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The Devil's West #3
Red Waters Rising
In the last novel of The Devil’s West trilogy, Isobel, the Devil’s Left Hand, and Gabriel ride through the magical land of the Territory to root out evil by the way of mad magicians, ghosts, and twisted animal spirits.
As Isobel and Gabriel travel to the southern edge of the Territory, they arrive in the free city of Red Stick. Tensions are running high as the homesteading population grows, crowding the native lands, and suspicions rise across the river from an American fort.
But there is a sickness running through Red Stick and Isobel begins to find her authority challenged. She’ll be abandoned, betrayed, and forced to stand her ground as the Devil’s left hand in this thrilling conclusion to The Devil’s West Trilogy.
As Isobel and Gabriel travel to the southern edge of the Territory, they arrive in the free city of Red Stick. Tensions are running high as the homesteading population grows, crowding the native lands, and suspicions rise across the river from an American fort.
But there is a sickness running through Red Stick and Isobel begins to find her authority challenged. She’ll be abandoned, betrayed, and forced to stand her ground as the Devil’s left hand in this thrilling conclusion to The Devil’s West Trilogy.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 26, 2018
56 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Laura Anne Gilman
122 books824 followersLaura Anne Gilman’s work has been hailed as “a true American myth” by NPR, and praised for her “deft plotting and first-class characters” by Publishers Weekly. She has won the Endeavor Award for THE COLD EYE, and been shortlisted for a Nebula, (another) Endeavor, and a Washington State Book Award. Her work includes the Devil’s West trilogy, the Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series, the Vineart trilogy, and the story collection WEST WINDS’ FOOL. Her upcoming move, UNCANNY TIMES, will be out from Saga Books in 2022.
She lives in Seattle with a cat, a dog, and many deadlines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
August 6, 2018
Uh. Would she please stop vomiting? My complaints about the other books still stand... You need more than two characters for these quest-type books, and even though they are in a town now and there are other people about, it's still not working. The point is the main characters need to be inwardly torn, which they are. The other characters stand in for the different inner voices, instead of having to have the two main characters spin around inside their heads, endlessly, which they do in this case. So, we have a lot of stupid repetition.
In general, these books, and this one in particular, could have benefitted from a workshop or writing group. That might have helped clean up the repeating elements--how many times are we reminded that Isobel learned how to read a room? Of the devil's creation of the Agreement? Of Gabriel's crossing? Of the living silver? Not to mention helping out with the dialect, which was a bit heavy on the mayhap.
SPOILER BELOW, which I'm not hiding, because my reviews are more like comments or discussions.
And I still didn't understand what happened at the end. First, why didn't she execute the magician (all of whom were supposed to be dead, I thought, but no one, including her, showed any surprise at his existence)? Wasn't she required to? Second, did she actually burn and clear the Roads or just show the crowd (who can't even have been everyone in the town, let alone the Territory) the image of what would happen if they didn't smarten up? And if so, how would that affect the Americans and the Spanish anyway? It didn't seem like a real solution to me. After all that, fairly anti-climactic.
And seriously? She's surprised that the devil ain't human?
Finally, all along I've been much more interested in the devil than in any of these people. But no more insight on him, sadly.
Intriguing world, but promise isn't delivered on. I got the sense that the author got hold of a great idea and a couple of interesting characters but ultimately had no idea where to go next. She put way too much on Isobel, who is basically a Mary Sue.
In general, these books, and this one in particular, could have benefitted from a workshop or writing group. That might have helped clean up the repeating elements--how many times are we reminded that Isobel learned how to read a room? Of the devil's creation of the Agreement? Of Gabriel's crossing? Of the living silver? Not to mention helping out with the dialect, which was a bit heavy on the mayhap.
SPOILER BELOW, which I'm not hiding, because my reviews are more like comments or discussions.
And I still didn't understand what happened at the end. First, why didn't she execute the magician (all of whom were supposed to be dead, I thought, but no one, including her, showed any surprise at his existence)? Wasn't she required to? Second, did she actually burn and clear the Roads or just show the crowd (who can't even have been everyone in the town, let alone the Territory) the image of what would happen if they didn't smarten up? And if so, how would that affect the Americans and the Spanish anyway? It didn't seem like a real solution to me. After all that, fairly anti-climactic.
And seriously? She's surprised that the devil ain't human?
Finally, all along I've been much more interested in the devil than in any of these people. But no more insight on him, sadly.
Intriguing world, but promise isn't delivered on. I got the sense that the author got hold of a great idea and a couple of interesting characters but ultimately had no idea where to go next. She put way too much on Isobel, who is basically a Mary Sue.
August 24, 2018
"Red Waters Rising" is a fitting end to the story of Isobel's mentorship ride, although those looking for resolution for the larger tale of the Devil's West may be disappointed. This book doesn't provide easy answers to the problems that are brewing in and around the territory. What it does is provide us with a heroine who has grown and matured over the series and who now stands ready to confront these conflicts as they present themselves.
In this book Izzy and Gabriel leave the wilds of the territory to visit the city of Red Stick, which sits on the banks of the river that serves as the territory's border. Tensions are running high in the city and in the surrounding settlements, and it's not immediately clear why. Isobel's attempts to figure out what's going on are complicated by the fact that the people in Red Stick aren't all well disposed towards an agent of the Devil. In addition, Gabriel is having his own crisis, as he is forced to confront aspects of himself and his past that he has tried desperately to will out of existence.
My favorite part of this trilogy has been the characterization of Isobel. She is the kind of teenage character that I love, but rarely see in literature. Frequently I find that teens in books are written as ignoring logic, safety, everything really, in favor of following passionate emotions or irrational whims. Isobel is young and inexperienced, but realistically so. When she makes mistakes it's because she doesn't yet have the experience that comes with having lived longer and seen more. When she feels anger or fear she is able to eventually push through it and deal with her problems. Isabelle certainly has her flaws, but overall I find her to be one of the more likeable and realistic teen characters that I've seen. Gabriel is also well drawn. He is older and more experienced then Isabelle, but he is also a complicated person with fears and goals of his own that have nothing to do with Izzy or her training. Also, I can't say enough how much I appreciate the complete and total lack of any romantic tension in these books. The mentor/mentee relationship is wonderfully developed and always always stays within those bounds.
The end of "Red Waters Rising" is a bit unsettling for many reasons, though as I said above it does complete the arc of Isabelle growing into her position as the Devil's Hand. I don't know if Laura Anne Gilman intends to write more novels set in the Devil's West, but if she does then I will be excited to see what happens next.
In this book Izzy and Gabriel leave the wilds of the territory to visit the city of Red Stick, which sits on the banks of the river that serves as the territory's border. Tensions are running high in the city and in the surrounding settlements, and it's not immediately clear why. Isobel's attempts to figure out what's going on are complicated by the fact that the people in Red Stick aren't all well disposed towards an agent of the Devil. In addition, Gabriel is having his own crisis, as he is forced to confront aspects of himself and his past that he has tried desperately to will out of existence.
My favorite part of this trilogy has been the characterization of Isobel. She is the kind of teenage character that I love, but rarely see in literature. Frequently I find that teens in books are written as ignoring logic, safety, everything really, in favor of following passionate emotions or irrational whims. Isobel is young and inexperienced, but realistically so. When she makes mistakes it's because she doesn't yet have the experience that comes with having lived longer and seen more. When she feels anger or fear she is able to eventually push through it and deal with her problems. Isabelle certainly has her flaws, but overall I find her to be one of the more likeable and realistic teen characters that I've seen. Gabriel is also well drawn. He is older and more experienced then Isabelle, but he is also a complicated person with fears and goals of his own that have nothing to do with Izzy or her training. Also, I can't say enough how much I appreciate the complete and total lack of any romantic tension in these books. The mentor/mentee relationship is wonderfully developed and always always stays within those bounds.
