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Heaven's Gate Trilogy #1
The Good the Bad and the Infernal
One day every hundred years, a town appears, its location and character different every time. It is home to the greatest miracle a man could imagine: a doorway to Heaven itself. The town’s name is Wormwood, and it is due to appear on the 21st September 1889, somewhere in the American Midwest.
There are many who hope to be there: travelling preacher Obeisance Hicks and his simple messiah, Soldier Joe; Henry and Harmonium Jones and their freak show pack of outlaws; the Brothers of the Order of Ruth and their sponsor Lord Forset (inventor of the Forset Thunderpack and other incendiary modes of personal transport); and finally, an aging gunslinger with a dark history.
They will face dangers both strange and terrible: monstrous animals, predatory towns, armies of mechanical natives, and other things besides. Wormwood defends its secrets, and only the brave and resourceful will survive...
There are many who hope to be there: travelling preacher Obeisance Hicks and his simple messiah, Soldier Joe; Henry and Harmonium Jones and their freak show pack of outlaws; the Brothers of the Order of Ruth and their sponsor Lord Forset (inventor of the Forset Thunderpack and other incendiary modes of personal transport); and finally, an aging gunslinger with a dark history.
They will face dangers both strange and terrible: monstrous animals, predatory towns, armies of mechanical natives, and other things besides. Wormwood defends its secrets, and only the brave and resourceful will survive...
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
October 19, 2013
The town of Wormwood appears once every 100 years and is said to be a gateway to Heaven. This time, it's scheduled to appear in the Midwest and several groups seek it, including a crooked preacher with a brain damaged "messiah," a freak show, and an aging gunfighter and his sidekick. Will any of them reach Wormwood alive? And what will they find when they get there?
I think I picked this book up at the wrong time because it definitely had all the winning Weird Western ingredients. Gunfighters with mysterious pasts, crazy inventors, crooked preachers, and creepy crawly creatures. I liked the Wormwood concept and the characters were a very interesting mix. Another thing I loved: the carnivorous town.
It may have been the shifting viewpoints that killed it for me. If it had stuck to one group of characters on the road to Wormwood, I probably would have found it much more gripping. It was one of those books that I enjoyed but wasn't compelled to forsake all other things to read it. I'm a pretty fast reader but it took me over a week to get through this.
That's not to say I hated it. I'm pretty sure it was a timing issue. Knowing there were two more books in the series may have also curbed my enthusiasm. I'll have to give it a re-read at some time in the future when I'm in the right mood for it.
I think I picked this book up at the wrong time because it definitely had all the winning Weird Western ingredients. Gunfighters with mysterious pasts, crazy inventors, crooked preachers, and creepy crawly creatures. I liked the Wormwood concept and the characters were a very interesting mix. Another thing I loved: the carnivorous town.
It may have been the shifting viewpoints that killed it for me. If it had stuck to one group of characters on the road to Wormwood, I probably would have found it much more gripping. It was one of those books that I enjoyed but wasn't compelled to forsake all other things to read it. I'm a pretty fast reader but it took me over a week to get through this.
That's not to say I hated it. I'm pretty sure it was a timing issue. Knowing there were two more books in the series may have also curbed my enthusiasm. I'll have to give it a re-read at some time in the future when I'm in the right mood for it.
April 17, 2019
The Good, the Bad, and the Infernal obviously takes its title from the 1966 Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It was published just in 2013 and perhaps has not yet achieved the recognition it should. On the surface, it is a Weird Western with shades of Steampunk thrown in. I don't think anyone can now claim that Westerns are boring. This one certainly is not.
But, don't let that throw you as this is one helluva good book. This is book one of a three book trilogy. The second book is Once Upon A Time in Hell and I read that one first. I don't recommend doing that as this book really gives you the background on the myriad of strange characters.
The premise is that for one day every hundred years a town appears that is a gateway to the other side. So if you get to this town, you can go to heaven without dying first and, of course, there are other places it might lead you to. Sometimes the town appears as a Tibetan village. Sometimes in a rainforest. This time, the town which appears about twenty years after the Civil War is Wormwood and its going to appear somewhere out west. For various reasons, there are an assortment of folks that would like to make journey.
The book follows three disparate groupings of people. First, there is Quartershaft, a famous adventure writer, who has been given the map to Wormwood by Alonzo. He is on the journey with a Lord Forset, a British inventor/scientist, and Forset's daughter Elizabeth, and for good measure an order of about a dozen monks of a peculiar order who see it as their mission to explore all questions about God and Heaven. Lord Forset has several inventions with him, including a Land Carriage, sort of a train that runs without tracks, and a jetpack that his daughter, the proper Elizabeth takes up to scout around. Quatershaft is quite taken with Elizabeth. Also, in this grouping is Billy the Engineer.
A second grouping that is heading to Wormwood includes Obeisance Hicks, who is a snake oil salesman type, and he travels around the country displaying Soldier Joe, a man who lost half his brain during the war, but who Hicks refers to as his messiah and takes bountiful offerings from the crowds he preaches to. Hope is the young lady who nurses Soldier Joe and never leaves his side. This group at some point meets up with a traveling circus that includes Henry Jones, a gunslinger who has mutated so that he does not even have eyes. Henry Jones' wife, Harmonium Jones, a gorgeous redhead who just happens to be the bearded lady, and other circus performers complete this grouping. They are headed to Wormwood though Hicks doesn't know it yet.
