Zombies and steampunk and post Civil War Reconstruction era Wild West should be the most awesome combination ever, right? Alas, while the concept for Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill was excellent, I found the overall execution to be quite lacking.
Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning specifically focuses on three main characters. Jett Gallatin is a bit of a young gunslinger – rough and tough, also? Jett is a girl dressed as a boy on the search for her missing brother. Honoria Gibbons is a bluestocking, she’s the daughter of a very rich man and is conducting research debunking the unnatural. Then there is White Fox, who is this white guy who was raised by Native Americans. The three characters meet near Also, Texas while Jett is on the run on her fantastic horse Nightingale from a hoard of zombies. The three team up to investigate the disappearances in Alsop and throughout the region.
I really enjoyed reading the parts pertaining to Jerusalem’s Wall, a nearby commune/cult. I felt those bits were gripping as they discovered the zombie origins. Perhaps it was the fact that there was an actual sense of danger which drove the narrative during those parts. As for all the in-between parts, like when the characters are hanging out around Alsop or when Gibbons is deducing something, I felt bored. Like, I never felt immediately compelled to read on at these points. Instead, I would set Dead Reckoning aside for better, more exciting books.
In all, Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill feels like a very uneven book – some bits are fast and exciting and others are very slow and boring. I bet zombie fans will be into this book, but Dead Reckoning was not the best book for me, personally. There was just not enough to draw my attention and no unputdownable feeling.
Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley.
Other reviews of Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill:
Mindful Musings – “I was a little disappointed, but it was still an entertaining read ”
The Book Smugglers – “a great protagonist and a diverting storyline”
Bunbury In The Stacks – “did not disappoint, but it didn’t impress either”
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Sorry to hear that it didn’t hold your attention the entire time. I read some books by Lackey a couple of years ago and enjoyed them, but this one sounded a little too out of my comfort zone. I’m not a big steampunk fan anyway. So I think I’ll skip this one.
I still want to try some of Lackey’s high fantasy sort of books, I’ve heard they are really good, so yeah…. I am not going to give up on her just yet.
This has the same title as the newest Sookie Stackhouse novel by Charlaine Harris. I wonder if that was on purpose.
Perhaps. I was thinking something similar as I was reading.
Sadly, this was a DNF for me. Too many elements all mushed into an uneven plot just overwhelmed my senses. Sad because it has an intriguing premise!
I really need to learn how to DNF, seriously. I think I would be happier that way.
This was a DNF for me… I thought the premise was great, but I just wasn’t grabbed by the story. I do like zombie stories (when they’re well-done), but there was just something… missing, I guess.
Awww, see I have trouble DNFing when I get really far into the story. I think what was missing for me was characters I could deeply connect with. Also, excitement.
I finally got to your review! Yay!
I totally agree, as you’re not surprised to learn. The characters were seriously one-dimensional. The blonde, rich chick was all about science and that was it. White Fox was all about like following the ladies or something. Like he was supposed to be investigating the disappearances and he did find out, but it was by accident. He was totally derailed by the ladies. Ugh. And why wasn’t he an Indian? Why a white guy raised by native americans? Ugh. Jett was a little more interesting, but only a smidge.
There were so many dropped plot lines too, like Jett’s bro. I’m not sure if that means there’s going to be more of this mess or if it’s sloppy storytelling, but I’m hoping for the latter tbh.
The book totally was lacking in the action department. I mostly just feel like it failed to do all of the things it should have. Sigh.
Yep, that sounds fairly similar to how I felt. There were really good ideas/action scenes, but then a lot of it fell flat to me–including the characters.