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The Marshal
The world of old is no more. The bombs fell, the fires spread, and deadly radiation was spewed across the landscape. Mankind struggled to survive in great underground tunnels, shelters, and wherever else they could find protection from the destruction above, and once the dust settled, they did their best to endure in the irradiated wastes.Two hundred years later, humanity is rebuilding. What was once known as the United States in the old world, is now a torn and fractured land, divided in two by two powerful factions. To the west lies the New Western Confederacy, built upon the bones of and inspired by the republics and democracies of old. To the east, the Commonwealth of States, a nation ruled by nobility and power passed down through bloodlines. While most seek to bring back a semblance of the old world’s civilizations, the wastes are still a haven for irradiated monsters, dangerous tribals, and violent bandits. There are many stories of these horrors, but none have been told more than those of Wesley the most feared outlaw the wastes had ever seen. For half a decade, Kerrigan and his gang terrorized the counties of the New Western Confederacy and the Commonwealth alike, until he was finally killed in a bloody shootout.Seven years after his supposed death, rumors of man claiming to be Wes Kerrigan have made their way across the sandy deserts, bringing with them a new wave of terror. The outlaw is not only alive, but he is also in his possession of a piece of old world technology, one that can once again bring the fires of nuclear war to the already fractured world. In response, the New Western Confederacy sends their best to track down Kerrigan and finally bring the outlaw to justice.They are the Marshals.
273 pages, Paperback
Published October 27, 2017
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12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 10, 2020
The Marshal is an action-adventure book. The story begins explaining how the world has changed due to deadly radiation spread across the landscape. Humans live underground and in tough situations.
As people begin to rebuild, the story then takes you 200 years ahead of where the old America is no more. The land is divided. As things try to get better in this post-apocalyptic novel, the author spends less time describing the environment and more spending time working on the plot and characters. The situation gets worse as a new arrival threatens the very existence of the newly sorted systems.
By the author, the story is told from the point of view of a young woman named Elizabeth Hart. She is a sharpshooter recruited by a group of specialized law enforcers called the Marshals. Their task is to track down a feared outlaw who has come into possession of a piece of old-world technology that can access latent nuclear weapons. While hunting this outlaw, Elizabeth and her band of companions must deal with bandits, the elements, corruption, and mutated creatures that plague this post-apocalyptic world, but, more importantly, they must also confront what lies inside of each of them.
I found the literature to be filled with action. People were trying to survive a nuclear wasteland in a western world setting theme. The pace was steady, and I enjoyed the story in its entirety. I believe the author left enough room for a sequel to this story as not all loose ends were addressed. There was plenty of room for him to expand. Therefore, I look forward to reading more from him.
I would recommend this book to post-apocalyptic fans and people who like to read western-style stories.
As people begin to rebuild, the story then takes you 200 years ahead of where the old America is no more. The land is divided. As things try to get better in this post-apocalyptic novel, the author spends less time describing the environment and more spending time working on the plot and characters. The situation gets worse as a new arrival threatens the very existence of the newly sorted systems.
By the author, the story is told from the point of view of a young woman named Elizabeth Hart. She is a sharpshooter recruited by a group of specialized law enforcers called the Marshals. Their task is to track down a feared outlaw who has come into possession of a piece of old-world technology that can access latent nuclear weapons. While hunting this outlaw, Elizabeth and her band of companions must deal with bandits, the elements, corruption, and mutated creatures that plague this post-apocalyptic world, but, more importantly, they must also confront what lies inside of each of them.
I found the literature to be filled with action. People were trying to survive a nuclear wasteland in a western world setting theme. The pace was steady, and I enjoyed the story in its entirety. I believe the author left enough room for a sequel to this story as not all loose ends were addressed. There was plenty of room for him to expand. Therefore, I look forward to reading more from him.
I would recommend this book to post-apocalyptic fans and people who like to read western-style stories.
September 17, 2019
Alright, where to start. I suppose my customary shout out to r/fantasy and the book bingo reading challenge is in order. This year's bingo had me searching to fulfill the hard mode requirements for the local author square and that journey lead me here.
I should also note that I haven't read a western before unless you count Firefly or The Gunslinger and I don't personally. Maybe I should. I have seen some western movies though! This book I would says leans more into the western genre than I would normally read, however. It does have plenty of elements of adventure fantasy that is more in my wheel house as well as the dystopian post apocalyptic setting which I find offers so many narrative possibilities and I keep going back to.
As for other boxes this book checks, we have a group of people banding together and traversing long distances (mostly on foot and horseback), we have gun duels, showdowns, ambushes, train heists, giant leeches, the threat of the world ending as we know it... again, mutant monster things, explosions, morally ambiguous lawmen, morally ambiguous politicians, and maybe a morally good bad guy. What it all boils down to for me is, this is a story that is filled with bad ass characters doing bad ass things. I had a lot of fun reading it.
I also want to take a moment and mention something that is a huge pet peeve of mine. Too often I find myself reading a book in a series and it does not end. It lacks closure. It feels more like the ending to a chapter than an ending to a book and it leaves you with a cliff hanger that is unsatisfying. This is not one of those. The ending we get in The Marshall is a satisfying conclusion to the overarching plot. Kudos for that.
Lastly, I want to complain about the lack of cowboy/western type nick names in the book. Maybe I'm showing my lack of experience with the genre here but where are the Buffalo Bill, Sundance Kid, Two Shot, or Pistol Pete type names? Or how about a cool name for the steeds? I don't know I might be reaching here. I digress.
Overall, this is a highly entertaining, action packed adventure. I look forward to the next one.
I should also note that I haven't read a western before unless you count Firefly or The Gunslinger and I don't personally. Maybe I should. I have seen some western movies though! This book I would says leans more into the western genre than I would normally read, however. It does have plenty of elements of adventure fantasy that is more in my wheel house as well as the dystopian post apocalyptic setting which I find offers so many narrative possibilities and I keep going back to.
As for other boxes this book checks, we have a group of people banding together and traversing long distances (mostly on foot and horseback), we have gun duels, showdowns, ambushes, train heists, giant leeches, the threat of the world ending as we know it... again, mutant monster things, explosions, morally ambiguous lawmen, morally ambiguous politicians, and maybe a morally good bad guy. What it all boils down to for me is, this is a story that is filled with bad ass characters doing bad ass things. I had a lot of fun reading it.
I also want to take a moment and mention something that is a huge pet peeve of mine. Too often I find myself reading a book in a series and it does not end. It lacks closure. It feels more like the ending to a chapter than an ending to a book and it leaves you with a cliff hanger that is unsatisfying. This is not one of those. The ending we get in The Marshall is a satisfying conclusion to the overarching plot. Kudos for that.
Lastly, I want to complain about the lack of cowboy/western type nick names in the book. Maybe I'm showing my lack of experience with the genre here but where are the Buffalo Bill, Sundance Kid, Two Shot, or Pistol Pete type names? Or how about a cool name for the steeds? I don't know I might be reaching here. I digress.
Overall, this is a highly entertaining, action packed adventure. I look forward to the next one.
December 16, 2019
I received a free copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not much into westerns. I don’t know if it’s because that’s one of the few genres my dad likes, so Bonanza and the like were always on, and I just grew bored of it (might also explain why I don’t gravitate toward romance, thanks to my mom). Or maybe it just doesn’t resonate with me. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t hate westerns. This book being a western that takes place after a nuclear apocalypse helps, though.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a quick, captivating read. The world is described just enough to leave wiggle room for exploration, but it’s not so unstructured that I couldn’t get an image of the environment the characters were running around in. It certainly gives off a Fallout: New Vegas vibe, which the author was shooting for. Good on them.
This book only has one big downfall, which is one of the reasons for the 4-star rating. The characters are flat. Well, not all of them. Stark and Wes are great. I could read a book where it’s just the two of them going up against each other. A great villain and anti-hero combo.
