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Heaven's Gate Trilogy #2
Once Upon A Time In Hell
A WEIRD WESTERN, A GUN-TOTING, CIGARILLO-CHEWING FANTASY BUILT FROM HANGMAN’S ROPE AND SPENT BULLETS.
Wormwood has appeared, and with it a doorway to the afterlife. But what use is a door if you can’t step through it?
Hundreds have battled unimaginable odds to reach this place, including the blind shooter Henry Jones; the drunk and liar Roderick Quartershaft; that most holy, yet enigmatic of orders, the Brotherhood of Ruth; the inventor Lord Forset and his daughter Elisabeth; the fragile messiah Soldier Joe and his nurse Hope Lane.
Of them all, Elwyn Wallace, a young man who only wanted to travel west for a job, would have happily forgone the experience. But he finds himself abroad in Hell, a nameless, aged gunslinger by his side. He had thought nothing could match the terror of his journey thus far, but time will prove him wrong.
On the road to Hell, good intentions don’t mean a damn.
Wormwood has appeared, and with it a doorway to the afterlife. But what use is a door if you can’t step through it?
Hundreds have battled unimaginable odds to reach this place, including the blind shooter Henry Jones; the drunk and liar Roderick Quartershaft; that most holy, yet enigmatic of orders, the Brotherhood of Ruth; the inventor Lord Forset and his daughter Elisabeth; the fragile messiah Soldier Joe and his nurse Hope Lane.
Of them all, Elwyn Wallace, a young man who only wanted to travel west for a job, would have happily forgone the experience. But he finds himself abroad in Hell, a nameless, aged gunslinger by his side. He had thought nothing could match the terror of his journey thus far, but time will prove him wrong.
On the road to Hell, good intentions don’t mean a damn.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 23, 2013
8 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
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October 23, 2017
The 2nd book of the trilogy finds the three groups of travellers arriving at their destination just in time for the town of Wormwood to appear. It would seem though that getting into heaven is not as easy as it at first appears, as the mysterious Alonso imposes a quota system due to there being so many visitors this time.
Of our three groups, only one gets into Wormwood, so of necessity the bulk of the story revolves around them. It turns out that to get to heaven, you literally have to go through hell. The book does a good job of describing the horrors that our chosen ones have to face. There are some more mundane issues to face such as finding mounts and allies, but all overlaid with actual demons, succubi and monsters. The book ends with them arriving at the gates of heaven.
This emphasis leaves our other two groups with little to do and rather unbalances the story as a whole. I assume that they will become important in the final volume, otherwise why bother to create them in the first place?
Of our three groups, only one gets into Wormwood, so of necessity the bulk of the story revolves around them. It turns out that to get to heaven, you literally have to go through hell. The book does a good job of describing the horrors that our chosen ones have to face. There are some more mundane issues to face such as finding mounts and allies, but all overlaid with actual demons, succubi and monsters. The book ends with them arriving at the gates of heaven.
This emphasis leaves our other two groups with little to do and rather unbalances the story as a whole. I assume that they will become important in the final volume, otherwise why bother to create them in the first place?
July 1, 2015
So Wormwood turns out to be Hell and its all gambling and succubus and Groot like trees. Not as good as the first book
December 31, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
If Guy Adams is to be believed, the best way to get to Heaven is to go through Hell. Literally. In ONCE UPON A TIME IN HELL, the second part of his Heaven’s Gate Trilogy, the survivors of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INFERNAL finally make it to the mythical town of Wormwood, where once every hundred years a select group of pilgrims gets a chance to peek into the afterlife. Whether that afterlife is upstairs or downstairs seems to depend on the person – but the Dominion of Circles is clearly ‘where the party’s at,’ and the twists on the journey of the Five-Man Band made for a hell of a ride.
Sometimes you can jump into the middle of a series without issue, but given that Heaven’s Gate is billed as a trilogy, I would recommend starting at the beginning. I didn’t feel lost plot-wise in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HELL, but there was a sense of missing out, and if there was a steampunk aspect to the series as the description suggests, it was dropped for this sequel which predominantly takes place in the steam-less afterlife. Adams has assembled a diverse and interesting cast to populate what I would call a horror-filled Western, and my only significant struggle with the story was the dueling first-person narrators. It was difficult at the start to keep them straight, and I got the impression that Patrick Irish – recovering pulp novelist – was a leftover narrator from the first book. His first person POV felt somewhat stilted, and largely unnecessary, though I did enjoy his meta observations about writers.
The novel really sparked when Elwyn Wallace took over the narration. Having missed THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INFERNAL, I didn’t know much about Elwyn, but his ‘Average Joe,’ nice-guy-in-over-his-head character comes through with perfect clarity. Both his naivete and his travel plans express a sort of weary resignation to following orders, though he does get a chance to meet the most interesting people – or creatures – while wandering around Hell. The scene on the gambling barge where memory is currency is equal parts fun and nightmare-inducing.
Adams’ Hell is creepy, and disturbing, just as it ought to be, with a real streak of creative sadism. Its inhabitants are not strictly speaking evil, but more the sort of minions out of underworld myths and legends. Though Heaven is, by contrast, empty and vacuous, the final scene in the citadel suggests all Hell is about to break loose – and take Earth along with it, priming a new world order for the final book of the Heaven’s Gate series.
