Scan barcode
jimbob_luke's review against another edition
5.0
If your looking for some fast paced, violent, balls to the walls action, look no further! Buy this book. Jonathan's style is similar to the late Richard Laymon. As a big Laymon I love finding a book that gave me the same enjoyment as Laymon's did. I had a blast with this!
readbyashleyd's review against another edition
5.0
I never knew a vampire western was something I deeply desired until Janz went and fulfilled that unknown longing I had. Seriously though, can vampire westerns please be a new genre because I need more of that kind of brutal deliciousness. I like my vampires merciless and brutal and gory as fuck and this book delivers that in SPADES. I think the Dust Devils might honestly be my favourite vampires EVER and that’s saying a lot because I’ve read a metric fuck ton of vampire books. This one is just on another level of great though, it’s hard to even accurately describe how good it was because I’m still revelling in all the guts and gore and sex. Because you can’t truly have a vampire novel without some sex thrown in can you? All kidding aside, this is some next level vampire greatness and you’d be missing out by not picking it up and devouring it like I did.
avereads's review against another edition
5.0
“It’s the danger of readin’ too many books... They tell you pretty lies and you get to believin’ ‘em. Get thinkin’ things are gonna work out like they should. Get to thinkin’ there’s justice. I could tell that about you right away, that you were still seein’ yourself in a book. That’s why you were holdin’ back. You kept tellin’ yourself something would happen to make you act like a hero, but that’s not how it is in real life. In real life you just gotta do somethin’ and hope it’s right. Things happen faster in real life.”
When Cody’s wife is lured into the life of travelling performers, he had no idea he would lose her both to the life they can provide and the life they will eventually take away. Willet Black watches as the same actors tear apart and eat his entire family. Bound together by the same unfortunate circumstance, Cody and Willet are bent are taking revenge on the creatures who caused it.
I don’t have very much interest in western or vampire novels on their own, but combine them together and I am at peak interest. Janz blended the two together so well and as I’ve said before he’s so great at making really entertaining stories. I think he’s my go to for when I want to read something I know I’ll enjoy and just want to have a good time reading. But, don’t get me wrong, as much as I had fun reading this book, it was still very gruesome and blood soaked and tense. The scenes were set up so good I almost felt like I was in New Mexico in 1885 and that’s always what I want from a novel, to really feel like I’m experiencing it. I really liked the protagonist, Cody, too. He’s an unlikely hero who didn’t want to be thrown in this mess but has to do the right thing. The villain, Adam Price, was really intriguing too and I thought the way the vampires were portrayed in their “true form” was a lil spooky and different. I thought this novel was really unique (at least I’ve never heard of a western vampire tale before) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5/5
Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review
When Cody’s wife is lured into the life of travelling performers, he had no idea he would lose her both to the life they can provide and the life they will eventually take away. Willet Black watches as the same actors tear apart and eat his entire family. Bound together by the same unfortunate circumstance, Cody and Willet are bent are taking revenge on the creatures who caused it.
I don’t have very much interest in western or vampire novels on their own, but combine them together and I am at peak interest. Janz blended the two together so well and as I’ve said before he’s so great at making really entertaining stories. I think he’s my go to for when I want to read something I know I’ll enjoy and just want to have a good time reading. But, don’t get me wrong, as much as I had fun reading this book, it was still very gruesome and blood soaked and tense. The scenes were set up so good I almost felt like I was in New Mexico in 1885 and that’s always what I want from a novel, to really feel like I’m experiencing it. I really liked the protagonist, Cody, too. He’s an unlikely hero who didn’t want to be thrown in this mess but has to do the right thing. The villain, Adam Price, was really intriguing too and I thought the way the vampires were portrayed in their “true form” was a lil spooky and different. I thought this novel was really unique (at least I’ve never heard of a western vampire tale before) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5/5
Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review
evavroslin's review against another edition
5.0
A vampire novel set in the wild west. This novel is about a man, Cody, who witnesses vampires doing unspeakable things first to his wife then to the family of a young boy, Willet, that he meets. They are determined to wipe out the swarm of bloodsuckers, but they've got their work cut out for them. I enjoyed "The Nightmare Girl," one of the author's other novels and I was curious to see what he would do with a historical horror novel. It's an interesting, fast-paced read that will keep you turning the pages to find out if Cody will prevail against all odds in the face of such relentless and vengeful enemies. It would have been nice to know the motivations of the vampires apart from the obvious ones and to see them fleshed out a tad more, but on the whole I think the author provided some good snippets here and there. I'll be checking out more of his work.