Everyone else, though, needs a lot of work, which sucks because the main character falls into that category. Multiple times I had to do a headcount just to remember how many people were in the group. When this happened, I would wonder why all these characters are on this adventure. Especially Gaines. There was potential for some major drama between him and Stark, but it never happened. That was a giant letdown.
The other thing that bugged me a little was as soon as an outside force was introduced, it became the next obstacle to overcome. This got old after the second time it happened. I don’t know if this is a characteristic of westerns in general, but I like a little more surprise in my adventures.
Otherwise, this is a great read. I had a fun time and devoured it a lot faster than I thought I would a western. This author is one to watch.
I’m not much into westerns. I don’t know if it’s because that’s one of the few genres my dad likes, so Bonanza and the like were always on, and I just grew bored of it (might also explain why I don’t gravitate toward romance, thanks to my mom). Or maybe it just doesn’t resonate with me. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t hate westerns. This book being a western that takes place after a nuclear apocalypse helps, though.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a quick, captivating read. The world is described just enough to leave wiggle room for exploration, but it’s not so unstructured that I couldn’t get an image of the environment the characters were running around in. It certainly gives off a Fallout: New Vegas vibe, which the author was shooting for. Good on them.
This book only has one big downfall, which is one of the reasons for the 4-star rating. The characters are flat. Well, not all of them. Stark and Wes are great. I could read a book where it’s just the two of them going up against each other. A great villain and anti-hero combo.
Everyone else, though, needs a lot of work, which sucks because the main character falls into that category. Multiple times I had to do a headcount just to remember how many people were in the group. When this happened, I would wonder why all these characters are on this adventure. Especially Gaines. There was potential for some major drama between him and Stark, but it never happened. That was a giant letdown.
The other thing that bugged me a little was as soon as an outside force was introduced, it became the next obstacle to overcome. This got old after the second time it happened. I don’t know if this is a characteristic of westerns in general, but I like a little more surprise in my adventures.
Otherwise, this is a great read. I had a fun time and devoured it a lot faster than I thought I would a western. This author is one to watch.
January 16, 2020
The Marshal by J.S. Matthews is a fantastic read that echoes The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King with a little bit of Fallout mixed in. I very much enjoyed the story. So man people write apocalyptic novels that take place during the apocalypse, but far fewer embrace the desolate, irradiated aftermath hundreds of years into the future. To watch people try to rebuild the world from the wastes proves to be a gripping read.
I loved the conflict that occurs during the rebuild between New Western Confederacy and the Commonwealth, two different ideals clashing in the new world, as most certainly one would expect their to be. The characters are unique and I enjoyed watching them develop. I have a weakness for a good anti-hero. The intrigue and mystery surrounding anti-hero, Wes Kerrigan, is great. The man who was dead and could destroy the world all over again. My only gripe is that I'm not a huge fan of the "Western" genre, and it felt that sometimes it felt a tad cliche, too reminiscent of cowboys in the end of the 19th century. However, that's just my preference. Still, the ending was very satisfying and the book is definitely a five star read and one that I'd recommend to "apocalypse" fans.
I loved the conflict that occurs during the rebuild between New Western Confederacy and the Commonwealth, two different ideals clashing in the new world, as most certainly one would expect their to be. The characters are unique and I enjoyed watching them develop. I have a weakness for a good anti-hero. The intrigue and mystery surrounding anti-hero, Wes Kerrigan, is great. The man who was dead and could destroy the world all over again. My only gripe is that I'm not a huge fan of the "Western" genre, and it felt that sometimes it felt a tad cliche, too reminiscent of cowboys in the end of the 19th century. However, that's just my preference. Still, the ending was very satisfying and the book is definitely a five star read and one that I'd recommend to "apocalypse" fans.
June 23, 2021
I'm not a fan of the Western genre, in general. I have read plenty of Louis L'Amour, so I know what passes for "good western" reads, but despite my fascination with the Old West, Cowboys, Indians, etc, the genre has never really been high on my list of enjoyable reads. It may have to do with the fact that most Westerns depict The West as dirty, gritty, hot, and inhospitable, and while that is most certainly true for a large portion of the West, I always preferred The West in reference to the Rocky Mountains, mountain meadows, lakes, forests, and so on. Anyway, that's just me.