Sexual content: Limited suggestive content
If Guy Adams is to be believed, the best way to get to Heaven is to go through Hell. Literally. In ONCE UPON A TIME IN HELL, the second part of his Heaven’s Gate Trilogy, the survivors of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INFERNAL finally make it to the mythical town of Wormwood, where once every hundred years a select group of pilgrims gets a chance to peek into the afterlife. Whether that afterlife is upstairs or downstairs seems to depend on the person – but the Dominion of Circles is clearly ‘where the party’s at,’ and the twists on the journey of the Five-Man Band made for a hell of a ride.
Sometimes you can jump into the middle of a series without issue, but given that Heaven’s Gate is billed as a trilogy, I would recommend starting at the beginning. I didn’t feel lost plot-wise in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HELL, but there was a sense of missing out, and if there was a steampunk aspect to the series as the description suggests, it was dropped for this sequel which predominantly takes place in the steam-less afterlife. Adams has assembled a diverse and interesting cast to populate what I would call a horror-filled Western, and my only significant struggle with the story was the dueling first-person narrators. It was difficult at the start to keep them straight, and I got the impression that Patrick Irish – recovering pulp novelist – was a leftover narrator from the first book. His first person POV felt somewhat stilted, and largely unnecessary, though I did enjoy his meta observations about writers.
The novel really sparked when Elwyn Wallace took over the narration. Having missed THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INFERNAL, I didn’t know much about Elwyn, but his ‘Average Joe,’ nice-guy-in-over-his-head character comes through with perfect clarity. Both his naivete and his travel plans express a sort of weary resignation to following orders, though he does get a chance to meet the most interesting people – or creatures – while wandering around Hell. The scene on the gambling barge where memory is currency is equal parts fun and nightmare-inducing.
Adams’ Hell is creepy, and disturbing, just as it ought to be, with a real streak of creative sadism. Its inhabitants are not strictly speaking evil, but more the sort of minions out of underworld myths and legends. Though Heaven is, by contrast, empty and vacuous, the final scene in the citadel suggests all Hell is about to break loose – and take Earth along with it, priming a new world order for the final book of the Heaven’s Gate series.
Sexual content: Limited suggestive content
May 1, 2016
On to the next!
Things are hotting up in heaven... and hell..
Things are hotting up in heaven... and hell..
February 18, 2014
Originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
Last year I read the first book in the Heaven's Gate Trilogy, The Good, the Bad and the Infernal, as was blown away with the powerfully imaginative story that Guy Adams managed to put down. I have also become more familiar with Guy Adam´s books and he has become a must-read author for me, I really enjoy his creative feat that he manages to put down, and not only in his own devised worlds but also in the establishes Sherlock universe. The Good, the Bad and the Infernal introduced the reader to a weirder western tale with a lot of steampunk influences.
The Good, the Bad and the Infernal focused on showing the story from a multiple point of view cast, all different pilgrims that were traveling to Wormwood for the doorway into heaven, in their journey so far they have encounter the supernatural many times each in a different way, but it now seem that the challenges they have faced so far are nothing compared to what lies ahead. In Once Upon a Time in Hell, Guy Adams doesn't spare one moment for the reader, it BAM Wormwood is there, I have had dreams as to how to imagine Guy Adams' Heaven and Hell interpretation. I must say that I am very impressed with how he has created it. When you look at the background of the story, a sort of spaghetti western - steampunkish style in 1889, it fits. It's part rough, part dark and gritty but also there is this light at the end of the tunnel. I was impressed and Guy Adams does what he does best, if you think you have encountered a rich imagination wait till you read one of Guy Adams' creations.
Ok like I mentioned above Once Upon a Time in Hell opens up with the gate to Heaven appearing in Wormwood. But this doesn't mean that every pilgrim directly gets to venture into Heaven itself, it's only a few at a time. However once some of the pilgrims are transported into Wormwood it soon starts to dawn on them that Heaven isn't exactly how they imagined into to be... And to get to Heaven they have to venture through Hell.
This brings me to I think the main protagonist of the story, Elwyn Walace who traveled with the enigmatic-obscure "old man" who goes without name but is pretty bad ass. They scheme to get through the gate, once they are through there story readily pulls forward and bolsters the creativity of Guy Adams. The Hell they are in is western inspired, card gambling and hard drinking. But the stakes are much higher than just money. You buy yourself in buy exchanging memories or life experiences. Elwyn here makes perhaps a devastating mistake that I think will bite him in the back later on. He gains a lot but possibly has to give up a lot as well. By this action and a lot more you see Elwyn character in many fronts. He was already leading the story back in The Good, the Bad and the Infernal, he was partly determined but also didn't really know what to do and by the "old man" he got some direction back but now that he is somewhat on his own legs in Hell, his naivete really comes to show. With these things, Elwyn doesn't become predictable at all but he is acting a lot in the spur of the moment, making his adventure great to read about. Accompanying Elwyn is the old man, a determined gunslinger, he also starts to grow and loosening up and as a reader is was very nice to finally start to learn and understand more about the old man... just his name would be nice, but still having this level of obscureness does make and keep me eager to see how it will unfold in the third book.
