The Winter Family by Clifford Jackman
4 stars
(Excerpt from Goodreads) Tracing a group of ruthless outlaws from its genesis during the American Civil War all the way to a final bloody stand in the Oklahoma territories, The Winter Family is a hyperkinetic Western noir that reads like a full-on assault to the senses.
Spanning the better part of three decades, The Winter Family traverses America’s harsh, untamed terrain, both serving and opposing the fierce advance of civilization. Among its twisted specimens, the Winter Family includes the psychopathic killer Quentin Ross, the mean and moronic Empire brothers, the impassive ex-slave Fred Johnson, and the dangerous child prodigy Lukas Shakespeare But at the malevolent center of this ultraviolent storm is their cold, hardened leader, Augustus Winter—a man with an almost pathological resistance to the rules of society and a preternatural gift for butchery.
From their service as political thugs in a brutal Chicago election to their work as bounty hunters in the deserts of Arizona, there’s a hypnotic logic to Winter’s grim borderland morality that plays out, time and again, in ruthless carnage.
This story starts out in 1864 with Augustus Winter in the Civil War. He becomes the person that is willing to step up and kill another person, abuse them, and do whatever is asked of him. It’s not very pretty but people like Augustus find that they can make a living that way. After the war Augustus finds himself without guidance and creates a group of like minded people. Together the Winter Family makes their way across the states and into to West carrying along there brutalization in the name of Justice.
I think many people forget how wild 1864-1890 really was. Murder, brutality, rape, and such was running rampant and this book is a great example. Yes, this book is not for the faint of heart. This family took a lot of pleasure in hurting and killing others. I was shocked at first but then I got into the story. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.
I really liked how Jackman could take a group of men that you couldn’t hate more and make a story where you could almost think of them as justified for their actions. This was one heck of a thrill ride. It’s not for the faint of heart. But if you don’t mind the violence this is a pretty good story.
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I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
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