A third grouping on a similar journey includes a man headed to a bank job in California who makes a mistake by pissing out of his hotel room and not realizing that three outlaws were on their horses just outside. Luckily, Elwyn is saved from a fate worse than death by a nameless old man who wanders out of the steppes and lays waste to the outlaws. The old man says the banker can repay him by providing company and they head to Wormwood although not willingly.
What a tale. There are living towns. There are men whose throats glow with fire. There are giant swarms of bats and cyborg Indians and jetpacks and people on religious pilgrimages.
At no point did I willingly put down this book, it is just too good and just too chock-full of stuff. Hats off to Guy Adams. This is one helluva trilogy.
Wormwood apparently is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, its most well recognized mention is in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Revelation where it describes "a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky ... [and] the name of the star is Wormwood." Apparently, it turned the waters "bitter." That might be an apt description for a town that appears once every hundred years.
But, don't let that throw you as this is one helluva good book. This is book one of a three book trilogy. The second book is Once Upon A Time in Hell and I read that one first. I don't recommend doing that as this book really gives you the background on the myriad of strange characters.
The premise is that for one day every hundred years a town appears that is a gateway to the other side. So if you get to this town, you can go to heaven without dying first and, of course, there are other places it might lead you to. Sometimes the town appears as a Tibetan village. Sometimes in a rainforest. This time, the town which appears about twenty years after the Civil War is Wormwood and its going to appear somewhere out west. For various reasons, there are an assortment of folks that would like to make journey.
The book follows three disparate groupings of people. First, there is Quartershaft, a famous adventure writer, who has been given the map to Wormwood by Alonzo. He is on the journey with a Lord Forset, a British inventor/scientist, and Forset's daughter Elizabeth, and for good measure an order of about a dozen monks of a peculiar order who see it as their mission to explore all questions about God and Heaven. Lord Forset has several inventions with him, including a Land Carriage, sort of a train that runs without tracks, and a jetpack that his daughter, the proper Elizabeth takes up to scout around. Quatershaft is quite taken with Elizabeth. Also, in this grouping is Billy the Engineer.
A second grouping that is heading to Wormwood includes Obeisance Hicks, who is a snake oil salesman type, and he travels around the country displaying Soldier Joe, a man who lost half his brain during the war, but who Hicks refers to as his messiah and takes bountiful offerings from the crowds he preaches to. Hope is the young lady who nurses Soldier Joe and never leaves his side. This group at some point meets up with a traveling circus that includes Henry Jones, a gunslinger who has mutated so that he does not even have eyes. Henry Jones' wife, Harmonium Jones, a gorgeous redhead who just happens to be the bearded lady, and other circus performers complete this grouping. They are headed to Wormwood though Hicks doesn't know it yet.
A third grouping on a similar journey includes a man headed to a bank job in California who makes a mistake by pissing out of his hotel room and not realizing that three outlaws were on their horses just outside. Luckily, Elwyn is saved from a fate worse than death by a nameless old man who wanders out of the steppes and lays waste to the outlaws. The old man says the banker can repay him by providing company and they head to Wormwood although not willingly.
What a tale. There are living towns. There are men whose throats glow with fire. There are giant swarms of bats and cyborg Indians and jetpacks and people on religious pilgrimages.
At no point did I willingly put down this book, it is just too good and just too chock-full of stuff. Hats off to Guy Adams. This is one helluva trilogy.
Wormwood apparently is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, its most well recognized mention is in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Revelation where it describes "a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky ... [and] the name of the star is Wormwood." Apparently, it turned the waters "bitter." That might be an apt description for a town that appears once every hundred years.
March 29, 2015
This is the first of a trilogy of books- the Heavens Gate series. This is only the third book of Guy Adams I have read and I must admit I really enjoyed it - I am not the greatest fan of multiple narratives as not all authors get the balance right of how long you spend with one or other of the character groups however Guy Adams appears to have gotten the balance just right.
Anyway the book - Being part of a trilogy really this book only sets up the characters reading for the next act - which in one respect is a little disappointing, after all that was several hundred pages of introduction but at the same time it shows the power of Mr Adams story telling abilities if he can actually hold your attention for that length of time with "just an introduction". That said I do feel we have yet to see the true colours of some of those introduced in this book, there is still plenty of scope for them to surprise and change our perception of them.
The book does definitely have the feel of the spaghetti western in it - which is not surprising since in the afterward Mr Adams does refer to it as a source of inspiration and guidance. I guess the challenge now will be to see what happens next.
Anyway the book - Being part of a trilogy really this book only sets up the characters reading for the next act - which in one respect is a little disappointing, after all that was several hundred pages of introduction but at the same time it shows the power of Mr Adams story telling abilities if he can actually hold your attention for that length of time with "just an introduction". That said I do feel we have yet to see the true colours of some of those introduced in this book, there is still plenty of scope for them to surprise and change our perception of them.
The book does definitely have the feel of the spaghetti western in it - which is not surprising since in the afterward Mr Adams does refer to it as a source of inspiration and guidance. I guess the challenge now will be to see what happens next.
