The Magic Wagon

By: Joe R. Lansdale

Narrated by: Chet Williamson

When the Magic Wagon comes to town, folks get a genuine medicine show that includes a wrestling ape, fancy shooting, and a peek at the petrified body of Wild Bill Hickok himself. They also get bottles of a whiskey-laced elixir to drown their aches and pains. Old Albert drives the wagon, a raw-boned youngster named Buster Fogg does the odd jobs, and "champion" trick shooter and fast talker Billy Bob Daniels owns the show.

Billy Bob claims to be the illegitimate son of Wild Bill himself. As storms hover in their wake, our intrepid trio (and one ape) make their way to a Godforsaken hole named Mud Creek, an East Texas town where the dark cloud of fate hovers and violence looms in the shadows....

©1986 Joe R. Lansdale (P)2012 David N. Wilson

Critic reviews

"I remember the night I picked up Joe Lansdale's The Magic Wagon...it was the strangest Western I'd ever read, full of creepy-crawly stuff as well as gunfighters, straddling genres with authority, and it dealt with the human condition in a profound yet unpretentious manner that any sensible writer would envy." (Dean R. Koontz)

This Western is a Hoot!

The Magic Wagon is funny, outlandish, mysterious, dramatic, surprising and even cinematic. It builds to a hell of a climax but trust me, you'll enjoy the ride too. If you've never read Mr. Lansdale's fiction, this novel isn't a bad place to start. It's short, colorful and wildly entertaining.

Chet Williamson's narration is perfect.

another jewel of a western from Landsdale

I just love the way these stories are through a main character in the story. it was well told and wrapped up with a great finale. "karma us a bitch"

fantastic

I loved it. gunslinger mummy's curse. ha! and other words and stuff and things, blah blah blah

Wonderful!

This rich little tale is worth your time. Narration is perfect and characters well developed. And it was fun!

Fun and quirky

A fun, quick book to listen to, excellent narration. Joe R. Lansdale has a special story-telling ability with plenty of humor. He's one of my favorite writers. If you are a fan, you will enjoy this.