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carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
The Hook - Needed an afternoon with a friend and knew Longmire would not disappoint.
The Line Walt borrow this quotation, attributing it to his late wife:
”Cigarettes are killers that travel in packs.”
Mary S. Ott, Bartlett's Unfamiliar Quotations (Leonard Louis Levinson), Source: Bloomsbury book of quotations.
The Sinker Hell Is Empty is truly a superior blend of fact, Indian lore, and literature. If you haven’t read this series treat yourself. Begin at the beginning The Walt Longmire Series.
The Line Walt borrow this quotation, attributing it to his late wife:
”Cigarettes are killers that travel in packs.”
Mary S. Ott, Bartlett's Unfamiliar Quotations (Leonard Louis Levinson), Source: Bloomsbury book of quotations.
The Sinker Hell Is Empty is truly a superior blend of fact, Indian lore, and literature. If you haven’t read this series treat yourself. Begin at the beginning The Walt Longmire Series.
sandin954's review
3.0
I have always found this series consistently good but this book will not rank among my favorites. I did not really care for the plot (too much action no real mystery) and while I found certain parts interesting (especially all the scenes with Virgil White Buffalo) I really missed the regular supporting cast. I listened to the audio and George Guidall did his usual excellent job with the narration.
constantreader471's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book and rate it 4.5 out 5 stars. This book 7 in the series, which I started reading after watching the tv series. I have been reading the books in order. The characters are well developed and grow with each book. This book has Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka county, Wyoming, chasing escaped convicts in the middle of a ferocious Wyoming mountain blizzard.
I enjoyed the humor in the book including one conversation that he has with Virgil White Buffalo over which one of them is dead.
Some quotes: "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
"Perhaps the voices were of the mountains themselves, whispering in our ears just how inconsequential and transient we really are."
I enjoyed the humor in the book including one conversation that he has with Virgil White Buffalo over which one of them is dead.
Some quotes: "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
"Perhaps the voices were of the mountains themselves, whispering in our ears just how inconsequential and transient we really are."
ericbuscemi's review against another edition
5.0
The author of this series, Craig Johnson, is not content to churn out paint-by-number mysteries. With each book, he pushes the boundaries of his craft -- integrating flashbacks, different settings, non-linear storytelling, playing with tone, etc. -- but what he does in this book may be his crowning achievement.
There is actually no mystery in this Walt Longmire mystery -- it is made clear at the beginning that Raynaud Shade, the prisoner that Walt is transporting, is guilty of killing a child. This book's journey is simply Walt's hunt to find the escaped convict.
The reader, in the absence of a mystery, is treated to a complex and moving character study as said character, protagonist detective Walt Longmire, is put through extensive and numerous trials as he literally climbs more than 13,000 feet to Cloud Peak after Shade in a blizzard, while metaphorically traversing the nine circles of hell accompanied only by -- naturally -- a battered paperback copy of Dante's [b:Inferno|15645|Inferno (The Divine Comedy, #1)|Dante Alighieri|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333579470s/15645.jpg|2377563], Indian recluse Virgil White Buffalo, and borrowed supplies from big game hunter Omar.
The skill of the writing left me feeling as cold, alone, confused, and exhausted as Walt, but the intensity also left me needing to know what happened next, and how would this resolve when, inevitably, Walt and Shade met at the climax. And despite my earlier insistence that there was not a mystery, there is the very intriguing, if ethereal, mystery of what exactly happened to Walt during his journey up the mountain.
Note to fans of the Longmire television show: The first episode of season two, Unquiet Mind, is based on this book, with the set-up of that episode being almost identical to the first third of this book, as well as many thematic elements later. If possible, I'd try to read this first, but I didn't do that and I still enjoyed this book immensely.
There is actually no mystery in this Walt Longmire mystery -- it is made clear at the beginning that Raynaud Shade, the prisoner that Walt is transporting, is guilty of killing a child. This book's journey is simply Walt's hunt to find the escaped convict.
The reader, in the absence of a mystery, is treated to a complex and moving character study as said character, protagonist detective Walt Longmire, is put through extensive and numerous trials as he literally climbs more than 13,000 feet to Cloud Peak after Shade in a blizzard, while metaphorically traversing the nine circles of hell accompanied only by -- naturally -- a battered paperback copy of Dante's [b:Inferno|15645|Inferno (The Divine Comedy, #1)|Dante Alighieri|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333579470s/15645.jpg|2377563], Indian recluse Virgil White Buffalo, and borrowed supplies from big game hunter Omar.
The skill of the writing left me feeling as cold, alone, confused, and exhausted as Walt, but the intensity also left me needing to know what happened next, and how would this resolve when, inevitably, Walt and Shade met at the climax. And despite my earlier insistence that there was not a mystery, there is the very intriguing, if ethereal, mystery of what exactly happened to Walt during his journey up the mountain
Spoiler
Did he meet up with Virgil at all? Did he hallucinate? Were Indian spirits guiding him? Was that Virgil's hand with the ring on it? Etc.Note to fans of the Longmire television show: The first episode of season two, Unquiet Mind, is based on this book, with the set-up of that episode being almost identical to the first third of this book, as well as many thematic elements later. If possible, I'd try to read this first, but I didn't do that and I still enjoyed this book immensely.
plusrich's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars.
This was more survivalist manhunt than a mystery. I missed Walt interacting with more residents. Still, it’s good to shake things up in a series and the repercussions from what happened in this episode are sure to be significant.
This was more survivalist manhunt than a mystery. I missed Walt interacting with more residents. Still, it’s good to shake things up in a series and the repercussions from what happened in this episode are sure to be significant.
steven_v's review
2.0
This installment of the Walt Longmire mystery series was rather disappointing, mainly because there isn't really a mystery for Walt to solve. Instead, the story begins with the escape of a hardened criminal, who then ends up climbing up into the mountains with associates and hostages as Longmire chases him into an ever-worsening storm.
