The main protagonist is a memorable and likeable character, sister Thomas Josephine formally of St. Louis, Missouri, she finds herself on a road with a deserter, Abraham C Muir, they are both put through perils of the wild west, with promises made, lives to save and loose, they are on a journey that ultimately will partake many unholy things.
The prose style nicely keeps you reading on and brings the scene to life, you feel the environment and the moment, good dialogue, and the sentences the righ The main protagonist is a memorable and likeable character, sister Thomas Josephine formally of St. The prose style nicely keeps you reading on and brings the scene to life, you feel the environment and the moment, good dialogue, and the sentences the right economy.
A story that may take you back to tales like True Grit by Charles Portis. This is a First person narrative of one Sister Josephine, she takes you through her journey and she holds close to her heart a matter that she tries till the end of the tale to uphold, in her own words: We had made good time the previous day. Muir gauged that we might be able to make it into the mountains and across the state line to California before dark, if we hurried.
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The season was turning against us, each morning colder than the last; we had to cross the passes before the first snows, or be stranded until spring. We were perched on a ledge, overlooking a wooded valley. One end was dominated by the solid rock wall of the Sierras, jutting toward the sky in ever-higher peaks, our gateway to the west.
At the other end, sheltered behind a mound of scree, was a camp. There was great activity across the valley floor. The earth had been torn up into a wide ditch twenty paces wide, men swarming in lines along its length. Now they were cutting into the mountainside with hand and haft, iron and fist. From above, it appeared as though some colossal worm was eating a course of destruction through the rock.
Pale dust rose and flew about us. The horse ran itself out and began to slow. I believe the beast felt the same release I did, fleeing into the landscape, away from walls and the noise of humans. Small puffs of dirt sprang underfoot as we shifted and stopped. The desert was silent, blessedly silent. The horse went to nose hopefully at some withered scrub. I dismounted and sat down upon the baked earth and rock.
Above me the sky spread out, blue in the heat. Tiny flecks of black wheeled: In the saddlebag was an end of bread, wrapped in cloth, and the bible.
I chewed dutifully on the food for as long as seemed necessary and took up the book. It had seen much use, its leather cover wrinkled and faded by the sun, the thin paper of its pages edged by the grease of many fingers. It was written in Spanish, and would have been of little use, had I not known Latin. As it was, I struggled by. Feb 09, Layla rated it did not like it Shelves: DNF at page Unfortunately this book contains two things that I just can't deal with: Ridiculously short chapters of pages 2.
The narrative structure is as follows -this happens, and thennnn omg this happens, and thennnnnn OMG this happens too!!! Which just makes me feel like I am stuck in a Dan Brown or James Patterson novel, and I definitely did not sign up for that kind of trauma.
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I guess not everything can be Lonesome Dove. View all 3 comments. Feb 05, Anton rated it really liked it Shelves: I scored a free copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway. I think the trashy title is what made me do a bit of further investigation, but the syopsis intrigued me enough to give this a go. The title is by far the most modern aspect of this book, for the contents are the best kind of old-fashioned western, only with a nun as the central protagonist.
This was initially serialised in 12 roughly 50 page novellas and I think reading them individually may have potentially lessened the appeal for me. Bu I scored a free copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway. The kind of reading I pursued as a kid. Not to say that this is simplistic in any way. It deals with morality, goodness and evil, duplicity, violence and has all manner of darkness. It's quite fascinating watching this self-described bride of Christ degrade herself and go against her beliefs more and more yet still be able to justify her actions to herself and her God.
But Stark Holborn, whoever he or she is, is first and foremost a story-teller, and a very entertaining one. Apr 30, Allie Riley rated it it was amazing. Brilliantly far-fetched and all the more glorious for it. I completely loved this. Sister Thomas Josephine and Abe Muir were a total delight. So good, I gulped most of it down in a day. Oct 23, Rachel P rated it it was amazing.
My goodness this was fun! Despite the charmingly outrageous title, Nunslinger is not a particularly silly book.
Nunslinger: The Complete Series
Its world is a harsh one, filled with violence, greed, degradation, and intolerance. Most of the sympathetic characters, and quite a few of the villains, are really just doing their best to get by. Enter Sister Thomas Josephine, the eponymous heroine, a nun travelling from Saint Louis to Sacramento who falls afoul first of a Lakota war party then of a rough-mannered outlaw and finally of the US government itself.
Sister Thomas is not--or at least, does not long remain--a very good nun, but she is a damn fine protagonist--conflicted, driven, self-aware, capable of making a TON of mistakes. The book raises a bunch of questions about identity, the nature of goodness, the danger of belief, and the human capacity for redemption. On the other hand, none of that is particularly in your face, and if what you want is a good ole fashioned western filled with desperate outlaws, relentless lawmen, daring escapes, desert shootouts and enough harrying horseback journeys that the characters in this novel must have wracked up enough miles to buy a damn aeroplane, look no further.