October 7, 2017
The first of a 3 part supernatural western story, this volume begins a little confusedly for me, with two many characters trying too hard to make their voices heard. It soon settles down with three separate stories of three disparate (and often very strange) groups of people trying to make their way across the American Midwest to find a mysterious place called "Wormwood". It seems that this town only appears once every hundred years, always in a different place, and inside it is a literal gate to heaven. That's the story that is told here, but whether this is true will be determined in the next two books.
Most of the book is taken up with the dangers that our three groups face as they get closer to Wormwood, which has a tendency to warp reality around it. Therefore, we get giant people eating bugs, native Americans with which have become cyborgs, etc.
The story ends when all three of our groups actually arrives at Wormwood, and this is where I hit a problem with the story as told so far. The issue is not with our heroes arriving at their destination so early in the story, it is with the fact they .
This issue aside, I did enjoy the book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
Most of the book is taken up with the dangers that our three groups face as they get closer to Wormwood, which has a tendency to warp reality around it. Therefore, we get giant people eating bugs, native Americans with which have become cyborgs, etc.
The story ends when all three of our groups actually arrives at Wormwood, and this is where I hit a problem with the story as told so far. The issue is not with our heroes arriving at their destination so early in the story, it is with the fact they .
This issue aside, I did enjoy the book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
July 27, 2013
Spaghetti Western comes steampunk comes supernatural comes... a very entertaining opener to a trilogy, knowing some of the previous works of Guy Adams alone is enough to sell me any new novel from him, the fact that this one is, just taking into account the blurb on the back of the cover, really pushing the boundaries of his more familiar settings just makes it more interesting again.
From the off ‘the good...’ sets a galloping pace and never once lets up, the high number of characters and groups these are all split into can seem a little overwhelming at first, but just bare in mind that this is the opening of a planned trilogy, and that fact is easily forgiven and also quickly passes. Adams’ expected quality of dialogue and descriptive ability is all on display to it’ normal fine standard and the setting is used to perfection throughout. The only possible complaint I could come up with is that this novel ends on a real cliff hanger and the next instalment is, as of yet, nowhere in sight. Damn you.
From the off ‘the good...’ sets a galloping pace and never once lets up, the high number of characters and groups these are all split into can seem a little overwhelming at first, but just bare in mind that this is the opening of a planned trilogy, and that fact is easily forgiven and also quickly passes. Adams’ expected quality of dialogue and descriptive ability is all on display to it’ normal fine standard and the setting is used to perfection throughout. The only possible complaint I could come up with is that this novel ends on a real cliff hanger and the next instalment is, as of yet, nowhere in sight. Damn you.
July 18, 2022
I was really hoping to like this book more.
First off, the world building is superb. The concept of a town that disappears then reappears every hundred years in another location, but might not really be a town but a gateway into Heaven, is really intriguing The quest to make it to the foretold location drives this book, and is what kept me reading it.
The problem is the characters.
There are a couple of really great characters, which have resonated and remained in my mind's eye after finishing the book. But for the most part, the rest of the character selection in this story is pretty forgettable.
I'm going to keep reading the trilogy, for the concept of Wormwood, and just hope the character work gets better as things escalate.
Darn tootin'.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
First off, the world building is superb. The concept of a town that disappears then reappears every hundred years in another location, but might not really be a town but a gateway into Heaven, is really intriguing The quest to make it to the foretold location drives this book, and is what kept me reading it.
The problem is the characters.
There are a couple of really great characters, which have resonated and remained in my mind's eye after finishing the book. But for the most part, the rest of the character selection in this story is pretty forgettable.
I'm going to keep reading the trilogy, for the concept of Wormwood, and just hope the character work gets better as things escalate.
Darn tootin'.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
April 12, 2013
I’m still not sure if I should give this book 3 dragons or 4, and I’m pretty sure I still won’t have made up my mind when I finish writing this review.
The Good, The Bad and The Infernal is the second weird Western/Steampunk/SF (hard to put a label on these books) I’ve read this year, the first one being “The Six Gun Tarot” which I really liked because it was something I had never read before. Unfortunately, GBI (let’s call it that from now on) doesn’t have that advantage, but it still was a very pleasant read.
GBI is a book that hinges mainly on its strong characterbuilding and weird situations.
In the first few pages Adams introduces us to an eccentric cast of characters whose roll in the whole picture is still unclear. I’m always a bit confused by such introductions. A lot of books with an extensive cast of characters use this approach to give us a first glimpse of every person who’ll play a part in the story. This is both a positive and a negative approach in my opinion. It’s good to have a first short introduction, but it’s also very confusing for the reader.
The rest of the book was split in 4 different parts, making it a lot easier to get to know the different characters and keep them apart.
All the characters are rather colourful and though they are all from different layers of society, with different professions, secrets, lives, they have one thing in common: Wormwood.
I really have to applaud the characterbuilding which was very well done and made for very pleasant reading.
The book kicks off, after the prologue, with a chapter of Elwyn, a character who wasn’t introduces before and the predicament he gets himself into in a little town he’s traveling through.
The second part takes us along on the journey to Wormwood with an adventurer, an inventor and his daughter and a group of monks.
