Joe R. Landsdale’s Born For Trouble The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard is a short story collection by a veteran author featuring his most well known characters. Given the overall success that they have had, it is nice to see further stories featuring them getting published.
The myriad and interesting thoughts that Lansdale has on his characters are touched upon in a very nice introduction, wherein he explains opinions on well known characters. It is all in all a nice little read, and it is both sad and heartwarming to see this volume dedicated to Michael K. Williams in part, a recently passed actor lucky enough to star as one of the leads.
The stories within are suitably entertaining, starting with “Butternut Coco.” It begins with the guys taking a job to, and taking time to entertainingly confirm, rescue a ransomed mummified dachshund. While the discovery of a human corpse quickly ups the ante, it is the absurdity of that premise which served a good reminder of the peculiar tone Hap & Leonard stories often have. It is also one of the longer pieces in the book, with only the final story clearly rivaling it for sheer page count.
There comes a part in this story featuring persistent insults on people who live with their parents. In the current socio-economic climate this is at best a strange choice, alienating readers who understand such difficulties. At the same time the characters are very much themselves while doing this, and the unpleasantness might merely be intentional values dissonance.
“Sad Onions” by contrast is a very short piece. It starts with a fishing trip, the old friends looking for some R&R, yet matters quickly escalate as there is a wrecked car by the side of the road, and they attempt a rescue. One man inside is clearly dead or dying, and the woman they pull out is rushed to the hospital.