Now that I have disclaimed my general apathy toward Westerns, I have to tell you: I rather enjoyed this post-apocalyptic Western. Yeah, it was still dirty, gritty, hot, and largely inhospitable, and not just because of deserts and natural wastelands...
The book's blurb says: "The world of old is no more. The bombs fell, the fires spread, and deadly radiation was spewed across the landscape. Mankind struggled to survive in great underground tunnels, shelters, and wherever else they could find protection from the destruction above, and once the dust settled, they did their best to endure in the irradiated wastes.
Two hundred years later, humanity is rebuilding..."
In the world of The Marshal, the US is now divided east to west. When one particular villain, by the name of Kerrigan who has been presumed dead for seven years, resurfaces with a sinister plot in mind that would once again lay waste to the US, a group of Marshals are called upon to stop him. Led by young Marshal, Elizabeth Hart, and joined by a former friend of Kerrigan, Rubin Stark, the group races against time and against the elements of the wastelands of The West to stop a scarily cognizant mad man.
So what did I think?
Let me start with the bad:
If you are going to incorporate a foreign language, sprinkled in or not, please make sure it is correct! The continual misuse and incorrectly spelled Spanish was distracting and annoying. Considering I only remember rudimentary Spanish from many, many years ago in grade school, yeah - it is that bad.
Then the not so bad, but still distracting:
There is this constant build-up surrounding Stark and his previous relationship with Kerrigan. But when they finally come face to face, twice, their interaction is... well... boring. Actually, Boring, with a capital B. I was really let down. I expected these two one time friends to have some real interaction, some exciting dialogue, some semblance of feeling! Instead, it was just meh. It felt as though the author was just suddenly in a hurry to wrap up that part of the story line and move on.
Also - just a quick aside - The title and the use of "Marshal" really got under my skin at first. I sincerely assumed the word was not spelled correctly. I ended up looking it up. I had no idea that "marshal' could be spelled (as a noun) correctly with either one or two "l"s. If that distracts you too, I understand, but J.S. Matthews is actually not wrong.
Then, the good:
I really loved the world building. If you haven't gathered from my book reviews so far, I kind of gravitate toward fantasy, sci-fi, and apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic books. It is gritty, and dirty, and harsh, but is believable without being over done or dragging on, and I was immersed in it.
I also appreciated the character development of Kerrigan and Stark, which is ironic because Stark is not the main character. He was more like an anti-hero. The main character, Elizabeth Hart, was okay, and while I appreciated her talent with a gun, everything else surrounding her role among a group of hardened and experienced Marshals, some seemingly at least twice her age, was not believable at all. But I gravitated to Stark and Kerrigan and got really invested in the both of them, which of course explains my disappointment with their limited interactions with each other.
I also appreciated that the author (based on previous reviews) appears to have taken time to go back over his book and address reader's concerns over general grammar. I didn't notice anything other than the occasional comma out of place, and we all know how controversial commas are, so those may have simply been author preference. ::shrug::
Overall, I give The Marshal four stars. I recommend this book for fans of the Western genre, especially any that also appreciate post-apocalyptic books, for this is a good blend of the two, I think.
Now that I have disclaimed my general apathy toward Westerns, I have to tell you: I rather enjoyed this post-apocalyptic Western. Yeah, it was still dirty, gritty, hot, and largely inhospitable, and not just because of deserts and natural wastelands...
The book's blurb says: "The world of old is no more. The bombs fell, the fires spread, and deadly radiation was spewed across the landscape. Mankind struggled to survive in great underground tunnels, shelters, and wherever else they could find protection from the destruction above, and once the dust settled, they did their best to endure in the irradiated wastes.
Two hundred years later, humanity is rebuilding..."
