by Ken Newquist / December 5, 2009
My long-time friend Nathan E. Lilly's got a dissertation on the space western up on Strange Horizons entitled "The Emancipation of Bat Durston, or: 'I'm from Iowa, I Only Work in Outer Space'". He looks at the origins of the subgenre, its intersections with space opera, and its influence on the larger science fiction field.
It's a lengthy piece, so you roll yourself a smoke, pour a shot of whiskey, and kick back in your favorite share for a informative read.