Hello, fellow Friday 56ers!
This week, I'm featuring The Gun Man Jackson Swagger by Stephen Hunter, a 2025 release that my local library recently added to their shelves. I'm somewhat familiar with Stephen Hunter but didn't realize he had written a Western. I haven't started reading it yet, and I haven’t checked the blurb either; I prefer the plot to be a surprise when I finally read it. I'm not sure when I will share my thoughts. The earliest I can post a review would be next weekend if I don’t have anything else for the Gunsmoke & Grit spot. If not, I’ll save the review for a later weekend when my schedule is clearer.
Now, here’s a tease from page 56:
Voth knew what armies knew: young men, whiskey, guns, boredom—not a good mix.
— Hunter, Stephen. The Gun Man Jackson Swagger, Emily Bestler Books, 2025, p. 56.
〜B.J. Burgess


I asked Storygraph why Westerns aren't considered a genre on their site. They didn't have an answer for me. Clearly it is one!
ReplyDeleteI've never used Storygraph. "Western" is definitely a genre — and an old one.
DeleteMaybe Westerns are only considered historical fiction.
DeleteGreat quote!
ReplyDeleteWesterns really should have their own genre.
"Westerns" have been their own genre for a very long time, probably one of the first genres. There are a lot of new Westerns coming out; mostly from smaller publishers--but the genre isn't far from dead.
DeleteWhenever I read historical romances, I always chose westerns. Those were my favorites. I haven't read any western in a long time, though. I know this one isn't a romance, but it does sound really good.
ReplyDelete