Tales of a High Planes Drifter

Merkabah Rider #1

by Edward M. Erdelac

The last of an ancient order of Jewish mystics capable of extraplanar travel, The Merkabah Rider roams the demon haunted American West of 1879 in search of the renegade teacher who betrayed his enclave. But as the trail grows fresher, shadows gather, and The Hour Of The Incursion draws near... Four novella episodes in one book.

In a town hungry for blood, the Rider encounters a cult of Molech worshippers bent on human sacrifice('The Blood Libel'). A murderous, possessed gunman descends upon a mountain town, and only the Rider stands in his way ('Hell's Hired Gun'). A powerful ju ju man with powers rivalling the Rider's own holds a fledgling Mexican boomtown in his sway ('The Dust Devils'). Finally the Rider faces the Queen of Demons and a bordello full of antedelluvian succubi ('The Nightjar Women').

Genres: Fantasy, Westerns, Weird West, Horror, Steampunk, Fiction, Lovecraftian

294 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

Edward M. Erdelac is the author of thirteen novels including the acclaimed Judeocentric/Lovecraftian weird western series Merkabah Rider, Rainbringer: Zora Neale Hurston Against The Lovecraftian Mythos, Conquer, Monstrumfuhrer from Comet Press, Terovolas from JournalStone Publishing, and Andersonville from Random House/Hydra.

Born in Indiana, educated in Chicago, he lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife and a bona fide slew of kids and cats.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deliciously, eclectic “blend” of Weird Western meets Kabbalah/ Jewish Mysticism meets Kung Fu (the series) meets The Cthulhu Mythos meets Biblical apocrypha meets magical weapons and abilities meets secret societies meets plenty of pulp meets loads of demons and other nasties…..
….INTRODUCING: The Merkabah Rider: Tales of A High Planes Drifter.

Reading as much as I do, it is always a warm and fuzzy moment when I find something new that is both original and very well done. The Merkabah Rider is it and these stories are a wonderful stew of pulpy, weird-western, mystical YUMMINESS.

In this collection of 4 novellas, we are introduced to “The Rider,” an Orthodox Jewish mystic and member of an ancient secret society known as the Sons of Essenes. The Rider (whose real name is kept hidden because “to know one’s true name is to have power over them”) is following the trail of his former teacher, Adon, who betrayed the Sons of Essenes and has embraced “dark forces” in his quest for power. The Rider, armed with a kick ass volcanic pistol and a host of magical talismans, travels Post Civil War America finding trouble and adventure wherever he goes.

The Blood Libel:

It was on a dying, red sun Friday when he passed into the town; only the black gummed growl of a scrawny, long-nippled cur that slid from underneath the shadows of a boardwalk, welcomed him…Curtains drew. Fleshy lips moved behind lily hands. Whispers carried words he’s heard a hundred times before in towns better than this. Questions both bemused (What do you make of that?) and pregnant with fear-born threat (Who does he think he is?). Speculations (Some kinda Mennonite? A Mormon? A Mexican-Mormon?) Then, probably from some drummer who had been out of the valley once or twice-maybe as far as Tombstone or Bisbee he heard another; Jew.

In this first novella, The Rider arrives at a town known as Delirium Tremens (yes, that’s DTs) where he discovers that the local inhabitants are fixing to slaughter all of the Jewish residents in nearby Little Jerusalem. It seems some of the local children have disappeared, including the daughter of the local preacher, perceptions of “blood sacrifices and Jews eating Christian babies” have raised the level of prejudice against the Jewish population to 11. Even worse, there may be some supernatural elements at work that make the locals’ feelings more or less justified.

This story, in addition to laying out the first chunk of The Rider’s back story also tantalizingly teases about the Lovecraftian connection when one of the characters references The Hour of Incursion when The Great Old Ones will bring war to the Earth and reclaim supremacy. As you might imagine, this caused me to have a major Cthulhugasm.

The Dust Devil:

The Rider, continuing his quest for Adon and showing definitely shades of Roland, the Gunslinger, on the trail of The Man in Black, arrives in Polvo Arrido, a town engulfed in a perpetual dust storm that appears anything but natural. In this one, we get another chunk of back-story on The Rider as well as neat slice of Hoodoo magic and lore that broadens the mystical playing field of the series. I thought this was excellent, but I did have one minor and ONE MAJOR gripe about it that I will now discuss in my brief “bitch” section.

**The Dust Devil–BITCH section**

First, a very minor bitch and probably not worth mentioning, but bitch that I am, I am going to do so: At the beginning of the story The Rider is playing 5 card draw. He discards two cards (a 2 and a 4) and the dealer gives him THREE cards (a 10 a 3 and an Ace). That was a little sloppy.

My Second, and MAJOR gripe happens later on in the story. This is only a minor spoiler but I will hide it anyway: The Rider gets captured by the main bad guy Scarchilli and his Hoodoo associate Kelly. He is stripped of all his talismans and protections and tied up outside for the “evil dust storm” to kill him. However, he is able to escape because he has “his magic FUCKING glasses.” Uh…NO. They take everything else, but leave his “rune-etched” mystical glasses. This bothered me.

Hell’s Hired Gun:

Medgar Tooms, the titular character, is mean, nasty, supernatural maker of murder that reminded me a little of The Saint of Killers from the Preacher Series by Garth Ennis (though I hasten to add the Toomy Boy is not even close to the level of Ball-Busting-Bad-Ass-NESS as S.O.K.). Well after finding a local monastery FUBAR and all of its inhabitants horribly slaughtered, The Rider finds himself on a collision course with the Demonic death-dealer.

In addition to an excellent main plot, this story also provides a large piece of The Rider’s back-story and continues to flesh him out as an epic character. Plus, like the previous story, the magical world is expanded once again by bringing in Christian mysticism and power in the form of a local pastor whose history is inter-connected with Medgar Tooms. I really enjoy how faith and religion are embedded in the stories without any whiff of this being “religious.”

Finally, we get some additional insight into the The Hour of Incursion and preparations that are being made for the war to come. Uh…YES!! If I was not already spent from The Blood Libel I would have likely had another “happy ending” with this one.

The Nightjar Women:

What a great way to tie up this first collection. The Rider finds himself in the town of Tip Top in the Arizona Territory where there are (1) no children, (2) a bunch of gravestones marking the recent death of infants and (3) a WHOLE LOTTA prostitution going down (no pun intended). The reason behind these events are for you to decide but this story certainly has the “grandest scope” of any of the stories and fills in a lot of the mystical back-story.

It relies heavily on Biblical apocrypha and ties in beautifully with the Lovecraftian world. I would never have thought that the creation story could tie so neatly into Lovecraft but I was fascinated.

OVERALL, I loved this book and The Rider is fast becoming a new favorite character of mine. The second collection of novellas is already out and I am looking forward to seeing how well the momentum continues. With a shade more Lovecraft and some further progression towards both a reckoning with Adon and The Hour of Incursion, this the next one has 5 star potential.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merkabah Rider: Tales of A High Planes Drifter is a collection of four tales about a Jewish mystic gunfighter.

