Blood Meridian is an epic Western novel (sometimes classified as a revisionist Western) set in the mid‑19th century American Southwest and northern Mexico. The story is loosely based on historical events and follows a brutal, unflinching portrayal of violence on the frontier.
The narrative centres on a teenage protagonist known only as the Kid (later referred to as the Man). In his late teens, the Kid leaves Tennessee and eventually makes his way to Texas and Mexico. His journey leads him to join Glanton’s gang — a group of scalp hunters active in the years 1849–1850.
The gang is hired by Mexican authorities to hunt Native Americans — primarily Apaches and Comanches — for bounty. What begins as a campaign against hostile tribes quickly devolves into indiscriminate slaughter: the gang targets peaceful communities, Mexicans, and anyone else who stands in their way, driven by greed, bloodlust, and nihilism.
