Hell's Horizon Review

Hell's Horizon by Darren Shan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


In the City, The Cardinal rules, and Al Jeery is a loyal member of his personal guard. But when Al is pulled from his duties at Party Central to investigate a murder, an unexpected discovery leads him in a new direction, where his loyalties and beliefs will be severely tested.

Soon he is involved in a terrifying mystery that draws in the dead, the City's Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal, and the near-mythical assassin Paucar Wami.

Wami is a law unto himself, a shadowy, enigmatic figure who can apparently kill anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution. And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined...

My Take: This book starts out questionable which should have clued me in. Naked woman nearly dead on bed in a gang-controlled hotel. Not quite dead so maid finishes her off.

The protagonist is Al Jeery, a gang member who seems to still have some morals, although I fail to see them. He wants to find out who killed his lover, Nic. His boss encourages him to investigate. Turns out Nic was very much into sexual exploration, as is her brother, Nick. Seriously. Nic and Nick. Then he meets Paucar Wami who is completely without a conscience. He tortures his victims and this is described in detail, along with the sexual exploits of different characters. But then more people keep dying and I'm getting reeled into the story, thinking the ending is going to tie it all together.

Then the ending comes and I find I'm just ticked off that I spent half a day reading a book only to have it explained in Voodoo dolls and blind Incan priests.

 Mmmmkay, really?  So disappointed.

*This book was provided to me by publisher in exchange for an honest review.