If ever there was a character in any of David Gemmell's books that
came close to being deadlier than Druss, it would only be Jon Shannow.
While Druss is pure terror and chaos, a simple man by his own
thoughts, and Waylander is constantly caught between love and hatred, 
Shannow is a whirlwind of controlled fury, ice cool and not a man to
mess with. The difference between Shannow and most of Gemmell's other
heroes is that he is more ready to kill by instinct, than to let a man
live, a harsh world calls for a harsh law. Even Druss gives a warning
to thieves unlike Shannow who just kills them. 

In the year 1987, the oceans of the Earth formed into a gigantic tidal
wave, and destroyed the world. During that tidal wave, many nuclear
bombs were launched and denonated  after the water shorted out many
computer circuits, and caused much of the world to be radioactive. A
period of time passes and the people of Earth start to live in a Wild
West colonial style of life. Pretty soon brigands and thieves appear,
as is the folly of human kind throughout the ages, and the known world
as it is, becomes increasingly hostlile, more so than it was before.

Out of the brigands and the mists of the frightened farmers, appear
pistoliers known as brigand slayers. Few in number they are, but still
they make a difference to the harsh world. After the mentor brigand
slayer of a young man is murdered Jon Shannow rises out of depths of
childhood and leaps into manhood bringing fire and death to the wicked. 
After many years of searching forthe elusive Jerusalem and defeating 
evil as he goes, the Jerusalem man meets a widow named Donna and
decides to settle down after many years of searching. When a group of
families travelling to new lands to settle in, ( after Shannows
brother, Daniel Cade is reported to be coming ) Shannow and Donna
decide to travel with the group and run head on into the evil nation
of the Hellborn.

Although a harsh story, it is filled with suspense as we learn the
coldness of Shannow demeanor in each of his gunfighting scenes. I gave
the book a four out of five when comparing it to the other Jon Shannow
novels because it lacks the righteousness of "The Last Guardian"  and
the action, mystery and intrigue of "Bloodstone". It is more of a
journey of misfortune and death, with hard lessons to be learnt. All
in all a great read, and a must for Wild West fans.

((Zane Swenson))

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