Review: Noose by Brennan LaFaro
Blurb:
It's been 15 years since Noose Holcomb perpetrated the Buzzard's Edge Train Robbery of 1872, leaving Rory Daggett an orphan. Settled in with a new family and a second chance at life, Rory never quite sheds the thirst for revenge.
When one of the gang members returns to Buzzard's Edge, Rory's life is violently upended once more. Capturing the rogue spurs on a furious chain of events that pits Rory against each member of Noose's gang, every one more twisted and terrifying than the last, in order to work his way to their leader.
With the help of a fellow orphan whose life Noose turned upside down and the town's sheriff, Rory will stop at nothing to be the man who ends Noose's reign of terror, but can he do it without becoming the man he seeks to kill?
Review:
Right off the bat, the cover is just straight up fire! It was the sole reason Noose caught my eye in an instant to begin with when the publisher, Brigids Gate Press, announced that it was available to request on platforms like BookSirens and NetGalley. To follow that up, I came across the following post put up by the author on X/Twitter:
“A train massacre, mad scientist, a witch, ghost stories, shoo fly, illusions and hallucinations, ghosts, riddles in the dark, mayhem, hammers, shotguns, and more all wrapped up in a bullet-fast revenge tale.”
I mean, how could you not be intrigued by that?! I most certainly was, and I knew it then and there that I just simply had to have a go at it. And hence, I would like to thank the author and the publisher of this awesome western novella for making the digital review copy available.
What’s it about?
Well, let’s start with the opening line to get things going, shall we?
The first time I ever met George “Noose” Holcomb, I knew that someday I’d kill him. Either that or he’d finish what he started during the Buzzard’s Edge train robbery of 1872.
Welcome to the lawless lands of Western America, to Arizona, and to the town of Buzzard’s Edge. An 8-year-old Rory Daggett is left orphaned after the brutal and ruthless massacre that took place in the aforementioned event, orchestrated and carried out by one man – Noose.
15 years on, enraged and seeking vengeance, Rory is hell-bent on righting the wrongs of that fateful day. And it seems that fate itself was waiting all along… When a mad scientist, seemingly the “brains” of Noose’s gang, makes an appearance out of the blue, Rory knows that he wouldn’t get a better opportunity than this to take his revenge.
With help from his trusted female mare, Ghost, a mentor and friend in sheriff John Harden, and an unexpected ally in the form of a young orphan also affected by the crimes of Noose and his pack, Rory will do anything to make sure he finally gets to the ever-elusive leader, even if it meant that he would have to go through his entire gang one by one – the muscle (big as an ox and twice as goddamn mean), the jester (also the right-hand man; pretty good with a knife), and the witch (seemingly quite impossible to beat).
Can Rory and his allies finally find a way to do what no one else has before in getting the better of Noose and his gang? Can Rory bury the ghosts of his past and face his nightmare head-on after all these years? Time is running out, and Buzzard’s Edge lies waiting… for chaos and carnage are about to ensue…
The good
The real question would be… what isn’t good, cuz everything was pretty much perfect!
Firstly, that opening sequence was nuts! Pulls you straight into the thick of it all, and just never slows down from there on.
The characters were superbly written, and you will either love them to the fullest or hate them like no other. Excellently done.
The plot was engaging, thrilling, action-packed, fast-paced, and an edge-of-a-seat drama that hooked me from the get go. The ending was satisfactory, and I’m really excited to see where the story goes (with a sequel already in place, and a collection of stories dropping shortly!).
The writing (first person; Rory’s POV) was really, really good. I honestly can’t stress this point enough.
The action was awesome, and its execution even better. Loved it!
The setting was great as well. Made me feel like I was in the wild wild west myself!
Here’s what the author had to say in the afterword: “I wanted to create something that took place in the lawless land of the 1800s American west, albeit with some supernatural elements.” And I must say that it more than lived up to the expectations!
The “not so” good
You seriously thought you’d find anything here? NOPE!
Highlights
[Text] – The street begged for a healthy dose of rain to wash away the blood, bone, brains, and hate spilled that day, but this was Buzzard’s Edge. Even in the best part of town, the sand would drink the blood and unloved creatures would dispose of the rest when darkness fell. Except for the hate. That would stay indefinitely.
Other info.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens reference/Easter egg present!
A bonus short story, “Come and Take My Hand”, is also present at the end, acting as a prequel to Noose, and giving the background of the infamous antagonist himself (this was an equally brutal and heart-wrenching tale; I was left a little speechless by the end).
And lastly, yet another super short story, “Under New Management”, is also present! The author describes it as a “Lagniappe (pronounced LAN-yap), an old New Orleans tradition where merchants give a little something extra along with every purchase. It’s a way of expressing thanks and appreciation to customers.” Definitely unexpected, yet very satisfactory and fun.
Final thoughts
To put it quite simply, Noose was an absolute WILD RIDE by all means. It takes off like a bullet train, and won’t let you breathe till it reaches the final destination (no pun intended with the use of either “bullet” or “train” …). The characters, the plot, and the writing all were just superb to say the least. I finished it in just two sittings, and I certainly want more of Buzzard’s Edge without a doubt. A dark, brutal, and gritty revenge tale… and a western done right in my opinion. I VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you go check it out.
