Quarter-Ton Pick-Up #5

Where To Begin

Matt Smith,

If you had to choose one book from the series to give to someone to read and it was going to decide whether or not they were going to be a fan, what would your go-to book be? Personally, A Serpent’s Tooth or The Western Star are always the first ones that come to mind.

 

Hi Matt,

My wife, Judy, has strong feelings about that question and always tells people to start with the first book, The Cold Dish. I guess she’s got a point in that if you think you’re going to really enjoy the books you need to approach them chronologically, especially now that there are nineteen of them.

I’m a little more ecumenical in that I tend to ask people what kind of books do they like to read? If somebody likes thrillers, I recommend Hell Is Empty, if they like humor, I tell them to try Junkyard Dogs, history buffs like Another Man’s Moccasins, while equestrian types go for The Dark Horse. Younger readers I steer toward Spirit of Steamboat, and law enforcement gets The Highwayman.

            There are a couple I try and dissuade people from reading first, Death Without Company, Depth of Winter, or Hell And Back since they refer to the previous books so heavily.

            Beginners who don’t read much I’ll give Wait for Signs because the collection of short stories is something they can pick up and put down. I’m always a little taken aback when fans of the TV show haven’t ever read any of the books and always try and direct them to the ones who the teleplay writers relied on more heavily. Surprisingly, the producers latched onto one of the short stories, Slick Tongued Devil, as the touchstone for incoming writers. 

            It’s difficult in that the books tend to blend into one continuous story with references back, forward, and continuously threading between all the books. I love it when readers pick up the latest book and remember a reference to something about that book from two or three novels previous. There are plot points and characters in Hell and Back that harken to The Cold Dish almost twenty years ago, and for me that’s fun.

            A lot of time it comes down to the person who is doing the lend or gifting, and what their favorite novel in the series happens to be, which is always surprising. Grandmothers come up to me and tell me how much they love Depth of Winter or Hell is Empty, which are easily some of the most violent books in the canon, while hulking bikers will tell me they read Spirit of Steamboat to their children every Christmas—and isn’t that wonderful.

            Then there are some people flat-out tell me that they simply don’t read, which saddens me. I can’t imagine an existence without books and the gifts of story that they provide in my life. And there are also the folks who pick up one of my books which gets them reading again, and that’s a delight.

            So, I guess in answer to your question, it really doesn’t matter to me as long as I get a book in somebody’s hands so that they can enjoy the words in their head.

See you on the trail,

Craig

PS: You can order your copy of The Longmire Defense, to be released on September 5, at this link:

https://www.craigallenjohnson.com/the-longmire-defense.htm

If you would like your copy autographed, please fill out the personalization box when you order, and thanks!

PPS: The Longmire Defense book tour hits the trail starting September 4. You can find the schedule here:

https://www.craigallenjohnson.com/tour-of-duty.htm