Radiant Apples

by Joe R. Lansdale

Nat Love has had enough adventures for ten men. From son of a former slave, to buffalo soldier, to gun hand, to Marshal for Hanging Judge Parker.

Now, entering old age, he’s a train porter. A job he’s happy to have, but not exactly the cream of his life. And then an unlikely train robbery and a moment of bravery gives him an opportunity to relive his past and perhaps redeem his wayward son. He’s still got the skills, but he’s also older and stiffer, and a little less certain.

He’ll need his old pal, Choctaw, to help him track down the murderous Radiant Apple Gang, so named for the odd, glowing cheeks of the two brothers who lead it. They’re not exactly the James Gang, but then again, Nat and Choctaw aren’t exactly in their prime, even if they do have an automobile and an expense account.

From the train tracks and cotton fields of East Texas, to the Oklahoma hills and a corrupt town, they’ll end up in a desperate struggle for survival that includes gun play, an outlaw, who though dreadfully wounded, doesn’t seem capable of dying, to a man gagging on dirty underpants. They’ll need the right hat, the right guns, and plenty of rest. The biggest question is can Nat and his companion, Chocktaw, survive bullets and lumbago, and come out on top.

Genres: Westerns, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

124 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2021

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nat Love was "a spry fiftyish man with all my parts working and my brain rolling on all its wheels, though from time to time they squeak and a dab of grease might be needed". Nat Love, the son of slaves, a Buffalo Soldier, a performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and a territorial Marshall for Hanging Judge Parker. Dime novels embellished his escapades in the Old West. "I used to be the famous Nat Love, at least in some tight circles, now I'm just Nat Love, fellow who works as a porter."

It started on the Cotton Belt Line in Big Sandy, Texas in the year 1919. "A day that broke my heart-but-set me back on the path to adventure and a reconciliation of sorts." The train stopped abruptly. Six robbers on horseback, including Nat's wayward son Rufus, boarded the train and gathered wallets and jewelry. Gunfire ensued. Rufus had embraced "the wrong trail" as his new home.

Law enforcement needed someone with "the old-time experience of riding the range, going without a bath, and eating grit in their food..." to capture the Radiant Apple Gang. The Radiant Apples were so named for the luminous cheeks of brothers Charlie and Lowe Albright, cherubic in appearance, but "explosively mean". Accompanied by Choctaw, his friend and a superb tracker, Nat would ride west to mete out justice, and perhaps, rein in and redirect his son, Rufus. The trip would be a reprieve of sorts, freedom for both Nat and Choctaw.

"Radiant Apples" by Joe R. Lansdale is a novella of historical fiction, a snapshot in the life of Nat Love, an African American cowboy, rodeo performer and Pullman porter. Told in a cheeky, playful style, Lansdale proves to be a masterful raconteur. A "Western fine art look" is provided by Ken Laager whose cover art and black and white illustrations arguably "portray western and adventure subjects...with authenticity". Highly recommended.

Thank you Subterranean Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[David Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some folks are natural born storytellers. Whether holding down the end of the bar in a hole-in-the-wall dive, or sitting around a campfire under a star-filled sky, when they start telling a story, every person within earshot hushes and strains forward, hanging on every word. The really good ones, the best ones, can weave castles in the sky, can coax a laugh from your belly and tears from your eyes, with just a few well-chosen words.

Natural born storytellers are rare. Even more rare is when one of them is also an excellent writer. This may sound counterintuitive. Dave, you may be thinking, aren’t all writers natural born storytellers? Thing is, I don’t think so. There are many wonderful writers, authors at the top of their craft, who I suspect would not be able to hold the attention of a bar full of drunks. They have learned to write, to tell a story, but they are not natural born storytellers.

Joe R. Lansdale, I suspect, would have those drunks hanging on every word.

