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feedthewriter's review
4.0
Once Upon A Time At The End Of The World is the first volume of a four-part serial set in a dystopian United States at some point in the not-too-distant future. An android with no name travels a world very reminiscent of Spaghetti Westerns killing wanted men and neglecting to collect the bounty - androids in this world aren't looked on kindly, and can't accept money in exchange for violence. Enter Sierra, a feisty young woman sold into sex work after seeing her family murdered and home burned to the ground by Very Bad Men. Seeing a chance at a new life, Sierra convinces the android to take her on as a partner.
This is a grim and nasty beginning to a story I'm pretty sure is only going to get nastier. Which is great. THIS is a Western. It's a gritty, hard, mean world with great pace, nicely balancing action and gore with character and story. It's more western than sci-fi, which is a testament to how nicely the science fiction elements are integrated. And in a genre where most of our favourite references are films, the choice to write this book in third person present tense is kind of brilliant. It reads a little like a screenplay, hitting us with vivid visuals and allowing the characters to reveal their nature through dialogue and action.
It's a quick and easy read, and it's nice to see that, although this is a world predictably hard on women, the women are given a voice through Sierra (who has such a large part I'd be happy to call her the second protagonist).
Bring on volume two!
This is a grim and nasty beginning to a story I'm pretty sure is only going to get nastier. Which is great. THIS is a Western. It's a gritty, hard, mean world with great pace, nicely balancing action and gore with character and story. It's more western than sci-fi, which is a testament to how nicely the science fiction elements are integrated. And in a genre where most of our favourite references are films, the choice to write this book in third person present tense is kind of brilliant. It reads a little like a screenplay, hitting us with vivid visuals and allowing the characters to reveal their nature through dialogue and action.
It's a quick and easy read, and it's nice to see that, although this is a world predictably hard on women, the women are given a voice through Sierra (who has such a large part I'd be happy to call her the second protagonist).
Bring on volume two!
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