David Nix

To the Gates of Hell by David Nix
Jake Paynter #3

Sweeping Western that had me hooked till the very end. Not sure if this is a trilogy or if there will be more about Jake in the future. If not, perhaps a spin-off with Gus and Stacy? Great story!

What I liked:
* Jake: has come a long way from book one, condemned, pardoned, almost mythic, good leader, great friend, better than he realizes, might get the girl in the end
* Rosalyn: teacher, sister, adopted daughter, on the outs with her brother, interested in Jake, strong, never gives up
* Gus: Jake’s war buddy and friend, buffalo soldier, wise, good man, interested in Stacy
* Stacy: daughter of wagon train leader, half Shoshone, a bit of a tomboy, likes Gus
* Beah Nooki: Shoshone elder, wise man, good friend, through many wars, difficult backstory
* Jake’s horse – she has a lot of heart and personality
* The start that set up the story and began the chase
* That some of the bad guys are not totally evil
* The way most of the people living in South Pass worked together for the benefit of all
* That the Native Americans were not the bad guys and were helpful
* That I could hate the bad guys and hope they received a bitter end
* That some that seemed irredeemable proved perhaps otherwise
* The writing, pace, plot, and setting
* The twist at the end
* That all of the loose ends were tied up at the end of the third book – no cliffhanger
* Wondering if this is a trilogy and complete, if there will be a spin-off, or if more of Jake will be seen in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that some people, in any era, are as evil as the ones in this book
* Having to say goodbye to the characters

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (más)

Devil’s Ride West by David Nix
Jake Paynter #2

Tormented and torn, Jake Paynter is a worthy hero that doesn’t realize his own worth. He sees himself as evil while those around him see him as an almost mythic hero. He is really just a man in conflict with his past as he moves toward an uncertain but potentially rather wonderful future…if he lives long enough to do so.

What I liked:
* Jake: rugged, intelligent, lethal, caring, conflicted, considers himself unworthy and evil, willing to give all for the underdog and those he cares for
* Gus: ex-soldier and friend of jake’s, might be more than a little interested in Stacy
* Stacy: daughter of a wagon train leader and an Indian woman, kind of interested in Gus, friend of Jake’s
* Esther Morris: historical person in real life and leader of miners in this story. Found out she was the first Justice of the Peace installed by Judge Kingman (also in this story) and held her position a bit less than a year
* The setting: Wyoming in 1868
* The writing that drew me in and kept me interested throughout
* The buffalo hunt and its impact on Jake’s next step in life
* The bond between Jake and his friends
* That Jake is not perfect but a work in progress -as we all are
* The way Jake determined who was killing the miners
* That justice of sorts was delivered to some of the bad guys
* Rosalyn’s presence and growth in this book and wondering if she and Jake will ever get together
* Knowing that the story is not finished and hoping that Lucien will meet his just desserts…eventually

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Lucien, the Flayers, Venable (understood him but still…), the killers – all of them that were evil
* Knowing that all too often the type of things that were evil in this book occur at any time in any era and impact the innocent horribly

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitelly

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (más)

Dead Man's Hand is the first book I have had the pleasure of reading by David Nix. I thought it was a pretty good western to read. It was exciting to go back in time to the post Civil War Western Plains and seeing the severity and mayhem of the times. Jake Paynter has lived a tragic life and I wanted to keep rooting for him to keep fighting and have the will to survive. It was quite the adventure to take with him and seeing how it would all end for him.

I am giving Dead Man's Hand four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading western and historical fiction. I will most definitely be looking for more by David Nix in the future. This one should not be missed.

I received a paperback copy of Dead Man's Hand from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.… (más)

Dead Man’s Hand by David Nix
Jack Paynter #1

Stayed up in the dark to finish this book. Living in Lebanon. I usually make sure I know what time it is so I can be in bed before the electricity cut happens. Not last night…nope…no way…I had to find out what would happen so I sat here in the dark, used the flashlight on my phone when I realized the electricity was gone for the night, headed upstairs to read in bed, and hoped the battery on my little laptop would not disappear before I finished the story.

What I liked:
* The writing and eking out of tidbits about the main character that fleshed him out into a real person who became the man I admired and hoped to read more about…and hoped would live a long and prosperous life
* The descriptions of place and time
* Jake Paynter: complex, conflicted, conscientious, careful, cunning, cultivated, lethal, and a man with so much potential…
* The time period and memories of books read previously
* How Jake grew and changed eventually seeming to come into his own
* The glimpse into what I fear was the truth of that time period…cringeworthy at times
* Jake’s reason for leaving home and his reason for leaving the side he fought on during the American Civil War…and I felt sorry for him after reading what he endured
* Feeling a part of the narrative as is took place…though I am not sure WHO I was in the story
* Gus: comrade in arms of Jake’s who had a tough row to hoe in more ways than one
* Stacy Blue: a young woman who has seen more miles than most but on the trail leading others to their promised land
* Wondering if Stacy and Gus will end up together
* The forging of a brotherhood created by Paynter within the people on the way west that Paynter rode with
* That just enough but not too much of Jake’s past experiences were shared in the story…horrific but not eviscerating
Knowing that there are more books in the series to look forward to.

What I didn’t like:
* All that I was meant not to like…and there were quite a few people and events that were unlikable…

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review

5 Stars… (más)