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bearprof's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating and beautifully written. By the end, though, I really disliked the female lead. Made me disengage a bit with the book. More like 4.5 stars.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
After Code Name: Verity, this one needs to not hurt me.
---
Oh, thank god, there was no weeping.
Despite knowing that Kathleen Kent is a great author (love Heretic's Daughter, actually got into a long discussion with a big burly truck driver once about how much it rocked), I was hesitant about this book. The cover made me want to read it immediately (I do judge books by their covers), but it's a western, and I just don't....do westerns.
I was captivated from the start, though. Lucinda creeping out of the brothel, her plans so very carefully made, so many contingency plans. Making sure a trail led "The German" awry so she could make her fast escape. I loved her.
But then. Sigh.
Why'd she have to go and spoil my love for her by fucking over May? Sigh.
I get it. She's a badass. She's one of the women you read about in the old west, Hookers who don't have a heart of gold, who clawed their way out of their desolate lives and took charge. Or, in her case, latched on to a man and believed he would be the one to take her out of whoredom for good. And she would do anything to ensure she wasn't going to be left behind again.
But that line. Consider us even. My brain started spinning, and my heart just broke.
Nate's chapters were what slowed me down. I realized that the two would join up at some point, so I didn't want to skip over them entirely. But as great a character as he really was, and Deerling and Dr. Tom (LOVED Dr. Tom), reading about riding horses and capturing bad guys is exactly why I am not a fan of westerns. Novel or film.
Except for Tombstone. Breaks all the rules.
But Nate was a fantastic character. A genuinely good guy, who really did do the right thing all the time. I like to think that at some point, he caught up with a certain character, and finished the job.
A lovely twist for the ending, to be sure. But just too easy.
And I really do love that cover.
---
Oh, thank god, there was no weeping.
Despite knowing that Kathleen Kent is a great author (love Heretic's Daughter, actually got into a long discussion with a big burly truck driver once about how much it rocked), I was hesitant about this book. The cover made me want to read it immediately (I do judge books by their covers), but it's a western, and I just don't....do westerns.
I was captivated from the start, though. Lucinda creeping out of the brothel, her plans so very carefully made, so many contingency plans. Making sure a trail led "The German" awry so she could make her fast escape. I loved her.
But then. Sigh.
Spoiler
May.Why'd she have to go and spoil my love for her by fucking over May? Sigh.
I get it. She's a badass. She's one of the women you read about in the old west, Hookers who don't have a heart of gold, who clawed their way out of their desolate lives and took charge. Or, in her case, latched on to a man and believed he would be the one to take her out of whoredom for good. And she would do anything to ensure she wasn't going to be left behind again.
But that line. Consider us even. My brain started spinning, and my heart just broke.
Nate's chapters were what slowed me down. I realized that the two would join up at some point, so I didn't want to skip over them entirely. But as great a character as he really was, and Deerling and Dr. Tom (LOVED Dr. Tom), reading about riding horses and capturing bad guys is exactly why I am not a fan of westerns. Novel or film.
Except for Tombstone. Breaks all the rules.
But Nate was a fantastic character. A genuinely good guy, who really did do the right thing all the time. I like to think that at some point, he caught up with a certain character, and finished the job.
Spoiler
As soon as Dr. Tom said Lucinda had been pregnant, I knew Mattie was going to end up being the baby. But I really hoped it wouldn't. It was just too damn weird and convenient, that lawmen from Texas would end up meeting a lawman from Oklahoma, and all three of them would have this connection to Lucinda. It's just too easy.A lovely twist for the ending, to be sure. But just too easy.
And I really do love that cover.
christinaerickson33's review against another edition
4.0
The Outcasts is the story of Lucinda Carter who seeks a new life away from prostitution and Nate Cannon who is Texas policemen looking to help tame the wild Texas countryside. Along the way there is a hunt for treasure in the bayou. Kathleen Kent writes a wonder cast of charters all so full of life and good old fashioned western values.
beastreader's review against another edition
1.0
I was really excited to read this book. I love westerns and the book cover for this book is eye catching. However, once I actually cracked open this book, I found it was nothing like I was hoping for. I kind of found Lucinda to be crude. Nate is unmemorable. In fact, I could not really tell you what this book was about as I only got about ten chapters in and put the book down with no regrets. Plus, it moved extremely slow with little action from what I saw. I like my westerns to have lots of action, a good storyline, and characters I can truly get behind and cheer on the whole way through until the end. I know it is not just this book is either as I tried to read the author's other book, The Heretic's Daughter and the same thing happened to me than too.
carrieannthelibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
Had potential, but didn't deliver as well as it could. Kent had great potential for her secondary characters, but their parts seemed rushed to me. I think it would have made it a better story to bring them out more. Lucinda and Nate were fine characters, but the story spends more than enough time in their heads that it became dull.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
I don't typically gravitate to Westerns in my reading, but I couldn't resist the setting in this one: Galveston, Texas (not to mention Austin and Houston).
It is a tale of the law chasing a criminal across the state to right a wrong. The characters here are well drawn and the plot lines believable. The story focuses on a Texas law man, Nate Cannon, newly sworn in, that is to deliver news to two fellow lawmen that a wanted killer, McGill, has been spotted in the far reaches of Texas. Texas is big and crossing it by horse makes the travel time even longer. I liked the references to various landmarks and the details of the cities that I know and love.
Overall, I found this one to be engaging and a good read for the summer.
It is a tale of the law chasing a criminal across the state to right a wrong. The characters here are well drawn and the plot lines believable. The story focuses on a Texas law man, Nate Cannon, newly sworn in, that is to deliver news to two fellow lawmen that a wanted killer, McGill, has been spotted in the far reaches of Texas. Texas is big and crossing it by horse makes the travel time even longer. I liked the references to various landmarks and the details of the cities that I know and love.
Overall, I found this one to be engaging and a good read for the summer.
ldv's review against another edition
2.0
An American ending -- neatly tied up, happy coincidences, justice prevails. Bleh.
Can't say much about this book. It was fairly predictable and typical of a wild west good ranger/bad outlaw with hooker damsel story. I think the author was more enamoured with depicting a wild west than creating an enticing plot, because the former certainly seemed to take precedence over the latter.
Can't say much about this book. It was fairly predictable and typical of a wild west good ranger/bad outlaw with hooker damsel story. I think the author was more enamoured with depicting a wild west than creating an enticing plot, because the former certainly seemed to take precedence over the latter.
bawright1987's review against another edition
5.0
When I first began this book, I was a little hesitant. The whole, epileptic Lucinda threw me for a loop. But by about page...10 I was hooked. I spent a good two hours and turned into a shriveled prune in my bath just to finish it. The characters were all amazing. Honorable Nate, the back-story of all the characters, Dr. Tom and Deerling: who reminded me a great deal of Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call and were my favorite characters. My only wish was to know more about Elam Waller. Without giving too much away, I will have to say a sort of prequel about Elam and his involvement during the war would be quite interesting.
And how great is that cover?!
This is an author who I hope to read more from in the very near future.
And how great is that cover?!
This is an author who I hope to read more from in the very near future.
egrace13's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5