The Coilhunter Chronicles - Omnibus (Books 1-3)

De: Dean F. Wilson

Narrado por: R.C. Bray

2019 Independent Audiobook Award Winner for Contemporary Fantasy

Coilhunter

Welcome to the Wild North, a desolate wasteland where criminals go to hide - if they can outlast the drought and the dangers of the desert. Or the dangers of something else.

Meet Nox, the Coilhunter. A mechanic and toymaker by trade, a bounty hunter by circumstance. He isn't in it for the money. He's in it for justice, and there's a lot of justice that needs to be paid.

Between each kill, he's looking for someone who has kept out of his cross hairs for quite a while - the person who murdered his wife and children. The trail has long gone cold, but there are changes happening, the kind of changes that uncover footprints and spent bullet casings.

Plagued by nightmares, he's made himself into a living one, the kind the criminals and con men fear.

So, welcome, fair folk, to the Wild North. If the land doesn't get you, the Coilhunter will.

Rustkiller

Welcome to the Rust Valley.

The Wild North is full of nasty places, but there are some places you just don’t go. One of them is that scrapyard desert known as the Rust Valley. It’s where vehicles go to die. That’s why you don’t go in after them.

The bounty hunter Nox made a promise to himself he’d never be caught dead there. Yet when a couple of kids end up wandering inside that metal maze, he finds himself with no other choice.

He decks himself out in his finest armor. He’ll need it. That land is where the rust-covered Clockwork Commune live, and if they don’t scavenge the metal off you, they’ll scavenge the flesh instead.

Nox is used to being called the Coilhunter, but this time, he’s saddling up with a new, more fitting title: the Rustkiller.

Dustrunner

Nox is a wanted man.

While searching for a criminal, the fabled Coilhunter wanders into a tribal village massacre. He didn’t do it, but that doesn’t matter. The clues point to him, and he’s made a lot of enemies over the years. Many would happily see the tables turned.

His pleas of innocence fall on deaf ears. No sooner does he try to find the real killers than posters go up across the Wild North - posters with his face and his name. He isn’t the only bounty hunter out there. Dozens assemble to cash him in.

Tasked with finding out who’s framed him, Nox must also survive the constant onslaught of frontier law. He’s used to hunting others. He’s not so used to life on the run.

©2017 Dean F. Wilson (P)2018 Blue Heron Audio

Great ride

A little on the nose but done so well. Wild West meets Batman meets Rorschach.

Awesomeness

After listening to The Great Iron War I was hooked. This universe is filled with great characters and fun stories. One part Steampunk, one part Western, this is a fun take on both genres. I’m eagerly awaiting more!

Coilhunter 1-3

This was a really good story set!Steapmunkish Western with a hero,who may not always bw a hero.Great characters and writing.Narration by R.C. Bray was fantastic! I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

Exciting adventure

(Please note that this is a review for the first book in the Omnibus, Coilhunter. I haven't read all 3 books yet.)

I've never really tried reading/listening to a western before, so this was somewhat of a new genre for me. I have to say that I don't think the genre is one of my favorites, but the story was still fun and adventurous. I love sci fi/fantasy, and this story did have some of those elements, but I think for the most part it was a steampunk western. I also absolutely love RC Bray as a narrator; he always brings the story alive and does unique voices for all of the characters. If you like westerns, definitely give this one a try!

Really liking this series

This series is a nice change of pace from my usual Sci-Fi listening. The steam punk flavor is pretty cool. Really interesting characters and the narration is superb.

vibrant & colorful steampunk western

Dean F. Wilson (author) and R.C. Bray (audiobook narrator) come together in an exceptionally well-written and produced premiere action-packed western steampunk trilogy titled “The Coilhunter Chronicles”. The audiobook I reviewed was an omnibus edition which included all three of the Coilhunter stories in a single easy to consume set. The three books in series order are: Coilhunter, Rustkiller, and Dustrunner. I am not a huge fan of the western genre, and I do not often go looking for books of this type. However, the author’s summary along with its steampunk elements and R.C. Bray’s narration made me pick it up and give it a listen; I am glad I did. As you will see below, I quickly became a fan of both the writing and quality of narration that I consumed the nearly fourteen hours of audio in a rather short period of time. If you are looking for a new series to start, and even if westerns are not your thing, I highly recommended you give this new series a try.

The stories contained in the omnibus edition can stand on their own. However, there are some recurring characters making appearances across all of the stories. Each book has its own storylines and objectives our main character (Nox) needs to accomplish, and a few times I felt as if I were dropped into a LitRPG book. It should be noted that books two and three of the series would be less enjoyable without first listening to book one. In the first book (Coilhunter), we learn of the Coilhunter’s background, drive, and what makes him who he is as a man. We are shown that even under that tough bounty hunter skin there lies a man who misses his family, is desperate for love, and ultimately wants to see justice served. Prior to the fateful events that changed him forever, this man was a tinkerer, toy maker, and experimenter who loved to make various contraptions. The books are not only entertaining and filled with scenes of action, but there were also a number of emotional periods when you wanted to reach out and give him a hug or comfort him in some way. At times we see just how broken a man he is and the few friends (or are they) who are by his side wanting to help him along his journey.

At one point in the story we are told he is a drifter, and in some ways, he reminded me of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine) from the TV series “Kung Fu”. Each story in this series was like a new TV show that at times included people from previous episodes yet there was always a central running theme; just like with the Coilhunter. I felt at times that I was watching a steampunk version of “Gunsmoke” blended with parts of “Dirty Harry” or “Dog the Bounty Hunter” sprinkled in. Nox is gruff, to the point, and a loner on the outside. I found it quite curious that our main character was called The Coilhunter when it was clear he was not in it for the money (coils) but instead was a man driven by seeing justice served. Each of the story titles in the series gives you a glimpse into what you can expect, but there are always a few twists and suspense added by the author keeping one guessing along the way. The steampunk and western aspects were well-balanced as I did not feel one overtook the other. Each of the stories also had a fair number of weapons, technology, creatures, and armor.