The third part is all about a band of misfits, former Freakshow performers, a fake preacher, a warhero with brain damage and the girl who’s in love with him.
All of them take a different route and meet different challenges along the road to Wormwood. As you may have guessed, reaching Wormwood isn’t going to be easy. The road is full of supernatural dangers trying to stop them from reaching their destination. Only the strong can survive and reach the mythical Wormwood.
The story is told with a certain sort of dry humor that really suited me. This is my kind of humor and it gave an extra touch to the book that I really appreciated. The writing was very sharp and clean, easy to read and taking the story to a higher level.
Sigh, I still don’t know how to rate this book. I really enjoyed reading it and it’s a fast read, it’s certainly a strong new player in the weird Western/Steampunk/SF genre, but I feel like I’ll have to wait for the second book to form a conclusion about this one. GBI has an open ending and the great mystery the author has been working towards will only be described in further detail in the second book.
As a build-up to the second book, this was definitely a good one.
Let’s say 4 dragons, because I’m in a good mood and I had a few cosy, weird evenings reading The Good, The Bad and The Infernal.
The Good, The Bad and The Infernal is the second weird Western/Steampunk/SF (hard to put a label on these books) I’ve read this year, the first one being “The Six Gun Tarot” which I really liked because it was something I had never read before. Unfortunately, GBI (let’s call it that from now on) doesn’t have that advantage, but it still was a very pleasant read.
GBI is a book that hinges mainly on its strong characterbuilding and weird situations.
In the first few pages Adams introduces us to an eccentric cast of characters whose roll in the whole picture is still unclear. I’m always a bit confused by such introductions. A lot of books with an extensive cast of characters use this approach to give us a first glimpse of every person who’ll play a part in the story. This is both a positive and a negative approach in my opinion. It’s good to have a first short introduction, but it’s also very confusing for the reader.
The rest of the book was split in 4 different parts, making it a lot easier to get to know the different characters and keep them apart.
All the characters are rather colourful and though they are all from different layers of society, with different professions, secrets, lives, they have one thing in common: Wormwood.
I really have to applaud the characterbuilding which was very well done and made for very pleasant reading.
The book kicks off, after the prologue, with a chapter of Elwyn, a character who wasn’t introduces before and the predicament he gets himself into in a little town he’s traveling through.
The second part takes us along on the journey to Wormwood with an adventurer, an inventor and his daughter and a group of monks.
The third part is all about a band of misfits, former Freakshow performers, a fake preacher, a warhero with brain damage and the girl who’s in love with him.
All of them take a different route and meet different challenges along the road to Wormwood. As you may have guessed, reaching Wormwood isn’t going to be easy. The road is full of supernatural dangers trying to stop them from reaching their destination. Only the strong can survive and reach the mythical Wormwood.
The story is told with a certain sort of dry humor that really suited me. This is my kind of humor and it gave an extra touch to the book that I really appreciated. The writing was very sharp and clean, easy to read and taking the story to a higher level.
Sigh, I still don’t know how to rate this book. I really enjoyed reading it and it’s a fast read, it’s certainly a strong new player in the weird Western/Steampunk/SF genre, but I feel like I’ll have to wait for the second book to form a conclusion about this one. GBI has an open ending and the great mystery the author has been working towards will only be described in further detail in the second book.
As a build-up to the second book, this was definitely a good one.
Let’s say 4 dragons, because I’m in a good mood and I had a few cosy, weird evenings reading The Good, The Bad and The Infernal.
May 20, 2013
I'm slightly torn, I picked this book up thinking it was a stand alone novel, nothing gave me any inclination otherwise until the end where it just stops. Then there's a blurb for book #2... in Jan. 2014... this is the first in a trilogy.
I liked Guy Adams' writing in The World House but I was never intrigued enough about how the story ended to pick up the second in that series. I figured I'd give him another shot with this novel, I liked it. I'm not sure I liked it enough...
The Good the Bad and the Infernal introduces you to a bunch of different groups, misfits all, on their way to Wormwood. Wormwood is the gate to Heaven, or so they've all been led to believe. On the way these strange pilgrims must face different tests of strength or endurance to reach Wormwood. A young man is sidetracked from his cross-country trip to a new job and a new life. A group of monks and their companions from Britain cross an ocean and the Great Plains to find their destiny. A troupe of carnival 'freaks' join a traveling preacher and his Messiah in a trek to Wormwood.
They all travel different paths but will they all wind up in the same place?
I found all the characters somewhat interesting but not a single one of them really caught my attention.
Not one.
They all had interesting histories hinted at or even told outright but not one made me care enough to first care if they made it to Wormwood or if they even deserved to make it past the obstacles.
All in all a good novel. If I wasn't a fair person I think I'd rate this novel lower than 3 stars. It's only one of a trilogy, I have a feeling when all is said and done all 3 books could feasibly be condensed down to 1. Too bad the publisher or author don't seem to understand that their greed doesn't translate well. I was not struck by this work and, honestly, could care less if I ever read #2 or #3.
I liked Guy Adams' writing in The World House but I was never intrigued enough about how the story ended to pick up the second in that series. I figured I'd give him another shot with this novel, I liked it. I'm not sure I liked it enough...