As I say, the main drawback of this plot is that there is no mystery. Although the criminal, Shade, certainly kills people along the way, there's no question that he is, in fact, the killer each time. Additionally, the chase is very one-dimensional... Shade simply keeps going up and up the mountain to the summit. There's no real way to turn aside, and no doubt as to where he is going (although Johnson never satisfactorily explains why). This makes the story extremely linear, lacking the normal twists, turns, and surprises that one expects from a Longmire story.
A second problem with this story is that it feels like we're in re-runs. Once again Longmire is hiking through blizzard conditions that should kill him, surviving but slowly succumbing to hypothermia. Once again he is assisted by Indian guides who might be alive or dead (i.e. spirits). The same basic story was already told in the first novel, and the scene where Longmire plunges into frozen mountain water was canvassed in one of the other novels. Johnson even references those events as Longmire muses that these new circumstances remind him of those.
Perhaps because of these issues -- no real mystery, few plot twists, and a feeling like I've read this story before -- I found this novel to be rather hard to get through. I put it aside for days at a time. This has never happened before with a Longmire novel, because I usually devour them in a matter of hours and then regret that I didn't take longer to savor them. This one, however... honestly I couldn't wait until it was over. It really seemed like Johnson had come up with too little of a plot (i.e. Walt chases someone through a blizzard till he catches him), and then kept stretching it out with extra snow disasters and Indian guide visions just to take up space.
Another major issue with this book was the lack of focus on the supporting cast. Ruby, Vic, the Bear, Cady, and Sancho only make brief cameos in the novel -- it's pretty much all Longmire, all the time. And although I do love Walt... he needs his supporting cast around him to shine in the best light. Especially Vic.
That said, the descriptions are still wonderfully vivid, and Longmire remains a likable character. You certainly can admire his gumption. And several events occur that have long-lasting implications for the Longmire series itself, so I wouldn't advise skipping this novel in the series. Just don't expect it to be like the others.
As I say, the main drawback of this plot is that there is no mystery. Although the criminal, Shade, certainly kills people along the way, there's no question that he is, in fact, the killer each time. Additionally, the chase is very one-dimensional... Shade simply keeps going up and up the mountain to the summit. There's no real way to turn aside, and no doubt as to where he is going (although Johnson never satisfactorily explains why). This makes the story extremely linear, lacking the normal twists, turns, and surprises that one expects from a Longmire story.
A second problem with this story is that it feels like we're in re-runs. Once again Longmire is hiking through blizzard conditions that should kill him, surviving but slowly succumbing to hypothermia. Once again he is assisted by Indian guides who might be alive or dead (i.e. spirits). The same basic story was already told in the first novel, and the scene where Longmire plunges into frozen mountain water was canvassed in one of the other novels. Johnson even references those events as Longmire muses that these new circumstances remind him of those.
Perhaps because of these issues -- no real mystery, few plot twists, and a feeling like I've read this story before -- I found this novel to be rather hard to get through. I put it aside for days at a time. This has never happened before with a Longmire novel, because I usually devour them in a matter of hours and then regret that I didn't take longer to savor them. This one, however... honestly I couldn't wait until it was over. It really seemed like Johnson had come up with too little of a plot (i.e. Walt chases someone through a blizzard till he catches him), and then kept stretching it out with extra snow disasters and Indian guide visions just to take up space.
Another major issue with this book was the lack of focus on the supporting cast. Ruby, Vic, the Bear, Cady, and Sancho only make brief cameos in the novel -- it's pretty much all Longmire, all the time. And although I do love Walt... he needs his supporting cast around him to shine in the best light. Especially Vic.
That said, the descriptions are still wonderfully vivid, and Longmire remains a likable character. You certainly can admire his gumption. And several events occur that have long-lasting implications for the Longmire series itself, so I wouldn't advise skipping this novel in the series. Just don't expect it to be like the others.
liberrydude's review against another edition
3.0
One wonders how many mysteries are left for Walt Longmire after another near death experience in the mountains that would leave an even younger man hurting has him reflecting on his daughter's upcoming marriage. Walt is no youthful adventurer but something gets a hold of him as he tracks down some escaped criminals. In this obsessive quest or hunt the line between reality and illusion waivers and is crossed over. You're never sure what is real. Walt's trek imitates Dante's Inferno and ironically the paperback tome saves his life. Wish we all had a millionaire living in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with lots of support just when you need it too. Nevertheless, a good, fast paced yarn blending Native American mythology and the good guys and the bad guys.
archergal's review
4.0
That was a helluva ride.
Dangerous prisoners being transported. An escape. A crazy chase through the wilderness in a snow storm. A Magical Indian.
Craig Johnson can write pretty compelling stories. In the previous books I've read, he's been good at really nailing the endings. This one heated up about half-way through and never stopped.
I listened to this in about 2 days.
ETA: I just saw a comment in a review and realized I'd missed something OBVIOUS in the book. I am so oblivious sometimes. It doesn't detract from the book, just AGAIN makes me realize that I am so literal-minded that I miss symbolism and analogies and stuff ALL THE TIME. Oh well...
Dangerous prisoners being transported. An escape. A crazy chase through the wilderness in a snow storm. A Magical Indian.
Craig Johnson can write pretty compelling stories. In the previous books I've read, he's been good at really nailing the endings. This one heated up about half-way through and never stopped.
I listened to this in about 2 days.
ETA: I just saw a comment in a review and realized I'd missed something OBVIOUS in the book. I am so oblivious sometimes. It doesn't detract from the book, just AGAIN makes me realize that I am so literal-minded that I miss symbolism and analogies and stuff ALL THE TIME. Oh well...