The Blood Libel: Fate draws The Rider to Delirium Tremens, a mining town where hostility is brewing between the residents and the Jews of nearby Little Jerusalem, who've allegedly turned away from God and kidnapped the daughter of the local preacher. Can The Rider find the cause of the trouble before the Angels of Death wipe out everyone in Little Jerusalem?

The Blood Libel does a great job of introducing The Rider and his world. The Rider's continuing quest is to find his mentor and betrayer, another mystic calling himself Adon. The world building is surprisingly deep for a 70 page novella. Erdelac introduces the Sons of the Essenes, a Jewish mystical society with branches in all parts of the world, as well as revealing parts of the Rider's history.

The story itself is a nice melding of western standards and Jewish mystacism. I'm looking forward to when The Rider goes up against The Great Old Ones.

The Dust Devils: An unending dust storm grips the town of Polvo Arrido as The Rider rolls into town. Can The Rider find clues to Adon's whereabouts and save the residents of Polvo Arrido from the bandits that have them under thumb?

While I didn't like this one as much as The Blood Libel, it was still pretty good. It reminded me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom more than anything else. The Rider's past was fleshed out a little bit more and, once again, he took a pretty good beating and still came out on top. The one complaint I have is that he walked into an ambush a little too easily when he visited Scarchilli.

Hell's Hired Gun: The Merkabah Rider encounters an old preacher, who recounts the tale of Medgar Tooms, a gunfighter that killed an entire town after the death of his family and now stalks the prairie dragging chains and leading a pack of ravenous pigs. Can the Merkabah Rider put an end to his reign of terror?

Hell's Hired Gun was pretty good but didn't involve much in the way of magic from the Rider. The violence was well done and the subplot of the Hour of Incursion by the Elder Gods mentioned in the first story was elaborated upon.

The Nightjar Women: The Merkabah Rider finds himself in a town where no children are born and three prostitutes seem to be in league with a dark power...

At last, The Rider gets a hint of Adon's whereabouts. More of The Rider's past is revealed, and more about the Hour of Incursion. Lots of Talmudic stuff in this one and The Rider seems more human than ever. The Merkabah Rider continues his transformation into one of my favorite weird western characters. That's about all I'm going to reveal for fear of spoilage.

Conclusion:
For fans of weird western, look no farther than the adventures of the Merkabah Rider. I'll be tracking down the second volume very soon.

Note: You can read an interview with Edward M. Erdelac here.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Merkabah Rider stories are all I could have wished for yet never dare imagined in a weird western series! A halachically bad-ass gun slinging sorcerer roaming the old west, dispatching all manner of hellspawn demons using his secret knowledge of ancient Jewish occult. It's a totally outrageous concept, written without a drop of irony, and man does it work.

The final story, The Nightjar Women, is where it all really came together for me, giving a deeper look into the Rider's psyche, showing him vulnerable and nearly giving in to carnal temptation. He battles some incredibly grotesque and sultry demonesses, and the story finally sheds some real light on the larger plot arc that carries through to some extent across all the stories. This involves the pursuit of his former mentor, turned nemesis, and some out of this world Lovecraftian horrors that are really only hinted at yet impart an ominous foreshadowing of events to come in future stories.

Erdelac's knowledge of Jewish mysticism far exceeds my own and is incredibly impressive. The book includes a handy reference lexicon in the back for those who may not be up on their biblical Hebrew. His style is exciting, graphic and evocative and leaves one wanting more, which thankfully he has supplied in three followup volumes collecting more Merkabah Rider stories.

[Teal]

I read the first line of the blurb...

A Hasidic gunslinger tracks the renegade teacher who betrayed his mystic Jewish order of astral travelers across the demon haunted American Southwest of 1879.

...and I one-clicked so hard I almost sprained something. And look, the second book is titled The Mensch With No Name. Gahhhhhh, I am in genre mashup heaven. No way can this live up to expectations -- or can it? I'm tempted to hoard it unread, simply for the joy of having something so weird to look forward to.

[Ctgt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just to give a bit of reference to this review, most of my weird west reading has been in comic form. From old school DC Weird Western Tales, Jonah Hex: Shadows West to the more recent The Sixth Gun, Vol. 1: Cold Dead Fingers and The Guns of Shadow Valley. For whatever reason my enjoyment of these types of stories rarely migrated to novels or short stories in the genre.

Also, the author sent me a digital copy of the book, purely as a courtesy with no stipulation for a review in return.

This is a collection of four novellas and I'm not going to go in to detail about the individual stories. I will say I loved the last two, one about a man who has a group of pigs following him around and the last dips in to the Lilith mythos. I liked the first story about an enclave of Jews but the second story, which involved a voodoo priest didn't wow me like the rest.

Instead of concentrating on the stories I'm going to spend the rest of the time on our protagonist, The Rider. I spent many a hour in my youth watching the spaghetti westerns on Saturday afternoon. Loved 'em! Enjoyed westerns of all types but those movies with the horrible sound editing and impossible six shooter shots really formed my image of the old west gunfighter.

The Rider, is not that guy. He's tough and quick but that's about where the similarities end. I've pulled a few lines from the stories to help introduce you to Merkabah Rider: The Mensch with No Name.

He had long, John Brown whiskers. They were black like his clothes, blue where the sun gleamed; a long nose poked out over them. Displayed on either side of his head was a pair of womanly curls, long enough to sway when he worked at tethering the animal.

He tightened his grip on the rail and it creaked. The Jew looked up at him. The setting sun flashed for a minute on his fancy blued spectacles, his pale face drawn and expressionless, like a mask.

He does carry weapons

It was an antique, a Volcanic pistol. They had gone out of favor some years back. Its finish was gold gilded and silver chased, stamped with intricate designs and glyphs of a nature none in the saloon would have understood even if The Rider had the patience and time to explain. He drew his inscribed cold iron Bowie knife and held it to the cardinal directions, muttering as he did so.

and protections

He not so much looked for, but felt the presence of the corresponding talismans and mystic implements about his etheric body. Every charm, every snatch of holy text, bit of rare colored animal, Turkish eye, and sacred stone he wore, lent their individual power and protection to his ethereal double.

the Hamesh hand amulet and other strictly kabbalistic talismans to protect against spiritual assault on his ethereal form, but also such non-Jewish bodyguards as he had first been introduced to by his master, such as the powerful Mohammaden Ayat-Al Kursi amulet, the Tibetan Ga’u box, the Hindu svastika, and the Abbada Ke Dabra.


He is that last member of the American enclave of the mystical order, The Sons of the Essenes.

the Merkabah Riders had been scholarly mystics inspired by the vision of Ezekial and the Chariot of God. Entering into ecstatic trances, they left their bodies to explore the upper reaches of the celestial Empyrean, transcribing accounts of their journeys into sacred homilies. The most dedicated eventually came to stand in the innermost of the seven hekhalots of Araboth, the highest heaven, before the Divine Image of the Most High.

Oh, and he doesn't come sauntering or galloping in a stallion, nope. He walks in to town leading a shaggy white onager.

I was completely fascinated by these stories and this character. I loved that the author put his own twist on the genre and look forward to exploring more of The Rider and his exploits.

8/10

[Hal Bodner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange little book!