The Good the Bad and the Infernal introduces you to a bunch of different groups, misfits all, on their way to Wormwood. Wormwood is the gate to Heaven, or so they've all been led to believe. On the way these strange pilgrims must face different tests of strength or endurance to reach Wormwood. A young man is sidetracked from his cross-country trip to a new job and a new life. A group of monks and their companions from Britain cross an ocean and the Great Plains to find their destiny. A troupe of carnival 'freaks' join a traveling preacher and his Messiah in a trek to Wormwood.
They all travel different paths but will they all wind up in the same place?
I found all the characters somewhat interesting but not a single one of them really caught my attention.
Not one.
They all had interesting histories hinted at or even told outright but not one made me care enough to first care if they made it to Wormwood or if they even deserved to make it past the obstacles.
All in all a good novel. If I wasn't a fair person I think I'd rate this novel lower than 3 stars. It's only one of a trilogy, I have a feeling when all is said and done all 3 books could feasibly be condensed down to 1. Too bad the publisher or author don't seem to understand that their greed doesn't translate well. I was not struck by this work and, honestly, could care less if I ever read #2 or #3.
June 24, 2013
This is the first book in a trilogy, and it does not stand alone, in any sense of the word.
This could be off-putting, but the story is well-written enough, and weird enough, that I may pick up the second volume just to see what happens next. Adams has good pacing. He never lets the action drag and he makes even the necessary info-dumps interesting. I found some of his characters a bit flat, but that may be as much because he's working with multiple points of view as anything. I count at least a dozen, which means Adams doesn't really have the room to give each of his creations the attention they need to come fully alive. He does, however, make it clear whose head we are in at all times, and I applaud him for that success.
About those points of view... the story is told in three large, parallel threads, each thread detailing the trials of a different party of travelers on their way to Wormwood. I found these parties unequal in how much they interested me, and was annoyed to spend so much time with some of them. Also, every character's viewpoint is told in the third person, save one, and the switch between these styles was disorienting, especially the first time it happened.
This isn't the first Weird West story I've read, but it is the weirdest Western I've ever read. I regard that as a very good thing.
This could be off-putting, but the story is well-written enough, and weird enough, that I may pick up the second volume just to see what happens next. Adams has good pacing. He never lets the action drag and he makes even the necessary info-dumps interesting. I found some of his characters a bit flat, but that may be as much because he's working with multiple points of view as anything. I count at least a dozen, which means Adams doesn't really have the room to give each of his creations the attention they need to come fully alive. He does, however, make it clear whose head we are in at all times, and I applaud him for that success.
About those points of view... the story is told in three large, parallel threads, each thread detailing the trials of a different party of travelers on their way to Wormwood. I found these parties unequal in how much they interested me, and was annoyed to spend so much time with some of them. Also, every character's viewpoint is told in the third person, save one, and the switch between these styles was disorienting, especially the first time it happened.
This isn't the first Weird West story I've read, but it is the weirdest Western I've ever read. I regard that as a very good thing.
July 31, 2013
The Good, The Bad and The Infernal is in the genre of weird west fantasy. It is the story of three groups who are in search for a mythical town which contains a gate to heaven. That premise sold me immediately on the book. When I picked it up I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the author has an easily readable prose and his character concepts are odd enough to fit into this rusty backwards western world.
That being said there are some major flaws to the book. First, it is not a coherent story. It is the first act of three separate stories. They are framed by a prologue and afterward that ties them together. However, the ending basically only sets the reader up for buying the next book without providing any conclusion to the current book.
Also, of the three short stories the quality peaks early. The first act with the old gunslinger and his reluctant sidekick is awesome. The second story is just 'ok'. And the final one is chalked with unlikable characters in a completely forgettable situation that mirrors 'snakes on a plane' except in a western tumbleweed town.
The setting is fun.
The plot is thin.
The characters are creative archetypes that never get fleshed out enough for them to reach their potential.
Overall I say pass. Or if you must skip to the first story and then walk away from the book while you still have a high opinion of it.
That being said there are some major flaws to the book. First, it is not a coherent story. It is the first act of three separate stories. They are framed by a prologue and afterward that ties them together. However, the ending basically only sets the reader up for buying the next book without providing any conclusion to the current book.
Also, of the three short stories the quality peaks early. The first act with the old gunslinger and his reluctant sidekick is awesome. The second story is just 'ok'. And the final one is chalked with unlikable characters in a completely forgettable situation that mirrors 'snakes on a plane' except in a western tumbleweed town.
The setting is fun.
The plot is thin.
The characters are creative archetypes that never get fleshed out enough for them to reach their potential.
Overall I say pass. Or if you must skip to the first story and then walk away from the book while you still have a high opinion of it.
September 17, 2018
A strange mix of Lorna Doone, spaghetti western and steampunk and it is only the first in the series. No likeable characters. No real reason for me to go on, even, except out of curiosity.
I am not sure I am that curious.
I read this book for a reading challenge because it had the word "good" in the title and it was available from my library.
I am not sure I am that curious.
I read this book for a reading challenge because it had the word "good" in the title and it was available from my library.
May 1, 2013
An intriguing blend of spaghetti western, steam punk, and horror, The Good, The Bad, and the Infernal is one of the best books I've read in awhile.