Another character that gives a nice point of view is Patrick Irish, who formally went by the name of Roderick Quartershaft, a world renowned author of many adventures. With his pilgrimage to Wormwood, he now has the chance to write the story of his life... only if he can live that long... A addition to the series is Meridiana who travels along with Elwyn and the "old man", she is a hellish creature and doesn't mind to use that in her favor. She is succubus and I really liked how Elwyn first reacted toward this fact and also how he was a bit put off by everything that she did. It really further shows that Elwyn on some parts isn't really acquainted and perhaps comfortable with the weirdness that is going on but that he is trying. Just lastely I wanted to mention Alonzo. Alonzo was the one person/being who drew each pilgrim to Wormwood, his intentions remained to be guessed at best but along the way of the story in Once Upon a Time in Hell, his intentions become clear and he has his eyes on a selected view with a much larger plan in mind that many reader had heretofore dared to imagined. I think it was quite a bold move to introduce such a twist (I mean to say this in a good way ofcourse well a best way) I was surprised but Guy Adams does it with his own flair and just as the development of the character with this sudden plot twist he has gotten me even more addicted to his series.
As for the setting of the books, above I already mentioned that Guy Adam's kept the whole setting true to the first book, but it felt for me that the whole surroundings in Wormwood and Hell were much more dynamic than in the first book. I have to say that the single encounters of the pilgrims are still in the back of my mind, but the flow of the book was definitely much better that The Good, the Bad and the Infernal. It might by due to the fact that the build-up of the story was done in a superb manner and with that in the back of my mind, the whole new setting of Wormwood and Hell just paid of in full. What I also very much liked about this sequel is that Guy Adams doesn't shy away to into a new direction with his story, completely changing, for me at lest, a premise I had imagined. Here he keeps you on the edge of your seat with the book strongly gripped in your hand.
Once Upon a Time in Hell and the Heaven's Gate Trilogy so far has been a true weird western adventure that grabs you and pulls you in and keeps you there even long after the story has finished, only then when you let it all sink in I got this second WOW affect. In this relative short story Guy Adams manages to dish out quite a few heavy punches in terms of developing a strong storyline that is exciting, fresh and new but also creates a set of interesting characters that don't stop to developing as the series progresses. Guy Adams showcases his creative talent with combining many different elements that all work for the better of the story. The ending of the book was something I hadn't dared to imagine... it's bold... it's brave but in the hands of someone like Guy Adams I think we will be in grand finale in the third book of the Heaven's Gate trilogy. Can't wait!!
Last year I read the first book in the Heaven's Gate Trilogy, The Good, the Bad and the Infernal, as was blown away with the powerfully imaginative story that Guy Adams managed to put down. I have also become more familiar with Guy Adam´s books and he has become a must-read author for me, I really enjoy his creative feat that he manages to put down, and not only in his own devised worlds but also in the establishes Sherlock universe. The Good, the Bad and the Infernal introduced the reader to a weirder western tale with a lot of steampunk influences.
The Good, the Bad and the Infernal focused on showing the story from a multiple point of view cast, all different pilgrims that were traveling to Wormwood for the doorway into heaven, in their journey so far they have encounter the supernatural many times each in a different way, but it now seem that the challenges they have faced so far are nothing compared to what lies ahead. In Once Upon a Time in Hell, Guy Adams doesn't spare one moment for the reader, it BAM Wormwood is there, I have had dreams as to how to imagine Guy Adams' Heaven and Hell interpretation. I must say that I am very impressed with how he has created it. When you look at the background of the story, a sort of spaghetti western - steampunkish style in 1889, it fits. It's part rough, part dark and gritty but also there is this light at the end of the tunnel. I was impressed and Guy Adams does what he does best, if you think you have encountered a rich imagination wait till you read one of Guy Adams' creations.
Ok like I mentioned above Once Upon a Time in Hell opens up with the gate to Heaven appearing in Wormwood. But this doesn't mean that every pilgrim directly gets to venture into Heaven itself, it's only a few at a time. However once some of the pilgrims are transported into Wormwood it soon starts to dawn on them that Heaven isn't exactly how they imagined into to be... And to get to Heaven they have to venture through Hell.
This brings me to I think the main protagonist of the story, Elwyn Walace who traveled with the enigmatic-obscure "old man" who goes without name but is pretty bad ass. They scheme to get through the gate, once they are through there story readily pulls forward and bolsters the creativity of Guy Adams. The Hell they are in is western inspired, card gambling and hard drinking. But the stakes are much higher than just money. You buy yourself in buy exchanging memories or life experiences. Elwyn here makes perhaps a devastating mistake that I think will bite him in the back later on. He gains a lot but possibly has to give up a lot as well. By this action and a lot more you see Elwyn character in many fronts. He was already leading the story back in The Good, the Bad and the Infernal, he was partly determined but also didn't really know what to do and by the "old man" he got some direction back but now that he is somewhat on his own legs in Hell, his naivete really comes to show. With these things, Elwyn doesn't become predictable at all but he is acting a lot in the spur of the moment, making his adventure great to read about. Accompanying Elwyn is the old man, a determined gunslinger, he also starts to grow and loosening up and as a reader is was very nice to finally start to learn and understand more about the old man... just his name would be nice, but still having this level of obscureness does make and keep me eager to see how it will unfold in the third book.