An Hassidic Jewish mystic gunslinger fighting demons in the Old West? This is perhaps the most bizarre concept for a novel (or, as in this case, a series of four novellas) that one could possibly imagine. In fact, when I first read the back-of-book copy for one of the later installments in this series, I suspected that someone--very probably the author!-- needed the dosage on their medication adjusted. Some months later, I had opportunity to meet the author and he graciously gave me a copy of his book. I'm not lying when I relate that keeping myself from bursting out into laughter when I accepted it was extraordinarily difficult.

"Read it," Ed told me. "It's not what you think." I remember sarcastically thinking,"Yeah. Right."

A month or so later, I was looking for something to read and came across "Merkabah Rider" where I'd tossed it into the If-I-Get-The-Time-To-Read-It pile of books. Figuring it would be good for a laugh, I started it. I was amazed at what I read.

As strange as the concept it, the book is GOOD! Erdelac's main character known only as Rider is absolutely fascinating. Moreover, while I was expecting some overly self aware, quasi-religious, pseudo-comic book type of book, what I got was a fascinating and engaging action adventure novel. Also, I generally loathe Westerns. But this book overcame my dislike of the genre and drew me right in. While it isn't exactly a "can't put it down" kind of read, I did find myself compulsively reading each novella to the end before taking a break.

Erdelac takes what is one of the oddest ideas for a book and makes it extraordinarily readable while giving his non-Jewish readers an intriguing glimpse into Jewish mysticism. The Rider is a cross between a rabbi, Indiana Jones and Clint Eastwood--an outre combination to be sure. Yet Erdelac not only makes this mish-mosh of disparate characters work, he managed to stimulate this reader's interest and effortlessly overcame my initial doubts and captured me without my ever being aware he'd done it.

It's rare in today's world where everyone and his brother self-publishes an ebook and calls themselves an author that someone manages to TRULY come up with a novel concept which is both exciting and interesting without being precious or pretentious. Edward Erdelac has done so admirably--a truly impressive feat!

Putting my enthusiasm for this book aside for a moment, there are two minor flaws in the work. First, Erdelac tends to over-sprinkle Yiddish and Hebrew words throughout, necessitating the inclusion of a Glossary at the end of the book. I would have much preferred it had he been more clever in his use of foreign terms for ambiance and authenticity and subtly defined them within the text. Instead, the reader is sometimes forced to flip back and forth which was distracting and interrupted the flow of the read. Second, the author is overly fond of metaphor; after awhile, they become obtrusive. Moreover, in many cases, he's stretching and the metaphors don't always make sense or appear downright bizarre.

However, these criticisms are minor. All in all, "Merkabah Rider" is a marvelously inventive book, an exciting bit of originality that is sorely lacking in most modern works of literature. I urge you to give Erdelac's work a try.

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Ed Erdelac’s Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter readers are presented with a world wherein the time is of the late 19th century and the setting of the stories have a western flare. The authorial twist to this tale is that the protagonist is a Jewish gunslinger of sorts. The setting of this story and the main character potentially seem very Dark Tower-ish and the main character also seems akin to the character of Jon Shannow[that is in search of someone:]. The book is made up of four different novellas which seem to progress in a serial order. The titles of the four stories are:

- The Blood Libel

- The Dust Devils

- Hell’s Hired Gun

- The Nightjar Women

The first story opens up and shows the Rider riding into a town wherein a heinous crime has been committed. A recent child kidnapping has lead to a mob building up its nerve for burning down a Jewish settlement. The Rider has to face enemies on dual planes both physical and spectral as he investigates the happenings. This story was a nice introduction to the rider and his story however it just scratches the surface of the world and its Protagonist as it offers small clues here and there.

In the 2nd tale we come across the Rider as he arrives at a town wherein foreigners die and the town is being governed by a violent gang. The Rider discovers that the town has a sorcerer whose powers seems equal to himself. The story shatters the invincible nature of the rider and shows that he can be overcome. This adds a further zing to the story when you know the main character is indeed fallible. This story was a bit longer and shows a bit more of the mythological background of this world as well.

The third tale was a very atmospheric one and was the first in which we are shown connections with the previous episodes. Also showcased in this story is why the rider is constantly on the move. The villain of this piece Medgar Tooms is one who begins as a monster but in the end we realize has more to him than just plain brutality. This tale also gives a bit of the Rider’s past and was the tale which truly hooked me onto this book much more so than its predecessors.

The last tale is my favorite one as it is the one with the least amount of action, however it unveils the most background story about the Rider; his life, his mission and the over all back story. The story has him finding solace in a town with a stranger. However he comes finds that the town’s whorehouse is providing much more than simple human pleasure. This piece was the clear winner for myself, as after finishing it, the future becomes very enticing and the reader will be very compelled to see what the rider does next armed with the information he has gleaned in this tale.

Ed Erdelac has written a very straight forward story which at an earlier glance might not offer much appeal. However, on reading the entire collection, these stories come together and give readers a nicely detailed world, that shows us that this is much more than a simple mystical western. The book also has a bigger story going on in the background as there is talk amongst various characters referring to the “Hour of incursion” and also thrown into the fray is the Rider’s search for his wayward master, Adon, which fuels his resolve. This book was another surprisingly good read and definitely has me hooked for the further adventures of the Merkabah Rider and the weirdly dangerous world which he abides in.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merkabah Rider; Tales of a High Plains Drifter, was a book I greatly enjoyed. The complexity of this weave is outstanding and I learned a few things about writing by reading this book.

The Rider hunts down demons for God, but that is only his side job. He's been searching the American wild-west for his betraying teacher who'd murdered his enclave of Jewish mystics. This collection of stories is about a spiritual gunslinger, trail-blazing and gun-smokin’ for God. It is power to behold. How can anyone not like this character?

There are four mini-novellas here. Loosely, they each connect with the first and the last. It was alpha and omega. Read it and see coolness appear before your eyes.

This is not a churchy book, but it does have a great message of good over evil.

I appreciated the first story for its incredibly complex layering. Artistically, Mr. Erdelac panned the deep dimensions of The Rider's spiritual battleground with a relatively quick dissection. It’s only a few pages and before we know it, we’re quickly immersed in astral space and find ourselves standing before the altar to the demon lord Moloch. Very soon, a little girl’s soul will be fed to Moloch unless the Rider can alter the outcome through means of astral traveling.

Each story is better than the one before.

The second story begins with a mega-suspenseful card game between the Rider and two rotten banditos. Not like the poker games on ESPN---here the stakes are life and death. The town is more than overtaken by a bandit gang, the Rider finds a deeper evil is afoot.


In the third story, the gun-slinging Hasidic Jew teams with a Baptist Christian to stop a demon Jesus once had to face down.

The fourth story was my favorite in the book, having a very fitting end to an incredibly enjoyable read. I will say nothing about this one. It is so incredibly well done, I want you to experience it for yourself.

I do recommend purchasing the paperback over buying the e-book. There is a much needed glossary at the end of this book. Unless, of course, you know the difference between a Poyo and a Tzitzit, or a Lili from a Mazzik, you might want to use the glossary.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this amalgamation of the western, weird fiction, Lovecraft's flexible pantheon of mighty monstrosities, theology--and adventure writing that is just plain awesome. This is fantastic fiction written with a sure, mature hand. It is fun, intelligent, well-written, and creative. Erdelac combines many traditional elements in novel ways, and steers his protagonist through a landscape of eerie evils and arduous trials.

