Wow. This 1985 novel about American expansion in the Old West is one of the most severe, violent and intense works of literature available. The story—about cowboys hunting the Apache without restraint or oversight—contains more unvarnished depravity than many (most?) of today’s readers will be able to stand. The writing style is spare and declarative, but also steeped in abstruse vocabulary. The story subverts conventions of both style and subject matter (in this tale, the cowboys aren’t the good guys; they’re just Americans doing horrifically American things). If you make it through this orgy of murder and moral perversion, you might want to scrub yourself clean with steel wool afterwards. You’ll also be thankful. This is a disturbing, difficult and brilliant book.