The end of "Red Waters Rising" is a bit unsettling for many reasons, though as I said above it does complete the arc of Isabelle growing into her position as the Devil's Hand. I don't know if Laura Anne Gilman intends to write more novels set in the Devil's West, but if she does then I will be excited to see what happens next.
June 15, 2018
This is a worthy culmination of Gilman's Devil's West trilogy. It's hard to say goodbye to this alternative West world- I'll miss the surreal linkage of magic, geology, historical realism and overall strangeness. The trilogy was an unexpected treat.
Red Waters Rising finds Isobel determining her destiny and finding her strength in both expected and unexpected ways. The interplay between her and her mentor Gabriel is heartfelt and forms one of the cornerstones of the books. His ability to stand back and let her earn her power makes him a great teacher and friend. Their relationship is complex and richly textured.
I highly recommend the whole trilogy, and am quite pleased by the plot trajectory that has occurred through the series.
Red Waters Rising finds Isobel determining her destiny and finding her strength in both expected and unexpected ways. The interplay between her and her mentor Gabriel is heartfelt and forms one of the cornerstones of the books. His ability to stand back and let her earn her power makes him a great teacher and friend. Their relationship is complex and richly textured.
I highly recommend the whole trilogy, and am quite pleased by the plot trajectory that has occurred through the series.
June 2, 2020
Oof.
One star.
I've never seen such a sharp decline in quality from book one to three in a series. It would be impressive if it wasn't depressing. Part of me wants to sit down with the author and ask - what happened? Did you write the last two books in a sleepwalking haze?? Tell me what went wrong so we can fix it!
Everything that was bad in the second book is present in spades in this one - endless, dull, repetitious, vague internal dialogue, shabby editing, long, boring stretches of nothing happening. To this, the book adds several more unpardonable sins.
We'll start with the ending of the book. It's so abrupt and skill-less that it's an insult. It feels like being hit in the face with a bucket of ice water. When I turned the last page and realised the next one was blank I thought - no joke - that my kindle was broken.
The book, the last in the trilogy, ends on the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. Several cliffhangers. All the cliffhangers, in fact. Think of any question that this book or its predecessors has posed and resign yourself to the fact that none - Not. A. Single. One. - of them are answered. The book ends with one of the characters pulling a drastic move that's completely out of character and then pulls up short and finishes.
The author has foreshadowed several things that are going to happen in this series - hell, each book starts with a scene from the saloon and musings about Isobel's inevitable return. It's hinted that Farron Easterly might make a comeback. It's hinted that Gabriel is going to be offered his payment for mentoring Isobel, and we're going to see him accept or reject it.
Any of the moments that, as a reader, you're naturally anticipating, and which the author's writing obliquely promises, fail to come to fruition. It's impossible not to feel cheated.
If you think of a classic story arc, where a book has an introduction, building tension, a conflict, resolution, this book is caught squarely in the "building tension" phase and it finishes there, with nothing actually happening.
I cannot recommend this book which saddens me deeply, because when I read book one I really felt like I'd finally landed on a book and an author to write home about.
One star.
I've never seen such a sharp decline in quality from book one to three in a series. It would be impressive if it wasn't depressing. Part of me wants to sit down with the author and ask - what happened? Did you write the last two books in a sleepwalking haze?? Tell me what went wrong so we can fix it!
Everything that was bad in the second book is present in spades in this one - endless, dull, repetitious, vague internal dialogue, shabby editing, long, boring stretches of nothing happening. To this, the book adds several more unpardonable sins.
We'll start with the ending of the book. It's so abrupt and skill-less that it's an insult. It feels like being hit in the face with a bucket of ice water. When I turned the last page and realised the next one was blank I thought - no joke - that my kindle was broken.
The book, the last in the trilogy, ends on the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. Several cliffhangers. All the cliffhangers, in fact. Think of any question that this book or its predecessors has posed and resign yourself to the fact that none - Not. A. Single. One. - of them are answered. The book ends with one of the characters pulling a drastic move that's completely out of character and then pulls up short and finishes.
The author has foreshadowed several things that are going to happen in this series - hell, each book starts with a scene from the saloon and musings about Isobel's inevitable return. It's hinted that Farron Easterly might make a comeback. It's hinted that Gabriel is going to be offered his payment for mentoring Isobel, and we're going to see him accept or reject it.
Any of the moments that, as a reader, you're naturally anticipating, and which the author's writing obliquely promises, fail to come to fruition. It's impossible not to feel cheated.
If you think of a classic story arc, where a book has an introduction, building tension, a conflict, resolution, this book is caught squarely in the "building tension" phase and it finishes there, with nothing actually happening.
I cannot recommend this book which saddens me deeply, because when I read book one I really felt like I'd finally landed on a book and an author to write home about.
July 30, 2018
I have really enjoyed the alternate world of North America in this trilogy. It is also a powerful coming of age story as 16 year old Isobel has been traveling the Territory as the Devil's Hand, learning the power contained in the elements and the growing threats along its borders from the Spanish to the south and United States to the east. She has been guided by Gabe, but this book challenges his loyalties as the pull of the Mud River, aka Mississippi, grows strong.
Lots of threads are tied together to reveal the real issues that need resolving and Isobel is forcdd to grow quickly here.
Laura Anne Gilman does a fine job with charactet, scene setting and dialogue, but I am disappointed at how the book ended. She has said this was the end for now and if that is the case, this is far from satisfying. I appreciate the good craft left me wanting more but there needed to be more resolved here.
Lots of threads are tied together to reveal the real issues that need resolving and Isobel is forcdd to grow quickly here.
Laura Anne Gilman does a fine job with charactet, scene setting and dialogue, but I am disappointed at how the book ended. She has said this was the end for now and if that is the case, this is far from satisfying. I appreciate the good craft left me wanting more but there needed to be more resolved here.
September 2, 2018
2.5 stars
The writing was good, I loved the setting and characters, but that didn't compensate for a meandering plot. There was constantly something wrong, and no clear resolution is ever obtained. The explanation given for Isobel's abilities and the magical system behind the Territory was vague, and I was left slightly confused. In the previous two books of the trilogy, I felt this way too, but for this one it was especially pronounced. Still a good series, but I'd recommend just reading the first book.
The writing was good, I loved the setting and characters, but that didn't compensate for a meandering plot. There was constantly something wrong, and no clear resolution is ever obtained. The explanation given for Isobel's abilities and the magical system behind the Territory was vague, and I was left slightly confused. In the previous two books of the trilogy, I felt this way too, but for this one it was especially pronounced. Still a good series, but I'd recommend just reading the first book.
August 9, 2018
Red Waters Rising was a fantastic ending to a trilogy that I’ve loved. This series shows Gilman as her best. She’s a strong author, with a unique vision, and an incredible ability to not just craft a world but to make it so real I feel like I’m living in it. She took the West and made it not just wild, but magical and mysterious. Emotional, captivating, and absolutely addicting, Red Waters Rising was a solid ending to a trilogy that has been one of my recent favorites.
Full review here:
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2018/08...
Full review here:
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2018/08...