One thing that surprised me is how often our protagonist, The Rider, gets the tar beat out of him by wily opponents. Far from pitting a super-competent hero against colorful paper tigers, Erdelac puts The Rider through some serious pain, and there are times when it is difficult to tell how The Rider is going to get out of some of these jams--even though the presence of future stories implies that he must. The means by which The Rider overcomes these threats are just as varied as the world that Erdelac has crafted his textured; beyond mere heroes and villains, Erdelac's stories are populated with regular folk who suffer the ramifications of these wide-reaching conflicts.

I like how Erdelac has started his chronicle of the Merkabah writer as a series of loosely linked novellas. In the very first, it is apparent that great things are afoot, and that a titanic climax looms somewhere on the distant horizon. By the fourth and final story in this collection, Erdelac plays some high cards with admirable savvy, adding both depth to his character--who, to be honest, starts the series as a stoic cypher--and weight to the proceedings. At the close of this volume, I cared about the character and his fate, and I placed the follow-up volume on my short to-read list.

[Lee Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review of
The Merkabah Rider: High Planes Drifter
By
Edward M Erdelac

I randomly came across these books and they piqued my interest. I haven’t read a huge amount of Wyrd west novels and these strangely called to me. They feature the main character, The Rider, a Hasidic Jewish gunslinger, if you can believe that, who fights demons. Cool!
In the opening story we are thrown into his strange world of good and evil, he speaks with an angel, then sets off to save a Jewish community from Hell’s denizens and the wrath of the western locals. I found him a very cool character from the start, like many gunslingers he has that cool Clint Eastwood vibe, but the Jewish aspect brings a fresh feel and interesting feel to it. He wears Solomonic symbols and religious fetishes under his long coat—items to guard him from evil, he carries an old volcanic pistol inscribed with magical Jewish symbols which makes it deadly to demons, and wears round blue glasses, also inscribed, which allow him to see into the “other world”. Really cool stuff.
The book is a collection of interlinked short stories, each one linking into the next. As the stories progress we discover more of his Hasidic sect’s secret ways and a larger over arcing story is hinted at. He is trying to track down his former master, Adon, who has turned to evil, and despite the short stories being relatively contained, and although I read them in order, I imagine readable separately, the overall story drives you onward to discover more.
I enjoyed the demons, the dark magic, and evil creatures he battles, it was exactly what I was looking for from a wyrd western horror. So much so, I bought the entire for book series and have dived in. I’d very much recommend checking this series out.
Thanks for reading,
Lee

[Gef · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about a weird western that just sets my imagination alight. I think it is the fusion of a bygone era such as the Wild West with fantasy elements like magic and monsters. And I've become a real fan of the genre over the last few years, and much like urban fantasy, I think I've always been a fan of the genre and just didn't know it yet. And Ed's collection of four novellas here is a prime example of just how weird the west can be.

The Merkabah Rider might earn some comparisons to Roland, from Stephen King's Dark Tower series, but with each successive story in this book the Rider carves out his own identity and makes clear that the two are worlds apart. The Rider definitely has that spaghetti western vibe that most hard-bitten gunslingers exemplify, but certainly strikes his own chord.

"The Blood Libel" kicks things off with the Rider wandering into a small town with a Jewish settlment on the outskirts that is about to be struck by an angry mob over the disappearance of a little girl. All the antisemitism simmering among the whites builds up and the Rider faces down a good deal of it before heading into the settlement in search of the truth--and an old enemy. While the story had its hiccups, it did a great job in establishing who the Rider is and what he's capable of when trouble's brewing.

From there, "The Dust Devils" managed to show a little more vulnerability from the Rider, as he finds a ghost town in the middle of a storm, its people devastated by a desperadoes and a formidable sorcerer that may have the Rider's number. A much more exciting turn this time around, at least more suspenseful and the bad guys were a real treat. Scarchilli kind of felt like he escapes a Clint Eastwood film, while Kelly the hoodoo man was just plain menacing.

Vulnerability aside, the Rider survives moving on to the other two tales, "Hell's Hired Gun" and "The Nightjar Women." The former delves a little deeper into the history of the Rider and the impending "Incursion." It also features a pretty bad-ass villain that roams the countryside with a pack of about a dozen pigs. Hey, if you're gonna have a posse, why not a bunch of bloodthirsty demon pigs? The latter tale involves Lilith leading a band of prostitutes in a town with no children.

The wandering hero harkens back to the kinds of stories I watched on TV as a little kid and loved, like The Incredible Hulk and Kung Fu and those Clint Eastwood westerns I'd watch with my dad. I can't think of anything from those shows and movies that rival the violence/mysticism blended in this book's pages. It's not quite a blowout, but it felt each novella surpassed the last, and there are two more volumes of these bad boys to go, so I'm optimistic to see what else Ed has up his sleeves, and what's in store for the Rider.

[Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tales of a High Planes Drifter” is a collection of four novella-length tales featuring the Merkabah Rider and his adventures in the 19th-century American West. The Rider himself is reminiscent of no one more than Stephen King’s Roland of Gilead; a gunman with conviction, who is prepared to kill but still has lines he won’t cross. Dropping an Hasidic Jew into the Wild West is a pretty gutsy move, but it just might make this one of the genre’s standout books this year.

Not only is the Rider a gunslinger, he’s also a potent Qabbalist (one skilled in the secret arts of Hebrew mysticism; seals of Solomon and the like) capable of astral travel and creating magical talismans. He uses his many talents in a series of battles against bigotry, attackers both supernatural and mundane, and his own tortured conscience.

The general thread woven throughout the stories in the book is that of a man, betrayed by his master, seeking justice in the name of his fallen brethren. In the course of the Rider’s search for the traitorous Adon he takes on a bloodthirsty cult (“The Blood Libel”), a group of bandits in league with a voodoo bokor (“The Dust Devils”), a demon-possessed, grief-stricken father and husband (“Hell’s Hired Gun”), and a cathouse staffed by the daughters of Lilith (“The Nightjar Women”).

Erdelac is a self-proclaimed history enthusiast, and “Tales of a High Planes Drifter” is packed with what must have been a staggering amount of research into Jewish history and mysticism. His descriptive skills are top-notch and he exhibits particular skill at knowing when to throw in a bit of extra gore. The second book comes out this fall, which only adds to the win.

[Ryan Lawler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing books for FBR has given me the opportunity to read books that I normally wouldn’t, and to be honest I never thought that I would be reading fantasy stories about a Jewish mystic chasing down his former mentor in the Wild West. While the "Weird Western" genre was somewhat popularised a number of years ago by Robert E. Howard, the genre has remained largely untapped, but with the incorporation of Jewish religion into Wild West culture, Ed Erdelac has created a story that is fresh, original, and fun to read.

Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter is split up into four independent episodes which tell the story of The Rider, a Jewish mystic and gunslinger who is able to leave his physical body and traverse the Merkabah plane in order to achieve his objectives. While the overall story has The Rider hot on the trail of the mentor who betrayed his enclave, each episode is its own self contained story as The Rider deals with all the problems and issues arising from the local populous. These stories are quite short but each one introduces a problem, some new ideas, and slowly build towards a well planned action sequence that uses the new ideas to resolve the problem.