Another character that gives a nice point of view is Patrick Irish, who formally went by the name of Roderick Quartershaft, a world renowned author of many adventures. With his pilgrimage to Wormwood, he now has the chance to write the story of his life... only if he can live that long... A addition to the series is Meridiana who travels along with Elwyn and the "old man", she is a hellish creature and doesn't mind to use that in her favor. She is succubus and I really liked how Elwyn first reacted toward this fact and also how he was a bit put off by everything that she did. It really further shows that Elwyn on some parts isn't really acquainted and perhaps comfortable with the weirdness that is going on but that he is trying. Just lastely I wanted to mention Alonzo. Alonzo was the one person/being who drew each pilgrim to Wormwood, his intentions remained to be guessed at best but along the way of the story in Once Upon a Time in Hell, his intentions become clear and he has his eyes on a selected view with a much larger plan in mind that many reader had heretofore dared to imagined. I think it was quite a bold move to introduce such a twist (I mean to say this in a good way ofcourse well a best way) I was surprised but Guy Adams does it with his own flair and just as the development of the character with this sudden plot twist he has gotten me even more addicted to his series.
As for the setting of the books, above I already mentioned that Guy Adam's kept the whole setting true to the first book, but it felt for me that the whole surroundings in Wormwood and Hell were much more dynamic than in the first book. I have to say that the single encounters of the pilgrims are still in the back of my mind, but the flow of the book was definitely much better that The Good, the Bad and the Infernal. It might by due to the fact that the build-up of the story was done in a superb manner and with that in the back of my mind, the whole new setting of Wormwood and Hell just paid of in full. What I also very much liked about this sequel is that Guy Adams doesn't shy away to into a new direction with his story, completely changing, for me at lest, a premise I had imagined. Here he keeps you on the edge of your seat with the book strongly gripped in your hand.
Once Upon a Time in Hell and the Heaven's Gate Trilogy so far has been a true weird western adventure that grabs you and pulls you in and keeps you there even long after the story has finished, only then when you let it all sink in I got this second WOW affect. In this relative short story Guy Adams manages to dish out quite a few heavy punches in terms of developing a strong storyline that is exciting, fresh and new but also creates a set of interesting characters that don't stop to developing as the series progresses. Guy Adams showcases his creative talent with combining many different elements that all work for the better of the story. The ending of the book was something I hadn't dared to imagine... it's bold... it's brave but in the hands of someone like Guy Adams I think we will be in grand finale in the third book of the Heaven's Gate trilogy. Can't wait!!
March 25, 2022
Fun fact: I've checked this book out of the library at least 6 times since I started Ye Olde Alphabetical Reading Project, potentially single-handedly keeping it out of the stacks. But I did it! I finally finished it!
Really more of a 3 or a 3.5, but the pace really picked up and got interesting in the last it there, so I am feeling generous and rounding up. This one was a slow start, potentially because it turns out to be the second book in a series but I haven't read the first one, so I was not picking up what Guy Adams was putting down originally. But the library doesn't have the first one, so here we are.
I'm not particularly a fan of Westerns, but this book was funny and fast-paced once the actual plot got rolling. I randomly skipped like... 70 pages? Maybe 100? But it got me to a point that was interesting and i finished from there. Funny concepts, enjoyed the conceit, and in general the whole thing felt very fun and lighthearted.
Really more of a 3 or a 3.5, but the pace really picked up and got interesting in the last it there, so I am feeling generous and rounding up. This one was a slow start, potentially because it turns out to be the second book in a series but I haven't read the first one, so I was not picking up what Guy Adams was putting down originally. But the library doesn't have the first one, so here we are.
I'm not particularly a fan of Westerns, but this book was funny and fast-paced once the actual plot got rolling. I randomly skipped like... 70 pages? Maybe 100? But it got me to a point that was interesting and i finished from there. Funny concepts, enjoyed the conceit, and in general the whole thing felt very fun and lighthearted.
October 30, 2018
The odyssey of our characters, I wouldn't call most of them heroes, continues as we follow some through hell while others puzzle out what Alonzo, their host in Heaven, is planning. We meet some new and interesting characters and have what I consider to be one of the better character reveals I can think of. The character's identity has been a mystery thus far and the reveal was well worth it. Some books use the reveal as a cheat, with no hints given, but this reveal felt earned. As with the first book in the series, the book ends on a cliff hanger making you want to read further.
September 17, 2021
This is the second series I've read by this author, and it's quite different from the first. This particular volume is filled with bizarre and, yes, hellish, accounts of the circles of Hell. I'll read the third volume, but I enjoyed the Clown Agency books much better.
August 1, 2019
Witty, terrifying and philosophical.
October 12, 2022
Just wasn't for me. I'll continue the trilogy but we'll see. Honestly a mess this one was.