July 17, 2019
What a great Series! What world building! This third book in the series leaves the vast wilderness of the Devil’s West for the relatively urbanized Red Stick (get it?) area down in Louisiana, and loses some of its cinematic feel (to me), but it’s still a great story w great characters. I hate to see the series end because I love so many of the characters.
Read
February 1, 2020I really enjoyed the entire series, and this felt like a very natural progression as to what came before, and I can definitely recommend all three. However, I'll have to wait with the final verdict until I've read the final novella.
March 12, 2020
This was a bit slower than the two previous books; the series have always had a slower feeling, but this was definitely suffering a bit under the slower pace. I also felt like the plot wasn't quite as developed as the rest of the series. I still enjoyed it - but it wasn't as good as the two previous books in the serie.
July 29, 2018
Disappointed. Too much vomiting and fainting by both lead character and her sidekick. Was waiting desperately for Isobel to put on some pants kick ass and get back to Flood a full grown Devils left hand. Gabriel was fainting and vomiting alongside Isobel, very annoying. Was hoping for a more satisfying ending to this trilogy.
December 17, 2024
In recent years, I have entered a reading drought where I'm not perusing as many books as I used to though I always enjoy revisiting old favorites. The main reason is that I'm struggling to find any new releases or previously unread books that aren't carbon copies of better stories I've already read or preachy social justice sounding boards. Whenever I run across anything that actually sounds original or unique and that focuses on storytelling, not sermonizing, then I'm willing to give it a chance. And Laura Anne Gilman's Devil's West trilogy just happened to be a chance well worth taking.
I started out reading Silver On the Road, the trilogy's opener, because the premise intrigued me. Prior to even cracking the cover, I was prepared to write it off as yet another run-of-the-mill YA coming-of-age tale due to the fact that the lead protagonist is a teenage girl. However, the novel avoids common YA traps or tropes, becoming something new and fresh through its Weird West setting that vibrates with temperamental, malicious magic. Once I finished this first novel, I snatched up the other two entries and devoured them in a matter of days. Overall, the Devil's West was a much-needed breath of fresh air and it is a series I look forward to perusing time and again.
The novels comprising the Devil's West trilogy are Silver On the Road, The Cold Eye, and Red Waters Rising. (I am excluding any related short stories and the novella, Gabriel's Road, for the sake of simplicity.) Each book serves as its own unique story (i.e. micro-plot) while acting as an entry into the trilogy as a whole (i.e. macro-plot). Plot-wise, it re-imagines the American West - known here as the Territory - as a place populated by wind-worn towns and permeated with deep, old magic. But the Territory's very bones are being shaken by an unknown force that, if not shackled, could spell doom for the land and its inhabitants.
Overseeing the Territory from afar is the Devil, also known as the Boss, (no connection to the Devil of Judeo-Christian Scripture, by the way), who manages a saloon in the town of Flood as well as the town itself. However, he is also the distant caretaker of the Territory. Sensing foreboding changes afoot, the Devil takes his young charge, Isobel (Izzy for short), up on an offer she makes on her sixteenth birthday. She desires to see more of the world and gain respect, so the Devil makes her his Left Hand - his eyes, ears, and dispenser of justice across the Territory's vast expanse. But Izzy won't be alone in the wilderness as she's partnered with an enigmatic rider of the Road, Gabriel, who takes her under his wing. Both of them then venture out to see what is disturbing the land and put a stop to it lest it pulls them under, too.
From the first chapter of Silver On the Road to the final page of Red Waters Rising, the Devil's West trilogy completely enveloped me. For starters, its world-building retains a deep-seated history, entrenched inner mythology, well-governed story rules, and workable realness. The Territory feels like a living, breathing world and its vastness, laced with a touch of familiarity, pulled me in rather than made me feel as lost as a tumbleweed on the prairie. Part of this is due to wonderful environmental descriptions, but it's also thanks to the trilogy's internal mythology, which is a mixture of quasi-Native American folklore and legend with some classic fantasy magic and a dash of the paranormal. Even though this is a Weird West tale, the Western, the paranormal, and the fantasy elements all work together harmoniously, and if any one of them was theoretically removed, the entire story would crumble. Nothing here feels like it's tossed in just to make the story a Western, a paranormal tale, or a fantasy, such as throwaway settings, devices, or creatures. Everything world-building-wise creates a realm that feels just as vast and familiar as the Great Plains and the American Southwest - only much older and far more magical.
Another element I enjoyed was the characters, chiefly Izzy and Gabriel, who are the trilogy's two leads. Izzy is an older teen who, to her credit, takes active steps to mature and learn from others. While it's possible this trilogy could be labeled as YA, it doesn't feel like YA as it is devoid of the usual immaturity and cliched tropes common to that genre. Gabriel, in contrast, is an adult with a past that doesn't so much call him back but coax him onward to discover his true purpose and potential in the wide, wild, weird world. These two characters initially share a mentor-apprentice bond as Gabriel teaches Izzy the rules of the Road, the ways of the Territory, and the practicalities of life. However, he never comes across as trying to boss her around or lord over her, nor does he treat Izzy as suspect or with kid gloves just because she is a girl. In some ways, Gabriel, who himself has an interesting past and connection to the Territory, ends up learning from Izzy just as much as she eventually learns from him.
Thankfully, their relationship avoids the usual cliches and contrived romance, and it helps that they are years apart. Izzy and Gabriel respect one another, not only out of mutual human kindness but also as one begins to see what the other can do in terms of their ties to the land and its bone-deep magic. Their relationship evolves as the novels progress, so they become more like equals and less like teacher and student. Likewise, their bond is forged by genuine friendship as well as the experience of having traveled two very different paths in life despite sharing the same Road. In most stories, one central figure emerges as the everyman, the character readers relate to the most. But in this case, both Izzy and Gabriel share this task as readers catch relatable glimpses into both the youthful struggle to adapt to adulthood as well as grown-up trials and tribulations.
Red Waters Rising closes out the trilogy and picks up not long after The Cold Eye ends, again, not on a cliffhanger but clearly with an unresolved macro-plot. Unlike the other two novels, Red Waters Rising is more static setting-wise as Izzy and Gabriel corner magical forces to a single, central location and attempt to combat them. But while Izzy continues to juggle her growing maturity and sense of responsibility as the Devil's Left Hand, Gabriel contends with personal struggles of his own. His growing unrest comes to a head as the novel ends, hinting at its two leads' fates. However, it's final enough that it serves as a fitting conclusion to Izzy and Gabriel's three-book journey.
Overall, the Devil's West trilogy feels one-of-a-kind. It's fresh and original by serving as an entertaining yet somber Western travel story all while adding healthy doses of paranormal magic and fantasy to create a world with a life all its own. Its characters remain starkly human and relatable, regardless whether they're facing excruciating thirst or talking to rattlesnakes who also talk back. For readers searching for a unique take on the fantasy genre with stories that break the mold in terms of world-building, setting, magic, and character pair ups, then the Devil's West is a road well worth taking.
Content:
Language - Mild PG-level profanities occur throughout but are sporadic and non-pervasive.
Violence - Violence falls between fisticuffs/shootouts/stabbings and perilous paranormal encounters, but nothing here is pervasive, graphic, or gory. Blood is mentioned in relation to wounds but is never graphically described. In one novel, Izzy and Gabriel stumble upon a home where the occupants have clearly been dead for some time as their corpses are briefly described but not with too much detail. Paranormal beings, such as talking rattlesnakes, demons, and mutant creatures, appear at times but are either neutral parties or enemies to be destroyed. Along these lines, the underlying threat to the Territory is a dark magic that is working its way into the land's very foundations. Izzy is able to see the destruction this infected magic is causing, but these moments are more dark and perilous than violent or frightening. Lastly, despite the fact one of the characters is called the Devil, this figure isn't actually Satan. Instead, he is a powerful man of semi-omnipotence who commands respect beyond his immediate reach, but he isn't demonic or satanic. (In fact, demons are viewed as enemies in the story's world.)
