‘At last, a western for teenagers! A brisk, exciting mix of gunslinging and voodoo magic. Very enjoyable.’ ~ A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review, 19th Feb 2020

REVIEW
To be honest, you don’t see a lot of Westerns for teenagers. In fact, you don’t see a lot of Westerns for adults. Never mind books! A pity, I think. I grew up watching John Wayne doing his cowboy strut and Clint Eastwood killing the bad guys and never saying a word. So I very happily dived into this YA western from Janet Fogg and Dave Jackson.

First, let’s discuss the plot. In many ways, it’s not a very western sort of plot. The hero and her (sort of) partner must try to stop a voodoo sorcerer from getting his sticky claws on the idol of Necropolis. Trust me when I tell you, the idol of Necropolis is not good; not in the hands of an evil sorcerer anyway. What follows is a brisk adventure with plenty going on to keep a teenager interested. There’s a little comic play here and there and the authors work hard to offer exciting fights and a stimulating historical setting.

Thankfully, the authors seem to know who the reader is. Trust me, not all authors do. Me: Who’s the intended reader for the book? Author: I don’t know. Everybody? What do you think? Me: WHAT DO I THINK!? I’m not the author. Etc. Etc. But not so here. This is ALL good teenager stuff. A strong hero they can relate to and root for. A little comedy here and there to keep them turning the page. A lot happening but not full of blood and spilling guts. And, best of all, plenty of pace and a brisk writing style. Yes, perfect for teenagers!

So, can I recommend this book? You bet I can. Young adult, say 13 – 16, will get a kick out of this. It’s not deep. But it’s a lot of fun.

Enjoy!

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review