July 14, 2017
If you have read both Dante's Inferno and Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, you may consider yourself mildly prepared for this book. I might also suggest Doug Adams' hitchhiker series in preparation. Of course, you could also read the first book in the trilogy. I didn't, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't.
In many ways, this is the strangest book you will ever read. The dueling first person narratives don't help. Nor do the innumerable stars. It's a weird western and the concept is that Wormwood appears for one day every hundred years and it's worth risking life and limb to get to because it's a doorway into heaven and hell. Welcome to your tour of the afterlife and the phantastical creatures you will find within.
Angels and devils galore. And a battle is to begin that just might lay the universe to waste.
At one point, Elwyn's company consists of a succumbus with tentacles, an age old card cheat, a giant dog, a talking tree, and an invisible man.
At first I found this book confusing especially as it switched between narratives, but once the story crossed into the other side and memories and lives are bet at the card table, the book was one I couldn't put down.
In many ways, this is the strangest book you will ever read. The dueling first person narratives don't help. Nor do the innumerable stars. It's a weird western and the concept is that Wormwood appears for one day every hundred years and it's worth risking life and limb to get to because it's a doorway into heaven and hell. Welcome to your tour of the afterlife and the phantastical creatures you will find within.
Angels and devils galore. And a battle is to begin that just might lay the universe to waste.
At one point, Elwyn's company consists of a succumbus with tentacles, an age old card cheat, a giant dog, a talking tree, and an invisible man.
At first I found this book confusing especially as it switched between narratives, but once the story crossed into the other side and memories and lives are bet at the card table, the book was one I couldn't put down.
March 16, 2014
The book starts immediately after the events in The Good, the Dad and the Infernal . Anyone who survived the journey has arrived at Wormwood and anxiously awaits the village to appear . When it eventually appears, it turns out to be not as everyone expected. Not everyone is in fact admitted to the village. Those who were admitted just disappeared from the crowd, leaving the rest behind.
We follow the familiar characters, some of which were allowed to enter Wormwood, others remain behind and still others find their own way to the Hereafter .
Throughout the book, the author introduces a number of mysteries . Who is the person who is described as the devil, who took a woman from the camp and killed her in the mountains? Who is they guy called Lorenzo who talks to them from Wormwood and has addressed some of the travelers specifically in the past to encourage them to come to see Wormwood. Then we still have the big question from the first book : who is the old, nameless gunslinger whose eyes and mouth glow at night. And then of course the greatest mystery of all: what is the purpose of Wormwood ? Is it really as they say, to give people a glimpse of the afterlife or is it more than that ?
The gunslinger and his protégée find their own way through the "hell" in the afterlife, not waiting for a possible admission to Wormwood . For some reason, no one can see the old gunslinger in the deeper layers of the hereafter, except Elwin . Elwin is given the task to find a woman with some magical powers and convince her to phrase a certain ‘spell’. But Elwin is a bit overconfident and his game is not working out as he had hoped , with quite destructive consequences .
Hell in Guy Adam’s world is full of strange creatures and it was really fun to read. It gives a very different picture of hell than the standard or any version I've already read. Guy Adams has a vivid imagination and all these strange , sometimes absurd creatures fit perfectly into the story he wanted to create here.
The writer , the blind assassin and mentally ill soldier and his caretaker are all admitted to Wormwood and all come into contact with Lorenzo one way or another. But why were they admitted and the others not? What is expected of them?
While the people who were not allowed become more and more restless and everything is threatening to turn into a real revolt. Will the people who everyone is turning on be able to keep themselves save or will there be even more victims?
The ending was fantastic, I've read very few such a memorable last sentence. It made me instantly crave for more, because it must be said, it is a serious cliffhanger .
Once Upon a Time in Hell is another story full of crazy characters, strange twists and crazy locations. A book full of oddities that captivated me ‘till the end. I absolutely cannot wait for the next part of this series , because these books are truly unique and make for wonderful reading.
We follow the familiar characters, some of which were allowed to enter Wormwood, others remain behind and still others find their own way to the Hereafter .
Throughout the book, the author introduces a number of mysteries . Who is the person who is described as the devil, who took a woman from the camp and killed her in the mountains? Who is they guy called Lorenzo who talks to them from Wormwood and has addressed some of the travelers specifically in the past to encourage them to come to see Wormwood. Then we still have the big question from the first book : who is the old, nameless gunslinger whose eyes and mouth glow at night. And then of course the greatest mystery of all: what is the purpose of Wormwood ? Is it really as they say, to give people a glimpse of the afterlife or is it more than that ?
The gunslinger and his protégée find their own way through the "hell" in the afterlife, not waiting for a possible admission to Wormwood . For some reason, no one can see the old gunslinger in the deeper layers of the hereafter, except Elwin . Elwin is given the task to find a woman with some magical powers and convince her to phrase a certain ‘spell’. But Elwin is a bit overconfident and his game is not working out as he had hoped , with quite destructive consequences .
Hell in Guy Adam’s world is full of strange creatures and it was really fun to read. It gives a very different picture of hell than the standard or any version I've already read. Guy Adams has a vivid imagination and all these strange , sometimes absurd creatures fit perfectly into the story he wanted to create here.
