Published: October 11, 2015
I have finally read a book by the incredible Quincy J. Allen. I have met him several times and he is such a great person that I knew I needed to finally read one of his novels before I saw him again. This is the first novel in a trilogy and let me tell you it isn’t my usual cup of tea. It started out slow which made reading it seem like a chore but when it picked up it really picked up! The author describes the book as an Epic Western Steampunk Fantasy. And that description couldn’t be more accurate. That is everything this book is in a nice little nutshell.
This novel we follow Jake Lasater. He is a gunslinger that lives in Colorado after losing his legs and an arm in the war. However he knew a good Tinker who fitted him up with state of the art mechanical limbs and they even have a bit of magic thrown into them. He is approached for a job in San Francisco from a friend that he can never say “no” to. The last thing he wants is to return to San Fran but he clearly doesn’t have a choice. And considering that the job is for the Chinese Tong (think Chinese Triad) he is more than a little nervous. The last time he had a run in with that group he almost died. He isn’t too keen on a repeat.
This book was different than my normal fair as I stated but it piqued my interest. The steampunk world is fascinating and incorporating it into a novel is something that I haven’t read before. The book starts slow because we are given Jake’s back story and why he is like he is. Then it starts to pick up when he receives a job from an old friend and the journey to San Francisco isn’t without it’s excitement. Not to mention when they finally reach the city by the bay that they learn new things about the Tong that they never expected as well as about the assignment. It pays enough so they take it like any good gunslinger would do. It’s when they make it to San Francisco that the novel really really picked up to the point that I just wanted to keep reading though things got in the way. Like preparing for DragonCon. Yes, I go to that. So I have only read this first one but the second book is out and the third one should be out sometime in 2019. It is a trilogy and I like that I started it at least with the second book out because it ends on a crazy cliffhanger. I hope to have the second one read within the next couple of months but my book list exploded in September so keep an eye out for it. Hopefully by November. But seriously who knows.
Final item, each chapter starts with a quote either by Jake or about Jake. Which I think is really cool and inventive. Some are funny and some not so much but they make for a great entrance into the next chapter.
Note: Keep an eye on my social media pages for a giveaway that will include a free digital copy of this book!! I have a couple in the works that will be coming soon!!
—“You can make a deal with the Devil and trust he’ll keep his end of the bargain. But any deal you make better be worth your immortal soul.” -Jake Lasater, p.249—
bookishlyromantic.com 