iasa's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
rodsreads's review against another edition
4.0
“Being afraid isn’t a bad thing, contrary to what men want to believe. The average man pretends he’s afraid of nothing until the danger actually arrives. Then he’s full of terror and an absolute coward.”
Bloodthirsty vampires waging terror in New Mexico, back in 1885? Sign me up!
Let me start by saying that this was my very first time reading a Jonathan Janz book.
Whenever I read a book by an author that is new to me, I feel a little bit nervous. Mainly because I don't want to be disappointed. Who does?
Well, call me lucky. I haven't been disappointed so far.
Dust Devils was such a wild and fun ride!
“Make your own luck, kid. God gave you a brain, didn’t he? Use it and stop making excuses for yourself.”
As soon as I met Cody & Willet, I had instant Dark Tower vibes (Rolland & Jake). I'm not complaining!
I honestly had no idea how much fun this book would be. The story is action-packed from the very beginning.
Although I can't really say that I'm a western fan, it would be fair to say that I do like western horror now.
Janz's execution was excellent!
I can't wait to check out his other works.
Let me finish by thanking Flame Tree Press for sending me a copy of the book.
motherhorror's review
4.0
3.5! Rounded up for Goodreads
“Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is.”
― Forrest Carter, The Outlaw Josey Wales
Just finished DUST DEVILS by Jonathan Janz last night. I was still in my bed staring at the ceiling, searching the files of my brain for that damn, Josey Wales quote! Thank goodness for Google searches because it's just the perfect quote for this story.
The protagonist, our unlikely hero, Cody Wilson isn't full of "grit & spit" like you would expect from a Western. He's a bit craven and probably not the most intimidating fighter.
Even though he's on this revenge mission, the reader gets an early sense that Cody might be biting off more than he can chew pursuing a pack of wild, beefy vampires across the desert.
The book starts off in the eye of the storm with Cody watching the vampires from a safe distance. He encounters a young boy doing the same thing and the two of them make a hasty introduction--the kid showing he has more courage and balls than Cody, actually, and he tells Cody his revenge story.
Through some clever interludes of flashback, we get the basic idea of why Cody is trailing the vampires--from here, Cody develops a fatherly bond with Willet since they're basically on the same quest and neither one of them have any family to speak of. Part one: The story set up is my favorite part of this book. Although, I have to mention: One of my favorite aspects of the Western genre is how the environment/landscape is almost like another protagonist--the authors usually give a lot of page-time to its description and I feel like that element is missing; just a smattering of scenery details here and there.
But the scenes with Cody and Willet were really enjoyable--this is where Janz shines. He writes relationships so well and I've said this in another book review, but Janz is the most successful when he writes a bit of himself into the characters--Cody's fatherly protection of Willet is achingly sweet.
Part Two introduces one of my favorite characters in the story, Marguerite- a strong female protagonist as opposed to some of the other female characters who are just horribly unlikable.
The middle portion of this book is very graphic (both violently and sexually) and gives the reader their first real "look" at the vampires. I have to say--sometimes there truly is a threshold for how much sex and violence I can tolerate in my horror. It's so much more compelling when some evil act is implied, or the narrative cuts away and leaves a bit to the reader's imagination but in DUST DEVILS, everything is explicitly detailed and my brain does get weary of it (I'll even skim on to the next scene).
Kenny Rogers once sang, "You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em." and the same goes for sex & violence.