In the world of The Marshal, the US is now divided east to west. When one particular villain, by the name of Kerrigan who has been presumed dead for seven years, resurfaces with a sinister plot in mind that would once again lay waste to the US, a group of Marshals are called upon to stop him. Led by young Marshal, Elizabeth Hart, and joined by a former friend of Kerrigan, Rubin Stark, the group races against time and against the elements of the wastelands of The West to stop a scarily cognizant mad man.
So what did I think?
Let me start with the bad:
If you are going to incorporate a foreign language, sprinkled in or not, please make sure it is correct! The continual misuse and incorrectly spelled Spanish was distracting and annoying. Considering I only remember rudimentary Spanish from many, many years ago in grade school, yeah - it is that bad.
Then the not so bad, but still distracting:
There is this constant build-up surrounding Stark and his previous relationship with Kerrigan. But when they finally come face to face, twice, their interaction is... well... boring. Actually, Boring, with a capital B. I was really let down. I expected these two one time friends to have some real interaction, some exciting dialogue, some semblance of feeling! Instead, it was just meh. It felt as though the author was just suddenly in a hurry to wrap up that part of the story line and move on.
Also - just a quick aside - The title and the use of "Marshal" really got under my skin at first. I sincerely assumed the word was not spelled correctly. I ended up looking it up. I had no idea that "marshal' could be spelled (as a noun) correctly with either one or two "l"s. If that distracts you too, I understand, but J.S. Matthews is actually not wrong.
Then, the good:
I really loved the world building. If you haven't gathered from my book reviews so far, I kind of gravitate toward fantasy, sci-fi, and apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic books. It is gritty, and dirty, and harsh, but is believable without being over done or dragging on, and I was immersed in it.
I also appreciated the character development of Kerrigan and Stark, which is ironic because Stark is not the main character. He was more like an anti-hero. The main character, Elizabeth Hart, was okay, and while I appreciated her talent with a gun, everything else surrounding her role among a group of hardened and experienced Marshals, some seemingly at least twice her age, was not believable at all. But I gravitated to Stark and Kerrigan and got really invested in the both of them, which of course explains my disappointment with their limited interactions with each other.
I also appreciated that the author (based on previous reviews) appears to have taken time to go back over his book and address reader's concerns over general grammar. I didn't notice anything other than the occasional comma out of place, and we all know how controversial commas are, so those may have simply been author preference. ::shrug::
Overall, I give The Marshal four stars. I recommend this book for fans of the Western genre, especially any that also appreciate post-apocalyptic books, for this is a good blend of the two, I think.
October 16, 2020
“The Marshal” introduces you to a post-apocalyptic United States about two hundred years in the future. The story follows Elizabeth, a brand new Marshal known for her sharp shooting skills, on her first assignment. Elizabeth finds herself working with a team of experienced marshals and one war-hero turned bandit, Stark, on a mission to find a ruthless outlaw named Kerrigan.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought the character development of Elizabeth, Stark, and Kerrigan was especially well done. I loved that the characters were layered, complex, and not just your “typical” good or bad guys. I also really liked the change in perspective and point of view within the storyline. I felt that the author did a great job intertwining character background and action in a way that felt well-paced and natural. I also thought the ending was satisfying in that it felt like a close of a chapter but a beginning of a whole new world. I hope that the author lets us in on new adventures to come.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought the character development of Elizabeth, Stark, and Kerrigan was especially well done. I loved that the characters were layered, complex, and not just your “typical” good or bad guys. I also really liked the change in perspective and point of view within the storyline. I felt that the author did a great job intertwining character background and action in a way that felt well-paced and natural. I also thought the ending was satisfying in that it felt like a close of a chapter but a beginning of a whole new world. I hope that the author lets us in on new adventures to come.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2020
Westerns are not generally my genre. And the 4-star review is really only because I'm not free with my 5-stars - given the option, I'd go with 4.5 :)
This book has enough action and plot development to keep me reading. The travels of the group helped the novel move along; I found the second half to be action heavy, while the first half focused on establishing characters. A shift in pacing might have made it a more engaging read.