Sexual Content - None. Izzy and Gabriel's relationship is based on a mentor-apprentice bond that evolves into close friends; however, it never becomes inappropriate and is devoid of any sexual context or tension. Elsewhere, some in-passing female characters might be prostitutes, but nothing to that effect is ever confirmed or shown. It's revealed that, in the past, sometimes Izzy endured unwanted attention from male patrons at the Devil's gaming parlor where she worked as a serving girl. But no harm ever came to her as it's implied that the Devil doesn't tolerate impropriety and the older women working there kept a protective eye out for her. Gabriel also looks after Izzy throughout their travels and she is never harassed. Lastly, at one point, Izzy is troubled by menstrual pains and uses a hot water bottle to help with cramps, but nothing graphic is ever detailed.
I started out reading Silver On the Road, the trilogy's opener, because the premise intrigued me. Prior to even cracking the cover, I was prepared to write it off as yet another run-of-the-mill YA coming-of-age tale due to the fact that the lead protagonist is a teenage girl. However, the novel avoids common YA traps or tropes, becoming something new and fresh through its Weird West setting that vibrates with temperamental, malicious magic. Once I finished this first novel, I snatched up the other two entries and devoured them in a matter of days. Overall, the Devil's West was a much-needed breath of fresh air and it is a series I look forward to perusing time and again.
The novels comprising the Devil's West trilogy are Silver On the Road, The Cold Eye, and Red Waters Rising. (I am excluding any related short stories and the novella, Gabriel's Road, for the sake of simplicity.) Each book serves as its own unique story (i.e. micro-plot) while acting as an entry into the trilogy as a whole (i.e. macro-plot). Plot-wise, it re-imagines the American West - known here as the Territory - as a place populated by wind-worn towns and permeated with deep, old magic. But the Territory's very bones are being shaken by an unknown force that, if not shackled, could spell doom for the land and its inhabitants.
Overseeing the Territory from afar is the Devil, also known as the Boss, (no connection to the Devil of Judeo-Christian Scripture, by the way), who manages a saloon in the town of Flood as well as the town itself. However, he is also the distant caretaker of the Territory. Sensing foreboding changes afoot, the Devil takes his young charge, Isobel (Izzy for short), up on an offer she makes on her sixteenth birthday. She desires to see more of the world and gain respect, so the Devil makes her his Left Hand - his eyes, ears, and dispenser of justice across the Territory's vast expanse. But Izzy won't be alone in the wilderness as she's partnered with an enigmatic rider of the Road, Gabriel, who takes her under his wing. Both of them then venture out to see what is disturbing the land and put a stop to it lest it pulls them under, too.
From the first chapter of Silver On the Road to the final page of Red Waters Rising, the Devil's West trilogy completely enveloped me. For starters, its world-building retains a deep-seated history, entrenched inner mythology, well-governed story rules, and workable realness. The Territory feels like a living, breathing world and its vastness, laced with a touch of familiarity, pulled me in rather than made me feel as lost as a tumbleweed on the prairie. Part of this is due to wonderful environmental descriptions, but it's also thanks to the trilogy's internal mythology, which is a mixture of quasi-Native American folklore and legend with some classic fantasy magic and a dash of the paranormal. Even though this is a Weird West tale, the Western, the paranormal, and the fantasy elements all work together harmoniously, and if any one of them was theoretically removed, the entire story would crumble. Nothing here feels like it's tossed in just to make the story a Western, a paranormal tale, or a fantasy, such as throwaway settings, devices, or creatures. Everything world-building-wise creates a realm that feels just as vast and familiar as the Great Plains and the American Southwest - only much older and far more magical.
Another element I enjoyed was the characters, chiefly Izzy and Gabriel, who are the trilogy's two leads. Izzy is an older teen who, to her credit, takes active steps to mature and learn from others. While it's possible this trilogy could be labeled as YA, it doesn't feel like YA as it is devoid of the usual immaturity and cliched tropes common to that genre. Gabriel, in contrast, is an adult with a past that doesn't so much call him back but coax him onward to discover his true purpose and potential in the wide, wild, weird world. These two characters initially share a mentor-apprentice bond as Gabriel teaches Izzy the rules of the Road, the ways of the Territory, and the practicalities of life. However, he never comes across as trying to boss her around or lord over her, nor does he treat Izzy as suspect or with kid gloves just because she is a girl. In some ways, Gabriel, who himself has an interesting past and connection to the Territory, ends up learning from Izzy just as much as she eventually learns from him.
Thankfully, their relationship avoids the usual cliches and contrived romance, and it helps that they are years apart. Izzy and Gabriel respect one another, not only out of mutual human kindness but also as one begins to see what the other can do in terms of their ties to the land and its bone-deep magic. Their relationship evolves as the novels progress, so they become more like equals and less like teacher and student. Likewise, their bond is forged by genuine friendship as well as the experience of having traveled two very different paths in life despite sharing the same Road. In most stories, one central figure emerges as the everyman, the character readers relate to the most. But in this case, both Izzy and Gabriel share this task as readers catch relatable glimpses into both the youthful struggle to adapt to adulthood as well as grown-up trials and tribulations.
Red Waters Rising closes out the trilogy and picks up not long after The Cold Eye ends, again, not on a cliffhanger but clearly with an unresolved macro-plot. Unlike the other two novels, Red Waters Rising is more static setting-wise as Izzy and Gabriel corner magical forces to a single, central location and attempt to combat them. But while Izzy continues to juggle her growing maturity and sense of responsibility as the Devil's Left Hand, Gabriel contends with personal struggles of his own. His growing unrest comes to a head as the novel ends, hinting at its two leads' fates. However, it's final enough that it serves as a fitting conclusion to Izzy and Gabriel's three-book journey.
Overall, the Devil's West trilogy feels one-of-a-kind. It's fresh and original by serving as an entertaining yet somber Western travel story all while adding healthy doses of paranormal magic and fantasy to create a world with a life all its own. Its characters remain starkly human and relatable, regardless whether they're facing excruciating thirst or talking to rattlesnakes who also talk back. For readers searching for a unique take on the fantasy genre with stories that break the mold in terms of world-building, setting, magic, and character pair ups, then the Devil's West is a road well worth taking.
Content:
Language - Mild PG-level profanities occur throughout but are sporadic and non-pervasive.
Violence - Violence falls between fisticuffs/shootouts/stabbings and perilous paranormal encounters, but nothing here is pervasive, graphic, or gory. Blood is mentioned in relation to wounds but is never graphically described. In one novel, Izzy and Gabriel stumble upon a home where the occupants have clearly been dead for some time as their corpses are briefly described but not with too much detail. Paranormal beings, such as talking rattlesnakes, demons, and mutant creatures, appear at times but are either neutral parties or enemies to be destroyed. Along these lines, the underlying threat to the Territory is a dark magic that is working its way into the land's very foundations. Izzy is able to see the destruction this infected magic is causing, but these moments are more dark and perilous than violent or frightening. Lastly, despite the fact one of the characters is called the Devil, this figure isn't actually Satan. Instead, he is a powerful man of semi-omnipotence who commands respect beyond his immediate reach, but he isn't demonic or satanic. (In fact, demons are viewed as enemies in the story's world.)
