Book Review: ‘HYENAS’ by Joe R. Lansdale

My favorite writers are the ones that can create a universe where the viewer/reader become so immersed in the storytelling that they not only buy into the rules of that fictional place but also want to revisit every time a new entry in the franchise is presented. My absolute favorite alternate universe is not located on the swamps of Degoba, isn’t located in the zombie ridden wasteland created by Brian Keene, or even J.R. Tolken’s Shire, it’s in a place right here in the good ole U.S. of A, the strange land of East Texas. For over the past twenty years, Joe R Lansdale has crafted a Texas that has included redneck mummies (later adapted in Don Coscarelli’s Bubba Ho Tep), midget cowboys, carnies, and a multitude of other characters.

Two of the most loveable goons to come out of this world are Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. Hap, a white, draft dodging, average Joe who has made one too many bad decisions in his life, and Leonard, a black, gay, macho, country music loving, Vietnam Vet, make for one of the greatest duos in the history of fiction. Over the course of seven novels (and various short stories), readers have seen Hap and Leonard work as a detective team who stand up for the underdogs of this world and while not looking for a fight, usually always find one. Lansdale’s latest release, Hyenas, finds the boys taking on another seemingly simple job, only to have themselves knee deep in trouble.

Hyenas picks up in the aftermath of a barroom brawl with everyone’s favorite Vet, Leonard Pine, doing what he does best, kicking ass and taking names. Leonard’s handy work leads to the boys being offered a job by a guy named Kelly. See, Kelly’s younger brother has fallen in with the wrong crowd (and not just the kind that smokes pot in their Mom’s basement or shoplifts). No, Kelly suspects that this group is a bunch of no good bank robbers who want his brother to help in their latest heist. Our heroes’ job, get his brother out of this mess and maybe rough up the bad guys in the process. What starts out as a routine job, soon finds the boys having to spoil a bank robbery, rescue hostages, and save their own asses.
The latest tale in this franchise finds many of the usual suspects from previous entries that readers have come to love. Hap’s beautiful, redheaded, tough as nails girlfriend, Brett, and their always trustworthy ex cop friend Marvin Hansons. The main villain is a guy named Smoke Stack, an ex-con, wannabe criminal mastermind who is one tough hombre and every bit as bad as any of the villains that Champion Joe has brought to page. This entry is only eighty pages but is every bit as sweet as the full length novels. Per usual, the action is believable and Joe’s penchant to detail is spot on. Think of the full length novels as going to dinner with friends and Hyenas as more of just stopping in for a beer. Just because the visit is short, doesn’t make it any less satisfying. While the tale doesn’t do anything to further continuation in the lives’ of Hap and Leonard, it lets us just catch up with a couple of old friends until the next full length adventure.
Subterranean Press has presented us with a truly fantastic piece of work by Joe R. Lansdale that is essential for all Hap and Leonard enthusiasts. The novelette is limited edition, as was their previous release The Veil, and according to Subterranean, Hyenas is almost already sold out. The edition I bought was leather bound, signed, with a fantastic dust jacket designed by Glen Orbik. If you haven’t read any of the Hap and Leonard series before, I don’t think this is the one to start with. I would recommend starting with Savage Season but with each entry being a stand alone adventure, the tales don’t really require you to start from the first novel. Hopefully we can see one of the Hap & Leonard works brought to the big screen (I vote for Glass Eye Pix to take a stab at it) but until then, get over to Subterranean Press and get a copy of Hyenas!