Radiant Apples, his newest novel, is a masterclass in storytelling. Lansdale writes compelling crime novels, horror, fantasy, westerns, and probably shopping lists. Radiant Apples is a western, set in the very early 1900s. The main character and narrator, Nat Love, is now a fifty-something African American porter on a Pullman train, but he’s led an exciting, colorful life. Known as Deadwood Dick in his younger years, his past exploits as a buffalo soldier, bounty hunter, and Marshal for Hanging Judge Parker have been recounted in dime novels (somehow without mentioning that he was black).

Nat is settled in his current, uneventful life, until the train he’s working on is robbed by the Radiant Apple gang, a relatively inept but violent and just plain mean group of miscreants. Due in part to his former life, Nat gets hired to bring the gang in. He and his old running buddy, Choctaw, hit the road in pursuit. They’re both older, out of practice, and maybe a little slower on the draw. Lansdale orchestrates the climax of the novel, a gun battle on the streets of a corrupt Oklahoma town, like a true maestro.

Through Nat’s words, Lansdale brings all the gun play and danger in the wild and wooly west to vivid, breathtaking life. Nat may be a might cantankerous, but he’s also got more than his share of hard-won wisdom. Lansdale captures Nat’s voice perfectly, and Choctaw’s as well. They’re both funny, inappropriate as hell, and full of piss and vinegar. They may be rode hard and put away wet, but they’re honorable men, which doesn’t mean they’re not willing to kill men in need of killing.

Because this is Lansdale, you know he’ll have some things to say about race. Nat is black and Choctaw is biracial, black and American Indian, and Lansdale doesn’t shy away from the indignities they’ve suffered. As always, he’s clear-eyed and matter of fact.

Radiant Apples is Lansdale at his best, spinning a thrilling yarn that will keep you enthralled from first page to last. It releases November 30th, but do yourself a favor and pre-order this one. It’s special.

[Christian Buttner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be picked by Subterranean Press to receive an Advanced Reader's Copy so feel compelled to write a review, though it is aslo my pleasure as it is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining little book (160 pages including some great artwork by Ken Laager).
It is my 1st J.R. Landsdale Deadwood Dick novel and I will be purchasing it's predecessors. They are all based on the real life adventures of Nat Love, an African American cowboy and marksman who for a while travelled with Buffalo Bill and Co.
This particular adventure takes place after Nat has retired and is working as a porter for Pullman sleeper cars on a Texas railroad. Landsdale is a good writer and manages to capture the times well. The racism is there but as this is presented as an autobiography it is tolerable because Nat tolerates it...sometimes: more than one stupid white man does indeed learn the hard way not to push Nat too far.
As in all Landsdale I have read there is graphic violence (though not so much as his horror stories) and a great deal of humor and he effortlessly rolls it all together and bakes up a fine confection.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a quick fix of well written early 20th century western adventure and if you are already a fan of JRL than it's a bonus, and the real life story of Nat Love is pretty cool if you get a chance to look him up.

[Sjgomzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living legend Joe Lansdale is at the top of his game here with another cracking good tale of Nat Love in the old west. I hope to own a whole shelf of Nat Love books in the future. Hint, hint, because I need more!

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, another great read from Joe R Lansdale, his own self. I'm not sure I've hit a dud yet with him. Another Nat Love story, and can't wait for more. As always, great characters, great dialogue, great pacing. #RadiantApples #NetGalley

[Andy Rausch · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this was a follow-up to my favorite Joe Lansdale novel, Paradise Sky, and also what I consider to be his finest writing, Radiant Apples had a lot to live up to. It was good. All Lansdale novels are good, but this novel felt a lot more workaday than most of his others. Lansdale is a fine writer--one of the very finest--so it pains me to give this book a four-star review. But hell, four stars isn't bad; it's just not the usual Lansdale-level rating, which is generally five stars.

Maybe I would have enjoyed the book more if it hadn't been a sequel (of sorts) to Paradise Sky. I think if it had somehow been a different character doing the same things, I wouldn't have felt as let down as I was. Again, the book isn't bad by any stretch, but for me it was missing that je nais se quoi that defines the best of Lansdale's work. It's probably not fair to rate Lansdale's novels in relation to his other books because he sets the bar so incredibly high. But when you're a great writer, that's the way it works. For a lot of writers, Radiant Apples probably would have been a five-star novella, but for Lansdale it's a four.