Sexual Content - None. Izzy and Gabriel's relationship is based on a mentor-apprentice bond that evolves into close friends; however, it never becomes inappropriate and is devoid of any sexual context or tension. Elsewhere, some in-passing female characters might be prostitutes, but nothing to that effect is ever confirmed or shown. It's revealed that, in the past, sometimes Izzy endured unwanted attention from male patrons at the Devil's gaming parlor where she worked as a serving girl. But no harm ever came to her as it's implied that the Devil doesn't tolerate impropriety and the older women working there kept a protective eye out for her. Gabriel also looks after Izzy throughout their travels and she is never harassed. Lastly, at one point, Izzy is troubled by menstrual pains and uses a hot water bottle to help with cramps, but nothing graphic is ever detailed.
May 3, 2019
I was very disappointed by this book. The first installment drew me in--a supernatural Western story where indigenous people are prominently featured and their culture is shown respectfully? I'm down! "Silver on the Road" was a novel that felt complete to me. It set the stage and didn't end with too many more questions. When I saw the sequel I got excited because I wanted to see a deeper dive. Instead it was more or less second verse, same as the first. This last installment was the same thing, except without a big bad. Instead, the villain was plain old human greed and prejudice. That's fine, because there has been a background thread of political struggle throughout the series. Ultimately, the author doesn't do much with it and just about every question I've had since the first novel remains unanswered. Questions such as:
-Who/what is the devil? Is he a deity, an anthropomorphic personification, an angel, a demigod, some alternate manifestation of the devil as understood by Christianity?
- When and why did he come to the Territory?
-Why did he care to make the Agreement?
- Did the tribes have any say?
- What exactly are the bone children/water children/Territory children? What are their powers and purposes? Did they exist before the agreement?
- Who was the last Left Hand and what went wrong?
- What is Gabriel's story? Why is he so scared of the water?
- What kinds of magic does the church practice?
There's more where that came from. The back pages of the book invite you to stay tuned for the novella "Gabriel's Road". I'm annoyed.
These books have all the elements of greatness and they fall flat because the writer just doesn't have enough fun with the material. It's a little too grounded. The characters pontificate and have raging internal debates, but don't confront each other or take action. When they FINALLY decide to do something--the story is over.
-Who/what is the devil? Is he a deity, an anthropomorphic personification, an angel, a demigod, some alternate manifestation of the devil as understood by Christianity?
- When and why did he come to the Territory?
-Why did he care to make the Agreement?
- Did the tribes have any say?
- What exactly are the bone children/water children/Territory children? What are their powers and purposes? Did they exist before the agreement?
- Who was the last Left Hand and what went wrong?
- What is Gabriel's story? Why is he so scared of the water?
- What kinds of magic does the church practice?
There's more where that came from. The back pages of the book invite you to stay tuned for the novella "Gabriel's Road". I'm annoyed.
These books have all the elements of greatness and they fall flat because the writer just doesn't have enough fun with the material. It's a little too grounded. The characters pontificate and have raging internal debates, but don't confront each other or take action. When they FINALLY decide to do something--the story is over.
August 25, 2019
This is the final volume of the Devil's West trilogy. Isobel and Gabriel travel to the Territory's largest city, Red Stick, down at the southernmost end. Here they find the city roiled with a mysterious unease and unrest. As Isobel searches for the source, she discovers more about her power and abilities, and completes the process of coming into her own as the Devil's Hand. She and Gabriel also discover more about the nature of the Territory and of themselves.
The world-building remains wonderful. I especially enjoyed learning more about the different kinds of power and magic extant in the Territory. The completion of Isobel's journey from girl to woman was very well done, a nice balance between larger external shifts and more subtle internal growth. However, I found the ending a little disappointing in terms of what Gilman chose to wrap up and what she chose to leave open-ended. I would have liked just a little bit more explanation and resolution of a couple of things. Hopefully there will be more books set in the Territory that will help to answer those questions.
The world-building remains wonderful. I especially enjoyed learning more about the different kinds of power and magic extant in the Territory. The completion of Isobel's journey from girl to woman was very well done, a nice balance between larger external shifts and more subtle internal growth. However, I found the ending a little disappointing in terms of what Gilman chose to wrap up and what she chose to leave open-ended. I would have liked just a little bit more explanation and resolution of a couple of things. Hopefully there will be more books set in the Territory that will help to answer those questions.
November 27, 2018
Maybe I read this too quickly, but I felt like most of the book was a lead-up to a reveal that came only at the very end of the book, and that the reveal was never clearly explained. There was a sense of *something* important happening, but it was never explained to my satisfaction. The ending seemed very abrupt as well.
As with the previous volumes, I always had this sense that I was reading a compilation of connected short stories rather than a novel with a singular plot, but at the same time it seemed clear that Red Waters Rising was meant to have a single main plot. I was just never sure when that plot would be explained to both the characters and the reader, which made for a odd sort of tension.
Overall, I think the setting and characters of the Devil's West series are really interesting and different, and that the books are in general well-written. I just feel like I'm missing something, and I'm not quite sure what.
As with the previous volumes, I always had this sense that I was reading a compilation of connected short stories rather than a novel with a singular plot, but at the same time it seemed clear that Red Waters Rising was meant to have a single main plot. I was just never sure when that plot would be explained to both the characters and the reader, which made for a odd sort of tension.
Overall, I think the setting and characters of the Devil's West series are really interesting and different, and that the books are in general well-written. I just feel like I'm missing something, and I'm not quite sure what.
July 22, 2018
I seriously did not want this story to end, knowing it was the last of the Devil's West trilogy. This magical frontier series is so fascinating and mysterious. Isobel's journey as the cold eye and the final word is extremely well developed and yet kind of ambiguous. I wanted more details, but at the same time I was grateful not getting them. Her relationship with Gabriel, her mentor, was genuine and not romantic in any way (what a relief). Their ties to the elements, the devil, and the land itself make this last installment wonderful and I'm frankly mad that it's over.
May 16, 2021
There are a couple of things I could nitpick about this series, like the repetitive use of certain words (flickerthwack.....), and that Book 1 was especially slow to develop, but halfway through Book 2 and throughout Book 3 I was struck by the lessons about civilization’s relationship with the land itself, and found myself thinking about that even when not reading the book. Like others, I was a bit disappointed in the ending, but the themes of self reliance and respect for the Earth won me over.
July 20, 2018
This is the third book about Isobel and her adventures on the Road as the Devil’s Left Hand. First of all, Ms. Gilman’s story-telling is exceptional. As soon as I started reading I was drawn back into Isobel’s world and it didn’t let me go until the last page. The story’s resolution was very satisfying, and I am looking forward to future stories with Isobel and Gabriel. I sincerely hope there are a lot of them!
July 5, 2018
(Four and a half stars; marking as five to average out with the last book)
Easily one of the highlights of this series was Isobel and Gabriel's relationship, and the ways in which it evolved over the course of the story (even if I was often unreasonably paranoid about the possibility of the author shoehorning in an Obligatory Romance at some point along the way, which she thankfully did not do). At first, she was completely dependent on him for both protection and for teaching her the things she needed to learn, then she started finding her feet and her decisions started to carry actual weight, until she finally started to chafe at his interference even when he stepped forward on her behalf.