Despite being slightly ‘formulaic’, I like what Erdelac has done here – it allows for a steady stream of world building and back story to filter through while exposing the reader to some intense action sequences on a periodic basis. The short, sharp, and punchy episodes create the illusion of a fast pace story, a necessary illusion given how much the steep learning curve slows the pace of the story. The problem for me, aside from the action sequences and the excellent fourth episode, was that I couldn’t maintain my interest in the story during the early stages of each episode. This problem was exacerbated by my lack of knowledge in Jewish mysticism, making the learning curve very steep and impacting my ability to connect and become fully immersed in the story. It is a hard slog to start with but if you are willing to persist, there are more than enough rewards to br reaped towards the end.

The characters for the most part have been well crafted, with the mysterious Rider slowly being unmasked through each episode and with each supporting character fulfilling a specific purpose that will either aid or hinder The Rider on his journey. It is very efficient character building, there is very little waste to be found and this allows the characters to stand out a little more than usual and own the story. I quite liked The Rider, I found it fascinating how his motivations were never entirely clear and would often waver despite being a devout religious man. He is honest and courageous, shows all of the qualities that we come to expect from a hero, but he is also a very practical man and will often try to limit his heroic actions to ones that will provide some benefit to him in his mission. What I think is missing here is a companion, someone who will tease out the finer complexities from The Rider, someone who will challenge rider from episode to episode, someone who will provide some contrast to the very serious and very driven Rider.

Erdelac’s writing here is very clean, very stylish, and very elegant. He has an obvious mastery of the English language and employs it to good use. He has paced his story very well, his writing is easy to read despite all the complex Jewish terminology, and his action scenes are up with some of the best I have read.

Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter is a very good book. While the early episodes did not appeal to me very much, they did a lot of hard work establishing the foundations for the overall story and exposing the reader to Jewish culture. The more I read, the more comfortable I became with the concepts being used here, and with Erdelac really hitting his stride in the last episode it gives me hope that the future books in the series will be much better from start to finish. If you are into Westerns or if you are into trying new things, then you will definitely get something out of this book.

[Shedrick Pittman-Hassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my blog: http://serialdistractions.com/2011/02...

I love me some weird west. From the supernatural tales of Joe R. Lansdale and Robert E. Howard, or even the Deadlands RPG, to science fiction stories like Cowboys and Aliens (both the graphic novel and the upcoming film), The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr. and the original Wild Wild West, I love it all. Now I have another work to add to this collection. Edward Erdelac‘s Merkabah Rider series is a highly entertaining foray into one of my favorite subgenres.

So far two books comprise the adventures of The Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter and The Mensch With No Name. Both are composed of novellas (“episodes”) that work as stand-alone adventure tales but are also strung together into an overarching story of Lovecraftian horror. The Merkabah Rider, who has forsaken his name in order to deprive his enemies of power over him, is a Judaic mystic and traveler between the planes. He travels alone, the last of his Order, the sole survivor of the slaughter wrought by Adon, his former mentor. As the Rider and his faithful onager make their way across a desolate West in search of Adon, they encounter all manner of demons, godlings, and supernatural beasts. They also encounter greedy scoundrels and bloodthirsty outlaws, as well as ordinary folks who must face the darkness with only their faith and their courage. As the stories progress, the Rider becomes more beat down, more despondent, and more confused. His resolve is tested constantly by several faith-shaking revelations as he grows closer to his prey and discovers how deep Adon’s treachery has gone. He learns more and more of an “Hour of Incursion” in which the world will be torn apart by ancient forces of darkness beyond even the Rider’s vast knowledge.

The first book, Tales of a High Planes Drifter, introduces the Rider and his quest. While the prose sometimes takes on a decidedly purple tint and slows down in some passages, the stories build in suspense and in readability until, by the end of The Nightjar Women, you are completely engrossed in the story and in the character. It is in the second volume, The Mensch With No Name, that Erdelac really hits his stride. The stories here are stronger, as is the characterization of the Rider. The fun that he’s having with the series really comes through on the page.

It is also clear that Erdelac has steeped himself in mythology, history, and other works in the genre. The stories drip with esoteric lore from all over the world, with an obvious emphasis on Judaic mysticism and Biblical apocrypha. As the stories progress we see the emergence of Lovecraft’s celebrated Mythos but used in new and very creative ways. Further, the Rider encounters figures from history (such as Doc Holiday and Dave Mather), from the works of Howard (Kelly the Conjure-Man), and references to the “spaghetti westerns” from which Erdelac borrows so much of his esthetic. Erdelac is skilled at ensuring that all of the references and outside knowledge do not threaten to pull the reader out of the story and instead manages to give his tales a resonance and a depth that really engage the reader. He also helps by including an incredibly useful glossary of terms at the back of each volume.

The Merkabah Rider series is a fine addition to my Weird West library. I’m looking forward to the release of the next set of adventures Have Glyph Will Travel.

[Daniel Swensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter is my new favorite book so far this year. Four interconnected short stories follow the journey of a gunslinging Jewish mystic through the Weird West. Voodoo, demonic possession, restless spirits, and metric tons of folklore and occult details -- basically, there was nothing I didn't like! I stayed up late to tear through the first volume and will be gleefully devouring the next one.

If I were to offer one word of caution, it would be that the horror in these stories can be fairly unrelenting. Erdelac loves him some graphic descriptions of horrifying deaths. They aren't the focus of the story, but I found myself wincing a few times. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[Shawn Remfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought the entire series and started reading it 18 days ago. I finished about 3 this morning. On a normal day, I can read two or three books on top of my regular day life. This series of four books took me 18 days! Truly, I think this is one of the best book purchases I've made in my life. I enjoyed them enough that I'll read them again. Probably a few times.

This is a dense read. The first three books are set up with a few 'mini books' per actual book. They're longer than short stories. In fact, I had the satiated feeling of reading a full novel after each one. The final book reads as a regular novel with chapters and everything. I'm glad it was set up this way. I plowed through from beginning to end, but I enjoyed the change in pace in the last book.

This series actually reads really well as a western but Erdelac has done an amazing job of adding in the spiritual and supernatural. I study religious history on a daily basis, but Erdelac has far more knowledge than I do. I found myself making notes of people and things to look up after reading. Don't worry though! If you're not a religious or spiritual person, everything is explained well enough that you won't feel left out of the loop. Having prior knowledge going into this isn't necessary. I do have to admit that while I was reading, I enjoyed the 'hey! I know about that guy!' feeling. I think it added an extra dimension of connection for me.

If you're looking for a quick beach read or something to do while you're waiting at the doctor's office, pick something else up and save this for later. This is a great good vs. evil story, brilliant character studies, and a wonderful series to use for self improvement.

[Perry Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, it's wonderful to find a book that perfectly satisfies what you were looking for. I was looking for a book that featured a highly complex magic system inspired by real world esotericism, with loads of foreign words and concepts. That's exactly what I got with this book. It doesn't hurt that the writing is excellent, either.

The Rider, as our protagonist is known (because true names are powerful!), is a member of a sect of Jewish mystics called the Merkabah Riders, who are capable of travelling the planes of heaven and hell through astral projection. Unfortunately, the Rider's former master, Adon, betrayed the order and has aligned himself with hell in search of power. Shunned by the other riders, THE Rider now travels the American Wild West, seeking to bring his former master to justice.

That set up may sound a bit silly, but this story takes itself completely seriously. Far from some over-the-top characature, the Rider is a soft-spoken, modest man with an extraordinary past. A believable character, in other words.

This book features the first four "episodes" of his journey, separate, sequential stories of modest length, each of which involve him facing down some new threat while dropping hints at the over-arching story of him searching for his former master Adon. As I said, the writing is magnificent. The stories are action-packed, and do a laudable job of putting the Rider in actual, suspense-filled peril. He survives them all, naturally, but it feel like he's actually struggling, instead of some unstoppable super-human badass. The language and diction is beautiful and intelligent, though I can imagine it turning some people off who aren't fond of funny words. If you really can't figure out from context what "funny Hebrew or Yiddish word No. 48" means, there is a short glossary at the back of the book.

Speaking of turn offs, there were two items in particular that left a bad taste in my mouth. Firstly, we are, of course, dealing with a JEWISH mystic, so naturally God is mentioned quite a bit. That made me slightly uncomfortable on occasion, and the other is that the Rider reveals to have participated in the Civil War, on the side of the Union. That wouldn't be so bad, if he didn't state that the reason he joined was because he felt the Confederacy was actually some sort of demonic conspiracy. Being a Georgia boy myself, I was rather offended by the implication that the Confederacy was born not out of any legitimate grievance, but because they were all working for Satan. That's a rare example of literal demonization.

Anyway, those two objections are mostly born of personal taste, and likely won't even register with most people. Nor were they sufficient to ruin or even seriously damage my enjoyment of this magnificent book.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Interesting noivel to be honest. Well, collection of novellas (4). Each one individually but each one connected in a overachieving plot that will link all of this tales and the ones in the next 3 novels.

Each book has an image which really help visualize either the bad guys and our main protagonist.

In this novel we follow an Hasidic gunslinger - so that's someting totally different. It was very interesting to read more about Judaic mythology and another take on their own sacred books. The first tale deals with some jewish survivors from a frontier town from Molech cultists. The second one is a voodoo sorcerer and a gang of bandits who are making a town hostage. The third tale deals with a sharshooter vs our Merkabah Rider (Weakest tale) and the 4 one, is one that makes the story go forward a bit. We learn a lot about Rider's society "Sons of Essenes" and their goal.

The last big tale it's called The Nightjar Women where Rider enters a town where every child dies and there we learn about the plot that threatens both the good and the bad guys. It was interesting character " Lilith" and her children.

Overall I would rate this novel as not lovecraftian as some labelled (maybe in the nexts novels when more Old Ones appear then this would be a Lovecraftian. For now it's a Jewish Mythos mix with Weird West.

There is some weird mythos around jewish beliefs. Some we know (christian base cultures) and so not everything is alien to me. Some we know some other way and so it was interesting to see the difference between Jewish and Christian mythos.

I have no doubt that I will be reading the next three novels, after all, I bought them. I hope it goes more Lovecraftian.

[Alisa Hedden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I don't really enjoy the typical Western. I live here, I know how hot and dry it can get. But the teaser for this gave me hope that it would be enough different that I could enjoy it. And I did. Got the usual mysterious gunslinger who really only wants to be left alone to live his life in peace, and (in story 4) the good hearted harlot that he tries to save before hitting the dusty trail again.
Into that mix, throw in a lot of Hasidic rules that the would be hero does his best to abide by, demons, magic (both protective and dark)and descriptions of the important characters so concise if I was an artist, I could draw them. Either Erdelac is, grew up with or did a lot of research on the subject of the Hasidic rules and mysticism. Luckily there is an appendix to help out those of us who are less knowledgeable.
© Night Owl Reviews - http://www.NightOwlReviews.com

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm gonna keep this short:

Imagine Hellboy set in the old west. But instead of Hellboy, you have a Jewish mystic.

I enjoyed this immensely, it appears the author did a ton of research and the stories hang together is episodes in a longer tale.

Mr. Erdelac does dialog and actions scenes well, and I never felt pulled out of the story by something inconsistent or weird.

I've read the other books and look forward to the 4th volume!!

[Seregil of Rhiminee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Risingshadow.

Note! This is a joint and spoiler free review of Tales of a High Planes Drifter, The Mensch with No Name, and Have Glyphs Will Travel.

Before I write more about these three books, here's information about them:

Tales of a High Planes Drifter contains the following four stories:
- The Blood Libel
- Hell's Hired Gun
- The Dust Devils
- The Nightjar Women

Here are the official synopses for these stories:

Blood Libel: In 1879, the children of the Arizona mining town of Delirium Tremens have begun disappearing. The law has tracked the missing daughter of a local reverend to the neighboring Jewish settlement of Little Jerusalem. Old hatreds are fit to boil over when a mysterious Hasidic gunslinger known as the Rider checks into the local hotel. He soon discovers a rogue element of the population has taken over the settlement and instituted a cult dedicated to the profane worship of the demon king Molech. The Rider sets out to bring it down, with the lives of the innocent Jews and the kidnapped preacher's daughter in the balance. But as he sheds his physical form to do battle in the spirit world, an irate mob breaks into his hotel room and drags his unconscious body away. The Rider must smash the cult and return to his body in time to avert his own lynching...

The Dust Devils: An impenetrable dust storm blows the Rider into the border town of Polvo Arrido. Its affluence points to a town in the midst of a boom, but where have all the people gone? A ruthless bandit chief and his gang may hold the answer, or else a strange eyed ju ju man whose powers rival the Rider's own. Then there's the fact that the storm surrounding the town doesn't seem to dissipate...

Hells Hired Gun: When the Rider discovers a massacred Franciscan mis-sion, he turns aside from the trail of his master to track down the perpetrator. He is rescued from a snowstorm outside the remote town of Gadara by an odd old preacher, who spins him a yarn about Medgar Tooms, a cursed gunman who walks the West at the head of a herd of voracious pigs, dragging the broken chains of all those who have tried to bind him. But this is no fantasy. Tooms is coming to Gadara, and only the Rider and the preacher stand in his way...

The Nightjar Women: The Rider comes to a town without children where nightly, evil is born again and again. In the coils of his most secret dreams, an antedilivian menace calls him... by his true name.

The Mensch with No Name contains the following four stories:
- The Infernal Napoleon
- The Damned Dingus
- The Outlaw Gods
- The Pandæmonium Ride

Here are the official synopses for these stories:

In this installment the Rider unravels more of the mystery of Adon's Hour of the Incursion plot and quickly learns that demons are the least of his troubles. He defends a remote settlement against a gang of half-demon gunmen in "The Infernal Napoleon," joins forces with Doc Holliday to hunt down an invisible creature in "The Damned Dingus," aids a group of Indians against the mindbending horror of "The Outlaw Gods," and takes his hunt to hell itself in "The Pandæmonium Ride."