[Josh reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! I absolutely loved returning to the character of Nat Love who was originally the protagonist of Joe Lansdale’s incredible novel, Paradise Sky. Nat Love, who is a real historical figure that had many adventures in the waning days of the Old West, is now many years older and working as a porter for Pullman trains. When a violent gang of thieves rob the train Nat is working on, it pulls him back into his earlier days of dealing out justice.

I love how Joe Lansdale is able to channel the same “feel” to Nat that we witnessed in Paradise Sky but now older, and in some ways much more aware of his vulnerabilities. I can’t offer enough praise to this triumphant return to a favorite character, I just hope that Joe considers writing about more of Nat Love’s adventures as teased in the text. Highest recommendation but read Paradise Sky first for the full “Deadwood Dick” experience!

[Evan Ladouceur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fantastic. This is the latest of several Nat Love stories, based around the life of a real African American cowboy in the post-Bellum era through the early 20th century. This narrate an elder Nat’s pursuit of a gang of villains, both for money and to, perhaps, redeem his wayward son (and recapture Nat’s youth, too). Joe Lansdale nails Nate’s wry, laconic voice. His narrative is flowing and smooth. The story is perfectly paced and just the right length. I will read any of his stories and will find the rest of his Nat Love tales. Wonderful.

[Matt Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Western as only Lansdale could deliver

Lansdale's more recent recurring hero/narrator, the historically inspired Nat Love, tends to tell of the wild exploits of his exciting life out of sequence, and this one, detailing an incident that brings him out of retirement in his later years, is by far my favorite in the series so far. Lansdale's unflinching use of regional historical detail, eye for human nature, ear for dialog, and of course an unparalleled knack for action writing, are all on full display.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars. Nat Love is a black railway porter who finds himself once again on the hunt for outlaws. In his younger days, Nat and his Native American friend Choctaw used to fight criminals together in the wild west. They have since outgrown that lifestyle, but Nat unfortunately found out his son is involved with the Radiant Apple Gang. Now Nat must decide whether to bring his son to justice.

This story was ok. It was pretty silly, gritty, violent at times, and just felt kind of flat. There wasn't much to the characters, but it's a very short novella. I believe this is just a spin-off from a Joe Lansdale series.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story with awesome character. Only bad thing is wasn't long enough but a very nice visit with Nat

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella length Nat Love story. Nat is a black Pullman car worker/detective, working in the late 19th early 20th century. These stories are great in only the way Lansdale can make them great. Profane, fast paced, well written , historically accurate , and fun to read they cast light on a little known part of American History. Read this as well as all of Lansdale’s books. I have.

[Craig Childs · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Every white person had started claiming to have Indian blood, always from some Cherokee or Comanche princess or war chief, or such, when most of them were as Irish as a shamrock. Wasn't nobody making a parade of having colored blood, though. One drop of that and you were at the back of any line and short on possibilities."

"You could track a rat fart through blackberry vines."

The year is 1919, the era of the Old West has passed, and Nat Love, now in his fifties, is making his living as a railroad porter. His days of adventure may be over, but at least he has a lifetime's worth of tall tales from his days on the frontier and his travels with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.

But his circumstances take an unexpected turn when his train is held up by a ragtag gang of amateur bandits. Nat recognizes one of them as his wayward son Rufus:

"He was always driven to take the hard and long way around, venture down a trail you would think he could look at it and see was grown up with brush and weeds and full of snakes. The empty trail, all clear and smooth, might lie before him with a sign that said success, while the dangerous trail might have one that said, this way lies monsters, and sure enough, he'd veer off on the bad one."

Nat is pressed into service by railroad detectives to track the bad guys to their hideout in Oklahoma. He accepts the commission, partly to avenge the murder of one of his passengers but also to try to protect Rufus.

