All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone: A Novel

Jacob J. Johnson’s All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone is a tale of adventure and romantic nostalgia. The debut novel follows Lincoln Smith, a young Texan who longs for the days of the Rangers and long cattle drives, hates trains and automobiles with a passion, and seeks a way back into the past through the French Foreign Legion. Through his eyes, the reader is brought along in a winding journey full of exciting action, archeological finds, and hungry crocodiles.

Johnson’s writing is whimsical and fun, his characters reminiscent of Indiana Jones and Allan Quatermain. Most of the book was entertaining to read, but it dulled in the middle and was often interrupted by overwrought explanations of the plot, especially where there was potential for exciting jumps or witty commentary. Much of the dialogue and characterization bordered on satirization of the Adventure/Western genres, which was most welcome but didn’t feel fulfilled in any of the characters’ arcs, which felt flat and unsatisfying toward the end. Lincoln’s story was fun and exciting, and his characterization, as well as the development of the book’s plot, felt more suited toward Young Readers or Young Adult genres. However, this does mean that the novel could potentially be enjoyed by Adventure lovers of all ages who are looking for a nostalgic and entertaining, if a little shallow, read.