Let me say that I felt the writing was descriptive, vibrant, and colorful. At times I felt like I was watching a movie or TV show with my eyes closed. This does not mean that the author left out the core components that make up a story. It was not all eye candy without substance; not at all. There were multidimensional characters, memorable scenes, a deep central plot including a few side plots, plenty of conflict, and each story had its resolution. Again, for someone like myself who is not a big fan of the western genre, I enjoyed the complexity and depth of these stories. Although there is horse riding, gun slinging, adventuring and salooning, the core of these tales could be dropped into nearly any genre and it would be good. I could easily see a science fiction or fantasy setting for our hero; maybe a future series of books? Even with the complexity, the series of books had a fair amount of humor and light-hearted times. I laughed each time a character was introduced as I wondered what witty names the author would come up with. Names such as Lawless Lyle, Flying Feather, and many others litter the landscape in a fun and entertaining way. The subtle first letter of both parts of a nickname were the same. If there was one thing I would have changed, it would have been the titles of the chapters. These seemed to be less throughout and did not fit the overall complexity of the other story components. If this is my main complaint, I have to say that the author has done well for his first published work on Audible.

Let me say that I have always been a fan of books narrated by R.C. Bray. Of the over three-hundred he has already narrated, at the time of this review, I listened to a number of them solely because he has brought life to those he has worked on. Mr. Bray is great at enhancing an already good story and not overdoing it on the audio side. As with his other works I have listened too, this one was professionally produced and narrated. He does a good job of distinguishing the various characters and giving them each distinct characteristics. There were no issues with the audio itself; it contained no background noises or other artifacts. Volume was consistent which flowed from both chapter-to-chapter and even book-to-book, it was smooth and normalized. Simply what I have come to expect from works by R.C. Bray was in this audiobook as well.

For parents or younger listeners, I do not recall any use of vulgar language and apart from some light more mature topics (saloons, alcohol, and prostitution), the book really could be easily enjoyed by a younger person. There is some graphic violence and limited romance, but it is nothing that I would not expect in this genre of book.

In summary, I think this is a very strong series for the first one written by the author. It was very smart to have the audiobook performed by R.C. Bray due to his reputation of performing good books while enhancing them in ways he is quite skilled at. If you are a western steampunk fan, I’m sure you have already listened to this series. If not, you may be looking for more in the genre after finishing this one. I recommend you go out and pick this one up. It is entertaining and can be enjoyed in short stints or even during long drives.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author/narrator/publisher.
Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.
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Gritty Steampunk Western

I really enjoyed RC Bray's voice. He is an excellent narrator, and really adds to this story.
This is a collection of books that I think are best described as steampunk western. It has very rich world building leading me to think that this might be just to beginning of further stories about our bounty hunter, or at least I hope so. Very believable characters with motivations that make you care about them. These are stories that I loved listening to. This is one of very few series that are worth a second listen me. With three books for one credit, it is also an great value.

An interesting mashup of westerns and steam punk

I was offered a free copy of this omnibus and I was not familiar with the author until now. These books take place on another world that is not unlike our own with technology is mostly powered by steam in a land that is mostly wild and untamed. I really enjoyed the grittiness that R. C. Bray brought to the books and the action is pretty much non stop with some brief moments of peace. The plots were somewhat guessable if you are a western fan but for me that is not always a bad thing. I really enjoyed these books overall and getting three books for one credit is a hack of a deal!

Did you like Wild, Wild West with Will Smith?

I received a copy of this book for free. I leave this review at my own discretion.

The best way I think I could describe this book to someone if hey asked what genre it falls into would be to ask if they have seen and enjoyed Wild, Wild West (with Will Smith). Personally, I liked the movie. It was ridiculous, but it was fun, which is exactly like this book. It's a western/steampunk/post apocalyptic(?)/ scifi(?)/ fantasy (?) series and if you enjoy characters like Batman, you'll probably enjoy The Coilhunter.

There is a lot of action in this series, and it is solidly written. Nox has enough toys to make encounters he has with his various opponents that it isnt just the same thing over and over. His backstory is simple, as is the same for most characters like him, but it fits well here. His old job of being a mechanic/toymaker 'before' gives him skills outside a gunfight and the gadgets he makes are well used in and out of fights.

The supporting characters in the three series are pretty thinly written and it is an issue for the entire series, except for Luke, Lara, and Sally.They get a good amount of face time in the stories. However, they are the only things that tie the stories together chronologically, and the ties are done in such a way that you could really read the 3 books in any order and very little would be impacted by it.

The ending of the third book definitely sounded like it was the end of the series, but if book 4 is written, I'll be in line to check it out.

Action-packed Weird Western

If you like the Gunslinger from the Dark Tower series, Hayley Stone's Make Me No Grave or you just wanted a grittier Walt Longmire, than look no further. You'll find all that and more here. Packed with action, these three books follow the Coilhunter on his quest for justice. But justice is a moving target in this post-apoc world where everything's running down. Sound familiar?

It should. The Coilhunter could easily cross paths with Roland from the Dark Tower series, and I'm not sure Roland would win. This is a straight up shoot-em-out Western like the ones I grew up loving with a touch of steampunk to spice up the action.

RC Bray is in fine form here, and he brings his own unique talent to this telling, conjuring up a Clint Eastwood-esque Coilhunter that will leave you ravenous for more.

Hurry up and record the next volumes in this fun series, Mr. Bray. This set was an absolute pleasure to experience. Dean's writing is sharp and crackling with wit. Write a dozen more please!