I liked the setting - the dystopian future, the similar names of places, these made the novel have connection to our time. I also liked the main character. The very fact that she is female in this Western is a unique element. Elizabeth Hart grows into herself as the novel progresses, finding her own path through right and wrong. The ending places her perfectly, poised for a sequel. I would be interested to know more of her back-story, how she came to the marshals in the first place.
Overall, Mr. "Matthew", well done!
This book has enough action and plot development to keep me reading. The travels of the group helped the novel move along; I found the second half to be action heavy, while the first half focused on establishing characters. A shift in pacing might have made it a more engaging read.
I liked the setting - the dystopian future, the similar names of places, these made the novel have connection to our time. I also liked the main character. The very fact that she is female in this Western is a unique element. Elizabeth Hart grows into herself as the novel progresses, finding her own path through right and wrong. The ending places her perfectly, poised for a sequel. I would be interested to know more of her back-story, how she came to the marshals in the first place.
Overall, Mr. "Matthew", well done!
January 13, 2020
Well, what can I say! The Marshal has surprised me on so many levels, and has left me wanting to read more and more of the author’s work. The whole story from start to finish has left me in awe – from the incredible description of settings and characters, to how engaging the whole plot was. In my eyes, this was everything a good book should be! A perfect book for fans of western, or those simply looking for something new, action-packed and exciting.
I wrote a more in-depth review of this book over on my blog: https://aquintillionwords.com/2020/01...
I wrote a more in-depth review of this book over on my blog: https://aquintillionwords.com/2020/01...
February 5, 2020
Good story, rough editing
I really liked the story: the characters, the plot, the setting. My only complaint was the poor editing, or seeming complete lack thereof. Lots of missing words or typos. There was at least one missing comma on every page. It was pretty distracting. I'll read the next book in the series, but I hope more attention is paid to the editing.
I really liked the story: the characters, the plot, the setting. My only complaint was the poor editing, or seeming complete lack thereof. Lots of missing words or typos. There was at least one missing comma on every page. It was pretty distracting. I'll read the next book in the series, but I hope more attention is paid to the editing.
February 28, 2020
A GREAT READ! WORTH YOUR TIME & ENJOYMENT!
I found this story uplifting, full of action & full of folks that I would like to know! I would like to get the next book too! This Book is worth your time to read & worth your purchase!
ENJOY YOURSELF!!!
I found this story uplifting, full of action & full of folks that I would like to know! I would like to get the next book too! This Book is worth your time to read & worth your purchase!
ENJOY YOURSELF!!!
Want to Read
December 30, 2019Fascinating...
Definitely has my attention.
Now this, I gotta read :-D
Definitely has my attention.
Now this, I gotta read :-D
May 27, 2020
Elizabeth, a brand-new Marshal, sets out with her team to hunt down the notorious Wes Kerrigan. Their only hope to find Kerrigan and take him down is through the use of his old partner, an outlaw only minutely less evil, Rubin Stark. Stark leads the Marshals through the wastelands, hunting Kerrigan but always one step behind, and time is not on their side. Will the Marshals find Kerrigan before he destroys the world--again? Or will Stark turn on them before the deed is done?
This is very much a western story. It is set in the future, post-apocalypse, but all the tell-tale signs of a Western novel are there. Kerrigan is a right gunslinger, a bit crazy and out to kill everyone--himself included. I enjoyed the hunt and the cat-and-mouse feel of the chase throughout the novel, especially during the gun fights. The action was decent, and allowed me to really get a feel for the weaponry and tactics. The world-building was also great, giving the readers the feel of humanity trying their best after the world exploded around their ancestors.
One thing that slightly put me off, however, was that I was not expecting it to be so Western-styled. I think I went into the book with different expectations, and as I am not much of a Western reader, I was a bit disappointed (post-apocalypse is one of my favorite genres).
The writing of the novel was a bit rough for me. The editing job was not done thoroughly, and so there were many missing words, typos, and grammatical errors on almost every page. The dialogue also seemed to fall a bit awkwardly to my ears and didn't seem to make sense with the characters/plotline. As an English teacher, I also found the colloquially incorrect language to be distracting and annoying, but that may be due to my profession! I am a sucker for tight, perfect language.