One thing that did get incredibly annoying was the number of people who refused to give a single straight answer or clear explanation, and then called Isobel a fool for not magically having a complete understanding of a sticky situation or knowing right away what she was supposed to do—Auntie even pulled this on her after having badmouthed the devil for doing the exact same thing! Don't you think that maybe if any of you had bothered to give her a single scrap of solid information before everything went to shit, she might not be foundering so much? Spirit animals are one thing; being confusing and vague is simply part of their nature—but human beings really ought to know better!
Maybe communication failures in general have gotten to be a huge pet peeve of mine, but one other thing that drove me up the wall was the fact that, even though it was incredibly relevant to the mess they were trying to fix, neither Isobel nor Gabriel ever once thought to ask anyone what, exactly, the previous Hand had done to get everyone so riled up. One would think that, given that Isobel was attacked on sight as soon as she made her presence known, this would have been the first question out of their mouths the second they had a breather and an opportunity for conversation, but even by the 95% mark they've both remained inexplicably incurious about the whole thing. This baffles the mind, given the necessity for Isobel to work with these people and considering how heavily it's implied that her predecessor messed up badly; one would think she'd want to make an effort to put those mistakes to rights, or at the very least avoid repeating them! If you're that determined to save something up for the Big Reveal, there are better ways to do it than handing both of your leads huge Idiot Balls and hoping the readers won't notice.
The vagueness regarding what exactly the overall restlessness is about can be sort of annoying as well, but it's also sort of possible to see how they fit in with the theme of the Territory being alive and ever-changing, and the Hand's ride as an ongoing job that's never finished.
So, yeah. Overall a good end to the series. Things end on a note that's just good enough to get across that all the pain and effort the characters put in was actually worth something, but it also doesn't try to shoehorn in a happy ending that's completely counter to the way the story was going.
Easily one of the highlights of this series was Isobel and Gabriel's relationship, and the ways in which it evolved over the course of the story (even if I was often unreasonably paranoid about the possibility of the author shoehorning in an Obligatory Romance at some point along the way, which she thankfully did not do). At first, she was completely dependent on him for both protection and for teaching her the things she needed to learn, then she started finding her feet and her decisions started to carry actual weight, until she finally started to chafe at his interference even when he stepped forward on her behalf.
One thing that did get incredibly annoying was the number of people who refused to give a single straight answer or clear explanation, and then called Isobel a fool for not magically having a complete understanding of a sticky situation or knowing right away what she was supposed to do—Auntie even pulled this on her after having badmouthed the devil for doing the exact same thing! Don't you think that maybe if any of you had bothered to give her a single scrap of solid information before everything went to shit, she might not be foundering so much? Spirit animals are one thing; being confusing and vague is simply part of their nature—but human beings really ought to know better!
Maybe communication failures in general have gotten to be a huge pet peeve of mine, but one other thing that drove me up the wall was the fact that, even though it was incredibly relevant to the mess they were trying to fix, neither Isobel nor Gabriel ever once thought to ask anyone what, exactly, the previous Hand had done to get everyone so riled up. One would think that, given that Isobel was attacked on sight as soon as she made her presence known, this would have been the first question out of their mouths the second they had a breather and an opportunity for conversation, but even by the 95% mark they've both remained inexplicably incurious about the whole thing. This baffles the mind, given the necessity for Isobel to work with these people and considering how heavily it's implied that her predecessor messed up badly; one would think she'd want to make an effort to put those mistakes to rights, or at the very least avoid repeating them! If you're that determined to save something up for the Big Reveal, there are better ways to do it than handing both of your leads huge Idiot Balls and hoping the readers won't notice.
The vagueness regarding what exactly the overall restlessness is about can be sort of annoying as well, but it's also sort of possible to see how they fit in with the theme of the Territory being alive and ever-changing, and the Hand's ride as an ongoing job that's never finished.
So, yeah. Overall a good end to the series. Things end on a note that's just good enough to get across that all the pain and effort the characters put in was actually worth something, but it also doesn't try to shoehorn in a happy ending that's completely counter to the way the story was going.
May 26, 2022
A 3.5 but I rounded up to 4 stars just because I've never read anything like this series, and I treasure the world and characters that Gilman created here. I just wish she stuck the landing a little better.
In this final entry to the series, the story opens with Gabriel and Isobel traveling into the southern parts of the Territory, specifically the town of Red Stick - an actual town, for once, and also at a crux point between Spanish and American interests, not to mention settlers and Natives living in close proximity. Even as they enter, tensions are high: both in actual conflicts that Isobel and Gabriel must navigate with people they encounter, but also just a general sense of unease that Gilman does an excellent job communicating.
The challenge in this book is for Isobel to finally come to some sort of understanding about what her role as Devil's Hand requires of her, especially when no direct problem presents itself, and how this balances with the increasing feeling - and evidence - that she's more than "just" the Devil's Hand. Meanwhile Gabriel is confronted by the pull of "Mother Waters" - the Mississippi River - a feeling he's run from for most of his life.
Red Waters Rising is supposedly the conclusion of The Devil's West series, but I'm not sure that everyone will feel satisfied with the end. Certainly by the end of the book the main character of Isobel has finished her mentorship ride of the Territory and proven she can resolve difficult situations on her own. And certainly her mentor and teacher, Gabriel, has faced up to his own mixed feelings about his special "water sense." And yet. The apparent reason for the very effective build-up of anxiety and discomfort in the town of Red Stick and its resolution seems convenient and a bit too deus-ex-machina to this reviewer.
Still, I relished reading this book, which like the others in this series has a slow, Westernish-without-being-trite style and pace, and does a wonderful job painting a diverse, alternate history West that happens to have magic running through it. It's been months since I read the second book, and yet slipping back into this world felt comfortable and familiar, and I appreciate a series that doesn't demand you read them all back-to-back or you'll lose all sense of the characters and plot.
Nonetheless, I note that there's a novella that comes after this one - Gabriel's Road - and with the way this book ended it seems sort of necessary to read. In fact, it was even advertised in the copy of Red Waters Rising I read. So perhaps I'll forbear on full judgment until I've read that one.
In this final entry to the series, the story opens with Gabriel and Isobel traveling into the southern parts of the Territory, specifically the town of Red Stick - an actual town, for once, and also at a crux point between Spanish and American interests, not to mention settlers and Natives living in close proximity. Even as they enter, tensions are high: both in actual conflicts that Isobel and Gabriel must navigate with people they encounter, but also just a general sense of unease that Gilman does an excellent job communicating.
The challenge in this book is for Isobel to finally come to some sort of understanding about what her role as Devil's Hand requires of her, especially when no direct problem presents itself, and how this balances with the increasing feeling - and evidence - that she's more than "just" the Devil's Hand. Meanwhile Gabriel is confronted by the pull of "Mother Waters" - the Mississippi River - a feeling he's run from for most of his life.
Red Waters Rising is supposedly the conclusion of The Devil's West series, but I'm not sure that everyone will feel satisfied with the end. Certainly by the end of the book the main character of Isobel has finished her mentorship ride of the Territory and proven she can resolve difficult situations on her own. And certainly her mentor and teacher, Gabriel, has faced up to his own mixed feelings about his special "water sense." And yet. The apparent reason for the very effective build-up of anxiety and discomfort in the town of Red Stick and its resolution seems convenient and a bit too deus-ex-machina to this reviewer.
Still, I relished reading this book, which like the others in this series has a slow, Westernish-without-being-trite style and pace, and does a wonderful job painting a diverse, alternate history West that happens to have magic running through it. It's been months since I read the second book, and yet slipping back into this world felt comfortable and familiar, and I appreciate a series that doesn't demand you read them all back-to-back or you'll lose all sense of the characters and plot.