(I always feel like I have to defend my sensibilities when I say something like that, but I'm a horror fan, so obviously, I like things dark, disgusting and depraved-just not needlessly "porny")
In the last part of the book, things pick up. I enjoyed the way Janz ended this tale. For a Western/Horror mash-up, I think it left a little to be desired, but I do think it's entertaining, compelling and full of some great characters. I would recommend it to other horror fans.
“Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is.”
― Forrest Carter, The Outlaw Josey Wales
Just finished DUST DEVILS by Jonathan Janz last night. I was still in my bed staring at the ceiling, searching the files of my brain for that damn, Josey Wales quote! Thank goodness for Google searches because it's just the perfect quote for this story.
The protagonist, our unlikely hero, Cody Wilson isn't full of "grit & spit" like you would expect from a Western. He's a bit craven and probably not the most intimidating fighter.
Even though he's on this revenge mission, the reader gets an early sense that Cody might be biting off more than he can chew pursuing a pack of wild, beefy vampires across the desert.
The book starts off in the eye of the storm with Cody watching the vampires from a safe distance. He encounters a young boy doing the same thing and the two of them make a hasty introduction--the kid showing he has more courage and balls than Cody, actually, and he tells Cody his revenge story.
Through some clever interludes of flashback, we get the basic idea of why Cody is trailing the vampires--from here, Cody develops a fatherly bond with Willet since they're basically on the same quest and neither one of them have any family to speak of. Part one: The story set up is my favorite part of this book. Although, I have to mention: One of my favorite aspects of the Western genre is how the environment/landscape is almost like another protagonist--the authors usually give a lot of page-time to its description and I feel like that element is missing; just a smattering of scenery details here and there.
But the scenes with Cody and Willet were really enjoyable--this is where Janz shines. He writes relationships so well and I've said this in another book review, but Janz is the most successful when he writes a bit of himself into the characters--Cody's fatherly protection of Willet is achingly sweet.
Part Two introduces one of my favorite characters in the story, Marguerite- a strong female protagonist as opposed to some of the other female characters who are just horribly unlikable.
The middle portion of this book is very graphic (both violently and sexually) and gives the reader their first real "look" at the vampires. I have to say--sometimes there truly is a threshold for how much sex and violence I can tolerate in my horror. It's so much more compelling when some evil act is implied, or the narrative cuts away and leaves a bit to the reader's imagination but in DUST DEVILS, everything is explicitly detailed and my brain does get weary of it (I'll even skim on to the next scene).
Kenny Rogers once sang, "You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em." and the same goes for sex & violence.
(I always feel like I have to defend my sensibilities when I say something like that, but I'm a horror fan, so obviously, I like things dark, disgusting and depraved-just not needlessly "porny")
In the last part of the book, things pick up. I enjoyed the way Janz ended this tale. For a Western/Horror mash-up, I think it left a little to be desired, but I do think it's entertaining, compelling and full of some great characters. I would recommend it to other horror fans.
joshuamarsella's review
5.0
What a powerhouse of a novel! The characters were bursting with such realism I could feel their heart beats leaping off the page. Janz really wrote something special here. The story never had time to slow down from the very first pages. It pulls the reader in and makes them invest in every paragraph. This was my first Janz book and I’m now a lifelong fan. If you love westerns or better yet, vicious flesh chewing vampires, this book is for you!
0hfortheloveofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3.5 stars
Admittedly, westerns aren't my genre of choice and if asked my favorite western I'd have to default to King's The Gunslinger (that counts right?!) but Jonathan Janz brought the fun with Dust Devils. It was a wild romp through the wild wild west. Janz has a way of making his readers run the gamut of emotions; I cringed, I blushed, I laughed, I felt sentimental. Dust Devils mixed it up a bit by throwing in some truly gruesome vampires and not just any old, run of the mill vampires either. These were some grisly vampires! I definitely appreciated the innovative spin, it kept a very traditional horror trope fresh and fun.
