The idea of an alternate history graphic novel featuring the Wild West and centaurs drew me in initially. It's definitely an interesting concept, but it fell flat for me. The plot felt disjointed, and I often found myself confused. I didn't care much for the characters, the main relationship, or the plot. The art is absolutely stellar, and it absolutely fits the dark, gritty tone of this book.

As a long time fan of the webcomic Hotblood!, I'm so excited that it's coming to print! Enter a fascinating alternative history of the American west with centaurs, sphinxes, prophecies, and dark twists of fate. When Evander Rook signs on to work with Asa Langley, he really has no idea who he's joined forces with. Their path together is littered with secrets, violence, desire, and betrayal. The revamped version of the comic has a dreamy quality, with the story ebbing and flowing against a beautifully rendered backdrop of western scenery and ominous foreboding. I'm looking forward to volume 2!

I love a historical retelling especially when it is an LGBTQIA+ tale. Thid narrative did a really good job at not letting the intensity of the setting slip and keeping up the pace of a Western, the genre dynamics were pushed enough that it felt like a breath of fresh air to a genre that is not the most inclusive or diverse, while also staying immersed in the setting. I really enjoyed it.

thank you to #netgalley for this ARC

This was an interesting read. It is the days of the West and centaurs and humans coexist in the USA. Evander Rook is a centaur who has managed to work for a ‘bad guy’, the robber baron Asa Langley who is human and gets drawn into Asa’s activity and those who are after Asa. This is an interesting read but hard to follow in places.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I liked the concept of this graphic novel more than the execution. I'm a big literary fiction fan, so I can do books that are more character-driven and have hazy plots. Add in some fantasy ish elements and a queer romance and I'm sold. This one fell a little short though.

I had a very difficult time following which characters did or said what. I had to reread a lot of panels to determine if Asa or Evander was talking. I was also confused by the timeline of Asa and Evander's relationship and what happened when since there weren't enough time markers or flashback indicators to know what was present or past.

I am a fan of the art and the beauty of the writing though, but I'm unsure if I will continue with the series since I was quite confused.

Amazing story!! I need more now. I am so excited with how this was written and drawn. I just wanted more as I was reading it.

Hmm… To be honest… Westerns kind of confuse me sometimes…

‘Hotblood!’ is a story about a Centaur named Evander and a human named Asa. Their story takes place in a world where the two beasts live together, and the year is set in 1871 in the American West. The art style is stunning, and the atmosphere is great and moody, but throughout the entire story I was… so lost.

What the fuck is going on?

The two meet under unlikely circumstances and end up staying together. Their stories are roughly explained without giving too much away in the first volume, but I just… couldn’t keep track of the timeline without rereading some areas and keeping a good eye out for the time stamps. The transitions and the story telling was a little too vague and unclear for me, but I will easily say the characters designs were great and the art style is quite lovely. It also had a great atmosphere for someone who was confused about what was going on. Maybe it’s just me though… My brain is a little smooth sometimes.

And although Midas and Elen were supposed to be the ‘bad guys’, they were my favorite.

I’m gonna give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. In the end, I’m an absolute sucker for Centaurs. What’s better than that, but to make them gay Centaurs. lol

My thanks to Mad Cave Studios, the Author, and NetGalley for the Digital ARC. This book is expected to be published September 9th, 2025.

Ooooooooooooookay! This was an alternate history version of the Wild West where mythical creatures live amongst us. Think Disney’s Onward, but set right after the gold rush.

I don’t think the story was really for me. I kept going because the main characters were queer (or sodomites as they were called at one point). I just didn’t understand the reason for the story at all. It’s how I feel watching most western movies as well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC of the book.

Thanks NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this arc

4/5 stars

This was a really interesting concept - alternate US wild west history with a gay centaur falling for the man hes supposed to kill? Say less lol. This was a really good and moving graphic novel. I would have liked to see more of the relationship evolve between Rook and Asa, as I still don't really know Asa's personality or why Rook likes him lol. The story was good, a little confusing as i don't know US history but thats fine, I feel I got the most of what I needed to understand what's happening. I love thevuse of full panels for just scenery shots; it really set the gritty mood. I'm looking forward to the next volume to find out what's in store for these two.

The centaur on the cover is what drew my attention and I do think I will continue this series as it is released.

The idea of the story and inclusion of centaurs in this time period of America is an interesting and unique idea. The story itself was a bit confusing and I struggled a bit to keep up. I'd say part of the reason I'll keep reading is just to see if I can get a better grasp on the world building and the story itself.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

"Hotblood" is a graphic novel that originally existed as a popular webtoon, though this was my first time hearing of it. This was AMAZING. Cinematic, artistic, full of gay cowboys, handsome centaurs, and eerie monsters. It really hit me in the feels.

After finishing reading this, I just had to put it down and stare at the wall for a while.


10/10, no notes.

my main take away from this is confusion. I could not tell you a single thing that happened and I do not understand any part of the story. not for me unfortunately

My Selling Pitch:
1800s Wild West steel industry, delicious corruption, and gay horses. You’re gonna have to WORK to read it, but who cares when it’s that pretty.

Pre-reading:
I’m a horse girl, and I love a quirky graphic novel.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
The way I thought I misread the panel and was just having a dirty mind and then got to part three with them making out and it was like oh no, he literally fucked a horse.

It reminds me a lot of Blacksad and Stag Dance, but like you do have to work to read this.

The horse legs are so delicate and have such movement to them.

Learnin’ all kinds of things about US history omg!

I think a map of the US in 1873 might be really helpful at the beginning of this book because I did not know the state changed, but I’m also stupid.

