Review of How the West Went to Hell by Eric S. Brown

by Chris Bartholomew

I was delighted when I learned that Pill Hill Press was going to publish a new work of Eric S. Brown, and when asked to read and review it, I was happy to oblige. I am a fan of Eric's work and even a bigger fan after having read How the West Went to Hell.

The book starts out running with the Prologue and doesn't quit until the end of the story. It's hard to talk about the story without giving anything away – and I hate to give away a plot, but here goes, hopefully telling you just enough to get you interested.

Character development here is flawless. The main character is an editor who is sent on a mission to fill in some missing information for his boss Kramer, so that their company can publish a book that has already been accepted, but the author has been killed. We follow this main character, Louis Farmer beginning with a stagecoach ride where he explains to the other travelers who he is and how the author of the book was murdered.

When they arrive at their destination, Reaper's Valley, Louis gets a room in the town's sole hotel and saloon. Not liking bars, he hurry's up to his room.

There is something going on, on the other side of town with Pastor Gregory and a visitor... ominously resembling the prologue. Strange man appears, wounded and in need of help but before anything can really be done, his wounds heal. Whether this is a good guy or a bad guy remains to be seen...

By Chapter three, we have a man named Lee riding into town. He's dressed all in white, immaculately dressed in white... is he a good guy, good guy's are always in white- or are they? Lee ends up asking for wine in the saloon, and then the trouble starts. 'A multitude of bullets smashed into Lee, staining his white clothing with dark blotches of red.' But wait, Lee stands up, wounds healed, white cloths spotless...

Louis, in the meantime, decides to read the book manuscript again, but decides he's too tired and hungry from the trip, and he goes down to get something to eat and notices a man riding into town, wearing all black... is this a bad guy? Bad guys always wear black, right? Louis really believes this man is the one he's been sent to find... the man tells the sheriff and everyone who is around that there is someone coming to town that will kill them all, someone they can't stop alone – none of them. Nathan is the man in black, and he has convinced the sheriff and Louis that there is something coming. They form a posse... and Louis decides to go, though he knows he might be more of a hindrance than a help.

While all of this is going on, there is another thread – Eliza, who has traveled west to get her dead brothers affairs in order. While at his house, she sees him riding up...

How the West Went to Hell is full of character and characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is good reading, Eric S. Brown at his best. You have to keep on your toes to discern who is who, are the characters really themselves, or are they demons, possessing the dead bodies, walking around reeking havoc.