This tale is full of cliched characters, hackneyed themes and obviously steals from many other books and movies but the author somehow manages to combine all of those into an extremely enthralling and amusing book. The Book With No Name starts as it means to continue, beginning with a massacre in a bar and then providing a litany of similar violence throughout but at the same time building an intriguing mystery from the start which makes the reader turn the pages at a ferocious pace which matches that of the rate at which characters are introduced and then killed off.
One of the strengths of The Book With No Name is the huge number of very memorable and over-the-top characters that either come from or would fit straight into a movie; Rodeo Rex, Elvis, The Bourbon Kid, El Santino, Sanchez The Barman, Jefe The Bountyhunter and many others are among some of the most colourful, amusing and, amazingly, likable characters (even though they are all dreadful people) of any book I have ever read.
Although some of the dialogue is fairly cliched and the themes quite unoriginal, the author manages to weave a compelling plot, one which revolves around a magical jewel, a book which once read results in death and mysterious monks all in the most hedonistic town in the world.
The Book With No Name is a literary smorgasbord of memorable characters, violence, swearing, plot themes and even the obligatory vampires, but one of the most enjoyable and memorable books I have read in a long time.
I would recommend The Book With No Name to readers who enjoy riotous and action-packed stories full of interesting and exaggerated characters. Don't expect a literary masterpiece but do expect a lot of fun, a perfect easy read that does not require one to think too much.
Score: 10/10
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