I started writing this while on a plane, flying to Toronto. I didn’t have Internet at the time, but I jotted down my notes, saved them, and now I’m finishing this from Niagara Falls in the midst of the Romance Writer’s of America conference. More on that in the next post.

This review will not spoil the plot of the story, but I will talk about the setting and the world building.

The Short Review

Here is the short review in case you don’t want any of the story spoiled: This is a well written book that accomplishes what it sets out to do. It’s a short stay in a familiar world. I had a good time with this book and I think you will, too.

The Longer Review

Arlo describes the story as a mix of Tombstone with Van Helsing and I can see it, especially Tombstone. I think this undersells some of the fantastic and fresh world building Arlo weaves into this tale. This is a place where silver rushes up out of the mines of Nevada and roars across dry riverbeds, chasing the full moon and drowning the unwary. This is a world in which machines Awaken, and gunslingers hunt these animated objects like Holy Avengers.

The writing is solid all the way through. I was never bored, and some of the descriptions and language really leap off the page. And, touching on the setting again, the worldbuilding is laid out naturally and without heavy exposition dumps. The writer trusts the reader, which is as it should be.

I have a couple of quibbles in the middle, but it’s nothing serious. There is a framing device that is partially abandoned towards the end, but these are things most readers aren’t going to notice. No book is perfect, and this one is entertaining enough to allow me to overlook any flaws I might perceive.

This is sold as a horror. Is it scary?

I didn’t think so, but I rarely find books scary so I might not be a good judge. There is some disturbing imagery sprinkled throughout. There are uncomfortable circumstances, but nothing beyond my comfort level.

It is a weird western that will make you feel bad for an animated object. The truth of that statement alone should be enough to make you want to pick up this book.

Here is a link where you can get your own signed copy.

Here is a link where you can get the book from bookshop.org.

It’s also on Amazon, but I’ll let you find that link on your own. Bezos doesn’t need the extra advertisement.

Get the book, read it, and let me know what you think.