Jul 01, E. The wild west is full of journeys and Nunslinger is one for the ages and the keeper shelf. It was the artwork that first caught my eye, but it was the story that kept me reading, long into the night. As you might guess, this is a book actually a collection of novellas that features a nun Sister Thomas Josephine who comes to pick up a gun. She finds herself entangled with murderous bandits and a man who is obsessed with her. Holborn crafts a deeply en The wild west is full of journeys and Nunslinger is one for the ages and the keeper shelf.
Holborn crafts a deeply enthralling landscape for the characters to move through America, I think this stems from the fact that each section is a novella, which was originally published alone I think — so my recommendation would to be that one approach this as a serial, and read it in deliberate installments, not one fell swoop.
There are cliffhangers aplenty, so allow them to linger as they were perhaps meant to, rather than reading on to see them immediately solved. Mar 15, Col rated it really liked it Shelves: Her journey will take her from the most forbidding mountain peaks to the hottest, most hostile desert on earth, from Nevada to Mexico to Texas, and her faith will be tested in ways she could never imagine.
Nunslinger is the true tale of Sister Thomas Josephine, a woman whose desire to do good in the world leads her on an incredible adventure that pits her faith, her feelings and her very life against inhospitable elements, the armies of the North and South, and the most dangerous creature of all: My very last post on this book! Nunslinger depending on your reading habits could be approached as either a plus page epic, or in easier bite-sized chunks, as 12 separate page episodes.
I had a vested interest in choosing the second route as it offered me the opportunity to flesh out the reading statistics by 12 books, as opposed to one! Setting, place, character, action, thrills, suspense and romance all meshed together. The Good, the Bad and the Penitent http: A Pilgrim and a Stranger http: The Habits of Strangers http: The Litany of the Brave http: The Judgment of Abraham http: The Brother of Bone Orchard http: Homily for the Damned http: Ninth-Hour at Noon http: West of Absolution http: Stark Holborn is an enigma, shrouded in mystery and double wrapped in a cloak with a fake-ID to boot.
Where he or she hails from — no idea. Nov 11, Niall Alexander rated it it was amazing. Don't let the daft title discourage you: Nov 04, Ian rated it it was amazing. I picked up this book as the author was on a panel discussing Weird West fiction and the title intrigued me enough to look into it further. It can be read as a novel quite happily though it definitely has the structure of a serial due to it being a collection of twelve short novellas. It follows the adventures of a nun who is drawn through circumstance into a life on the run, and it is an odyssey of surviving against all odds.
It hearkens back to those long running adventure serials, but unlike I picked up this book as the author was on a panel discussing Weird West fiction and the title intrigued me enough to look into it further. It hearkens back to those long running adventure serials, but unlike Zorro and his fight against oppression, her's is a more personal fight. She is no revenging Angel of the Lord but that does not stop her being portrayed as one, and the story is as much about the legends that build up around anyone who achieves notoriety and how those legends can be exploited.
It plays with the idea in so many ways, both in Sister Josephine's interactions with others and in the overarching narrative that comes to a dramatic conclusion at the end. The tone is perfection, maintaining that gritty dark western feel without veering into the exploitation style content that movies often slip into, it respects its characters no matter what harrowing situations they may find themselves in.
Sister Josephine never loses track of who she is, holding her faith even as the world around her resembles hell. The backdrop of the civil war is ever present, touching at one point on the assassination of Lincoln, but not at all heavy handed. It is not without elements of dark humour, drawing as much on the situations and frequent desperate escapes and coincidences as anything directly in the prose. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended to those who like a good old rollicking adventure serial on the road. Nov 17, Alisha Tarran rated it really liked it.
Falsely accused of murder she goes on the run, all the while being hunted by a man who has b The year is Using GoodReads synopsis because I couldn't have said it better myself without giving everything away in my excitement! Well, this was an engaging, funny and unique read! I mean, I loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect and I ended up being totally surprised, the book is quite hefty at like pages, but the chapters are short and it's easy to read and you end up speeding through it, because you just have to know what happens next.
I'm really glad I got to read this all in one, reading the little books separately and then waiting for the next one? Each of the "books" ends leaving you wanting more, so when you have the complete series, it's pretty much guaranteed you won't be putting the book down until you've finished it!
- Nunslinger Book 3: A Pilgrim and a Stranger.
- Nunslinger Book 3: A Pilgrim and a Stranger by Stark Holborn!
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I loved the little bits at the beginning of each book saying what was going to happen, it intrigued you and added some excitement of the "oh my God I can't wait" variety! The setting was vivid, and very well described. It's very gritty, there's no making the setting and the time all pretty and romantic, it's portrayed as it would have been, violent and dark and slightly grim, with an atmosphere to match, although the atmosphere does change, it still consumes you.
The world created is a world you can get lost in and it doesn't half make you want to watch one of the old Western films! Now I know I said the setting is quite dark, meaning the whole hanging and dodgy goings on, but that's okay because while something really shitty or violent or both might happen, our two main characters, Sister and Abe, will make you chuckle, I even found myself starting to quite like Colm.
This book is incredibly funny when it wants to be, as well as serious, with action and fighting and daring escapes. It's like a Western movie in book format and it plays like a movie in your head. The characters are all written incredibly well, you get a real feel for them and their personalities, they have plenty of depth and they're None of them are arty farty, totally useless and floating around being all dashing and so on, well, except for Templeton, he's a bit useless, but even he managed to redeem himself!
Abe, Colm and Sister are all very gung-ho, they're all capable of taking care of themselves and they're all intelligent and quite cunning. Except for that one time they did need rescuing, but it was suitably daring and dangerous! I loved how all of the characters could stand on their own, how they where all strong and brave and full of courage, although it could probably said at times it was stupidity, at least from the blokes!
I'd even say Colm and Abe where oddly charming! The characters where easy to love and connect to and empathize with. The plot was a rollercoaster, going from danger, to daring escape, to rescue mission and so on, there was always something going on, there was never a dull moment and the plot flowed easily from point to point, organically growing and changing and throwing situations at the characters. Nothing felt like it was out of place or just there for the sake of some drama, everything with the plot made sense and fit. It twisted and turned and was full of surprises and shocks, nothing was predictable, there so many times when I was like "shit It was complex, there where lots of threads that came together perfectly to make up the plot, including the over arching plot that I reaaaalllly did not see coming!
Not only is Nunslinger a very pretty book, but it's a book that is totally unique. When was the last time YOU read a Western about a nun and her growing reputation as a badass? Never, I hear you say? Nunslinger is fast paced, full of thrills, danger, daring escapes, bad guys, and plenty of action. Never a dull moment, the book takes you on a vast journey across the US and even in to Mexico. Nunslinger has pretty much everything you could want in a book, it's humour balances the violence and occasional darkness of events, not to mention the betrayal and the sense of "man I've never wanted to punch a fictional character more" feelings that where abundant.
I honestly, never wanted the book to end, and then it did, but it leaves you with a little teaser where you realize maybe it's not entirely over, maybe what you thought happened didn't happen. Oh and don't be alarmed about the "romance" I told you about. It's subtle, very subtle, it's there but it's not the main thing and the book isn't all about it. The authors awesome like that. Aug 20, Tim Kimber rated it liked it.
Solid action-packed western, let down only by its slightly repetitive structure and one-note tone. I was hoping throughout to learn more about Sister Thomas Josephine, and indeed the supporting characters, but the action and constant cliffhangers supersede any backstory development. If you like tense action and perpetual peril, I recommend Nunslinger, especially for commutes, as the chapters are no more than a few pages at a time. But if you want something meatier, perhaps look elsewhere.
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My advi Solid action-packed western, let down only by its slightly repetitive structure and one-note tone. My advice would be to buy the first "Book" the story unfolds across 12 chapter-length "Books" and if you like it, buy the rest of the series! Mar 18, NarniaGirl rated it it was amazing. Received free through GoodReads First Reads - thank you. I have to admit I found the cover a little off-putting BUT I really enjoyed this western with a difference.
I loved Sister Thomas Josephine and the grafter Abraham C Muir who are doing all they can to stay one step ahead of the law. Early on it seemed as though the book was going to be nothing but capture, escape, flee, capture, escape, flee, but then it found its trail and was hard to put down.
I liked the short chapters, the characterisat Received free through GoodReads First Reads - thank you. I liked the short chapters, the characterisation of even the minor characters was spot on, the pace constant. Just when you think Sister Josephine has reached capture or death the story takes a twist, often unexpected, and her adventure continues. I would love to read more of what happened to her after this book, and indeed any other books by Stark Holborn. Nov 25, Victoria rated it it was amazing.
Gripping page turner, reads like the serialized story it was. Buried as the pages turn is a fair amount of research into setting, food, etc. Jul 21, Kayla Latour rated it it was amazing. Such a great summer read. Small, easily digestible chapters. An addictive, exciting story that has maybe turned me on to westerns.
Feb 15, Brice M.
Spencer rated it it was amazing. An adventure story filled with guts, grit and deep down an adventure of human spirit. I would love to read more from Mr. Nov 14, Megan Leigh rated it really liked it. Review originally appeared on Pop Verse From the beginning, Nunslinger is a tense, action-packed thrill ride that never stops.
