A classic weird western, this time with a post apocalypse flavor. Low brow, but a nice ride. Lots of guns, weird magic, and interdimesional time travel? ( )

God i love this author ( )

The book which introduces us to Gemmell’s compelling protagonist, Jon Shannow. More western at the start than fantasy, the book blossoms in a bizarre conglomeration of fantasy, western, politics, and religion which doesn’t quite seem to blend. The idea of a world changed 300 years ago, yet reflecting a life of guns and horses, farmsteads, corrupt townsmen, and tribes with little evidence of a technological age mentioned by characters leaves one feeling as though the author was feeling his way as much as the reader does. Took me longer to read than it should have; still, this makes for a intriguing and entertaining story. I’ve two more to work through. ( )

I was a little wary of the setting (post-apocalyptic Wild West), as I did not enjoy Stephen King's "Dark Tower", but I am a fan of Gemmell's sword-based fantasy, so I gave it a go. I wasn't disappointed. The story combines some standard tropes in not entirely expected ways: man with gun shoots his way out of trouble, defending homesteaders against bandits; evil ruler sustains life and power through human sacrifice. The most unusual yet effective aspect of the story is the moral dilemma expressed through the hero. He carries a Bible, and in the context of his semi-anarchic world confronts the incompatibility of the violent God of Elijah and Samuel and the loving God of the New Testament. He and other characters also struggle with the balance of power and its restraint, the choice between the evil consequences of action and of inaction, and the peculiar moral position of exploiting for good a religion in which one does not believe. As in the real world, there is no resolution, but the narrative manages to come to a conclusion while leaving the door open for the sequel. MB 16-vi-2018 ( )

Wolf In Shadow (Jon Shannow Novel) - David Gemmell *****

After reading all the Stephen King 'Dark Tower' books, I found a copy of Wolf in Shadow and the setting sounded very similar so I thought I would give it a try.

We follow Jon Shannow as he travels the land in search of Jerusalem (hence his nickname Jerusalem Man). A master with the gun, Jon is feared and admired in equal parts. The setting is placed several hundred years into the future. The earth has suffered a cataclysmic event and people are starting rebuild the towns and cities. What we find is a world that resembles the wild west American Era. However things are not always as they seem, especially with the introduction of the Sipstrassi Stones. These are seemingly all powerful but used at a cost. Can Shannow, armed with his Bible and Pistols overcome the evil that surrounds him? Or will the marauding gangs stop him dead.

This is the first book I have read by the author but immediately went out and bought the other two books of the trilogy. I particularly loved the way that Gemmell allows to feel Shannow's emotions, the way he sees things in black and white, good and evil. The magic v religion theme that runs through the book keeps the reader guessing at what will happen next. With plenty of action the pages fly by. ( )