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zoe_e_w's review
5.0
“Saddle up!” This phrase probably conjures an image of a dusty, old West town, and The Ace of Spades, book one in Karen Koehler’s Black Jack Derringer series, will conjure this kind of image from the first page.
You’ll see in your mind’s eye the stock saloon from any old western, or rather, you will until you start reading about Goliath, a massive black muto stallion with a bulletproof hide, or Mr. Treen, an albino muto gambler with more secrets than a dead pirate crew.
The main character of this wild fusion of sci-fi, westerns and apocalyptic fiction is a self-styled bounty hunter named Wild Alice West. Far from being a perfect killer, Alice is struggling to survive in a near-lifeless desert world that has no patience for womenfolk doing a “man’s job.”
Though fiercely independent, Alice recognizes that she needs a front-man to give herself legitimacy as a bounty hunter, and after weeks of looking around New Hope, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner in muto gambler Mr. Treen.
I won’t say anything more, lest I give away something from this fast paced, 42 page novella. I was pleasantly surprised by the development of both the main characters, and the ending is a great way to whet the reader’s appetite for the next installment in the series, The Queen of Hearts.
This story has everything you could possibly need from a good yarn; plot twists, gunfights, mutants, sandboat robberies, and yes, even some pirates. And, I found nothing to complain about. No, I mean nothing.
This is so rare for me, and my enjoyment of the story was so complete that I feel only a five star rating is fitting. I would recommend this story for anyone who likes blazing action, solid character development and charming wittiness mixed in equally satisfying portions. Dig into these vittles, y’all. This is some good brain candy here.
You’ll see in your mind’s eye the stock saloon from any old western, or rather, you will until you start reading about Goliath, a massive black muto stallion with a bulletproof hide, or Mr. Treen, an albino muto gambler with more secrets than a dead pirate crew.
The main character of this wild fusion of sci-fi, westerns and apocalyptic fiction is a self-styled bounty hunter named Wild Alice West. Far from being a perfect killer, Alice is struggling to survive in a near-lifeless desert world that has no patience for womenfolk doing a “man’s job.”
Though fiercely independent, Alice recognizes that she needs a front-man to give herself legitimacy as a bounty hunter, and after weeks of looking around New Hope, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner in muto gambler Mr. Treen.
I won’t say anything more, lest I give away something from this fast paced, 42 page novella. I was pleasantly surprised by the development of both the main characters, and the ending is a great way to whet the reader’s appetite for the next installment in the series, The Queen of Hearts.
This story has everything you could possibly need from a good yarn; plot twists, gunfights, mutants, sandboat robberies, and yes, even some pirates. And, I found nothing to complain about. No, I mean nothing.
This is so rare for me, and my enjoyment of the story was so complete that I feel only a five star rating is fitting. I would recommend this story for anyone who likes blazing action, solid character development and charming wittiness mixed in equally satisfying portions. Dig into these vittles, y’all. This is some good brain candy here.
carolsnotebook's review
4.0
I don’t know quite how to describe this one. Cyberpunky, post-apocalyptic western? Pure fun if you like an old-fashioned shoot-em-up and muto horses with bulletproof hides.
“Wild” Alice West is a bounty hunter in the vast desert known as the Skillet, an area with an Old West feel, but she’s barely hanging on in a culture where a woman doing a man’s job gets no respect. In a saloon, she meets Mr. Treen, an albino card shark who she thinks would be the perfect front man for her. Of course, Mr. Treen has surprising talents and scary secrets of his own.
The Skillet is a rough, dangerous place, no doubt about it. And Alice gets in more than her fair share of scrapes, but doesn’t seem to regret anything. She does what she has to do. She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. I’m not sure who or what Mr. Treen is, but he’s definitely more than he lets on.
Quick and a blast to read. Non-stop action, gunfights, a crooked sheriff, sandboats and pirates. Unpredictable and engrossing; I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
“Wild” Alice West is a bounty hunter in the vast desert known as the Skillet, an area with an Old West feel, but she’s barely hanging on in a culture where a woman doing a man’s job gets no respect. In a saloon, she meets Mr. Treen, an albino card shark who she thinks would be the perfect front man for her. Of course, Mr. Treen has surprising talents and scary secrets of his own.
The Skillet is a rough, dangerous place, no doubt about it. And Alice gets in more than her fair share of scrapes, but doesn’t seem to regret anything. She does what she has to do. She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. I’m not sure who or what Mr. Treen is, but he’s definitely more than he lets on.
Quick and a blast to read. Non-stop action, gunfights, a crooked sheriff, sandboats and pirates. Unpredictable and engrossing; I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
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