For a tale with a nun as the main character, there is surprisingly little moral lecturing — after all, she is a sinner like the rest of us. Plot Sister Tho Review originally appeared on Pop Verse From the beginning, Nunslinger is a tense, action-packed thrill ride that never stops. Plot Sister Thomas Josephine, a Visitandine nun is making her way out west where she might do some good.
Before she can reach her destination, her wagon train is attacked and she finds herself kidnapped.
Nunslinger 3 - A Pilgrim and a Stranger (Electronic book text, Digital original)
The man who kidnaps her, one Abraham C. Muir, might not be as bad as she first thought, however. Where the law has little sway over outlaws and vigilantes, what is right and wrong grows increasingly blurry. With a bounty on both their heads, the Sister and Abe try to avoid the blue coats and the noose.
As she travels through the country, Sister Josephine attempts to reconcile her actions with God. Is this dangerous path really the one He wanted for her? How many souls can she save where honour and law have no meaning? As a tempest that passeth Written as a series of novellas, Nunslinger has a strange structure and pace. But that strangeness is forgotten as the reader races along with a story that never seems to slow down. There is one speed that Holborn travels at and you best keep up. There are dozens of cliffhangers and surprising reveals that will leave you desperate to read just one more chapter.
Though the page extent is no chump change, it will still feel like too short a time with Sister Thomas Josephine and her travelling companions. A story like this is difficult to pull off — creating a character who is both pious and rebellious without seeming contradictory is no mean feat. But in each instance that Sister Josephine behaves in a manner that might usually be considered against type for a nun, her actions make sense for her character.
She always does what she believes is right, even if it might be against social convention or what she was brought up to believes. But that is what makes her such a compelling character — she is devoted to God but also to making her own choices. She is the master of her own destiny after all. Sister Josephine quickly learns that the world is a brutal place. She is resourceful and quick-witted as she tangles with all manner of men. No matter what circumstance she finds herself in, Josephine manages to find the strength from within to keep going.
After all, there are always more souls to save. What is also particularly refreshing is the lack of romantic interest or sexual tension in the story. Too many narratives rely on this kind of tension to keep readers engaged. There are men in her life but they are friends, companions, souls to save, nothing more. Any lascivious intentions come from the men rather than Sister Josephine and tend to indicate a need to welcome piety into their lives. And no matter what sins people have committed, Sister Josephine believes they can all be saved.
No character in Nunslinger is all good or all bad, not even the nun herself. Everything comes in shades of grey. Any of these characters are easily imaginable and could be transposed into our time with ease. Nunslinger does not romanticize the untamed West nor does it dictate to the readers what to think. Instead, it has us asking a lot of questions, particularly about the nature of good and evil, the point of life, and what it means to be an individual and in charge of our own choices.
The story keeps you on your toes at all times, never letting up. Get ready for betrayal, murder, revenge, outlaws, war, thieves, whores, and more. Best read while drinking Whiskey and listening to Ennio Morricone. Oct 13, Beth bibliobeth rated it really liked it. I'm not a big Western fan. I don't really enjoy any films I've seen or read much literature around that genre.
COL'S CRIMINAL LIBRARY: STARK HOLBORN - NUNSLINGER 3: A PILGRIM AND A STRANGER ()
The Good, the Bad and the Penitent review here. View all 4 comments. Dec 08, Oliver Clarke rated it it was amazing. Sarah rated it really liked it Jan 03, Jared Shurin rated it it was amazing Apr 08, Jared Shurin rated it it was amazing Jan 24, Lesley rated it it was amazing Jan 30, Dec 28, Jim rated it it was amazing. Can't stop reading these, must know what happens next! Brenna Green rated it really liked it Jul 12, Lisa rated it really liked it Dec 28, Lucy Hounsom rated it it was amazing Jan 30, SisterBootknife rated it liked it Jun 21, Fleur rated it it was amazing May 24, Ewa rated it really liked it Dec 29, Caroline rated it liked it May 04, Ewa rated it it was amazing May 19, Gabrielle rated it it was amazing Aug 15, Anne marked it as to-read Dec 09, Stefan Fergus marked it as to-read Dec 09, Gabrielle marked it as to-read Feb 21, Thomas marked it as to-read May 04, Bobby marked it as to-read May 21, Cindi-jo Ammeen added it Mar 14, There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Stark Holborn is the pseudonym of a thrilling new voice in fiction. But he - or she - knows to keep friends close Stark 'Fairweather' Holborn has a past shrouded in mystery. Apparently hailing from Wichita, KS, Stark now drifts between continents like a scrap of bison hide on the breeze, and is currently thought to be residing somewhere near Bristol.
Nunslinger is Stark's fir Stark Holborn is the pseudonym of a thrilling new voice in fiction. Nunslinger is Stark's first published work. Other books in the series. Nunslinger 1 - 10 of 12 books. Books by Stark Holborn.