Have Glyphs Will Travel contains the following five stories:
- The Long Sabbath
- The War Shaman
- The Mules of Mazzikim
- The Man Called Other
- The Fire King Triumphant

Here are the official synopses for these stories:

The Rider and Kabede must rally a US Cavalry troop against an army of the undead lead by three of Adon's renegade riders if they are to survive The Long Sabbath. The Rider infiltrates an Apache stronghold to convince the combined forces of Vittorio and Geronimo not to lend their might to the mysterious forces of The War Prophet. The Rider sets out to rescue the succubus Nehema from the wrath of The Mules of The Mazzikim, then confronts his greatest enemy, The Man Called Other. Seeking to learn the remaining secrets of The Hour of Incursion, the Rider and his companions arrive in Tombstone only to face the horror of The Fire King Triumphant.

I admit that I'm difficult to please when it comes to speculative fiction that can be categorized as weird western, because I expect quality, good prose and imagination from weird western stories. I've often been more or less disappointed by weird western books and stories, but not this time, because I was impressed by Edward M. Erdelac's stories.

As a big fan of well written weird fiction, dark fantasy and horror, I can say that I loved these stories. Finding stories which combine Jewish mysticism, Lovecraftian horror and western elements is difficult, but Edward M. Erdelac has somehow managed to combine all of these elements and the result is truly stunning. I dare say that these stories will someday be considered classics of the genre, because they're excellent and atmospheric stories.

I think it's good to mention that these stories are stories for adults, because the author writes fantastically about the gory and bloody happenings. He manages to bring the grittiness and violence of the Old West to life, but doesn't overdo it. It's also good to mention that these stories must be read in order, because that's the only way to fully appreciate the beauty and strangeness of them.

I think it's intriguing that the author has decided to write several stories about the Rider and his adventures. This kind of storytelling is charming, because it reminds me of old pulp classics. For example, Robert E. Howard wrote several stories about Solomon Kane in a similar kind of way (I think that Howard's Solomon Kane stories have been an inspiration to the author).

I haven't read many weird western books, so I'm not an expert on this genre, but in my opinion Merkabah Rider outshines all the other weird western books and series on the market, because Edward M. Erdelac is a good author and his stories are imaginative.

It's possible that many readers will try to compare these stories to Stephen King's famous and popular The Dark Tower saga. In my opinion there's no room for comparison, because Merkabah Rider offers much better and more interesting fiction than The Dark Tower books. Erdelac has the raised the bar amazingly high and has taken weird western to new heights of excellence with his original storytelling style, so all other authors will be having difficulties writing similar stories.

This series follows the adventures of the Rider. The Rider is a Hasidic gunslinger who hunts his renegade teacher. Along the way he has to deal with all kinds of problems. He carries a pistol with him and riders with an onager. His travels take him from one adventure to another, and along the way he meets all kinds of demons and beasts etc.

Reading about the Rider and his adventures is interesting, because the author keeps the stories fascinating by revealing small bits and pieces of the world in each story. I'm sure that every reader who likes weird fiction and is willing to read western flavoured dark fantasy will be charmed by the author's revelations and will like his writing style. The author moves the story easily forward by telling about the Rider's adventures and what happens to him. Each story is part of a big story arc (the first book introduces the Rider, but the grandness and epicness of the story arc is revealed in the second book, and the third book is pure pleasure from start to finish).

The Rider is a fascinatingly mysterious character, because the author has created a bit different kind of a hero. The Rider can almost be seen as a classic drifter character, but he's much more than that, because he fights against evil and horrors, and he can enter the spirit world. He's almost like a combination of Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane and Clint Eastwood's classic western heroes.

The other characters are portrayed well too. I liked the way the author wrote about them and how they interacted with each other. Reading about Doc Holliday was very interesting.

In my opinion Edward M. Erdelac writes slendidly descriptive prose. His descriptions are vivid and fascinating, and he manages to evoke beautiful and disturbing images of the Old West where almost anything is possible. The descriptions of the locales reminded me of Sergio Leone's classic westerns (and other classic western movies), because there's dust, mountains, valleys, gunmen and prostitutes etc in these stories. The only difference is that the events in these books are spiced with fantasy and horror elements.

In my opinion Edward M. Erdelac has a talent for combining western, fantasy and horror. He uses classic western elements as the core of the story arc and boldly leads his readers into the realms of the fantastic. I liked it very much that the author has infused his stories with Lovecraftian weirdness and even uses such names as Necronomicon, the Great Old Ones and Shub-Niggurath (these Lovecraftian elements add a nice touch of weirdness and fascination to the stories).

As the story of the Rider begins to unfold, the readers will have a chance to read more about Lovecraftian elements. In my opinion the author uses Lovecraftian elements in a creative and impressive way. I think that everybody who loves weird fiction will enjoy reading about the Adon's Hour of the Incursion and other things. I think I'd better not write more about these things, because I might reveal too much information to the readers and spoil the fun of reading the stories, so I'll just mention that fans of H. P. Lovecraft will enjoy these stories.

The author pays a lot of attention for building up the atmosphere and the world. The worldbuilding works well. At first it seems that the stories are straight forward stories, but when you read all of them, you'll notice that they're full of details and how perefectly they're interlinked to each other.

Edward M. Erdelac writes fluently about crimes, racism, prostitution, gun fights and other things that made the Old West a wild and dangerous place. The author also writes realistically about the beliefs of the people and even shows how ignorant some of them can be, because they shun the Rider for being different.

The author has an intriguing way of writing about Jewish mysticism, mythology, religion and biblical elements. His descriptions of these things are genuinely interesting and fascinating. I enjoyed reading about the religious, mythological and supernatural elements, because he doesn't underestimate the intelligence of his readers, but trusts that his readers are intelligent and are able to figure out certain things for themselves.

There are good glossaries of Hebrew, Yiddish, and Aramaic terms at the end of the books. I think it's good that the author has added glossaries to each book, because otherwise it might be difficult to understand certain terms. I'll also mention that I liked the cover art images by Cinsearae Santiago.

It was a pleasure to read Tales of a High Planes Drifter, The Mensch with No Name, and Have Glyphs Will Travel, because I loved the stories. In my honest opinion these books are damn good dark fantasy flavoured weird western books. If you like weird fiction, dark fantasy and westerns, you must read these books, because they're perfect entertainment and full of strange and macabre happenings.

I'm sure that these books will especially appeal to fans of Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft, because there are traces of their style in these books. I can also recommend these stories to readers who like such modern horror masters as Laird Barron and Richard Gavin.

Highly recommended!

[Thiago d'Evecque · Rating 4 out of 5]

High Planes Drifter is the first book in a series about a Jewish gunslinger with supernatural powers. Set in a weird wild west, the mystical Rider faces enemies from Hebrew mythology and Lovecraftian horror.

I was wonderfully surprised by this. Character, mythos of Kabbalah + Cthulhu, plot, and world building are all well done and nicely put together.

The Rider, as he presents himself—using his true name is dangerous, for names have power—is an intriguing character. He rides a white onager, he can exit his physical body and walk the spiritual plane (or Merkabah), he's a war veteran, a monster hunter, a sorcerer, a renegade, an avenger.

Erdelac blended religion, mysticism, and faith without being preachy or making statements. He painted these elements in a fantasy light and bound them to the protagonist's viewpoint.

