted this book to be. Was it a western frontier story? A post apocalyptic walking dead environment? I was never really sure. I’m also not sure if I’ll continue with the series or not, but if I do, it will certainly be the audiobook.
This was a long book and it probably could’ve been trimmed down to about half of what it was, but I didn’t hate it. There were some moments where I enjoyed the main character and his gruff stick. However, I don’t think this author really knew what he wanted this book to be. Was it a western frontier story? A post apocalyptic walking dead environment? I was never really sure. I’m also not sure if I’ll continue with the series or not, but if I do, it will certainly be the audiobook.
July 7, 2023
Well, let me just start off by saying I am NOT a gamer,but the premise of this book sounded kinda interesting, so I decided to give it a go... and boy am I glad I did!
Sterling Monedero has a mission: destroy the Godwalkers that are bullying what's left of humanity , and worse yet, the same jerks that destroyed his beloved pepper farm. If there's anything our boy here likes is a good hot pepper!🌶
So with his trusty bone horse at his side our hero leaves on his impossible mission, with lots of detouring along the way to help his friends out. Let me tell you ,if there's anyone you want as your friend in this Apocolyptic world,it's this big bad Cowboy Necromancer!
Definitely don't read this book unless you like hard as nails heros with a bordering on obsessive hot pepper obsession, a sense of humor that won't quit ,and a quest that will suck you in faster then you can say New Mexico Chile!
Sterling Monedero has a mission: destroy the Godwalkers that are bullying what's left of humanity , and worse yet, the same jerks that destroyed his beloved pepper farm. If there's anything our boy here likes is a good hot pepper!🌶
So with his trusty bone horse at his side our hero leaves on his impossible mission, with lots of detouring along the way to help his friends out. Let me tell you ,if there's anyone you want as your friend in this Apocolyptic world,it's this big bad Cowboy Necromancer!
Definitely don't read this book unless you like hard as nails heros with a bordering on obsessive hot pepper obsession, a sense of humor that won't quit ,and a quest that will suck you in faster then you can say New Mexico Chile!
October 28, 2025
✨️ 4.5 stars ✨️
I loved the start of this Cowboy Necromancer series, it was interesting and kept me hooked throughout.
I loved the fact that we started the series a few years after the start of what they called the reset. The characters already have skills and know what they can do. At the start, I did feel a little lost, but I quickly picked up the different skills.
I did struggle to connect with Sterling at the start, I feel this book would have been better written in first person. However, once we got to know him, I found myself connecting with him.
I adored the post-apocalyptic Western vibes, and I learnt a lot about New Mexico! Sterling is a necromancer, and I loved learning about his different skills. The other characters we meet along the way are also fascinating with different skills. The Sunflower Kid is definitely my favourite!
I'm looking forward to seeing how this series will progress in the next book.
I loved the start of this Cowboy Necromancer series, it was interesting and kept me hooked throughout.
I loved the fact that we started the series a few years after the start of what they called the reset. The characters already have skills and know what they can do. At the start, I did feel a little lost, but I quickly picked up the different skills.
I did struggle to connect with Sterling at the start, I feel this book would have been better written in first person. However, once we got to know him, I found myself connecting with him.
I adored the post-apocalyptic Western vibes, and I learnt a lot about New Mexico! Sterling is a necromancer, and I loved learning about his different skills. The other characters we meet along the way are also fascinating with different skills. The Sunflower Kid is definitely my favourite!
I'm looking forward to seeing how this series will progress in the next book.
October 20, 2021
The apocalypse with chilies
Sterling is the type of hero I like to read about. He's not consumed with interior angst that makes you want to give the main character an IV drip of pure testosterone. Sterling doesn't remember much of his past beyond 5 years. Some happened and changed the world. Sterling just wanted to raise chili's and drink lukewarm beer. But 3 years ago Sterling and Company made the new alien masters very very upset. And they came and whacked Sterling's prize peppers before they could be harvested! Well that's enough to make anyone mad! But it's Sterling. Time to get the gang back together and put the smack down on the ET overlords once and for all! This is sterling's Odyssey to do just that! And it's awesome! About to read book two! Oh and I only rate books that I love.
Sterling is the type of hero I like to read about. He's not consumed with interior angst that makes you want to give the main character an IV drip of pure testosterone. Sterling doesn't remember much of his past beyond 5 years. Some happened and changed the world. Sterling just wanted to raise chili's and drink lukewarm beer. But 3 years ago Sterling and Company made the new alien masters very very upset. And they came and whacked Sterling's prize peppers before they could be harvested! Well that's enough to make anyone mad! But it's Sterling. Time to get the gang back together and put the smack down on the ET overlords once and for all! This is sterling's Odyssey to do just that! And it's awesome! About to read book two! Oh and I only rate books that I love.