March 26, 2016
Excellent read, so hard to put down. Horror and Western combined to create something fresh and fun. On to the next!
September 13, 2020
First, I enjoyed the Clown Agency books more than I did this one. However, there are two more to go, which I will read, so we'll see how it pans out. Secondly, where in the world to shelve this one? The author calls it a western. Which, yeah, okay, but with searching for Brigadoon (aka Wormwood) and lots of unnatural elements. So maybe supernatural, though it's not really something that would necessarily appeal to those who read supernatural as a rule. Steampunk is also a possibility, and I think that's where it's going to end up. (It occurs to me that one reason I didn't rate this higher is that, by and large, the characters are meant to be off-putting, and even the "nice" ones aren't very nice. In this respect, it is very much a spaghetti western.)
June 15, 2022
The prologue nearly put me off reading this book. It seemed that too many characters were introduced at once and when the first chapter opened up it focused on two characters that were new. But having read the book, each few chapters deals with a section of the characters forementioned. The characters are really good and the similies are funny. I have put the second novel of the trilogy on my read list.
December 3, 2017
The story is a bit convoluted. You follow three different groups of characters and about the time you get into following one group the viewpoint switches. The writing style is good and the characters while quasi-flat are very entertaining and fun to read about. I almost wish this book had either followed one group of characters or been 2x-3x the size it was to really get into it more.
March 11, 2018
A host of characters who, down to almost the last one, are unlikable. Yet, I found myself rooting for them. Not a long book, but all the characters are well fleshed out. What happened in the towns was always riveting, and Serpent's creek was wholly horrifying. I went to bed late several times as I was compelled to keep reading. I am now immediately going to start the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2018
An interesting tale of 3 groups of people making their way to the supernatural town of Wormwood, supposedly the gateway to Heaven that you can walk through without dying. Some have more wholesome reasons while others less so. Wormwood doesn't just let you approach though, and the adventurers have to push through horrifying experiences to make the journey. Not everyone will make it.
January 4, 2021
The ending was disappointing. I thought I was getting a stand-alone, not the first of a trilogy. But the book was ok. It felt like the opening to a larger novel. Told from 3 points of view, with the most interesting point of view (ghost rider as a gunslinger) becoming the most boring somehow.
May 30, 2019
Very entertaining.
June 29, 2025
Interesting story told from three perspectives. I look forward to the next in the series.
April 23, 2015
My first Guy Adams book, and I must admit I really enjoyed it. The Good the Bad and the Infernal is the first book in a trilogy. As the name and overall cover image look would suggest, the settings's a mixture of Westerns and steampunk. I've never been crazy about spaghetti Westerns, but even I could squee in delight at some of the chapter titles, recognizing the film referenced. Most importantly though, this was also my first time reading a book with a setting that resembles such movies.
And it was incredibly entertaining. The characters may not give you much if caricatures and archetypes tend to give you little pleasure regardless of the genre in question, but if you can do with them in the name of hilarity you'll find yourself in good company. They are like what you would expect from a character in a Western movie: often cynical, often only driven by the will to save their own arse. Anti-heroes in other words, many of them, though we do have a few more upstanding citizens thrown in as well. The setting with its environment follows suite as well, with low moral standards, excessive violence and filth. You get the feeling only the smartest and the most cunning, or alternatively the most merciless, will get by. Luckily this also means there isn't a lack of some darker humour either. Both the dialogue and general descriptions of what exactly is (or isn't) going on in a character's head gave me more chuckles than I cared to count. There are three groups of people in total to follow throughout the story, each group's journey in finding Wormwood (a mysterious town of legends that appears every 100 years and, supposedly, opens up a gateway to nothing less than Heaven in all its pomposity itself) individually detailed in three chapters, between separate beginning and ending chapters. The beginning chapter is relatively short and is naturally there to introduce us to the main cast. Hence, character names get dropped at a machinegun speed, which can be a little confusing at first if you are reading in an environment with a lot of distractions, but rest assured, that confusion soon passes after the first few introductory pages.
I did, however, have my problems with the book as well. The most defining of which would be that it doesn't really have that feel it could work as a standalone. As the initiating part of a series of three books this is of course understandable. What author writing a series would not wish to pave way for future purchases with the opening act? Some authors do this by chopping up the Big Picture into several plotlines that can be read merely for their own selves, but which are at their best when you get to put them together, realizing with each new installment just how and to what extent the plot thickens. In The Good the Bad and the Infernal this sort of design is not at play. The ending is designed to leave you hanging. It feels like a cheap way to get potential readers to grab that next part. It's very TV show-like, and you know, there's a reason I don't exactly find myself watching TV but on a rare occasion. It's a shame, especially considering that Adams certainly wouldn't have had to steep to such levels to get me to grab the next part. If anything, after the ending left me feel like I just jumped into the eye of a marsh, I feel almost determined to not purchase the next installment as to not support such tactics. Yet, I know I will, because the characters and the story seemed entertaining at their own right. Such weak resolve I have, in the face of pleasurable reading.
All in all, I'm looking forward to reading the next part of the trilogy. Looking forward to the chuckles, most of all. I wish I had the forked tongue some of these characters seem to have!
Fun, undemanding reading.