Elen’s WILD

Also holy shit, the art is so beautiful

Is he eating a carrot? That’s so funny.

That was gorgeous. More please.

Post-reading:
Listen, I’m two halves of a whole idiot when it comes to anything historical. I don't know anything about US history, and I definitely needed to for this graphic novel. She will not be spoon-feeding you anything.

But if you come in knowing nothing and are willing to flip back once you get new context, you can figure out the gist of what’s going on. However, as Miss Kimberly says nobody wants to work anymore! I don’t think this is for the casual reader. There's not enough clear-cut, here's the facts explanation. It’s all very subtle.

I don't think we spend enough time with Asa to make it clear why Evander’s attracted to him. I think we could've used a couple more panels of their initial meeting.

The art’s stunning. Evander and Midas’s character design is lovely. Color does a lot of work in this book.

I'm so invested though! I want the second volume now!

Who should read this:
Blacksad fans
Red Dead Redemption fans

Ideal reading time:
Summer

Do I want to reread this:
Yeah and I want more

Would I buy this:
Yes

Similar books:
* Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales-graphic novel, detective noir, historical, social commentary
* Mercy by Mirka Andolfo-graphic novel, Victorian historical, paranormal, social commentary
* Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu-graphic novel, steampunk fairytale retelling, gore
* Stag Dance by Torrey Peters-historical, queer, folktale horror, revenge
* The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones-historical, Dracula retelling, revenge thriller

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well this was certainly different… gay centaur + Wild West history alternate reality. I really have to give it to the author for originality and memorability, this one will stick with me for a while. Mainly because I was so confused, more than half the time I have no clue what part of the timeline I’m in or what the heck is happening. The overall tone is dark and moody but we don’t get clear answers of why these two could give Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights a run for his money for broody. I LOVED the setting though and although I wasn’t the biggest fan of art style it grew on me by the end. This is hard to rate because I think I would read the next but I can’t get over how confusing it was. I could see this one needing a reread to pick up on more, but really that’s a lot of effort. This one is truly unique although I can’t recommend for everyone I think those that want a comic that makes you take time to contemplate (and are down with m/m centaur human relationships) this will work.

Thanks to Netgally and Madcave studios for the ARC.

I was sooooo ready for a queer western story with centaurs in existence, but was ... let down by the characterization.

Why are we centering narratives with confederate back story in this day and age?? I instantly DNF'd. #sorrynotsorry

I remember seeing bits and pieces of this comic when it was being serialized on Tumblr back in the day, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it was being published! I love the world building in this book, the subtle ways supernatural beings influence the real world backdrop of the historical west. The book opens with a quote from Cormac McCarthy, which should give you an indication of the storytelling style you're about to encounter. The writing here is very understated and never holds your hand or takes time to explain things to you. You're just along for the ride. I found it a bit jarring that at the start of the book Rook says he's going to tell the reader a story, but his narration throughout tends to be more philosophical with occasional information about the plot rather than delivering a traditional beginning, middle, and end to a story. However, this is all part and parcel of what I expect from a western, especially one that takes inspiration from Cormac McCarthy. Quiet stoicism is a staple of the genre, and I think combining that tone with supernatural elements helps even everything out and keeps it from being too subdued. I'll admit, I wished there was more clarity around certain plot beats and character motivations, but I didn't mind continuing following these characters even when I found myself a bit lost. I particularly loved the use of centaurs, literal half horses, as a symbol of the pre-industrialized west, in competition with the harmful "progress" that capitalism was trying to impose. Although this is not a perfect book, the worldbuilding alone is enough to make me want to pick up the second volume.

Hotblood is a graphic novel revolving around a centaur in the American Old West and his journey of killing a man, who is his lover of sorts.

The graphic novel does a perfect job to show the harshness and brutality of the West. The colours and the landscapes are so brilliant, truly transports the reader to a different place and time. While the visual elements of the book did everything for me, the storytelling did not. And it feels like it was not meant for you - fell flat in some places or some parts felt like they were too unexplained (especially if you do not have insight into American regions + iron / steel industries) which impacted my liking towards the book.

All the stars given are for the visuals of the book - panels, illustration, and the colours. Even though I was not a big fan of the story, I cannot wait to read volume 2.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the ARC in exchange of an honest, unpaid review.

DNF @ 50%

listen, i was planning to push through to the end, but after being forced to read the line, “she hired me to kill you, you stupid zoophile,” i have elected to DNF.

i picked this up because i was intrigued by the idea of a centaur western. while this is definitely that, the very minimalist storytelling here didn’t work for me. i was never drawn in by anything—the characters, the plot, the relationship between asa and eve. i wanted more, and that clearly isn’t the author’s style, so this just isn’t the book for me.

to give credit where credit is due, i loved the artwork. the color palette and style really captured the tone of a western.

Hotblood! Vol. 1 is a creative blend of wild west with hints of fantasy (y'know centaurs and such). The story is a bit hard to follow at times and feels like it is all over the place with where it is going, but the premise is strong and the illustrations are beautiful. I am looking forward to reading the next volume when it releases!

Hotblood! tells the story of Eve and Asa in the late 1800s Wild West. It features a wholly unique art style with undefined lines and dusty colours, which suit its setting. We get snippets of story here and there, but are also invited as readers to fill in the blanks. Our main characters have a few secrets of their own and make some morally questionable choices, but it's hard not to root for their happiness in this bleak world.

I would recommend Hotblood! to people who enjoyed media like Trigun Stampede and Interview with the Vampire. It's all a bit messy, but it's their mess. I'm excited to see where the next volume will lead.