Nonetheless, I note that there's a novella that comes after this one - Gabriel's Road - and with the way this book ended it seems sort of necessary to read. In fact, it was even advertised in the copy of Red Waters Rising I read. So perhaps I'll forbear on full judgment until I've read that one.
July 3, 2018
The Devil's West, in an alternate America, occupies the middle of the continent: In the east, the United States stops at the Mississippi River. In the west, the Spanish territories are similar to Spanish holdings at their greatest historical extent in our world. Between - east of the Rockies, west of the Mississippi, and reaching into what we would call central Canada, is a region colloquially known as The Devil's West. It's not a country; there is no government. It is a territory whose inhabitants are subject to an Agreement. (Roughly speaking, inhabitants are bound to respect native rights and not to be generally harmful. We are not given details.)
The Agreement is overseen - and loosely enforced - by a possibly-supernatural person (?) who might actually be the Devil, for all we know. He has kept Spanish and US armies stay on their own side of the borders, and has been known to intervene personally in extreme emergencies. Normally, he does not intervene personally. He now has an enforcer - a sixteen-year-old named Isobel, who is very new at this. In the first two books she rides the territory with a mentor - learning the territory and dealing with major supernatural problems.
In "Red Waters Rising", Gilman tackles a much-harder writing challenge: The problem Isobel needs to address cannot be 'solved'. It is social, political, and messy. Spain and the United States will keep pressing because to them TDW looks like frontier territory going to waste. There are plenty of people near both borders who would like to be part of something large and glittering, rather than part of a messy semi-anarchy. And the Agreement turns out to be more fragile than the first two books made it appear.
Gilman meets the writing challenge well, but not brilliantly. Hard social problems don't get solved, so much as ameliorated - and that's not as satisfying to read about.
The Agreement is overseen - and loosely enforced - by a possibly-supernatural person (?) who might actually be the Devil, for all we know. He has kept Spanish and US armies stay on their own side of the borders, and has been known to intervene personally in extreme emergencies. Normally, he does not intervene personally. He now has an enforcer - a sixteen-year-old named Isobel, who is very new at this. In the first two books she rides the territory with a mentor - learning the territory and dealing with major supernatural problems.
In "Red Waters Rising", Gilman tackles a much-harder writing challenge: The problem Isobel needs to address cannot be 'solved'. It is social, political, and messy. Spain and the United States will keep pressing because to them TDW looks like frontier territory going to waste. There are plenty of people near both borders who would like to be part of something large and glittering, rather than part of a messy semi-anarchy. And the Agreement turns out to be more fragile than the first two books made it appear.
Gilman meets the writing challenge well, but not brilliantly. Hard social problems don't get solved, so much as ameliorated - and that's not as satisfying to read about.
July 10, 2021
Today’s post is on Red Waters Rising by Laura Anne Gilman. It is 350 pages long and is published by Saga Press. As it is the third volume in the Devil’s West trilogy you need to have read the first two to understand the story. The cover has Isobel and the river spirit on it. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main characters Isobel and Gabriel. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- In the last novel of The Devil’s West trilogy, Isobel, the Devil’s Left Hand, and Gabriel ride through the magical land of the Territory to root out evil by the way of mad magicians, ghosts, and twisted animal spirits.
As Isobel and Gabriel travel to the southern edge of the Territory, they arrive in the free city of Red Stick. Tensions are running high as the homesteading population grows, crowding the native lands, and suspicions rise across the river from an American fort.
But there is a sickness running through Red Stick and Isobel begins to find her authority challenged. She’ll be abandoned, betrayed, and forced to stand her ground as the Devil’s left hand in this thrilling conclusion to The Devil’s West Trilogy.
Review- An excellent conclusion to a great series but I want Gilman to write more! Isobel comes into her own in the novel and she is more than just the Devil’s Left Hand. She is silver-touched, which in this world is very important and powerful in its own right. Everything from the first two novels comes together and the finishing is great. Gilman did a wonderful job with this trilogy, from the world building to how the characters grew and changed over the course of the novels. Gilman is a wonderful writer and this trilogy is everything that a weird west fantasy should be. I highly recommend this trilogy and Gilman as an author.
I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.
From the back of the book- In the last novel of The Devil’s West trilogy, Isobel, the Devil’s Left Hand, and Gabriel ride through the magical land of the Territory to root out evil by the way of mad magicians, ghosts, and twisted animal spirits.
As Isobel and Gabriel travel to the southern edge of the Territory, they arrive in the free city of Red Stick. Tensions are running high as the homesteading population grows, crowding the native lands, and suspicions rise across the river from an American fort.
But there is a sickness running through Red Stick and Isobel begins to find her authority challenged. She’ll be abandoned, betrayed, and forced to stand her ground as the Devil’s left hand in this thrilling conclusion to The Devil’s West Trilogy.
Review- An excellent conclusion to a great series but I want Gilman to write more! Isobel comes into her own in the novel and she is more than just the Devil’s Left Hand. She is silver-touched, which in this world is very important and powerful in its own right. Everything from the first two novels comes together and the finishing is great. Gilman did a wonderful job with this trilogy, from the world building to how the characters grew and changed over the course of the novels. Gilman is a wonderful writer and this trilogy is everything that a weird west fantasy should be. I highly recommend this trilogy and Gilman as an author.
I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.
September 27, 2018
How is that the end???? How???? Arghhhhh!!!!
I want more. I really, really want more.
Anyway, I have enjoyed this series so much—the mythology, and the slow pacing, and the way the land of the American West lives and breathes. And Isobel and her mentor Gabriel’s interactions are so lovely and tender. I love their relationship, and that Gilman did not feel the need to make this story a romance, other than perhaps a romance with the wildness of the country itself.
The ending...well. I usually love an open ending. And there’s a note about a novella after the final words that might offer more closure. But as is? It’s a little unsatisfying. I kept getting closer and closer to the last pages and thinking, “there’s just no way this can wrap up so soon!” And I got my hopes up that there would be a book four, only everything I can find still indicates it’s a trilogy. So. Boo.
I will totally read that novella. I will also totally hope something changes and Gilman writes another book as well.
I feel like this series totally quenched that thirst I have in me for world building and slowly spooling plot lines. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to is Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia series—totally different setting, but a similar feel, and a similar focus on the beauty and danger of the land itself. I highly recommend them both.
Just. Prepare yourself to feel like you’ve been left hanging just a bit. I think it’s worth it, though. I’ll feel this world in my bones for a long, long while.
I want more. I really, really want more.
Anyway, I have enjoyed this series so much—the mythology, and the slow pacing, and the way the land of the American West lives and breathes. And Isobel and her mentor Gabriel’s interactions are so lovely and tender. I love their relationship, and that Gilman did not feel the need to make this story a romance, other than perhaps a romance with the wildness of the country itself.
The ending...well. I usually love an open ending. And there’s a note about a novella after the final words that might offer more closure. But as is? It’s a little unsatisfying. I kept getting closer and closer to the last pages and thinking, “there’s just no way this can wrap up so soon!” And I got my hopes up that there would be a book four, only everything I can find still indicates it’s a trilogy. So. Boo.
I will totally read that novella. I will also totally hope something changes and Gilman writes another book as well.
I feel like this series totally quenched that thirst I have in me for world building and slowly spooling plot lines. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to is Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia series—totally different setting, but a similar feel, and a similar focus on the beauty and danger of the land itself. I highly recommend them both.
