Reviews with content warning for Blood - The Builders

This book is essentially a collection of Western tropes made memorable by having antropomorphic animals as characters. Even though I enjoyed it a lot while I read it, I think if the characters were human, I would have a lot more trouble remembering it in a year or several. It's just so tropey, it's hard to draw a line between it and all the old-timey westerns I've ever read and watched. As it is, it won't be difficult to recall it as the one with the French stoat and the rest of the mouse-led gang. :D

Honestly though, I had great fun. This story has it all: characters who are built out of tropes, but they're really well built; a tight plot that isn't always predictable; a compelling setting with all the genre staples; the thick, thick vibes; the 'getting the gang back together' trope at its fines; the quest for revenge. There's never a dull moment, the dark, moody drama is set off with witty one-liners, and the action is superbly paced. Sincerely recommended to anyone looking for a small helping of quality pulp action.

Content Warnings

auri_underthing's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I really enjoyed this. I don’t really know why, but I did. Maybe it’s because the book was so well written it appealed to all the senses. Maybe it’s because the story smelt like gunpowder, felt like cool rifle steel and hot blood, looked like a cold grin and dead eyes, tasted like desperation and sounded like the crack of a shotgun.

All of these sense wrapped into one book with the cover of a simple, easy knowledge on how to kill and being okay with it.
Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it. Who knows? I don’t have the skill of accuracy like Boudica does.

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