Going along with this, the characters were flat. There were many of them in the group, and they all seemed to have the same personality (which was none at all). HOWEVER, I did love Kerrigan. And Stark. Of course, I just had to love the villains. I would have loved to see more of them, especially them together, and less of the Marshals as a whole. Even Elizabeth, the main character, did not seem to grow at all through the story. She tried, but it just didn't work. Hopefully, this will improve in the sequel!
Overall, this is a good book to pick up if you enjoy Westerns and don't mind editing mistakes.
See this and other book reviews at thebookdragondotblog.wordpress.com
This is very much a western story. It is set in the future, post-apocalypse, but all the tell-tale signs of a Western novel are there. Kerrigan is a right gunslinger, a bit crazy and out to kill everyone--himself included. I enjoyed the hunt and the cat-and-mouse feel of the chase throughout the novel, especially during the gun fights. The action was decent, and allowed me to really get a feel for the weaponry and tactics. The world-building was also great, giving the readers the feel of humanity trying their best after the world exploded around their ancestors.
One thing that slightly put me off, however, was that I was not expecting it to be so Western-styled. I think I went into the book with different expectations, and as I am not much of a Western reader, I was a bit disappointed (post-apocalypse is one of my favorite genres).
The writing of the novel was a bit rough for me. The editing job was not done thoroughly, and so there were many missing words, typos, and grammatical errors on almost every page. The dialogue also seemed to fall a bit awkwardly to my ears and didn't seem to make sense with the characters/plotline. As an English teacher, I also found the colloquially incorrect language to be distracting and annoying, but that may be due to my profession! I am a sucker for tight, perfect language.
Going along with this, the characters were flat. There were many of them in the group, and they all seemed to have the same personality (which was none at all). HOWEVER, I did love Kerrigan. And Stark. Of course, I just had to love the villains. I would have loved to see more of them, especially them together, and less of the Marshals as a whole. Even Elizabeth, the main character, did not seem to grow at all through the story. She tried, but it just didn't work. Hopefully, this will improve in the sequel!
Overall, this is a good book to pick up if you enjoy Westerns and don't mind editing mistakes.
See this and other book reviews at thebookdragondotblog.wordpress.com
March 5, 2023
A really great post-apocalyptic dystopian Western with brilliantly written characters and an exciting plot. Elizabeth Hart, the protagonist and titular Marshal, is a well thought out character with a nice arc. All of the characters, in fact, are really impressive and the author does a good job of developing this story. Only missing the fifth star because of a few inconsistencies, especially in language and tone, and the need for a bit more editing.
Really enjoyable book, though, would definitely recommend.
Really enjoyable book, though, would definitely recommend.
December 4, 2023
A Great Read!
A gripping tale of post-apocalyptic resurgence. The narrative unfolds in a fractured land, torn between the democratic ideals of the New Western Confederacy and the aristocratic rule of the Commonwealth of States. Wesley Kerrigan, a legendary outlaw, reemerges, wielding ancient technology that threatens to plunge the world back into chaos.
The Marshals, elite enforcers of justice, embark on a riveting quest to apprehend Kerrigan and prevent impending doom.
Filled with suspense, political intrigue, and the haunting remnants of a bygone era, this dystopian saga captivates from start to finish. A compelling fusion of survival, retribution, and the enduring spirit of humanity.
A gripping tale of post-apocalyptic resurgence. The narrative unfolds in a fractured land, torn between the democratic ideals of the New Western Confederacy and the aristocratic rule of the Commonwealth of States. Wesley Kerrigan, a legendary outlaw, reemerges, wielding ancient technology that threatens to plunge the world back into chaos.
The Marshals, elite enforcers of justice, embark on a riveting quest to apprehend Kerrigan and prevent impending doom.
Filled with suspense, political intrigue, and the haunting remnants of a bygone era, this dystopian saga captivates from start to finish. A compelling fusion of survival, retribution, and the enduring spirit of humanity.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews