The Gun Man Jackson Swagger is like a song that starts slow and works to a crescendo. For me this is the tale of two halves of the novel. The back half was much more engaging and rich with action. I was teetering on a 3 to 4 star review but the last few chapters cinched up a 5 star review for me. As a fan of Western stories, this is one of the better ones I have read in the last year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, LLC for the opportunity to review this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

TBH, I skimmed most of this. It wasn’t anything special, and I enjoyed it, but it just didn’t quite give me the feels I was hoping for with a western book.

Title: The Gun Man Jackson Swagger
Author: Stephen Hunter
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
Pages: 304
Format read: ARC eBook

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions, and quirky takes are entirely my own—because no one else can read between the spines quite like I do. Big thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC—and for fueling my TBR problem.

⏩ Read if you love:

classic westerns. Hunter's writing transports you to the old west much like the writing of L'Amour, Grey, and McMurtry. 

characters out to avenge the death of others. The quest for vengeance in this novel define Jack's motivations while simmering just beneath the surface.

descriptive, mood setting, plot driving writing. Hunter's prose at once elicits a time and place for escape while also moving the story from scene to scene. No overwritten, flowery prose. Whether describing the arid landscape, the gun man's (of which there are several) measured movements, or the quick dialogue the writing puts you directly in the story. I wish I could share some examples, but because it's an ARC copy, I am explicitly prohibited from quoting.

a cast of characters firmly grounded in the west. Scruffy, rugged, greenhorns and gunmen alike all swagger off the page and into your mind. Even those who only grace a few pages make an indelible mark (especially the group near the very end!).

clear, dramatic action scenes. Fight sequences and scenes are some of the hardest things to write. I love when authors can write a fight scene so clearly, it's like the movie sequence of the fight is crystal clear in my mind.

an unexpected (for the time period) villain. Hunter doesn't have one man but a whole system, targeted from more than one angle as the villain.

❌ Skip if you hate:

westerns. Really. If you do not like classic westerns, skip this one.

murder/death. It's a western. Murder and death are everywhere.

abuse of women. While not explicit, there is reference to women being subjugated by men for their pleasure and profit.

🏅 Best Character Award Goes To:

Jackson Swagger - from his slow ride onto the ranch to his final acts of vengeance Jack plays the old, out-of-the-game cowboy well. You know and feel there's more to him than that and Hunter slowly repaints his image with each trek Jack takes.

🎭 Scene-Stealer Moment:

The moment on (or off??) the cliff. I can't say more without giving much away, but at that moment in the book it's a literal cliffhanger of a moment. My heart and breath stopped. Hunter knows how to build to and execute a strong cliffhanger.

🎯 Final Take:

Sit on your patio, kick your feet up, and listen to old spaghetti western music while reading this novel to transport yourself to a hotter, harder time in history.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 – Solid Plotline - Instant classic.

📚 Shelf-Worthy - I will likely purchase the book for my bookshelf and re-read.

Putting a Swagger in a western is a sure fire recipe for success. In this story we meet yet another ancestor of today’s Swaggersi in Jack/Jackson who is fighting for the side of good the best way he knows how — with his guns. He infiltrates a group of bad guys, gains their trust, then his plan gets put into action. There’s lists of gun and ammunition description and plenty of observations on the state of society, but more importantly, there’s lots of action.

I have read almost all of Hunter’s books and have liked them all-some more than others. This isn’t the best Hunter but it is not in the bottom third either. It’s a western - which is cool. It features a Swagger from the mid 1800’s- which is also cool. The book gets bogged down here and there with verbose descriptions of landscapes and anti capitalistic screed. And parts are hard to follow. But it’s still good Hunter stuff and I highly recommend it.

The Gun Man Jackson Swagger by Stephen Hunter is a cross between James Bond and Gregory Peck's The Gunslinger only dirtier and grittier. Unfortunately, the last 1/4 feels rushed and the dialogue gets a little stilted. All-in-all 3.75 Stars.

Review: This was a great read if you suspend your disbelief. Offhand shots with a black powder rifle at 100 plus yards and mesmerizing (magical) agility with a pistol were minor and sets the stage for the mythos to come.

The accuracy and/or repeatability with the 1892 black powder rifle begs more discernment. Hitting a small target with precision at 100 yds. is pushing a tall tale. The load that has black powder running a 10mm sized bullet at 180 grains would be around 660 FPS. That is slower than a slug at a salt lick. This cartridge is maxxing out at less than 25 yds. with stopping power in poor relation to muzzle energy. Black powder rifle at those ranges is not impossible, but not likely in the situations created. Not going into Munden territory as he was one in 4 billion. Pulling at gun a 9 G's is surreal.

The story line is predictable yet the characters are well built and drive the novel. You always are hoping to see retribution served with determination as our anti-hero rides the desert.

4.7

The Gun Man Jackson Swagger reimagines the classic Western through the eyes of a rifle-sharp veteran whose unshakeable moral code drives him into a hometown murder mystery and a high-stakes clash with the railroad’s iron grip. Seamlessly blending Stephen Hunter’s trademark thriller pacing with historical authenticity, you’ll get tense showdowns in dusty saloons, sweeping frontier vistas, and a richly textured tale of investigation, action, and moral complexity. Whether you’re a longtime Hunter fan or new to the genre, this forthcoming ride promises all the grit, heart, and mystery that make the American West endlessly compelling.