June 15, 2023
New messico, Arriva il sistema, dona poteri a tutta la popolazione (chi più, chi meno) ma resetta i loro ricordi.
Sterling ha la rarissima classe di necromante, ma si è rtirato in campagna a coltivare. Quando uno degli dei alieni gli distrugge casa e raccolto, promette vendetta: prima cerca di raggruppare il suo vecchio gruppo e poi finisce quello che non ha fatto anni prima.
Lo sfondo della storia è il new messico che contrasta piacevolmente con il setting litRPG
Il mio parere
Idea bella, contesto del new messico verosimile,
ma worldbuilding tutto sbagliato, sei un livello 58 e non sai combinare nulla, ti tolgono l'arma di mano due volte in 300 pagine, vieni catturato come uno stupido, fai il figo ma subisci anche contro 3 umani, sali di livello sconfiggendo UN mostro.
Stile di scrittura OK, ma ripetitivo e forzato Che let down: mollato a metà.
Sterling ha la rarissima classe di necromante, ma si è rtirato in campagna a coltivare. Quando uno degli dei alieni gli distrugge casa e raccolto, promette vendetta: prima cerca di raggruppare il suo vecchio gruppo e poi finisce quello che non ha fatto anni prima.
Lo sfondo della storia è il new messico che contrasta piacevolmente con il setting litRPG
Il mio parere
Idea bella, contesto del new messico verosimile,
ma worldbuilding tutto sbagliato, sei un livello 58 e non sai combinare nulla, ti tolgono l'arma di mano due volte in 300 pagine, vieni catturato come uno stupido, fai il figo ma subisci anche contro 3 umani, sali di livello sconfiggendo UN mostro.
Stile di scrittura OK, ma ripetitivo e forzato Che let down: mollato a metà.
February 12, 2021
Engaging Reading
A action packed LitRPG book with a great MC based in an alternative post apocalyptic future with a gritty western/ mad max feel and some great graphics.
When aliens visit and disrupt everyones way of life leaving some with strange powers that can be levelled as you would expect from the genre the Cowboy Necromancer is born giving the reader a hefty word count and a throughly Immersive read.
I particularly liked Sterlings interactions with his old crew and the strange powers others exhibit whilst going on a spiritual investigative journey complete with mad shamanism. There seems to be something for everyone in this book and based on the ending this appears to be just the tip of the iceberg
A action packed LitRPG book with a great MC based in an alternative post apocalyptic future with a gritty western/ mad max feel and some great graphics.
When aliens visit and disrupt everyones way of life leaving some with strange powers that can be levelled as you would expect from the genre the Cowboy Necromancer is born giving the reader a hefty word count and a throughly Immersive read.
I particularly liked Sterlings interactions with his old crew and the strange powers others exhibit whilst going on a spiritual investigative journey complete with mad shamanism. There seems to be something for everyone in this book and based on the ending this appears to be just the tip of the iceberg
March 10, 2021
Cowboys and litrpg!
I cannot recommend this book higher than 5 stars!
I’ve always been a fan of Harmon Cooper’s work and this book is no exception. The story, the scenic descriptions and the memorable characters make the beginning of this series a must read.
This story is set in a apocalyptic type setting with light game elements mixed in. It is set in southern New Mexico and is mostly about revenge and peppers. Kidding, haha. Revenge and getting acquainted with old friends to set out on a quest to take back parts of our world by taking on killer hillbillies, militias, banditos and aliens.
Couldn’t get better than that.
I’m definitely looking forward to future installments of this series!
I cannot recommend this book higher than 5 stars!
I’ve always been a fan of Harmon Cooper’s work and this book is no exception. The story, the scenic descriptions and the memorable characters make the beginning of this series a must read.
This story is set in a apocalyptic type setting with light game elements mixed in. It is set in southern New Mexico and is mostly about revenge and peppers. Kidding, haha. Revenge and getting acquainted with old friends to set out on a quest to take back parts of our world by taking on killer hillbillies, militias, banditos and aliens.
Couldn’t get better than that.
I’m definitely looking forward to future installments of this series!
February 14, 2021
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it pulled me in and didn't let go. The world is reset and new rules enforced. Can one man make a difference?
Sterling is my new hero. Cooper builds a strange world and peoples it with heroes and villains, a mix of mayhem and death with a bit of love and loyalty. Set against the beautiful New Mexico landscape, the story matches the rugged county and the people who live there. This story is not concluded, but does finish up the main threads in a satisfying way. You should read it! I am looking forward to the next book.