And it was incredibly entertaining. The characters may not give you much if caricatures and archetypes tend to give you little pleasure regardless of the genre in question, but if you can do with them in the name of hilarity you'll find yourself in good company. They are like what you would expect from a character in a Western movie: often cynical, often only driven by the will to save their own arse. Anti-heroes in other words, many of them, though we do have a few more upstanding citizens thrown in as well. The setting with its environment follows suite as well, with low moral standards, excessive violence and filth. You get the feeling only the smartest and the most cunning, or alternatively the most merciless, will get by. Luckily this also means there isn't a lack of some darker humour either. Both the dialogue and general descriptions of what exactly is (or isn't) going on in a character's head gave me more chuckles than I cared to count. There are three groups of people in total to follow throughout the story, each group's journey in finding Wormwood (a mysterious town of legends that appears every 100 years and, supposedly, opens up a gateway to nothing less than Heaven in all its pomposity itself) individually detailed in three chapters, between separate beginning and ending chapters. The beginning chapter is relatively short and is naturally there to introduce us to the main cast. Hence, character names get dropped at a machinegun speed, which can be a little confusing at first if you are reading in an environment with a lot of distractions, but rest assured, that confusion soon passes after the first few introductory pages.
I did, however, have my problems with the book as well. The most defining of which would be that it doesn't really have that feel it could work as a standalone. As the initiating part of a series of three books this is of course understandable. What author writing a series would not wish to pave way for future purchases with the opening act? Some authors do this by chopping up the Big Picture into several plotlines that can be read merely for their own selves, but which are at their best when you get to put them together, realizing with each new installment just how and to what extent the plot thickens. In The Good the Bad and the Infernal this sort of design is not at play. The ending is designed to leave you hanging. It feels like a cheap way to get potential readers to grab that next part. It's very TV show-like, and you know, there's a reason I don't exactly find myself watching TV but on a rare occasion. It's a shame, especially considering that Adams certainly wouldn't have had to steep to such levels to get me to grab the next part. If anything, after the ending left me feel like I just jumped into the eye of a marsh, I feel almost determined to not purchase the next installment as to not support such tactics. Yet, I know I will, because the characters and the story seemed entertaining at their own right. Such weak resolve I have, in the face of pleasurable reading.
All in all, I'm looking forward to reading the next part of the trilogy. Looking forward to the chuckles, most of all. I wish I had the forked tongue some of these characters seem to have!
Fun, undemanding reading.
February 21, 2017
If this were the first 300 pages of a 700-page book, it would be a great start to the story it implies it's going to tell. As it stands, I'm annoyed to have come this far only to discover I have to get another book to actually hear that story, so I'm out.
February 15, 2016
I have this habit of getting the first in a series as cheaply as possible and if I find it interesting, will continue the series right away. I think this is my first foray into a sub-genre that's called The Weird West. I have read some other western-type sf/f but nothing I would consider really 'weird. Not like this one.
I must say that I was very disappointed with this novel. In most cases of a series, there is usually a single, over-riding plot-line. Each book of a series normally ends with the resolution of some sub-plot particular to that volume while at the same time moving the reader towards an eventual overall resolution of the main plot line. I mean, while a single volume may end with a cliff-hanger of an ending related to the overall plot-lie, each individual volume does reach some kind of 'local' resolution as kind of a way-station to rest up for the next volume. Such was not the case in this book.
The stories of the various main characters lives, their journey to the legendary Wormwood (which physically appears only once every 100 years), and who they met along the way were interesting and the obstacles they were required to face and overcome to be deemed worthy to get to their destination were pretty horrific. But my problem is that last & final chapter - several of the characters do finally arrive at where Wormwood is supposed to appear, Wormwood does magically manifest. a stranger appears to welcome them and tell them the real adventure is about to begin, and then ... nothing. The characters are there, Wormwood is there, you are there and ... huh?
The End.
Nope I was not pleased with this one and will probably not ever continue this series.
I must say that I was very disappointed with this novel. In most cases of a series, there is usually a single, over-riding plot-line. Each book of a series normally ends with the resolution of some sub-plot particular to that volume while at the same time moving the reader towards an eventual overall resolution of the main plot line. I mean, while a single volume may end with a cliff-hanger of an ending related to the overall plot-lie, each individual volume does reach some kind of 'local' resolution as kind of a way-station to rest up for the next volume. Such was not the case in this book.
The stories of the various main characters lives, their journey to the legendary Wormwood (which physically appears only once every 100 years), and who they met along the way were interesting and the obstacles they were required to face and overcome to be deemed worthy to get to their destination were pretty horrific. But my problem is that last & final chapter - several of the characters do finally arrive at where Wormwood is supposed to appear, Wormwood does magically manifest. a stranger appears to welcome them and tell them the real adventure is about to begin, and then ... nothing. The characters are there, Wormwood is there, you are there and ... huh?
The End.
Nope I was not pleased with this one and will probably not ever continue this series.
