Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read the Longmire series because I enjoy mysteries....and that area of the country. This book is not that.
This is the story of a huge snow storm and Walt making some REALLY dumb decisions to chase after the convicts that have escaped and try to track them down. He runs into a former character from the last book, Virgil, who....may be a hallucination, may be a spirit guide. This is basically one long monologue....of him going up a mountain and freezing. I was bored. No shocking information....no whodunnit. Just a man being an idiot by chasing a convict that really couldn't go anywhere...so putting his team and the trackers' lives at risk.
Read: if you are desperate for more Longmire and read all of the other books.
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2023: A book you bought from an independent bookstore
This is the story of a huge snow storm and Walt making some REALLY dumb decisions to chase after the convicts that have escaped and try to track them down. He runs into a former character from the last book, Virgil, who....may be a hallucination, may be a spirit guide. This is basically one long monologue....of him going up a mountain and freezing. I was bored. No shocking information....no whodunnit. Just a man being an idiot by chasing a convict that really couldn't go anywhere...so putting his team and the trackers' lives at risk.
Read: if you are desperate for more Longmire and read all of the other books.
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2023: A book you bought from an independent bookstore
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Audible free, a good book, however, a bit freaky on the mystic and psychic and dream state stuff. A very condensed timeline, which is fine, but not as enjoyable because I didn't quite understand all the mystic stuff
This is definitely the best one in the series (so far). Helps to have read #1 and #4 so you can care about the characters enough to understand this one. Would give it 5 stars if I didn't reserve that rating for the absolute best books out there. The Walt Longmire stories are at their best when there's a strong Cheyenne/Crow component.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The 7th novel in the Walt Longmire series finds Walt transporting Raynaud Shade, a Crow Indian sociopath and a recent confessed murderer of a ten year old boy, as well as a couple of other convicts to a multi-agency task force including the FBI. Walt doesn’t trust the contracted transport company to do the job themselves but despite Walt’s efforts, thanks to the assistance of others, Shade escapes. This leads Walt on the most perilous adventure of his career as he chases Shade toward the very top of Cloud Peak, through icy blizzard conditions, braving the extreme explosive heat of a forest fire, and other extreme situations.
The novel is not so much a mystery as a thriller since we know the bad guy from the very beginning. There are mysterious elements to be sure, not the least of which is Walt’s own sanity as the brutal conditions and stress make him question whether he is seeing ghosts or if perhaps he is one himself. In essence, this is a survival story. It's not the first time Walt has been up against such harsh conditions but this time is worse than others. The book is really a Walt-centric story with the rest of his staff and friends putting in only cameo appearances. I thought it interesting that the story includes multiple references to a paperback copy of Dante’s Inferno that is carried along on the adventure and, indeed, this novel has many parallels to that classic work.
One thing I really like about this series is that I never know what I am going to get. There is certainly no formulaic plot as this one most certainly proves. These books seem to keep getting better and better.
The novel is not so much a mystery as a thriller since we know the bad guy from the very beginning. There are mysterious elements to be sure, not the least of which is Walt’s own sanity as the brutal conditions and stress make him question whether he is seeing ghosts or if perhaps he is one himself. In essence, this is a survival story. It's not the first time Walt has been up against such harsh conditions but this time is worse than others. The book is really a Walt-centric story with the rest of his staff and friends putting in only cameo appearances. I thought it interesting that the story includes multiple references to a paperback copy of Dante’s Inferno that is carried along on the adventure and, indeed, this novel has many parallels to that classic work.
One thing I really like about this series is that I never know what I am going to get. There is certainly no formulaic plot as this one most certainly proves. These books seem to keep getting better and better.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think this book suffered because I didn't sit down and read, but read only a few pages at a time. I really got into it in the last 50 pages which I read on a cozy rainy day. Neat connection to Dante's Inferno - I would give the other novels in the series a try, if I didn't already have such a long reading list.
Seventh in the Walt Longmire mystery series set in Wyoming and revolving around Sheriff Longmire.
Hell is Empty was on the New York Times bestseller list and was voted Library Journal's Best Mystery of the Year.
My Take
And, in spite of all this, it's my least favorite of the series and confusing.
I do love how Johnson ignores the whole politically correct thing and has fun with his cowboy and Indian jokes.
It's awful. It's tragic. And I don't understand why Walt just has to keep punching his way through all this. It's dumb and feels like a melodrama, although there are some funny bits such as Omar's remark about being horny and Walt reckons he doesn't want to help him out with that one. Mostly though, it's a slow-forward chase with intermittent rescues and a few stories. A small part of me was terrified and worried with a much bigger part of me annoyed to hell and back.
I guess we're supposed to be impressed with how gung-ho Walt is about doing his job. I'm sure that'll make Cady happy if he doesn't show up for her wedding.
Why are women so susceptible to convicts? It's so stupid.
The flashback was confusing even with the bolded text. It took until the next one before I started to figure out what was going on.
I ain't buyin' Johnson's implications about Virgil. How on earth would Virgil have overturned that snowmobile if he's dead? And, oh yeah, Walt's dead too. I am so confused.
The Story
Walt and Sancho can't wait to hand off these three convicts to the FBI only it seems there'll be a delay. One of the cons has promised to show the Feds where he buried a body. On land that's in Walt's jurisdiction.
An unexpected discovery finds Walt and Sancho turning back to find a massacre with McGroder barely alive, and Walt is determined that they won't get away with this. Leaving Sancho behind with McGroder, Walt heads up into the mountains in a blizzard to track them down.
It's a midnight chase through hell after a group of killers...
The Characters
Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming. Henry Standing Bear is his best friend, a Northern Cheyenne. He and Henry need to discuss Cady's upcoming wedding.
