I’m not much for gunslinging Westerns, but I did quite enjoy M.R. Carey’s Pandominion Duology, so when I saw that he had a new standalone set in the same universe, I decided to give Outlaw Planet a try. And while it may not be my usual fare, it’s indeed a pretty fun read! 

Outlaw Planet takes place in a parallel universe populated by anthropomorphic mammals and giant arthropods. The bulk of the story takes place during and shortly after the analogue of the American Civil War, with short epistolary reports at the end of each section that establish a sci-fi mystery beneath the Western trappings. Those reports form the religious foundation of the nomadic human societies across the Great Plains, while the remaining sentient creatures struggle to move beyond the practice of species-based slavery. And a soon-to-be legendary gunslinger and her sentient sidearm find themselves in the middle of a flight that could turn the whole world on its head. 

While the host of animal characters theoretically bring their own traits to the table, any exploration of differences fades into the background of a tale aiming mostly to mimic a period piece. Slavery is based on species instead of race, humans play the role of Native Americans, and apart from that, this is just a Western, with the stereotypical good-hearted gunslinger and cowboy dialect as far as the eye can see. That the lead is canine is immaterial, except insofar as it supplies her moniker. 

As I mentioned at the start, I’ve never been huge on gunslinger tales, but this one makes for a fun read. The lead witnessing a tragedy and suffering another offers sufficient cause to sympathize with a killer, and there are enough differences between her wartime raiding and her subsequent isolation to keep the story from hitting the same beats too often. And then there’s the sci-fi hook that adds some large-scale meaning to the whole endeavor. The lead sees mysteries in her own time, and the epistolary snippets at the end of each section give the reader further perspective and promise a major payoff. 

And while the foreshadowing is thorough enough that the payoff doesn’t come as a shock, it does make for an entertaining finish that gives some plot structure to what had otherwise become an extended chase scene. It’s satisfying from a plot perspective and forces some difficult decisions from the principal characters, making for a conclusion that’s not only action-packed but is emotionally satisfying as a standalone story, even when situated within a broader universe. 

So even though Outlaw Planet isn’t necessarily my style of story, I still had a lot of fun reading it. The sci-fi mystery got me invested early, and the pacing and sympathetic characters kept me enjoying it for the duration. It’s a novel that leans on a lot of classic Old West tropes, but it uses them effectively, making for an overall excellent read. 

Recommended if you like: Westerns, anthropomorphic animals.

Can I use it for Bingo? It’s hard mode for Down With the System and also features Epistolary segments and an LGBTQIA Protagonist.

Overall rating: 16 of Tar Vol’s 20. Four stars on Goodreads.