I'm not normally a Western fan, but I wanted to find my dad some new books because all his favorite authors are dead. I inhaled the first Jake Paynter novel, and am excited everytime I see a new one available!

I have been provided with a review copy of To the Gates of Hell from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Having ridden along with Jake Paynter to this final showdown that draws all his powerful enemies like vultures, I had mixed feelings about arriving at the end. As series go, this has been an amazing experience entering David Nix’s western world and his superb way of capturing a western genre story. I have been rooting for Jake’s hard-fought path to redemption all the way and can’t wait to see if he makes it through this last and most intense series of challenges.

To the Gates of Hell is the third of the Jake Paynter series and builds on the background and series arc laid out through the earlier books, so doesn’t make a good standalone.

Jake is the Marshal of South Pass City in Wyoming with his former Buffalo Soldier friend Gus and the former wagon train scout, half-Shoshone, Stacy as his deputies. Rosalyn is teaching her school. They all made it through the last struggle. 

There is more to come. Dutch van Zandt, the powerful outlaw leader, and Lucien Ashley are confederates to take all they can and gain more power in Wyoming Territory. A train robbery led by van Zandt’s guys has Jake calling a posse of his deputies, friends and Shoshone Beah Nooki. 

The danger jacks up when Van Zandt is betrayed by Ashley and Rosalyn, and some of her students are captured. Jake might think he’s not good enough for her, but he will ride straight into the fires of hell to save her and that might be literal when the steamy hot countryside of Yellowstone is involved. Dare he trust Ashley as an ally? 

But, don’t look now, van Zandt isn’t the only dangerous villain with sights set on Jake. Even with his capable friends, Jake’s chances are slim.

To the Gates of Hell was an astounding grand finale. It had to be with the way the previous books took the reader into breath-stealing shootouts and tight situations, rough outlaw encounters, greed and intrigue, and the grit of a guy who won’t stay down even if he thinks his past defines him.

Besides the charging, pulse-pounding pace and tone of the plot, the development of the characters, especially Jake, but also his friends and even the villains, made for a lushly drawn historical backdrop, setting, and the most fascinating people. While Jake is hard-scrabbling to a good life even if he still has doubts and his friends from many Western types (without being clichés) know his worth and back him, it was also interesting to see the bad guys including Rosalyn’s brother have layers of gray in them. The villains are clearly that, but one does get their motivations. Jake’s ruthlessness and grit are what is needed to face the might of all those out to take what they can.

The romance was still on the backburner, but I did love seeing the tender times for Rosalyn and Jake and sense they have a good chance if they can catch a break.

All in all, this was a monumentally fab western trilogy. I think this was the end because the loose threads were tied off, but I wouldn’t be upset for more hard-hitting westerns from the Jake Paynter world. Western fans of the old-style westerns need to try out this series.

This story began in a blaze of gun smoke and action. Jake and Gus found themselves in the thick of things with one of the meanest bandits in the west. Everyone he met seemed to have a grudge, but Jake was not one to back down. He aimed to continue his job as a US Marshall no matter what. Woohoo, this book had action, excitement, and intrigue. I loved it.

To the Gates of Hell is the second western featuring bad boy turned good guy and now Marshall, Jake Paynter. Dutch van Zandt and his band of villains are raising a ruckus in Jake’s territory from robbing safes on trains to terrorizing the honest citizens in town. Jake and his trusty allies risk neck and limb to bring justice to the untamed west. This book is a shoot’em up page turner worthy to grace the shelves with the greats like L’Amour and Johnstone. I love the unique characters and the nonstop action and there’s still nothing like a bad boy gone good story. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

The third book in the Jake Paynter series, a well written continuation of Jake's story. He has a lot to overcome again, Gus and Miss Stacy Blue are by his side. I enjoyed seeing this story with its suspense, drama, villains, twists and turns come together. This has been a very good series from the first book. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

To the Gates of Hell by David Nix
Jake Paynter #3

Sweeping Western that had me hooked till the very end. Not sure if this is a trilogy or if there will be more about Jake in the future. If not, perhaps a spin-off with Gus and Stacy? Great story!

What I liked:
* Jake: has come a long way from book one, condemned, pardoned, almost mythic, good leader, great friend, better than he realizes, might get the girl in the end
* Rosalyn: teacher, sister, adopted daughter, on the outs with her brother, interested in Jake, strong, never gives up
* Gus: Jake’s war buddy and friend, buffalo soldier, wise, good man, interested in Stacy
* Stacy: daughter of wagon train leader, half Shoshone, a bit of a tomboy, likes Gus
* Beah Nooki: Shoshone elder, wise man, good friend, through many wars, difficult backstory
* Jake’s horse – she has a lot of heart and personality
* The start that set up the story and began the chase
* That some of the bad guys are not totally evil
* The way most of the people living in South Pass worked together for the benefit of all
* That the Native Americans were not the bad guys and were helpful
* That I could hate the bad guys and hope they received a bitter end
* That some that seemed irredeemable proved perhaps otherwise
* The writing, pace, plot, and setting
* The twist at the end
* That all of the loose ends were tied up at the end of the third book – no cliffhanger
* Wondering if this is a trilogy and complete, if there will be a spin-off, or if more of Jake will be seen in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that some people, in any era, are as evil as the ones in this book
* Having to say goodbye to the characters

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Trouble just seems to chase Jake Paynter and seems like Lucien Ashley is usually involved somehow and this most recent round is no exception. Naturally old faithful Gus and Miss Stacy Blue are at Paynter’s side along with a few others but will they be enough against not one but two different antagonistic outlaw crews? Good read that is pretty much nonstop action all the way through.

I don't know why don't usually read Westerns because I remember loving old-school movies and this book reads like one of the best.
Jake Paynter is the quintessential lone wolf with a past that makes him feel unworthy somehow surrounded by people who love and respect him. As the sheriff of a small town in the middle of the desolate West, he finds his hands full when a suave and terrifying villain sets his sights on his territory and dangerous tensions lead to even more dangerous situations. Nix surrounds Paynter with fantastic characters that sometimes steal the show and keep the tensions and darkness from the main character from overtaking the story.
Extra praise for the fact that Nyx manages to make even the tedious, days-long rides across desolate landscapes feel exciting and pulse-pounding, and that's not even mentioning all the grand shootouts. There's a ton of action in this one and it never lets up or feels repetitive.
This being book 3 in the series left me with some gaps and questions as to the relationships and animosity between some of the characters, but Nix does a solid job of giving readers enough information to make it a minor detail without it taking too much space within the story. The characters and Nix's worldbuilding are fantastic so I would recommend not doing what I did and actually reading previous volumes before this one, but I don't think it's necessary.
Overall, this is a solid entry into the Western genre that is sure to please both avid fans and newcomers with its deft and original handling of the genre tropes.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the exciting early read!

To the Gates of Hell by David Nix is the third in a series starring protagonist Jake Paynter but my first and while I didn't feel lost or confused during the book it did feel as though the story in this book was the resolution of several plots and story lines.
The characters are well developed and seem multi faceted in a way not often found in the more pulpy westerns, and the many short chapters approach has just enough action and "cliffhangers" to keep the pages going by at a fast pace.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #SourceBooks, and David Mix for the ARC of #TotheGatesofHell.

I love a book that develops the characters with just enough twists for interest and all the feels. Can’t wait to read all the books in this series! LOVE LOVE LOVE