This is the third (but hopefully not final) entry in the Nat Love series. There is an art to writing aging action heroes. You must bring the gunfights and tense moments, just like the first books, but you need to balance those with a realistic depiction of the effects of age and time. (Lawrence Block nailed it in his Matt Scudder series, but Max Allan Collins has his Quarry character in his seventies still beating up young men in their prime). Lansdale handles it well here. This is certainly an older, slower, more cautious Nat than we last saw in Paradise Sky.

The prose is just as funny and memorable as ever:

"A good-looking woman doesn't escape my eye, no matter their color or mode of dress or undress. I like to look at mountains too, but that doesn't mean I intend to climb all of them, though I have climbed a few."

"There wasn't enough people breaking the law like they used to. Criminals had all turned to banking, politics and preaching."

"That damn woman in the room was still screaming. I heard Charlie yell, 'Shut up!' and then I heard a short burst from the gun, and there was no more screaming. True love can be a trail cut short."

The Nat Love series consists of the following:

1. Black Hat Jack
2. Paradise Sky (includes the novellas "Hide and Horns" and "Soldierin'")
3. Radiant Applies

4 stars.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Old West is gone but not forgotten in the latest tall tale by Joe R. Lansdale. The author lets a little air out of the myths of the Old West by offering up this fun, irreverent tale of what it MIGHT have really been like when the wild frontier tried to become more modern and "civilized".

The year is 1919 and Nat Love aka Deadwood Dick, who previously appeared in the novella Black Hat Jack and the full-length novel Paradise Sky, is settling into middle-age. It's boring but he can't complain, he's got it pretty good all things considered. The children are all grown, he has a good job as a train porter, and an automobile that gets him where he needs to go... Not bad for the son of slaves.

Then, one day his train is robbed and Nat recognizes his own son among the outlaws. These outlaws, while violent and unpredictable, wouldn't amount to a boil on the backside of old time outlaws like Jesse James or Cole Younger, which is probably a good thing because Nat isn't a young man anymore. What he is, is experienced and more capable than anyone else who's available. So, Nat finds his old friend and tracker, Choctaw, and the two head off to see that justice is served.

This is not your grandfather's Western novel, but it may just be a lot closer to your great-great grandfather's real West experience.

Told in a folksy-style, with an occasional risque aside, like a conversation told at a family get together with the older, more worldly relative telling tales and having to be reminded from time to time that there are ladies and children present when details get a bit too "colorful".

Those familiar with Lansdale will find this a little less outrageous than some of his previous work. It's still not "tame" by any means but it keeps both feet more or less in the realm of reality. Great Neo-Western that is fun from start to finish. Recommend it highly.

***There is some content that might be offensive to overly sensitive readers.

[Jiří Pavlovský · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe R. Landsale je vypravěčem od přírody. Tohle už jsem psal a asi to budu opakovat v každém textu. A z téhle knihy, vlastně spíše novely, to přímo čiší. Je to kniha, kterou jako by psal na jeden zátah, jako jedno dlouhé vyprávění v nějakém saloonu nebo u ohně. Jo, je to jeho další westernový příběh.
Ačkoliv je Joe R. Lansdale běloch, jeho hrdinou a vypravěčem knihy je černý pistolník Nat Love, zvaný též Deadwood Dick. Což fakt netuším, jestli se pořád ještě může, ale jak je to ryzí pulp, ještě vydaný menším nakladatelstvím, tak to zřejmě prochází. Nat Love se objevoval už v jeho starších knihách, účastnil se spousty přestřelek a soubojů, ale teď už mu je přes padesát, pověsil kolty na hřebík a dělá průvodčího ve vlacích Pullman. Aspoň tedy do chvíle, kdy vlak přepadne gang, který není sice moc schopný, ale o to je brutálnější. A jedním z členů gangu je Loveův syn.

Takže hrdina vyráží na stopě, spolu se svým bývalým kolegou, stopařem. Aby se pokusil zachránit svého syna… a postřílet všechny ostatní.

