Blood Meridian (1985) is an anti-Western novel written by Cormac McCarthy.
The story follows a teenager referred to only as "the kid," with his experiences in the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp hunters who massacred Native Americans and others in the United States–Mexico borderlands from 1849 to 1850 for bounty, pleasure, and eventually out of nihilistic habit.
The role of antagonist is gradually supplanted by Judge Holden, a physically massive, highly-educated, exceptionally multi-talented member of the gang.