I loved the relationships within the book; Cody and his dad, Cody and Willet. It gave the book a heart. And speaking of Cody, he was such a great, albeit flawed, protagonist (my favorite!) although I think my favorite character was Cody's dad, Jack. He was just such a sweet man!
The end was slightly predictable but that didn't make the journey there any less fun. Janz is an auto-buy author for me.
Admittedly, westerns aren't my genre of choice and if asked my favorite western I'd have to default to King's The Gunslinger (that counts right?!) but Jonathan Janz brought the fun with Dust Devils. It was a wild romp through the wild wild west. Janz has a way of making his readers run the gamut of emotions; I cringed, I blushed, I laughed, I felt sentimental. Dust Devils mixed it up a bit by throwing in some truly gruesome vampires and not just any old, run of the mill vampires either. These were some grisly vampires! I definitely appreciated the innovative spin, it kept a very traditional horror trope fresh and fun.
I loved the relationships within the book; Cody and his dad, Cody and Willet. It gave the book a heart. And speaking of Cody, he was such a great, albeit flawed, protagonist (my favorite!) although I think my favorite character was Cody's dad, Jack. He was just such a sweet man!
The end was slightly predictable but that didn't make the journey there any less fun. Janz is an auto-buy author for me.
bookertsfarm's review
5.0
I really don't know where to start with this review. So much happens in "Dust Devils" and there is so much action, that when finished, I almost felt like I stepped off a rollercoaster - a very scary, very western rollercoaster.
As the book opens we meet Cody and Willet. Cody's wife has just been killed by a gang of traveling actors and Willet's entire family, including his mother, father and grandfather, has been slayed as well. Cody did not plan on teaming up with a young boy but he soon finds out that where he is lacking courage, Willet has no shortage, despite being so young. The two end up working together to track down the killers and stay alive while doing so.
First I have to admit I loved the relationship between Cody and Willet. They worked together so well and it was nice for them both to have someone to help them on their mission. Cody finds himself caring for Willet which soon gives him more purpose than just hunting down his wife's killers. I also really like Marguerite, who appears in the second of three sections of the book. She is a firecracker of a saloon keeper and it doesn't take long for her to catch Cody's eye. But off course, that also puts her dead center in the Devils' sights.
Now I don't think it's any big secret that this book deals with vampires and I must warn you, it is very graphic in places. Of course how can roasting body parts over an open fire and eating them not be graphic? That being said, I didn't find it too over-the-top and it really worked for me in this novel. The action never stops and at times I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
If any of you remember how much I enjoyed "The Suicide Motor Club" by Christopher Buehlman, then you know when I classify this book with that one, it's high praise. "Dust Devils" takes horror, mashes it with an action-packed western, and gives us some of the most vicious vampires I've ran across in a long time. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
As the book opens we meet Cody and Willet. Cody's wife has just been killed by a gang of traveling actors and Willet's entire family, including his mother, father and grandfather, has been slayed as well. Cody did not plan on teaming up with a young boy but he soon finds out that where he is lacking courage, Willet has no shortage, despite being so young. The two end up working together to track down the killers and stay alive while doing so.
First I have to admit I loved the relationship between Cody and Willet. They worked together so well and it was nice for them both to have someone to help them on their mission. Cody finds himself caring for Willet which soon gives him more purpose than just hunting down his wife's killers. I also really like Marguerite, who appears in the second of three sections of the book. She is a firecracker of a saloon keeper and it doesn't take long for her to catch Cody's eye. But off course, that also puts her dead center in the Devils' sights.
Now I don't think it's any big secret that this book deals with vampires and I must warn you, it is very graphic in places. Of course how can roasting body parts over an open fire and eating them not be graphic? That being said, I didn't find it too over-the-top and it really worked for me in this novel. The action never stops and at times I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
If any of you remember how much I enjoyed "The Suicide Motor Club" by Christopher Buehlman, then you know when I classify this book with that one, it's high praise. "Dust Devils" takes horror, mashes it with an action-packed western, and gives us some of the most vicious vampires I've ran across in a long time. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!