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[STARRED REVIEW] DEBUT There are 99 Pillars of Heaven in the temple, and Nesi has petitioned 96 of these gods in hopes of finding a patron. When the avatar of the Fox of Tricks winks at her, she chooses not just a patron but a cause she thought was settled history. Her audition throws her back to her people’s worst epoch, an era of subjugation and enslavement, whose overthrow gave them the backbone to rise. But history has to be fought for, and someone has to be the spark that incites that rebellion. It’s up to Nesi, beaten, starved, broken, and out of her depth and her own time, to be that spark. If she doesn’t succeed, she’ll never be born, and history will be altered forever. This story considers the nature of courage, the course of history, and what it means to stand up and fight for a better future. It’s also a marvelous and heartbreaking tale of a lone warrior for good who learns that she can’t succeed alone but that making friends carries its own devastation. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a good time-travel story that explores all the paradoxes and anyone who loves Nghi Vo’s “Singing Hills Cycle.” 
—Library Journal

“In 1879, less than two weeks after his wedding, Private Frank Humble is killed while on patrol along the American frontier. Unwilling to accept his death, Dr. Catherine Coldbridge draws on her magical powers to resurrect her beloved husband. Expecting a miracle, Catherine is horrified when Frank returns not as the loving man she remembered but as a bloodthirsty monster. Decades later, Catherine tracks him to a touring show called ‘Cowboy Dan’s Wild West Revue,’ where he is billed as the Unkillable Frank Lightning. Along with a pair of sharpshooting brothers, Catherine is prepared to finally right the wrong she committed until she realizes Frank is not as monstrous as he originally appeared. Rountree returns to the Weird West world he conjured in his debut, The Legend of Charlie Fish (2024). A haunting retelling of Frankenstein set against the raw, mythic backdrop of the Wild West, the novel breathes new life into an enduring classic. Perfect for readers who crave reimagined legends and a touch of dark wonder in their Westerns.”
—Booklist

“Josh Rountree keeps the west in the Weird Western—you can feel Gus and Call just off-page, Peckinpah and Leone behind the camera—but it’s plenty weird too. Weird and heartfelt and hard to pull your eyes away from.”
—Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

“With The Unkillable Frank Lightning, Rountree solidifies himself as not only one of the best writers working today, but makes the case for being the best Western writer of our present century.”
—C. S. Humble, author of That Light Sublime trilogy

“The well-trod Frankenstein mythos gets an enjoyable twist in this weird western from Rountree (The Legend of Charlie Fish). In 1879, frontier medicine woman and occultist Dr. Catherine Coldbridge attempts to resurrect her late husband, Frank, via a mixture of science and witchcraft. The spell works, but the man who returns is violent and incoherent and Catherine flees. Thirty years later, however, she discovers her resurrected husband is now thriving as the star attraction in Cowboy Dan’s Wild West Revue. Catherine enlists a pair of outlaws to help her track Frank down, but a drunken shoot-out compels her to attempt another arcane resurrection, drawing the wrath of a conservative frontier town. It’s a rollicking romp with a fast-paced plot and well-written characters that play with western archetypes in unique ways.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Josh’s novel, The Legend of Charlie Fish, was a “must-read” for us here at Macabre Daily, and an all-time favorite, and his new novel, The Unkillable Frank Lightning, is just as phenomenal.”
—Macabre Daily

“This western reimagining of Shelley’s classic sticks true to the heart of the story, while giving us something entirely new and breathlessly exciting.”
—Chris Panatier, author of The Redemption of Morgan Bright

“What begins as The Searchers meets Frankenstein ends as Unforgiven meets The Magicians. A dark, brooding meditation on both what we’ll do for love, and the callous indifference of the hardened souls of the early West.”
—C. Robert Cargill, co-screenwriter of The Black Phone

“Once you start reading The Unkillable Frank Lightning, you just won't be able to stop. Catherine Coldbridge and her companions and her Old West are endlessly fascinating.”
—Tim Powers, author of Declare and The Stress of Her Regard

“The Unkillable Frank Lightning, much like The Legend of Charlie Fish, becomes a kind of paean to the outcast, to the monstrous, and to a land where, once upon a time, there was room enough for them find both love and acceptance.”
—Fan Fi Addict

“Josh Rountree mixes Charles Portis’s True Grit and Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove with elements of James Whale’s The Bride of Frankenstein for a relentless train-ride of a novel.”
—Derek Austin Johnson, author of The Faith

“Western horror at its finest.”
—Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, author of Grim Root

“Frank Lightning takes center stage right now to mash up literature's most famous resurrected corpse with Old West witchery, arcane traveling sideshows, and the classic journey of retribution turned completely on its ear in a totally novel way.”
―David J. Schow, screenwriter of The Crow

“I read this book in one sitting, and whether you’re a horror fan or a Western fan, it’ll pull you into its dark spell.”
—Paste Magazine

“Rountree continues to hitch his wagon to his unique and fun storytelling genre―the neo-Gothic Western monster mash. His work, as always, is full of heart.”
―David Sandner, author of The Afterlife of Frankenstein

“With his latest, Rountree puts his own unique spin on the legend of Frankenstein, channeling classic westerns mixed with Universal Monsters.”
—This Is Horror

“The Unkillable Frank Lightning stands with the best of Charles Portis, Joe R. Lansdale, and Larry McMurtry. Buckle up for a wild ride.”
―William Jensen, author of Cities of Men

“[The Unkillable Frank Lightning], like every damn word I have read from Josh Rountree, is perfection.”
―John Boden, author of Etiquette of Booby Traps

“Readers looking for a Western infused with magic whose characters include Frankenstein-like creatures will be rewarded with The Unkillable Frank Lightning…. This Western horror story is a great read!”
—Raven Bookstore, Staff Pick

“Josh Rountree has created a horror western that will not soon be forgotten!”
—Char’s Horror Corner

Praise for The Legend of Charlie Fish

San Antonio Current 10 Notable 2023 books from Texan Authors
Los Angeles Public Library Best Books of 2023
Locus Recommended Reading List

“A fantastic work of dark historical fiction, in the spirit of Lansdale, Gorman, Pronzini, and McMurtry.” —Brian Keene, author of the Rising series

“A tense, exciting, and gorgeous read that will sweep you up immediately and not let go, lingering even after you turn the last page.” —A. C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling

“Odd, creepy, funny, The Black Lagoon meets the Six Gun universe. High up on the way-cool factor. You need this.” —Joe R. Lansdale, author of the Hap and Leonard series

• Promotion targeting reviews and interviews in leading media venues
• Author tour to include national appearances and radio features
• Print and digital ARC distribution via Goodreads, NetGalley, and Edelweiss
• Planned book giveaways to include Goodreads and Storygraph
• Outreach to librarians and independent booksellers via Texan regional and national trade shows and mailings
• Online promotion to include Icover reveal, launch event, Reddit AMA, and social media campaigns via Instagram, BlueSky, Facebook, and other outlets