The bloody War Between the States and a harrowing confinement in an enemy prison camp had turned Joshua Wingade into a broken man. His nerves and spirit shattered by the barbarity of battle, and demoralized by a cause that his heart secretly despised, Wingade returns home in hope of finding peace and healing.
But, upon his arrival, he discovers that Hell had come to call. His beloved wife had been violated and transformed into a horrid bride of the undead, and his only son abducted by a band of diabolical outlaws led by the renegade vampire, Jules Holland. Along for the ride are three demonic henchmen from the fetid bowels of Hades and the dark witch, Evangeline.
Aware that he is no match for the gang, Wingade rides across Georgia and Tennessee nonetheless, intent on rescuing his child from imminent disaster. During his journey, he witnesses the horrors and atrocities Holland and his evil confederates have wrought. Eventually, he finds himself at the outlaws’ mercy. An instant before death, he makes a final pledge to his stolen son.
“I promise, Daniel! I will come for you!”
DEAD, YET ALIVE…
He awakens to discover that the cold finality of the grave has been thwarted. With the help of the Louisiana mojo man, Job, he has been resurrected. But, the frail and fearful man named Joshua Wingade is forever gone. In his place is the stoic, steel-nerved Dead-Eye with his blind eye aglow and a gun hand as swift and deadly as greased lightning.
Together, they vow to pursue the vampire and his minions, and deliver
young Daniel from his bondage. However, they know that time is their worst enemy. If Holland and the others make it across the Mississippi River to the Western territories beyond, their vengeance may never come to fruition. For they are entering a new purgatory known as the Devil’s Playground… a vast wilderness rife with violence and terrors unleashed from the Hole Out of Nowhere.
A place where death and evil are dealt freely, without atonement to anyone… including God himself!
Honestly I do not care for westerns, at all. But you can probably tell from the picture that I am a bit of a Ronald Kelly fan.
I went into this book questioning whether it may or may not be for me. With visions of John Wayne hovering in the back of my mind I waded blindly into this book. What did I find?
"Trapped within the web were the bodies of several men. Or what had once been men. Their bodies were twisted; the arms and legs disjointed and at odds with one another. The flesh of their faces and hands were shriveled, sapped of the color of life and clinging tightly to the bone, as though the muscle underneath had dissolved and wilted away."
"Trapped within the web were the bodies of several men. Or what had once been men. Their bodies were twisted; the arms and legs disjointed and at odds with one another. The flesh of their faces and hands were shriveled, sapped of the color of life and clinging tightly to the bone, as though the muscle underneath had dissolved and wilted away."
Obviously this is not your grandpa's western!
This book is loaded with action, crisp writing, dark humor and genuinely creepy moments.
You do NOT need to be a fan of westerns to enjoy this book.
4 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy for review.
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