The writer , the blind assassin and mentally ill soldier and his caretaker are all admitted to Wormwood and all come into contact with Lorenzo one way or another. But why were they admitted and the others not? What is expected of them?
While the people who were not allowed become more and more restless and everything is threatening to turn into a real revolt. Will the people who everyone is turning on be able to keep themselves save or will there be even more victims?
The ending was fantastic, I've read very few such a memorable last sentence. It made me instantly crave for more, because it must be said, it is a serious cliffhanger .
Once Upon a Time in Hell is another story full of crazy characters, strange twists and crazy locations. A book full of oddities that captivated me ‘till the end. I absolutely cannot wait for the next part of this series , because these books are truly unique and make for wonderful reading.
July 23, 2016
A Hot Time in the Old Town
This is Book Two of the Heaven's Gate Trilogy. You don't need to have read Book One if you're willing to be in the dark for a few chapters until the characters fall into place. (By the way, you might classify this book as weird fiction or bizarro, but I didn't see much in the way of steampunk, despite blurbs to that effect.)
The setup here is that a gateway to the afterlife has opened in the desert of the American southwest. The gateway appears as the town of Wormwood, which looks just like an old time wild west town. A multitude of people were called to Wormwood and a large and diverse array of misfit pilgrims have made it. (Book One covers that part of the tale.) Once Wormwood appears and the gateway opens, what will each person find? The gateway only opens once every hundred years, and we don't know if it leads to heaven, hell, or something else.
There are several dozen characters who are identified in the first chapters, and we focus on about a dozen of them as the story progresses. Some are lost, some are found, some are good, some are bad, some are evil. Some are otherworldly in a demon/creature sort of way and some are ordinary Joe's. If there is any character you aren't crazy about or interested in, well another one will enter on the stage shortly.
The strength of this book, to me, is the very different voices of the characters. Some are funny, some are sad, some are hard, some are lost. The author gives each a distinct voice and personality, and this is one of the few big cast books that works. We are helped by the fact that the narrator for the first part of the book, (a sort of meta-author who also comments on the book as a book), soon gives way to an everyman character, Elwyn, who is observant, funny and pretty much resigned to go with the underworld flow.
As our characters work their ways through the afterlife obstacles set before them we get to see a wildly inventive author having fun with a wildly inventive premise, and there are some set scenes and bits of dialogue or business that are priceless. None of it is cute or precious and the author never tries to out-clever or deep-meaning the reader. (For that, read a modern Dante translation.)
I don't know where this trilogy came from in terms of Book One, and we don't know ultimately where it will go, but if this is the middle, and middles are traditionally sort of lame, "Heaven's Gate" will be a trilogy to reckon with.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
This is Book Two of the Heaven's Gate Trilogy. You don't need to have read Book One if you're willing to be in the dark for a few chapters until the characters fall into place. (By the way, you might classify this book as weird fiction or bizarro, but I didn't see much in the way of steampunk, despite blurbs to that effect.)
The setup here is that a gateway to the afterlife has opened in the desert of the American southwest. The gateway appears as the town of Wormwood, which looks just like an old time wild west town. A multitude of people were called to Wormwood and a large and diverse array of misfit pilgrims have made it. (Book One covers that part of the tale.) Once Wormwood appears and the gateway opens, what will each person find? The gateway only opens once every hundred years, and we don't know if it leads to heaven, hell, or something else.
There are several dozen characters who are identified in the first chapters, and we focus on about a dozen of them as the story progresses. Some are lost, some are found, some are good, some are bad, some are evil. Some are otherworldly in a demon/creature sort of way and some are ordinary Joe's. If there is any character you aren't crazy about or interested in, well another one will enter on the stage shortly.
The strength of this book, to me, is the very different voices of the characters. Some are funny, some are sad, some are hard, some are lost. The author gives each a distinct voice and personality, and this is one of the few big cast books that works. We are helped by the fact that the narrator for the first part of the book, (a sort of meta-author who also comments on the book as a book), soon gives way to an everyman character, Elwyn, who is observant, funny and pretty much resigned to go with the underworld flow.
As our characters work their ways through the afterlife obstacles set before them we get to see a wildly inventive author having fun with a wildly inventive premise, and there are some set scenes and bits of dialogue or business that are priceless. None of it is cute or precious and the author never tries to out-clever or deep-meaning the reader. (For that, read a modern Dante translation.)
I don't know where this trilogy came from in terms of Book One, and we don't know ultimately where it will go, but if this is the middle, and middles are traditionally sort of lame, "Heaven's Gate" will be a trilogy to reckon with.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
April 9, 2014
Very uncharacteristically, I picked up a sequel without realizing it was a sequel. (Part 2 of a trilogy.) So that's why the intro seemed to have weird pacing -- introducing a bunch of characters very quickly, and then pushing most of them into the background. But after that the book didn't suffer much from being read standalone. So good job, author.
A ghost town appears in a steampunky alternate Old West. (The steampunkiness of it all is only hinted at, however. The book I missed must have covered that stuff.) Pilgrims gather, having been told -- mysteriously -- that this town will offer tourist trips to the afterlife, one day only.
