In the inhospitable wilderness of Cormac McCarthy's Desert, "No Country for Old Men" explores savage violence and harsh morality. It's the story of a man faced with dark opportunities and the darkest consequences that follow. The film, adapted by the Coen brothers, has won four Oscars, including Best Picture.

In 1980, Llewelyn Moss, a Vietnam veteran, is hunting antelope near the Rio Grande when he comes across a deal gone horribly wrong. Amid bullet-riddled bodies, quantities of heroin, and a good amount of cash, he faces a difficult choice: leave the scene as he found it or take the money and walk away. This choice will change everything.

Thus begins a terrifying chain of events, through which all involved seem to seek the answer to the question: how does one decide the order in which to leave one’s life?

About Cormac McCarthy, it has been written: "McCarthy's writing touches on an almost religious condition, his books are terrifying and absolute" – Anne Enright. "His prose acquires an almost biblical quality, with a hallucinogenic effect" – Stephen King.

Part of the Picador series, which showcases the best of contemporary literature.