May 22, 2014
The Good, The Bad, and The Infernal is a delightfully twisty, engrossing, fantastic novel of fantastic events and supernatural ideas. Every character feels weighty, real, and well-thought-out. The story pulls the reader in, and leads them to want to know more about what is going on. So, with that said, I'd like to give this a four star review, but what holds me back from doing so is that this is not a complete story. This is part one of a trilogy, and while I'd hoped it would be a complete story within that trilogy, it is not. It is setup for the second part, which I imagine will then be setup for the conclusion. This is maddening because what ends up happening is that a lot of threads and stories are left hanging, with no satisfaction, excepting for the implication as to where certain characters have ended up. Now, if I hadn't already invested in purchasing part two of the trilogy, I might be flustered and disappointed. But as it stands, where everything was headed was enough for me to buy the second novel before I finished the first. I absolutely enjoyed reading this, and there were surprises aplenty for me to discover, but as a complete tale it falls unfortunately short. This is the kind of story I recommend only if you're going to be willing to invest in three stories. Certainly, by mid-point I was, but it would have been nice to have seen these events treated with the respect that a novel would carry.
August 26, 2014
This book was just as bold, whacky, and entertaining as its cover promised it would be. Adams knows how to sew a yarn together from diverse genres and elements. It all adds up to a quick and fun read.
Pros:
- Prose: Adams' doesn't mince words unless he has to. He occasionally stops to describe things in detail, but never dawdles or loses himself. Whenever he doesn't need to SHOW you what's happening, the story, and his words, hum along at a brisk pace. The book is only 315 pages long, and can be read, probably, in a sitting or two.
- Genre Bender: Mr. Adams manages to weave elements of the Steampunk, Western, and Fantasy genres into a pleasing, rollicking adventure. This is Sergio Leone with jetpacks and supernatural monsters.
- Characters: Adams doesn't skimp on characterization for his main characters, despite the length of the novel. He manages to pack in details, personality traits, and spices of background story for each of his would-be Wormwood residents.
Cons:
- There are a few anachronisms sprinkled throughout. They didn't bother me, but they might bother you.
All in all this book was a helluva lot of fun. If you are a fan of the new Weird Western genre, consider this required reading.
Pros:
- Prose: Adams' doesn't mince words unless he has to. He occasionally stops to describe things in detail, but never dawdles or loses himself. Whenever he doesn't need to SHOW you what's happening, the story, and his words, hum along at a brisk pace. The book is only 315 pages long, and can be read, probably, in a sitting or two.
- Genre Bender: Mr. Adams manages to weave elements of the Steampunk, Western, and Fantasy genres into a pleasing, rollicking adventure. This is Sergio Leone with jetpacks and supernatural monsters.
- Characters: Adams doesn't skimp on characterization for his main characters, despite the length of the novel. He manages to pack in details, personality traits, and spices of background story for each of his would-be Wormwood residents.
Cons:
- There are a few anachronisms sprinkled throughout. They didn't bother me, but they might bother you.
All in all this book was a helluva lot of fun. If you are a fan of the new Weird Western genre, consider this required reading.
March 7, 2014
I had received the sequel to this novel from NetGalley.com and the publisher for free to review. however, not having read this first book, I picked it up as well.
The story description I read piqued my interest, so at the start I was a bit intrigued to see where it would take me. About a third of the way through, I was finding my attention being lost. The story had split into three groups, all heading to the same goal, but I could not find a likable, or one that I could relate to, or cheer for. My interest waned. I set it aside for a few days, thinking maybe I just needed to come back with a clear head. After several days, I was disinterested after just a few pages. I am not much into the steam-punk sort of western this appears to be, and Guy Adams definitely introduced some pretty weird characters. Though I have enjoyed a coupe of other books by this author, this one was just not for me.
The story description I read piqued my interest, so at the start I was a bit intrigued to see where it would take me. About a third of the way through, I was finding my attention being lost. The story had split into three groups, all heading to the same goal, but I could not find a likable, or one that I could relate to, or cheer for. My interest waned. I set it aside for a few days, thinking maybe I just needed to come back with a clear head. After several days, I was disinterested after just a few pages. I am not much into the steam-punk sort of western this appears to be, and Guy Adams definitely introduced some pretty weird characters. Though I have enjoyed a coupe of other books by this author, this one was just not for me.
November 3, 2014
Guy Adams Brings us a modern pulp tale, that wears all its influences on its sleeve. There are shades of many cowboy and pulp stories, naming each chapter after a classic wild west film is also a nice touch. The author’s passion for the genre is clear to see, which is commendable. However, this is a book that is so influenced it lacks originality and mirrors what has come before.
The saving grace is Adams’ ability to tell an enthralling tale. Some may avoid this book, because of that aforementioned lack of originality, but for me I almost had a guilty pleasure like feeling. Like when you go to the cinema and choose the action movie above the Oscar nominated future classic. You’re not interested in seeing a master auteur at work; you want lots of action excitement and big explosions. So this book is the literary equivalent of the straight to video 13th sequel of “Terminate Hard with Expendability!” and that is not necessarily a bad thing.
The saving grace is Adams’ ability to tell an enthralling tale. Some may avoid this book, because of that aforementioned lack of originality, but for me I almost had a guilty pleasure like feeling. Like when you go to the cinema and choose the action movie above the Oscar nominated future classic. You’re not interested in seeing a master auteur at work; you want lots of action excitement and big explosions. So this book is the literary equivalent of the straight to video 13th sequel of “Terminate Hard with Expendability!” and that is not necessarily a bad thing.
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