The offer turns out to be something of a cheat, of course. The story primarily follows a retired preacher-or-something and a nameless gunslinger-in-black, who sneak into Wormwood. (The gunslinger knows a trick or two, and has business inside.) They wind up doing the full tour of Hell, accumulating a crowd of sidekicks as they go. We occasionally jump back to the frustrated crowd lined up outside.
Hell has great scenery; the Old-Weird-West ambience is a great fit. (Better than Los Angeles, I have to say.) But -- as is so often the case in these Milton riffs -- the author doesn't have much to add to the *story* of Lucifer-vs-God. Or civil-war-in-Hell, which is even more common in recent fantasy. Calling Hell "the Dominion of Circles" (c.f. Dante) doesn't really shake things up. As for the closing gag, well, DeChancie did it decades ago as I recall.
Also, I've had enough succubuses for a while, thanks.
In addition to discovering an unread prequel, I discover that I read an (unrelated) earlier novel by the same author. _The World House_ had good scenery, but an unengaging narrative and annoying characters. This series has good scenery and engaging narrative and (some) fun characters, but it's thematically not going anywhere. I mean, maybe the concluding book is full of electrifying insight, but nothing leads me to think so. Thus, I figure I should skip it and try the author's *next* series. He's improving but not there yet, at least for me.
A ghost town appears in a steampunky alternate Old West. (The steampunkiness of it all is only hinted at, however. The book I missed must have covered that stuff.) Pilgrims gather, having been told -- mysteriously -- that this town will offer tourist trips to the afterlife, one day only.
The offer turns out to be something of a cheat, of course. The story primarily follows a retired preacher-or-something and a nameless gunslinger-in-black, who sneak into Wormwood. (The gunslinger knows a trick or two, and has business inside.) They wind up doing the full tour of Hell, accumulating a crowd of sidekicks as they go. We occasionally jump back to the frustrated crowd lined up outside.
Hell has great scenery; the Old-Weird-West ambience is a great fit. (Better than Los Angeles, I have to say.) But -- as is so often the case in these Milton riffs -- the author doesn't have much to add to the *story* of Lucifer-vs-God. Or civil-war-in-Hell, which is even more common in recent fantasy. Calling Hell "the Dominion of Circles" (c.f. Dante) doesn't really shake things up. As for the closing gag, well, DeChancie did it decades ago as I recall.
Also, I've had enough succubuses for a while, thanks.
In addition to discovering an unread prequel, I discover that I read an (unrelated) earlier novel by the same author. _The World House_ had good scenery, but an unengaging narrative and annoying characters. This series has good scenery and engaging narrative and (some) fun characters, but it's thematically not going anywhere. I mean, maybe the concluding book is full of electrifying insight, but nothing leads me to think so. Thus, I figure I should skip it and try the author's *next* series. He's improving but not there yet, at least for me.
January 3, 2014
So, back in the Spring I posted a review of the first part of Guy Adams's 'Heaven's Gate' trilogy and ended with this comment : "Bring on part two next year, as this is darn good, rootin'-tootin', gun-slinging fun".
I'd like to apologise for that. Sure, I've been to a cowboy boot store in Kansas, I've drunk whisky in Santa Fe and I've successfully panned for gold (in Legoland in Denmark, but it still counts), but I have no right to write such cod Wild West nonsense. I'm sat in a Victorian flat in London wearing a cardigan and sipping ginger tea. The only Westerny things in my eyeline are the 'Dude' in the 'Dude, Where's My Car?' credits on the telly, and the cat's Lee Van Cleef stare. Ok, at the time I wrote the review I was actually sat by the side of the Mekong river so had at least a little Martin Sheen voiceover in my head but that's no excuse. Especially concerning a book written by a Brit with a superb and uncorny usage of Old West lingo.
At least, however, the emotion behind such misguided word-smithery was genuine. I really liked The Good, The Bad and The Infernal. Its mix of old and new ingredients was refreshing, and the story wild, silly and moving in equal measure. The first part concluded with the various characters, after hellish journeys, all meeting at the mythical town of Wormwood, as it appeared out of thin air in the desert. Whether this town was truly a gateway to the afterlife was a debate running through the story, and this second novel swiftly follows to provide an answer...
Read the full review at Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together
I'd like to apologise for that. Sure, I've been to a cowboy boot store in Kansas, I've drunk whisky in Santa Fe and I've successfully panned for gold (in Legoland in Denmark, but it still counts), but I have no right to write such cod Wild West nonsense. I'm sat in a Victorian flat in London wearing a cardigan and sipping ginger tea. The only Westerny things in my eyeline are the 'Dude' in the 'Dude, Where's My Car?' credits on the telly, and the cat's Lee Van Cleef stare. Ok, at the time I wrote the review I was actually sat by the side of the Mekong river so had at least a little Martin Sheen voiceover in my head but that's no excuse. Especially concerning a book written by a Brit with a superb and uncorny usage of Old West lingo.
At least, however, the emotion behind such misguided word-smithery was genuine. I really liked The Good, The Bad and The Infernal. Its mix of old and new ingredients was refreshing, and the story wild, silly and moving in equal measure. The first part concluded with the various characters, after hellish journeys, all meeting at the mythical town of Wormwood, as it appeared out of thin air in the desert. Whether this town was truly a gateway to the afterlife was a debate running through the story, and this second novel swiftly follows to provide an answer...