Je to krátký příběh, ještě doplněný ilustracemi, kolem sto stránek… a vlastně je to typický Lansdale. Čili poklidné a pořádně barvité vyprávění, občas přerušené erupcí brutality (a samozřejmě, s velkým důrazem na tělesné pochody). Tady je to hodně soustředěné na finále, které nabízí přestřelku, při které se na nevinné oběti moc nehledí. Jinak je to spíš jednodušší příběh, bez nějakých větších úhybů, jen takové lehké vyprávění o stáří a smiřování se se světem… za pomocí střelby.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Radiant Apples is a historical novella in classic storytelling style by Joe R. Lansdale. Released 30th Nov 2022 by Subterranean Press, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a novella of the bigger-than-real-life Nat Love and which fits into the Deadwood Dick autobiographical books by Love himself. The story is so skillfully told, it's not clear where fiction shades over into real history, but it's at least built around a framework of real characters and events. The story is taken from Mr. Love's later life, when he's in his fifties and working as a Pullman porter. Set in 1919, it explores what "might have been". It's effective and very well written.

The story itself is solid; entertaining and engaging. I read it in a single sitting and was so into the story I didn't even register the passage of time. Additionally, this edition is enhanced with beautiful interior line drawings by Ken Laager.

Five stars. Heartily recommended for western fans, as well as fans of the inimitable Lansdale. I can't say that I have -ever- read a disappointing story from him - he's a masterful storyteller and craftsman.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Radiant Apples, author Joe R. Lansdale visits the transition from wild west to a world being infringed upon by modern conveniences, chief among them the automobile. Our protagonist, Nat Love, is an aging Black man who rode for several decades as a lawman, but as the short novel opens he's become a Pullman porter. One day, the train on which Nat is working is held up by the Radiant Apple gang, so named because of the rosy red cheeks of the 2 brothers who head the gang. Nat acts heroically, and as a result is hired by the railroad and Pullman company to go once more into the saddle after the gang. To complicate matters, Nat's wayward son has become a member of the gang. Nat recruits his old running mate, Choctaw, who is at least partially a Native American, and away they go. At 160 pages, there isn't time for the character development that's typically of a Lansdale novel. But Lansdale seems incapable of writing anything less than an excellent novel, and he finds time to include the crisp dialogue, ironic plot twists and a rousing closing action sequence that are also Lansdale staples.

[John Bruni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Nat Love adventure. It's even more interesting because now he's an old man living during the death throes of the Wild West. He works as a porter on a Pullman train until it is robbed by the Radiant Apple gang, the only ones who seem to think that the Wild West is alive and thriving. Much to Nat's surprise, his son Rufus is among them. A railroad dick recognizes Nat as the real life version of a dime novel hero (except in the book he's white), and he tasks Nat with hunting down the gang and bringing them in dead or alive. Dead would be better, but do what you think you have to do. Nat has an obvious interest because of his son, so he signs up and hunts up his old partner Choctaw from what used to be called the Nations.

I'm glad that Choctaw is still out there, taking it easy for the rest of us sinners. Better yet, his wife Little Wind is hilarious. So is the reason behind this nickname. Read it for yourself.

[Julian White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Signed by author, limited (219/1500)

'The True Life Adventures of Deadwood Dick, as told by His Ownself'

1919. Nat Love is a porter on the Cotton Belt Line, out of Big Sandy Switch, Texas, via Tyler to Fort Worth. Now middle-aged and a widower he was born a slave and in his younger days a buffalo soldier, gun hand and marshal to Hanging Judge Parker. As he tells it the fictional Deadwood Dick changed from black to white (see Edward Lytton Wheeler, dime novelist) but retired to become a husband and father.

When his train is ambused and a passenger killed Nat distinguishes himself by killing shooter before he can kill again - and is recruited by the Pullman Company and the railroad to track down and deal with the gang, so called 'Radiant Apples' from the florid colouring of the gang leaders.
Nat agrees and reunites with Chocktaw, his old tracker, to pursue the matter.

