Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West

by Phil Gigante (Read by), Natalie Ross (Read by), John Joseph Adams (Editor)

Overview

The weird, wild west—an American frontier populated by gunslingers, rattlesnakes, outlaws, zombies, aliens, time travelers, and steampunk!

Twenty-three of science fiction and fantasy's hottest and most popular authors create all-new tales, written exclusively for this anthology. Aliens and monsters, magic and science are introduced to the old west, with explosive results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781480545076
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	05/13/2014
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 6.75(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

Editor John Joseph Adams (www.johnjosephadams.com) - called "the reigning king of the anthology world" by Barnes & Noble.com - is the bestselling editor of many anthologies such as Epic: Legends of Fantasy, Wastelands, The Living Dead, By Blood We Live, Oz Reimagined, Federations, and The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He the editor of Fantasy Magazine and Lightspeed Magazine, which published two Nebula Award finalists and a Hugo Award finalist in its first year. John co-hosts Wired.com's The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast.

Editorial Reviews

02/10/2014
A fearsomely impressive lineup of contributors surmounts an occasional over-reliance on Old West tropes in this vigorously imagined blend of cheroot-smoking cowboys, aliens, demons, werewolves, androids, and even dinosaurs. Joe R. Lansdale’s “The Red-Headed Dead” resurrects Weird West icon Reverend Mercer for a quick, savage, splendidly devised fight scene with a vampire. Orson Scott Card’s drolly dark “Alvin and the Apple Tree” brings Alvin Maker back to butt heads with Johnny Appleseed over the nature of hope. Elizabeth Bear’s impeccably crafted “Madam Damnable’s Sewing Circle,” set in a Seattle bordello, includes a tinge of steampunk . The most exceptional contributions are Ken Liu’s exquisite “What I Assume You Shall Assume,” which enfolds Chinese mysticism and Thoreau in a tableau of magical language, and Tad Williams’s “Strong Medicine,” which allows dinosaurs to rampage for a day in Arizona via an ingeniously conceived rip in the fabric of time. While there’s some repetition of theme and concept, Adams has produced a satisfyingly filler-free compilation. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Every narrative is strong and held my attention." - Criminal Element 

"Looking for something a little more...weird? Your first stop should be the new Weird West anthology by John Joseph Adams. Dead Man's Hand features 23 original and gloriously weird tales from Elizabeth Bear, Tad Williams, Joe R. Lansdale, Seanan McGuire and more." - Kirkus

From the Publisher

03/15/2014
This anthology takes as its theme the "Weird West," encompassing all facets of speculative fiction such as fantasy, horror, and steampunk-flavored sf—all set in the American West pre-1900. This is a setting that has been fruitful for countless writers and filmmakers, rife as it is with outlaws and lawmen on the stark and primitive frontiers of civilization. The stories gathered here are all original to the collection and include a new installment in Orson Scott Card's "Alvin Maker" series. Some of the best entries include Rajan Khanna's "Second Hand," about a people who wield magical playing cards like weapons, and Seanan McGuire's fun tale of two cryptozoologists called "Stingers and Strangers." VERDICT Anthologies arranged by themes can sometimes seem gimmicky or put a strain on the contributors' imaginative powers, but when done well they look more like authors set loose in a fantastic playground. Under the guidance of anthology maven Adams (Epic; Wastelands), these authors came to play.

Library Journal