Just. Prepare yourself to feel like you’ve been left hanging just a bit. I think it’s worth it, though. I’ll feel this world in my bones for a long, long while.
June 27, 2018
I loved this book, and love the entire series. Gilman gets the land and the cultures and the folk that inhabit both so right, then throws twists and possibilities into it that deepen the characters and wreak havoc (in a very good way) with readers' expectations. As good and finely human (or not) as the characters are, it's the story telling that shines. Though I don't think Gilman has a background in anthropology like Joan Vinge or Ursula Le Guin, you wouldn't know it from the deft way she builds an alt-history, alt-West world. Isobel and Gabriel are characters that I just don't want to leave set down in a time and place I don't want to leave.
In this take on a West controlled by the Devil, Iz has made a Bargain with the Old Man in hopes of obtaining power and respect. If you've ever worked in the corporate world, this will be quite familiar. Ahem.
This story takes on the possibility that the Old Man may not have the final word on power. And that humans and societies can run but not hide from the darker sides of their being. Oh, and did I mention that I now want to read the backstory on about 10 of the "minor" characters? If you're new to the series, this is NOT a shoot-em up western. There's some thud and no plunder, but much room to speculate and wonder. It's simply a fine story, well told, that leaves me wanting more. Please.
In this take on a West controlled by the Devil, Iz has made a Bargain with the Old Man in hopes of obtaining power and respect. If you've ever worked in the corporate world, this will be quite familiar. Ahem.
This story takes on the possibility that the Old Man may not have the final word on power. And that humans and societies can run but not hide from the darker sides of their being. Oh, and did I mention that I now want to read the backstory on about 10 of the "minor" characters? If you're new to the series, this is NOT a shoot-em up western. There's some thud and no plunder, but much room to speculate and wonder. It's simply a fine story, well told, that leaves me wanting more. Please.
August 19, 2018
Isobel and her mentor Gabriel have been on the road for nearly a year. They have met all sorts of challenges but it looks like the greatest one is still ahead. They have reached the southern end of the Territory controlled by the Devil. The city of Red Stick is the largest population center Isobel has ever seen. It sits on the bank of the Mudwater which causes problems for Gabriel. He is a water-child but doesn't want to submit to the water.
Tensions are palpable in the city. There is pressure from homesteaders on local Indian tribes; there are those who worry about the Americans across the river who likely have designs on the Territory. There are those who feel a connection to the land who resent those who don't. Isobel knows her job is to solve problems but no one is willing to say what the problem is.
Isobel is also growing in her powers - both the powers given her by the Devil as a result of their bargain and the powers that seem to have been born in her as a child of the Territory. She'll have to learn to balance her powers and stand on her own two feet to make her judgment.
This is a fascinating historical fantasy with a complex and intriguing mythology. The characters are well-developed. I like the way Isobel has changed in the past year of their travels. I liked this episode especially because it gave more depth to Gabriel and his struggles.
Tensions are palpable in the city. There is pressure from homesteaders on local Indian tribes; there are those who worry about the Americans across the river who likely have designs on the Territory. There are those who feel a connection to the land who resent those who don't. Isobel knows her job is to solve problems but no one is willing to say what the problem is.
Isobel is also growing in her powers - both the powers given her by the Devil as a result of their bargain and the powers that seem to have been born in her as a child of the Territory. She'll have to learn to balance her powers and stand on her own two feet to make her judgment.
This is a fascinating historical fantasy with a complex and intriguing mythology. The characters are well-developed. I like the way Isobel has changed in the past year of their travels. I liked this episode especially because it gave more depth to Gabriel and his struggles.
October 29, 2018
The characters and setting are very intricate and well-thought out. This story doesn't flow as well as the two previous parts of the series, but that is because of the complexity of the situation Laura Anne Gilman created. Isobel needs to understand the complex relationships between the Boss, the Territory, and the People as well as try to understand the thoughts and motivations of two powerful nations outside the Territory. As usual, Laura Anne Gilman allows us to discover these complexities through through the thoughts and voices of her characters, which allows for a well-woven story.
I am very saddened by the idea that this is the last book in the series. There is so much more to delve into and look at. The ending doesn't truly resolve the issues that Isobel is facing, merely finds a way to continue the stalement. Isobel believes that is the best she can hope for. I think further installments might help her find a way to bring balance to Territory as a whole.
I am looking forward to the Gabriel novella, however.
I am very saddened by the idea that this is the last book in the series. There is so much more to delve into and look at. The ending doesn't truly resolve the issues that Isobel is facing, merely finds a way to continue the stalement. Isobel believes that is the best she can hope for. I think further installments might help her find a way to bring balance to Territory as a whole.
I am looking forward to the Gabriel novella, however.
July 15, 2019
Finally got to read the third book! I am in love with the tone of such books and there isn't enough written to suit my wants. Old west with native mythologies just give a warmth to my heart.
"Names make small men feel better about their smallness."
"A rider wasn't a rider until they could drink coffee and load their weapon while at a full gallop, cursing in at least two different languages."
"The words that dripped from their tongues were venom and bile, hidden underneath flowers and moss."
"...we are not the masters of this land, but live at its sufferance."
"We don't have a fondness for folk speaking things that upset us,..."
"Authority wasn't a prize. It was a burden,..."
"Names make small men feel better about their smallness."
"A rider wasn't a rider until they could drink coffee and load their weapon while at a full gallop, cursing in at least two different languages."
"The words that dripped from their tongues were venom and bile, hidden underneath flowers and moss."
"...we are not the masters of this land, but live at its sufferance."
"We don't have a fondness for folk speaking things that upset us,..."
"Authority wasn't a prize. It was a burden,..."
August 6, 2019
I continue to be in love with these characters and with this world. I liked the inclusion of the town that is closer to the border with the outside, with this world’s version of the US. It was interesting to see the conflict and ambivalence around what it means to be in the devil’s lands version in a world where the magic does not exist but there is technology and European-centric cultural progress. The way in which the interactions between Gabriel and Isobel shifted over time was so satisfying. I did feel that this book shortchanged the reader around the resolution of the central conflict. The last two books had an epic central battle that took place and I felt that there were sketchy details around the central conflict.
July 13, 2018
Okay. This book. This book got its claws into me and shredded everything it could reach. I'm sitting here and looking around and wondering how other people are just moving on with their lives when this story has been hard at work destroying me.
If you read Patricia C Wrede's Frontier Magic series and the complete erasure of native culture left a bad taste in your mouth, you should read this series. It's road trip/coming of age/weird west and it's very well done. Isobel is a heroine I'd be happy to introduce to Emi. She makes mistakes and learns from them and does what needs to be done, even when it's hard. Which is something worth knowing how to do.
If you read Patricia C Wrede's Frontier Magic series and the complete erasure of native culture left a bad taste in your mouth, you should read this series. It's road trip/coming of age/weird west and it's very well done. Isobel is a heroine I'd be happy to introduce to Emi. She makes mistakes and learns from them and does what needs to be done, even when it's hard. Which is something worth knowing how to do.
December 28, 2018
Totally glad to be back in the world, and the vast majority of the book was strong and fascinating. Unfortunately, the ending was... confusing? A bit of a fizzle? Just not really there? I read it a couple of times trying to figure out what exactly happens that sorts the long-building situation out and I got: a magician. And also if you aren't part of the bargain that keeps the territory alive, the territory will cease to be alive and this is what that will look like, ok? And it just didn't come together for me. Anyway, I hope that adventures continue in this world, because it's a heck of a world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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