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maritza_reads's review
tense
slow-paced
3.0
The first 50-60% of the book was so slow and it had “old-timey” language that fit the vibe; but the language didn’t stay throughout. There were changes in pov, and if you weren’t fully immersed, you def would be confused. The last 40-50% was cool, but it was a little slow for my liking overall.
jrharris's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tittypete's review
3.0
This one was even quicker than the Magpie Coffin. Took a little while to get going. Some people on a stagecoach go to a B&B and it's run by some murderous Germans. Luckily one of the passengers is some kind of old-timey Black Widow assassin lady. I wasn't quite clear on that. Also unclear who or why the innkeepers were so murderous. It was aight.
liber_te's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
reads_vicariously's review
4.0
Thank goodness for Kenzie Jennings who, with a single tale of violent survival, revived my hope and excitement for the splatter western series from Deaths Head Press!
Okay, that may be a little much, but I'm riding high after finishing this one. The series had taken a serious downturn with the previous two books, and I was beginning to lose faith.
But then came the lady in the red dress, bearing blades and a deadly disposition. Then came Clyde, a woman full of intelligence, true grit, and mystery. She is THE reason to love this book. Sure there's a creepy build up of tension and some wonderfully gory fight scenes, but none of that would matter as much without her. What's interesting to me is that there appears to be a larger story with Clyde in the background, and Red Station was merely a stop along a grander journey. I sure hope we see more of her in the future.
The story begins by introducing our group of characters who will soon become pawns in the slaughterhouse station. Their rapport is enjoyable, if a bit long-winded at times. They reach a giant house and their hosts invite them in for the night. The family seems friendly, but there's something a little "off" about them. Tension is building, and Clyde is increasingly on guard. Then, in the middle of dinner, and right at the midpoint of the book, things go gloriously off the rails.
No spoilers, but basically what you were dreading/anticipating finally happens. It's not a surprise, but it's a fantastic payoff to all the set up in the first half. Amiable drama becomes slow burn becomes survival horror thriller. The wildly violent second half plays out like a movie, both in the turn of events and the author's descriptive style. It's fast-paced, brutal, and a lot of fun. My few complaints are that Clyde has several moments of serious miscalculation that seem out of character, and there's a weird Texas Chainsaw-esque twist thrown in at the very end. Otherwise this is a pretty sold story and, I want to reiterate this, I need to see more books chronicling the adventures of Clyde!
Okay, that may be a little much, but I'm riding high after finishing this one. The series had taken a serious downturn with the previous two books, and I was beginning to lose faith.
But then came the lady in the red dress, bearing blades and a deadly disposition. Then came Clyde, a woman full of intelligence, true grit, and mystery. She is THE reason to love this book. Sure there's a creepy build up of tension and some wonderfully gory fight scenes, but none of that would matter as much without her. What's interesting to me is that there appears to be a larger story with Clyde in the background, and Red Station was merely a stop along a grander journey. I sure hope we see more of her in the future.
The story begins by introducing our group of characters who will soon become pawns in the slaughterhouse station. Their rapport is enjoyable, if a bit long-winded at times. They reach a giant house and their hosts invite them in for the night. The family seems friendly, but there's something a little "off" about them. Tension is building, and Clyde is increasingly on guard. Then, in the middle of dinner, and right at the midpoint of the book, things go gloriously off the rails.
No spoilers, but basically what you were dreading/anticipating finally happens. It's not a surprise, but it's a fantastic payoff to all the set up in the first half. Amiable drama becomes slow burn becomes survival horror thriller. The wildly violent second half plays out like a movie, both in the turn of events and the author's descriptive style. It's fast-paced, brutal, and a lot of fun. My few complaints are that Clyde has several moments of serious miscalculation that seem out of character, and there's a weird Texas Chainsaw-esque twist thrown in at the very end. Otherwise this is a pretty sold story and, I want to reiterate this, I need to see more books chronicling the adventures of Clyde!
tylerdosidicus's review
3.0
A truly enthralling read, the story gripped me from the very start and I found myself guessing the whole time. Unfortunately, my guesses all proved to be correct, making this an irritatingly predictable book. I found some of the character introductions very heartwarming, namely Patience and Finch Henry Wilkson, their warmth and love towards eachother was very natural and real, which made their final moments that much harder. As for the 'good doctor', his character was charming and his death was admittedly surprising as I hadn't expected him to be the first to go, what with the emphasis on his background and the purpose of his journey, his untimely demise meant that he never learnt the truth about his found family, but that was for the best. The character I found myself the least attracted to, typically, was the main character, and perhaps it was just my misunderstanding, but I did not fall for her background and motives. Supposedly, specially trained in combat and survival, but to what end? For what purpose? From what I understand, she was sent to murder the Commodore, but if that was the case, I wish we had learned more of her bewedded, and his crimes to warrant a death penalty. My issue with this book, was the fact the story was sidelined to make way for gore, violence and death, which resulted in a loss of connection to the characters and felt forced. Sometimes, not knowing is far more frightening. Eager to understand but at the same time hesitant and weary, the anticipation boiling in your blood, generating fear. The "twist" at the end was very predictable, and I had suspected it very early on and it's revelation concluding the entire story was disappointing for that reason. Overall, I'd consider it a page turner, but I don't find myself coming away from the book having learned anything or affected by anything. The gore was gory, and that was that. 6/10 or 3/5
that_cow_girl's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.5
I honestly thought this book was fairly boring? There just wasn’t time for me to really understand the characters or enjoy them, or grieve them really. But if you like gore and guts go for it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Confinement, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, and Torture
onetrackmind77's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25