Read the full review at Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together
May 9, 2014
This, the second in the series "Heaven's Gate" series, follows after
The Good the Bad and the Infernal
in the story line. I'd recommend the earlier title first, but it's unlikely that you actually need to read №1 prior to this. You'll thank me for the fact you've read the earlier one, but not because this makes more sense as a result; simply because you've had a good time reading the earlier title.
If you've never seen a western, you'll still recognise the 'tropes' of the category. If you've been sat down and watched all the Spaghetti Western films to someone's hand whilst tied to a chair and had the words "bloody hell, look at that; isn't that landscape beautiful ?" yelled in your ear every eighteen seconds, you'll appreciate the care and attention that the author has put into this. If you love the entire output of John Ford, Sergio Leone, and possibly Akira Kurosawa, then you'll probably create a temple to Guy Adams in your garden, as the skill everything is fitted together is like looking at a parquet floor created by a master craftsmen, so flawless is the fitting of the pieces one to another.
If the notion of a steampunk / western / horror / speculative fiction / fantasy adaptation of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy intrigues you, then read this and be entertained. If the idea makes you think "well, that'll be a lot of work," then read this and be entertained.
Look, just read this, okay? Seriously.
If you've never seen a western, you'll still recognise the 'tropes' of the category. If you've been sat down and watched all the Spaghetti Western films to someone's hand whilst tied to a chair and had the words "bloody hell, look at that; isn't that landscape beautiful ?" yelled in your ear every eighteen seconds, you'll appreciate the care and attention that the author has put into this. If you love the entire output of John Ford, Sergio Leone, and possibly Akira Kurosawa, then you'll probably create a temple to Guy Adams in your garden, as the skill everything is fitted together is like looking at a parquet floor created by a master craftsmen, so flawless is the fitting of the pieces one to another.
If the notion of a steampunk / western / horror / speculative fiction / fantasy adaptation of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy intrigues you, then read this and be entertained. If the idea makes you think "well, that'll be a lot of work," then read this and be entertained.
Look, just read this, okay? Seriously.
March 15, 2014
The first part of the Heavens Gate Trilogy ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Infernal’ was one of my favourite novels of the past 12 months so this little number had a LOT to live up to. Not a problem, Guy Adams is an exceptional author and as far as I’m concerned can do no wrong. Once upon a time in hell takes a new turn in following the surviving cast from the previous instalment but has dropped the steampunk stylising that featured quite heavily leaving this novel as more of a supercharged western/fantasy, not a bad thing at all, from the first chapter in once upon a time... was about as entertaining as a book could realistically get. I would strongly recommend reading the first in this trilogy before picking up this one, firstly as you will be missing some essential background and secondly, if you don’t, you are seriously missing out.
February 14, 2015
When I had commenced my journey towards the 'Heavan's Gate' with "The Good, The Bad, and The Infernal", I had absolutely no idea that it would be a journey that's simultaneously harrowing and enriching, nauseating and adorable, brutal and poignant, unending and unforgettable. With this 2nd book of the trilogy, I have reached a point where it's almost impossible to pass the time in reading something else until the third & final book arrives. If you are yet to read anything from Guy Adams, you would find it difficult to comprehend my lavish praise for his works. But if you know how and what he writes, and yet have deprived yourself from this trilogy, you need to rectify the situation ASAP. Highly Recommended.
December 16, 2014
The tighter focus on less POV characters pays off well for the second book in this series, but at the same time, it moves almost entirely away from being a weird western and becomes just kind of... weird. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and I definitely want to read on and see how it all concludes, but the steampunk/supernatural/western genre mashup just seems like it's been tacked on as a gimmick, at least as far as this book goes.
March 19, 2015
Holy damn. Great storytelling with entire groups of engaging characters, and even a few honest-to-goodness surprises and plot twists ... Loved the first book in this series, and this improved on that tenfold. It's 4 a.m, and I'm angry that there isn't a bookstore open for me to go buy the last book in the trilogy right now ...
July 19, 2016
For my review, check out: Once Upon a Time in Hell on All Things Urban Fantasy.
October 19, 2014
Fast-paced, funny, original--this is good stuff. Looking forward to book three.
August 30, 2014
As completely mental as the first one, so an extremely enjoyabl read. Looking forward to the next part.
February 18, 2014
A Little tigher plotted than the first book, with stronger characterizations and a huge uptake in the wierd. Can't wait for book three to see how it all ends.
January 6, 2015
not as well written as The Good, The Bad, and the Infernal, but still enjoyable and engaging.
February 27, 2015
The great steampunk Western with a little supernatural thrown in. I take that back a lot of supernatural thrown in. Can't wait to read the third book in the series.
March 1, 2015
A fun read as most times the bridge book is a little weaker!
July 20, 2014
Love these characters.....
How amazingly human.
How amazingly human.
July 11, 2017
Book 2 of the heavens gate trilogy,and just as entertaining as the Good the Bad & the Infernal.
April 29, 2018
So we have arrived at hell. slightly better than the first book
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