Absaroka County deputies include:
Victoria Moretti is the undersheriff to whom Walt is attracted; Santiago "Sancho" Saizarbitoria is working his way through the lists of classic books everyone has made up for him---he reckons he needs to fill in some literary gaps; and, Ferg is a part-time deputy.
Joseph Iron Cloud is the Arapho sheriff of Washakie County. Troy Old Man is one of his deputies; Tommy "Grumpy" Wayman is sheriff of Big Horn County and Rosey's cousin.
Special-Agent-in-Charge Mike McGroder and Special Agent Kasey Pfaff, a psychologist, along with Federal Marshall Tom Benton, Marshal Jon Mooney, and Agent Bob Belmont are taking over the prisoners. Calvin and Brian Heathman are the Ameri-Trans drivers.
The convicts include:
Marcel Popp is a biting, threatening sort; the brilliant Raynaud Shade is a quiet one, a Crow-adopted Canadian Indian with a horrible childhood; the cheeky Hector Otero; and, Calvin "Fingers" Moser and Freddie "Junkfood Junkie" Borland who had a thriving illegal organ donors business.
Owen White Buffalo is Virgil White Buffalo's grandson, Eli's son; we first met Virgil in Another Man's Moccasins, 4.
Holli and Wayne Jones run the South Fork Lodge. Beatrice Linwood is a waitress there. Alfredo Coda is their flamboyant chef.
Omar Rhoades is a big-game hunter and guide in the series, who happens to do taxidermy on the side. He's hoping Walt will let Jules Belden do his community service with him. Ruby is the Absaroka County police dispatcher. Dog is the dog Walt inherited from Lucian.
The Cover
The cover makes me wonder if a volcano is exploding with its bright green overlay of this landscape: a vast forest with a river snaking through it and a mountain range centered in the background with a very beat-up title in bright red.
The title comes from Walt's joking comment when he contacts Ruby, and I suspect he's right: Hell is Empty.
Hell is Empty was on the New York Times bestseller list and was voted Library Journal's Best Mystery of the Year.
My Take
And, in spite of all this, it's my least favorite of the series and confusing.
I do love how Johnson ignores the whole politically correct thing and has fun with his cowboy and Indian jokes.
"'Hey, how come you didn't bring that other deputy, the good-looking one?'
… 'I left the womenfolk behind. We heard there were Indians.'"
It's awful. It's tragic. And I don't understand why Walt just has to keep punching his way through all this. It's dumb and feels like a melodrama, although there are some funny bits such as Omar's remark about being horny and Walt reckons he doesn't want to help him out with that one. Mostly though, it's a slow-forward chase with intermittent rescues and a few stories. A small part of me was terrified and worried with a much bigger part of me annoyed to hell and back.
I guess we're supposed to be impressed with how gung-ho Walt is about doing his job. I'm sure that'll make Cady happy if he doesn't show up for her wedding.
Why are women so susceptible to convicts? It's so stupid.
The flashback was confusing even with the bolded text. It took until the next one before I started to figure out what was going on.
I ain't buyin' Johnson's implications about Virgil. How on earth would Virgil have overturned that snowmobile if he's dead? And, oh yeah, Walt's dead too. I am so confused.
The Story
Walt and Sancho can't wait to hand off these three convicts to the FBI only it seems there'll be a delay. One of the cons has promised to show the Feds where he buried a body. On land that's in Walt's jurisdiction.
An unexpected discovery finds Walt and Sancho turning back to find a massacre with McGroder barely alive, and Walt is determined that they won't get away with this. Leaving Sancho behind with McGroder, Walt heads up into the mountains in a blizzard to track them down.
It's a midnight chase through hell after a group of killers...
The Characters
Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming. Henry Standing Bear is his best friend, a Northern Cheyenne. He and Henry need to discuss Cady's upcoming wedding.
Absaroka County deputies include:
Victoria Moretti is the undersheriff to whom Walt is attracted; Santiago "Sancho" Saizarbitoria is working his way through the lists of classic books everyone has made up for him---he reckons he needs to fill in some literary gaps; and, Ferg is a part-time deputy.
Joseph Iron Cloud is the Arapho sheriff of Washakie County. Troy Old Man is one of his deputies; Tommy "Grumpy" Wayman is sheriff of Big Horn County and Rosey's cousin.
Special-Agent-in-Charge Mike McGroder and Special Agent Kasey Pfaff, a psychologist, along with Federal Marshall Tom Benton, Marshal Jon Mooney, and Agent Bob Belmont are taking over the prisoners. Calvin and Brian Heathman are the Ameri-Trans drivers.
The convicts include:
Marcel Popp is a biting, threatening sort; the brilliant Raynaud Shade is a quiet one, a Crow-adopted Canadian Indian with a horrible childhood; the cheeky Hector Otero; and, Calvin "Fingers" Moser and Freddie "Junkfood Junkie" Borland who had a thriving illegal organ donors business.
Owen White Buffalo is Virgil White Buffalo's grandson, Eli's son; we first met Virgil in Another Man's Moccasins, 4.
Holli and Wayne Jones run the South Fork Lodge. Beatrice Linwood is a waitress there. Alfredo Coda is their flamboyant chef.
Omar Rhoades is a big-game hunter and guide in the series, who happens to do taxidermy on the side. He's hoping Walt will let Jules Belden do his community service with him. Ruby is the Absaroka County police dispatcher. Dog is the dog Walt inherited from Lucian.
The Cover
The cover makes me wonder if a volcano is exploding with its bright green overlay of this landscape: a vast forest with a river snaking through it and a mountain range centered in the background with a very beat-up title in bright red.
The title comes from Walt's joking comment when he contacts Ruby, and I suspect he's right: Hell is Empty.