I received this book for free and wished to leave a review.
Sterling is my new hero. Cooper builds a strange world and peoples it with heroes and villains, a mix of mayhem and death with a bit of love and loyalty. Set against the beautiful New Mexico landscape, the story matches the rugged county and the people who live there. This story is not concluded, but does finish up the main threads in a satisfying way. You should read it! I am looking forward to the next book.
I received this book for free and wished to leave a review.
March 19, 2021
Interesting premise
Aliens destroy the world, and it might be saved by a grumpy antihero who dresses like a cowboy and obsessed over raising peppers. Oh, and he’s a necromancy. But don’t call him a cowboy necromancy, he doesn’t like it. Or a necromancer pepper farmer, because that’s just stupid, and he might get off his skeleton horse to teach you a lesson, and in the process earn enough experience to level up some more so he can go kick some alien behind; even if they are giant floating buildings with WMD levels of power. More colorful characters than you could shake a stick at, and more than you ever knew could be learned about new mexico
Aliens destroy the world, and it might be saved by a grumpy antihero who dresses like a cowboy and obsessed over raising peppers. Oh, and he’s a necromancy. But don’t call him a cowboy necromancy, he doesn’t like it. Or a necromancer pepper farmer, because that’s just stupid, and he might get off his skeleton horse to teach you a lesson, and in the process earn enough experience to level up some more so he can go kick some alien behind; even if they are giant floating buildings with WMD levels of power. More colorful characters than you could shake a stick at, and more than you ever knew could be learned about new mexico
February 15, 2021
Neat premise backed by strong tone
The setting and premise of this story work extremely well. 5 years ago everyone lost their memory and some people gained magic powers. Everyone gained the ability to level up, though only through murder of humans or the monstrous amalgamations that also appeared around the same time.
What is fun about the setting is it is a western New Mexico. The main character travels around New Mexico with his skeleton horse, meeting various groups with tons of Spanglish and it all fits together wonderfully. Looking forward to book 2.
The setting and premise of this story work extremely well. 5 years ago everyone lost their memory and some people gained magic powers. Everyone gained the ability to level up, though only through murder of humans or the monstrous amalgamations that also appeared around the same time.
What is fun about the setting is it is a western New Mexico. The main character travels around New Mexico with his skeleton horse, meeting various groups with tons of Spanglish and it all fits together wonderfully. Looking forward to book 2.
January 5, 2023
Hold on to your 10-gallon hat
When I first started reading this book (and I like the authors other works) I was disappointed. How could a writer meld necromancy, litrpg, peppers and maintain the cowboy zeitgeist?
It took a while but the story ended up meeting all of the above parameters with space to spare. The world building is amazing... and setting it in New Mexico, I had to keep flipping back and forth between the story and a map! I look forward to reading the next installment.
Disclaimer - received a copy through a book giveaway.
When I first started reading this book (and I like the authors other works) I was disappointed. How could a writer meld necromancy, litrpg, peppers and maintain the cowboy zeitgeist?
It took a while but the story ended up meeting all of the above parameters with space to spare. The world building is amazing... and setting it in New Mexico, I had to keep flipping back and forth between the story and a map! I look forward to reading the next installment.
Disclaimer - received a copy through a book giveaway.
August 4, 2024
He's got the hots for peppers and Justice
This was a pretty interesting story. At first, I was just going to listen to it while I worked with Kindle's new mechanical voice, but I only got through a couple of chapters, and I was hooked and wanted to read along. I love how Harmon described the meeting of the Necromancer and the Sunflower Kid, which is very visual. I will definitely keep reading this series. I have finished about a third of Harmon Cooper's books, and I will eventually get to them all.
This was a pretty interesting story. At first, I was just going to listen to it while I worked with Kindle's new mechanical voice, but I only got through a couple of chapters, and I was hooked and wanted to read along. I love how Harmon described the meeting of the Necromancer and the Sunflower Kid, which is very visual. I will definitely keep reading this series. I have finished about a third of Harmon Cooper's books, and I will eventually get to them all.
January 10, 2025
I have no interest in RPG nor how or why points are collected, but I loved this. Particularly loved the protagonist, Sterling Mondero, and his fondness for pepper based spicy food. More than the once, I was salivating at his choices he was eating. Definitely well jel as they say. The writing is top notch and the description of not just what was being consumed, but also the fight scenes, the desolation of a post apocalyptic world and, well, everything, was perfect. Never a dull moment from start to finish. My new favourite author? Oh yes!
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