The Coming of Crow

By: Joel Jenkins

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Last of his tribe, holy man, gunslinger, explorer, bounty hunter, and slayer of demons. Join Lone Crow as he travels the demon-haunted trails and byways of the Americas—from the frigid Alaskan interiors to the steaming Brazilian jungles, in search of lost cities and hunting damned souls. To the Five Corners of New York, where feral man and beasts lurk in the shadow spun alleys, and along the Barbary Coast where Tong hatchetmen rule the San Francisco streets, now is the coming of Crow. Native American gunfighter Lone Crow careens from adventure to adventure, encountering such legends as Wyatt Earp, Bass Reeves, and Porter Rockwell, and uncovering and combating the dark forces that lurk beyond the thin veil of our existence.

Great Stories!

I am so glad that my friend Paul McNamee, gave me a heads up on this one. I was intrigued by the cover sporting a few well-known (and not so well known) western historical persons - among them my own weird western incarnation of Porter Rockwell.
I gave the kindle sample and look-see and was hooked. I bought it and have thoroughly enjoyed the 14 odd stories enough that I will have to buy a print copy for my collection - I'm going to reread it and I know I'll want it in paper.

So about the stories - Lone Crow himself is the last surviving member of his tribe who had been taken in and raised by Mormon foster parents giving him a Christianized white mans world view which is also mixed with his mystic Native American side. He is a taciturn type who is well aware of the racist backlash of the times he lives in and yet he has become infamous enough for his supernatural exploits that he gets hired on by the prestigious Miskatonic University for a number of projects.

One of the items that helps him survive these mind bending encounters is his blessed-by-a-prophet eagle butted peacemaker. Being imbued with a sacred blessing allows the gun to actually harm strange creatures that otherwise might be immune to earthly weapons - creatures like the Hounds of Tindalos or the recurring Ulutoth a Lovecraftian old one akin to Cthulhu.

I loved the action and esoteric historic cameo's and all I could think while reading this is WOW! Joel Jenkins is my kind of writer! Several of the stories loosely relate to each other and we are teased with quite a number of references to interesting sounding tales that we never do get a glimpse of - it make for a world we know is much bigger while still retaining a pulp infused rip roaring good time!