Allen Wier’s epic Texas novel, Tehano, is the sort of book you have to carve time out for, but it’s definitely worth the investment. There are plenty of passages you’ll want to linger over. The sense of place is distinct, the characters complex and engaging. Booklist calls it “an epic retelling of a pivotal juncture in American history. Never prettied up or romanticized, this rambling slice of Americana reflects all the passion, violence, and volatility of a country on the brink of self-realization.” And the Denver Post says that, though Lonesome Dove is hard to beat, “Allen Wier’s epic Western may just be the one to finally give McMurtry a run for his money.”

Wier’s earlier books are the story collection Things About to Disappear and the novels Blanco, Departing as Air, and A Place for Outlaws.