A whimical story, not without charm. The author (Lonsdale) has used the character in a number of
other stories.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Radiant Apples" is a western set in 1919 in Texas and Oklahoma. It's apparently based off of a real man. There was a reference to Nat being the real Deadwood Dick (as well as several references to Dick in the lower case). Not only were the main characters crude in language, there was a lot of nudity. There were sex scenes (though not highly graphic), blood and guts (somewhat graphically described), and a fair amount of bad language. I guess I was expecting more of a biography/adventure rather than this very earthy story. Historical details about the man and what life was like at the time were woven into the story. The main characters were interesting. There was some suspense during the fight scene.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Ralph Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Radiant Apples by Joe R. Lansdale- This is another Nat Love story, the black cowboy/ bounty hunter/ a law unto himself in the old west. Nat has hung up his guns, as age is catching up with him, and taken work on the railroad as a Pullman Car orderly. He's decided his wild days are over until a gang of young bucks robs the train and his son is one of them. The Railroad will pay him to hunt them down and he does, but it's really his son he is after. Filled with colorful language, fierce action, and always a bloody reckoning, this novella is an easy, entertaining read.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even for readers who have not experienced Lansdale's Paradise Sky, this is a sequel that stands on its own. Of course, it's made all the better if you have read about Nat Love's prior exploits, as told through the Lansdale Lens, but it's not dependent on it. A western adventure that takes place in the early 20th century, as the wild west is being tamed, it has all of the action, adventure, humor, and a little bit of heart from the original. Paradise Sky is my favorite of Joe R. Lansdale's novels, and this novella is a worthy follow-up. Recommended.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since Paradise Sky (one of Lansdale's best works) I've been stinging for more Nat Love content. Radiant Apples does a decent job of providing that, albeit in novella form, and while it's not quite as engaging as Black Hat Jack, it's a decent, albeit slight, yarn.

Hopefully Joe will provide a full-size continuation of Love's adventures one day, but in the meantime there's a lot to like here.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great voicing

I had considered docking the book a star for some unneeded repetition, but I just couldn't because the voicing was so good. The protagonist told the entire story in a consistent and likable voice. He's not a perfect man, but he is essentially fair and kind.

It was a fun story, maybe not so much a great one, but I really like this author, so it was just excellent that it filled my PopSugar challenge to read a book set on a modality of travel.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nat Love, nearing retirement, working as a porter on a train, kills an outlaw during a robbery but recognises his son as one of the gang. He gets hired by the railroad to track them down, enlists his friend Choctaw and goes on the trail. A fun, latter-day western adventure told with Lansdale's usual verve.

[Jim Andrew Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nat Love is one of my favorite of Joe R. Lansdale's characters and he's a fascinating historical figure. This novella is sharply written, moves along at a nice pace, and has fantastic dialog that made me laugh out loud a couple of times. It's a highly recommended read for fans of Lansdale's westerns.

[Chompa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about Nat Love from Paradise Sky as an older man. It's a solid story and brings back Choctaw too. Choctaw telling a story about hunting a man for bounty is my favorite part of the book. Nat's in his 50's and one of his kids has fallen in with a group of outlaws.

Lansdale's writing is excellent throughout with great dialogue, action, and interesting characters.

[Glen Guldbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lansdale always weaves a great tale. The exploits of Nat Love don’t disappoint. I hope there’s another story with this memorable character. Paradise Sky is the origin story of Love. Both of these books are highly recommended. Happy reading!!!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lansdale again 👍

Joe has never disappointed me, and I've read a lot of his work. He's a funny guy even when he uses tough dialoge. (I still love the squirrel in bad chili. Or is it Mucho Mojo?)

[Anne Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

another special Joe Lansdale book

Joe Lansdale books are easy and a pleasure to read. They portray a great picture as the words stream along to tell the story. It gives you a vision of old 1900s Texas like no one else can give you.