I don’t really read westerns, unless they’re blended with at least one other genre. In this case, horror and fantasy. Yes, please!

In Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian, an unlikely team is forming. There’s Old Tom the witch hunter, Rabbit the mysterious ward of Tom, Moses and Ned the wandering cowboys, and Rose Nettles the widowed schoolteacher. Trailing after them is the ghost of Rose’s husband, and stalking in their footsteps is a demonic creature who sometimes takes the form of frogs. But why has this strange group come together? They’re hunting a woman called Sadie Grace, who’s wanted for witchcraft (dead or alive) in Burden County, Kansas. Of course, as with most witches, Sadie isn’t entirely what she seems. But this odd party still wants that bounty, no matter the cost.

I’m sure that, based on my description, you’re thinking that this book sounds weird. Well, you’re right, but also based on my description, you have no idea.

I would almost compare this to Firefly because of the Old West adventures and the unusual assortment of people thrown together and forced to get along, but Red Rabbit also has magic, demons, and so many more characters. Also, way fewer spaceships. But still, something about the atmosphere is the same sometimes, which is always a fun time for me.

The characters, especially the main ones, are so full of personality and life. I loved Moses and Rose the most, but I also liked Ned well enough. Old Tom was fine, the typical crotchety ancient cowboy type, though he was far from my favorite. And as for Rabbit, I really wish we had gotten to know her more before the final act of the book. The revelations at the end about her (which, by the way, I figured out early on—I’m very proud) were well-explained and kind of cool, but she didn’t do much in most of the book, so it was slightly hollow.

On another note, the horror and fantasy elements of this book are fantastically written. There are many eerie scenes, full of creepy, memorable imagery. Some of these scenes are pretty dark and somber, depicting death from various causes, including suicide. There are also several instances of violence and murder, and even a couple scenes that mention cannibalism (though if it’s not technically a human that’s consuming the bodies, does it count? Whatever, you get my point).

The scenes featuring Sadie Grace the witch were wonderful. They added a layer to this already complex storyline, as did the scenes from other characters’ perspectives, like Charlie and Joe. There’s a lot going on throughout this story, but there’s always a sense of anticipation as you wait for the different people and storylines to converge. And when that convergence does occur, it’s so satisfying!

In the end, Red Rabbit was a bizarre but rewarding read. The characters are distinct and fun, the horror is properly horrifying, and the fantasy properly fantastical. The details of Kansas in the late 19th century are rich and palpable; you feel like you’re riding across the grasslands in that pilfered red stagecoach right alongside the characters. The audiobook (narrated by John Pirhalla, and featuring instrumentation for the couple of featured songs, which I’ve never experienced before in a book!) was a very good production. This book won’t be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of these genres, give it a try!