Sunday 24 May 2015

STARK HOLBORN - NUNSLINGER 8: THE BROTHER OF BONE ORCHARD (2014)


Synopsis/blurb………

The year is 1864. Sister Thomas Josephine is on her way from St Louis, Missouri, to Sacramento, California. During the course of her journey, however, she'll find that her faith requires her to take off her wimple and pick up a gun...


A terrible accident and a life-changing deed find Sister Thomas Josephine the prisoner of the roughest characters she's yet encountered: a gang of bushwackers and deserters bent on mindless destruction - and getting ahold of the bounty on her head. But the more time she spends among them the more she comes to understand that they're just boys, cheated of a normal life by the terrible war that is tearing apart the United States. And they're bringing her ever closer to Indian Country... and Abraham C. Muir.

Episode 8 and Sister Josephine is tending to the wounded survivors from the Admiral Milton. Her previous actions have ostracised her from the crew of the Annabel Lee and she must remain in Lodestone, after they depart. Brother Falk despises her having chosen to assume God’s mantle and pass judgment on her actions, necessitated in part because of his own cowardice.  

Lodestone is caught up in the middle of the conflict between the Feds and the Union and is suffering because of it. Making friends with Falk’s laundry woman – Ellen, Josephine unwisely teaches her two daughters to shoot, to enable them to protect their meagre possessions whenever the bush-whackers come raiding.

After a small temporary victory when they run off two raiders, the gang return en-masse and retribution on the whole of Lodestone is swift and devastating. Ellen’s house is destroyed by fire, but the preacher Falk suffers the most.

Brother Falk is taken and in a futile effort to save him, Josephine reveals her identity and offers herself in his place. Now a prisoner of these young scavengers Josephine gradually befriends one called Chicken. On their travels, she prays for him and the other war damaged boys that ask for comfort and solace.

After making camp, the following dawn they’re surprised by a Federal attack. Chicken’s last selfless act before death is to untie our heroine and allow her to escape. Before his death, Josephine drawing a crucifix in blood on his brow, offers comfort and tells him..... "No one is beyond salvation.”  

Our nun is on the loose again…….

4 from 5 and another step closer to the end of our epic journey.

Net Galley-Library book.

9 comments:

  1. Col - These stories sound a lot like those old Western cliffhanger films they used to show on Saturdays at the cinemas. I mean that as a compliment too. I really do think Sister Josephine sounds so interesting as a person.

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    1. They do have that feel Margot. Maybe the author watched the shows?

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  2. Col, I'd love to read "Nunslinger" as a comic-book series. I can sort of picture it. Is there one?!

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    1. Sadly, I don't think so. It is a very visual series though...maybe one day?

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  3. You are racing through this! I will get there sometime....

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    1. Moira, the race is now over, I'm happy to say..

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  4. I had been thinking the same thing as Margot said. We have one Gene Autry serial we watch periodically (combination Western / Sci fi) and the pacing of this and the cliffhangers seem similar.

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    1. Maybe the author writes for TV, I don't know. I'll look the Autry series up. I can remember old Batman and Robin TV episodes in the 70's that used to do the same thing.

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    2. Maybe the author writes for TV, I don't know. I'll look the Autry series up. I can remember old Batman and Robin TV episodes in the 70's that used to do the same thing.

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