Book Description
The 1880s was a bounty hunters dream in the twilight of the Old West, a land divided by the US government as they saw fit, not the way everyone residing there did. The West was won by grit, determination, and good ‘ol violence – either by guns or a very sudden stop at the end of a rope.
Henry “Preacher” Blackwell and Josiah “Flash” Gordon are the reason why the West was almost never won. It’s not like they did it on purpose. They were just drunk, washed-up Civil War veterans whose only saleable trade were as bounty hunters. They live by the code of “you only live once” and they live it up to the fullest everyday they wake, because tomorrow could be their last.
On a a bounty hunting mission to collar a few low dollar desperados, they accidentally kill “Fish Eyes” Mack, the leader of the Good ‘Ol Boys out of Albequerque. If Preacher had never shot Fish Eyes, a lot more people would have survived the prairies and went on to become whatever they wanted.
A single bullet changed bounty hunting in New Mexico…and not for the better.
My Review
Written by DB Bray and Walt Allen, the audiobook is narrated by Walt Allen. I was sent an audiobook code by DB Bray and Walt Allen – thank you very much!
Having listened to Loners, also narrated by Walt Allen I knew the narration of this audiobook was going to be something special – and it did not disappoint!
How the West Wasn’t Won is a character-driven western tale of has-been bounty hunters, filled with wickedly disgusting characters. The first pair that we meet are a foul-mouthed, tobacco-spitting, farting duo of washed up bounty hunters, too old to be gunslingers and barely making ends meet. We meet them on a rocky outcrop in New Mexico.
Henry “Preacher” Blackwell has an addiction to asparagus and hot sauce which has given him stomach issues that lead to a lot of rip-roaring farts.
Josiah “Flash” Gordon is described as “a true alcoholic”. He’s been that way since a pandemic claimed the lives of his wife and child. He is bald with a combover and no teeth and nearly 7ft tall. Flash wears a kilt with no underwear and a Native American headdress – he wears whatever he can find in his drunken stupors. His favourite pastimes are whisky, whoring and swearing.
These two meet up with other equally revolting bounty hunters along the way to Albuquerque, until they have a band comprised of Navajo Joe, Lucius “Quick Draw” McGraw, Blue Guns and Silence, a gorgeous blonde female bounty hunter with a mouth as dirty as the rest of the group.
There are shootouts, tension, tragedy and tons of camaraderie to be had on their journey to earn a bounty. In the process they accidentally kill “Fish Eyes” Mack, the leader of the Good ‘Ol Boys. Which leads to tragic consequences:
We either die at the end of a rope or from a gun
This is a short book (about 2 hours in length) full of fart jokes, lewd behaviour and filthy language – if that’s offensive to you then you won’t like it. Everyone else will find it wickedly hilarious!
About the Author
D.B. Bray is an author and the publishing director at WClark Publishing, the best traditional publishing house in the world. During COVID, he decided to get on Instagram for the first time in his life, and just woke up one day and thought, “I want to start a show called The OoooWeeee Chronicles to showcase underrepresented African American creatives.”
And so began the IG show, The OoooWeeee Chronicles where he has interviewed some of yours and his favorite writers of all time. After asking Wahida Clark to come on the show (with a really janky flyer), his life changed in more ways than he could have dreamed. And every day he gets up, he thanks God for the opportunities he’s been given.
He is the author of the crime series Blood & Whiskey, narrated by the magnificent Irishman, Karl Haycock. The YA adult novel The Last Tribe, narrated by the supercalfragalistic Walt Allen (also of Emperors & Assassins). And as a personal accomplishment, D.B. has co-written with the Queen of Street Lit, on her way to becoming the Queen of Fantasy with your help!
They have co-written The Loners, a mixed mercenary companies of DND characters with a street lit edge. And the topper is their collaboration, The Light Brigade, a new age inclusive Underworld, releasing soon.
When not signing talent, writing, zoom calls, or anything else that happens in his crazy day, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Dolores and his three dogs (Japanese Chins), Chin, Juno, and Sushi. Most days you can find them walking the quiet streets of Ft. Monroe in Hampton, VA.
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