I also loved how the book is similar to The Witcher video games series. The Rider is basically a Geralt of Rivia—a stoic, highly competent but fallible professional wandering a dangerous world with a mission, helping regular folk on his way.

Complete review here: https://devecque.com/review-high-plan...

[Dustin]

Currently available in the Kindle US for just $.99. Check it out, these stories sound awesome!

[Channah]

I could only handle one of the stories, but it was extremely amusing.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's get the formalities out of the way before going any further - I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway (number 43, if that's what the inscription Erdelac kindly wrote on the first page means, after wishing me 'Shalom, 'Pard', which just about tickled me pink!). I'm obliged to write a review if I ever want to win another giveaway, but reviewing this book is both a privilege and a pleasure.

As you probably saw I gave this book four out of five stars, and it would have scored the full five had there not been a few niggling complaints that just would not go away (more on those in a minute). I don't like to recap the plot in reviews; my guess in most people have already read the cover synopsis anyway, so let's skip to the feel of the book. It reminded me very much - both in content and in terms of the main character - of Stephen King's Gunslinger series. Whilst King's gun-toting loner roamed a post-apocalyptic future version of our world, Erdelac's Rider travels the wilderness of South America in the late 1800s, looking for all manner of supernatural forces to throw down with in search of his old teacher. Does it work? Hell yes. The rider came across to me as a mild mannered, private type of bloke, but you seriously do not want to stand in his way. With not one but two supernaturally enhanced weapons and a host of magical/mystical defensive and offensive magic at his disposal, he's an unassuming killing machine, and he's a nice guy to boot. None of this 'the world has wronged me, oh poor me' crap; he just gets on with business.

Aside from the main character, I also liked the way the book was split into four completely separate (but subtly linked via the overarching plot) adventures. I have small -and demanding - kids, so anything that breaks a story into manageable chunks that can be read during nap times is extremely welcome in my opinion. In addition to making it easier to keep track of the sub-plots, I felt these episodes (as Erdelac refers to them) help to reinforce the fractured nature of the Rider's quest. It's also nice to have those little points of consolidation and closure mid-book. Maybe that's just me.

Now, how come I didn't give this book five stars, especially considering I will definitely be reading the rest of the books as soon as I can get around to them? Let me put it in the form of a statement intended for the author himself: This is a novel, Mr Erdelac, not a text book - no novel should require a glossary. I know it's a book rich with Jewish culture and traditions, but that doesn't mean that we will enjoy having to read paragraphs where every third word requires consultation with a glossary. I get the impression it wouldn't be such an issue for eBook readers, as they should be able to consult a glossary in a much less invasive manner, but it really did get on my goat at times. On the flip side, Erdelac is obviously very comfortable and experienced with words, and although he used many I'd never heard before I actually enjoyed the education. As well as that, his descriptive writing is just fascinating - I particularly liked the way one character's voice was described as 'whiskey in a broken china cup'.

I initially thought I was going to have a hard time with this book (due to the overuse of Jewish terms), but I'm glad I ploughed on. The final episode is basically a teaser to encourage readers to follow the story in the next book, and I must say I am well and truly hooked. The Rider is a fascinating and well-written character, the sub-plots are intricate and varied with a healthy splash of graphic gore and moral taboos, and everything moves at a pace that will keep the pages turning as fast as the rising body count. Exciting, gripping stuff - just be prepared to be left wanting more!

[Monster]

The first book in Erdelac’s Merkabah Rider series introduces us to The Rider, the last of an ancient order or Jewish mystics, who seeks out his rouge mentor, Adon, to exact revenge. Erdelac tells The Rider’s tale in four episodes as The Rider traverses the land in search of Adon. Each story casts a glimpse into The Rider’s past and the powers bestowed upon him as a mystic as he battles demons and villainous humans. In “Blood Libel”, The Rider attempts to save a Jewish settlement from a demonic cult’s stronghold. “Dust Devils” has The Rider fighting against strong voodoo magic and a killer dust storm. The dust storm is traded for a snow storm in “Hell’s Hired Gun”, and the last tale, “The Nightjar Women,” unveils the daughters of Lilith in a demonic bordello.
The Merkabah Rider has strong similarities to Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, but Erdelac’s tale holds its own and travels in a completely different direction. Fans of The Gunslinger will likely enjoy the Merkabah Rider.

Erdelac never fails to amaze and captivate me with his writing. The tales within Merkabah Rider are rich with description, with thoroughly engaging characters and fast-paced dialogue, all rife with terrifying imagery and horrific forms of evil, an emergent trademark of Erdelac’s. If purchased, I recommend purchasing both this title as well as the second in the series, Merkabah Rider: The Mensch With No Name, as the first book leaves the reader at a bit of a cliffhanger. These titles would work well in a public library adult horror collection. Recommended for fans of surreal, bizarre westerns looking for a taste of horror as well as steampunk and bizzaro fiction fans.

Contains: Gore, violence and sexual themes

Reviewed by: Kelly Fann

[David Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

First a Merkabah Rider is a Jewish mystic who can travel the astral plain and even into Heaven and Hell.Next add a renegade teacher to pursue.Set it in the old west.Finally add demons planning to bring back the Old Ones.That is the recipe for this collection of four episodes in the adventures of The Rider.

The Rider is a mixture of Kolshak the Nightstalker,Clint Eastwood,and a Jewish Rabbi.He is a man who strives to be righteous even while battling evil.He is definitely a man you want on your side.

Edward M. Erdelac loves language and is not afraid to use vocabulary that might be avoided in most books.That does not mean he is using profanity which is found in most books now.It means he does not always use the most common word to appease the masses.So if you are afraid of words,be warned - you might need a dictionary when you read this novel. Thankfully Mr. Erdelac does provide a glossary of Jewish terms.

This is definitely a series I will add to my read list.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

...There are a lots of interesting details in these books to be found for those familiar with the western genre (and, I suspect, fans of the the works of Robert E. Howard). The Rider's unusual perspective on the world around him prevents the stories from slipping into cliché. Erdelac has found a surprising combination, one I must admit I wasn't sure would work when I started this collection, but he pulls if off admirably. The author ends the final story in the collection with some information that makes The Rider's quest even more urgent. I can't wait to find out how this will play out in the second volume, Merkabah Rider: The Mensch With No Name. For fans of a western with a twist, this book is recommended reading.

Full Random Comments review

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gotta say, when I heard the premise of the story: A jewish spiritualist/gunslinger roams the wild west dealing with both humans and the demonic / spirit world, I was kind of hesitant. However, I actually liked this book a lot. It is an interesting take on the traditional western, adding a new angle on an old story. Although it did seem a bit predictable after awhile, as every story has our hero starting out with all his weapons / talismans, then eventually he gets stripped of them all and has to find out how to either resolve the issue without them, or how to get them back.

Overall, very interesting stories and premise.

[Ashe Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book grabbed me and hooked me and I never looked back. I won't break the book down, but if you like Westerns, and Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, and HP Lovecraft, and/or just pulp stories and adventures of good versus evil in general, you will LOVE this book (and the others). Ed's a great storyteller and he uses all of those elements and still comes out with something of his own. And as strange as a Hasidic gunslinger might sound, it makes for an awesome story. Read it.