Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the TV show True Blood, but the books were something I didn't care for. I don't care for overly romantic storylines or whiny characters.
I wanted to read this one for the setting as much as anything. FDR is assassinated and the USA fractures into several countries. The original colonies (except Georgia) request backing from Great Britain, Georgia and much of the Southeast become Dixie. Oklahoma and Texas become Texhoma, the displaced Romanovs come to the west coast and gain control of it calling it the Holy Russian Empire. Mexico expands north a bit and the remaining US (minus a little taken by Canada) becomes New America.
The main character is a young lady who is a "gunnie", a hired gun who provides protection. She's the result of a rape from a traveling "Grigori" (wizard) from the Holy Russian Empire. She doesn't like Grigoris very much.
The crew Gunnie Rose is with gets wiped out and she somehow survives and avenges them. Further, she completes the job they had signed on for. After getting back home she is approached by two Grigoris looking for a gunnie to travel with them into Mexico.
More is revealed about her past and some interesting secrets of the Holy Russian Empire along the way. I enjoyed the book, the writing, and the characters.
I wanted to read this one for the setting as much as anything. FDR is assassinated and the USA fractures into several countries. The original colonies (except Georgia) request backing from Great Britain, Georgia and much of the Southeast become Dixie. Oklahoma and Texas become Texhoma, the displaced Romanovs come to the west coast and gain control of it calling it the Holy Russian Empire. Mexico expands north a bit and the remaining US (minus a little taken by Canada) becomes New America.
The main character is a young lady who is a "gunnie", a hired gun who provides protection. She's the result of a rape from a traveling "Grigori" (wizard) from the Holy Russian Empire. She doesn't like Grigoris very much.
The crew Gunnie Rose is with gets wiped out and she somehow survives and avenges them. Further, she completes the job they had signed on for. After getting back home she is approached by two Grigoris looking for a gunnie to travel with them into Mexico.
More is revealed about her past and some interesting secrets of the Holy Russian Empire along the way. I enjoyed the book, the writing, and the characters.
Harris created another beloved strong female character in Gunnie Lizbeth Rose. Gunnie Rose lives in a splintered landscape, that portrays the outcome of an alteration of historical events, where the Holy Russian Empire rules in California and Mexico has taken over much of the southern United States. As a gun for hire, Gunnie Rose may have undertaken a job with ramifications far outside her expectations: Russians, assassins, and danger at every turn. Eva Kaminsky’s narration gives depths to the desolate and fractured nature of Gunnie Rose’s environment; from Russian accents to fluent Spanish. Kaminsky easily navigates between characters, accents, and descriptions. Her unique pacing for Gunnie Rose truly exemplifies her personality and perception of others. In a world where people wish all Gunnies an easy death, will Gunnie Rose or her employers, survive? Fans of Tim Marquitz and Elizabeth Bear will love this fast paced, gritty, wild west thriller.
adventurous
tense
I REALLY enjoyed this book. Took me awhile, but I figured out it was set in the 30s or 40s. It's not just another dystopian "cracked world" story. It's actually set in the past! I really like Gunnie Lizbeth Rose and look forward to more stories about her.
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My main issue with this book was that I couldn't figure out the time setting. It's supposed to be sometime in the present (?) Or the future (?) in an alternative universe in which what we now know as the USA is divided into different countries. But the level of technology is inconsistent, so it is difficult to feel engaged in the fiction. They talk about a telegraph, but they also have electricity and fridges? I couldn't figure out if we were in the 30s (based on the fact that the Russian revolution and the great depression had occurred), or the 50s, or even an alternative present. The guns were quite classic western, non automatic guns, they had both carriages and pretty modern cars (from the description) and so on. It felt a patchwork of inspiration, since no explanation was given for these inconsistencies and the context gave the impression that it should have been more coherent thorough.
Apart from this, the plot was interesting and the character tropes simple but effective. I did not care for the romance, but it wasn't bad either. I think I will go on with the series, in the hope to read more lore.
Apart from this, the plot was interesting and the character tropes simple but effective. I did not care for the romance, but it wasn't bad either. I think I will go on with the series, in the hope to read more lore.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Slow, meditative, and what you would expect from Charlaine Harris
Fun, fun, fun. I always enjoy Charlaine Harris, but I think I like this series best. I didn't pay close enough attention to how north America got divvied up, but it's sort of apocalyptic/old west/new world....
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes