Official Review: The Gunman's Ride by D.A Daugherty
Posted: 18 Jan 2021, 10:08
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Gunman's Ride" by D.A Daugherty.]
With a shocking anti-hero, Jack Spade, The Gunman’s Ride will take you on a wild journey. Amazingly, this is D. A. Daugherty’s first novel. Professionally written, it gripped me in a way that only experienced writers should be able to manage. D. A. Daugherty had me almost falling off my seat, and my heartbeat accelerated more than a few times. If you like adventure stories set in the times of kings, sorcerers, and law-breaking, then grab your popcorn and a copy of this book.
When he wakes up three years ago in the middle of nowhere, with only a Jack of Spades card on his person and no memories of his past life, Jack Spade decides that the fast life is best for him. Somehow, using any weapon of any kind comes naturally to him, so he uses his skills to rob both the innocent and the not-so-innocent. He won’t hesitate to kill anyone meaning him harm. We are introduced to him going on a life-changing heist; he must steal the Box of Andelaine. Many have coveted this silver box for centuries. It has immense power, but no one has ever been able to open it. Many powerful sorcerers have tried to open it, and they all have failed.
When Jack opens the Box with just a swing, his life takes a drastic turn. He now has the forces of heaven and hell after him, and he will do anything to get them off his back. He would kill them all, but there are only so many demons and angels he can handle. He begins a journey, on the advice of a sorceress, Lucy, to send the supernatural forces away once and for all. On his ride, he discovers friendship, humanity, and love. Who is Jack Spade truly? Why is he the only one that can open the powerful Box? Will his quest be successful? There are more surprises in this book than you can fathom, I promise.
The Gunman’s Ride played out like a movie for me. The author made perfect use of imagery; he painted pictures so clearly that I was almost convinced that it was a motion picture. The author also used some oxymorons that amused me; for example, Jack was a killer and a thief, but he would not tolerate women being oppressed or raped. This, along with his smart mouth, made me like and root for the protagonist despite his terrible attributes. The plot was well arranged and progressed perfectly. There weren’t any points that left me confused. The author unfolded one adventure after the other in a perfect way.
I also loved the characterization. Even though Jack was the protagonist, I liked other characters; they were not flat. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Okanna and its people, the Okanni. The Okanni, who model East and North Africans, are darker in complexion and dress differently from the Sarveni, who model Westerners. A major supporting Okanni character, Tulya Suka, was one of my favorites; he was smart, kind, thoughtful, and would stand up to Jack at any time. Women also played very important roles that were not limited or tied to their male counterparts. Esriah, for one, was an amazing woman and fighter.
My rating is 3 out of 4 stars. Despite my glowing remarks for the plot and characterization, I did not like the mind-blowing number of profanity in the book. I also found a handful of errors that can be fixed with another round of editing. Also, at one point, a character, Vansiir, seemed like she was going to be important. But after her introduction, there was no mention of her. The ending was a major letdown for me. It was not unrealistic or uninteresting; it was simply annoying in the way that Game of Thrones’ was. Even though I could not imagine a better ending, I still felt dissatisfied. If you dislike violence in books, this is not for you. There are shootings, heads rolling, and a lot of blood.
******
The Gunman's Ride
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
With a shocking anti-hero, Jack Spade, The Gunman’s Ride will take you on a wild journey. Amazingly, this is D. A. Daugherty’s first novel. Professionally written, it gripped me in a way that only experienced writers should be able to manage. D. A. Daugherty had me almost falling off my seat, and my heartbeat accelerated more than a few times. If you like adventure stories set in the times of kings, sorcerers, and law-breaking, then grab your popcorn and a copy of this book.
When he wakes up three years ago in the middle of nowhere, with only a Jack of Spades card on his person and no memories of his past life, Jack Spade decides that the fast life is best for him. Somehow, using any weapon of any kind comes naturally to him, so he uses his skills to rob both the innocent and the not-so-innocent. He won’t hesitate to kill anyone meaning him harm. We are introduced to him going on a life-changing heist; he must steal the Box of Andelaine. Many have coveted this silver box for centuries. It has immense power, but no one has ever been able to open it. Many powerful sorcerers have tried to open it, and they all have failed.
When Jack opens the Box with just a swing, his life takes a drastic turn. He now has the forces of heaven and hell after him, and he will do anything to get them off his back. He would kill them all, but there are only so many demons and angels he can handle. He begins a journey, on the advice of a sorceress, Lucy, to send the supernatural forces away once and for all. On his ride, he discovers friendship, humanity, and love. Who is Jack Spade truly? Why is he the only one that can open the powerful Box? Will his quest be successful? There are more surprises in this book than you can fathom, I promise.
The Gunman’s Ride played out like a movie for me. The author made perfect use of imagery; he painted pictures so clearly that I was almost convinced that it was a motion picture. The author also used some oxymorons that amused me; for example, Jack was a killer and a thief, but he would not tolerate women being oppressed or raped. This, along with his smart mouth, made me like and root for the protagonist despite his terrible attributes. The plot was well arranged and progressed perfectly. There weren’t any points that left me confused. The author unfolded one adventure after the other in a perfect way.
I also loved the characterization. Even though Jack was the protagonist, I liked other characters; they were not flat. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Okanna and its people, the Okanni. The Okanni, who model East and North Africans, are darker in complexion and dress differently from the Sarveni, who model Westerners. A major supporting Okanni character, Tulya Suka, was one of my favorites; he was smart, kind, thoughtful, and would stand up to Jack at any time. Women also played very important roles that were not limited or tied to their male counterparts. Esriah, for one, was an amazing woman and fighter.
My rating is 3 out of 4 stars. Despite my glowing remarks for the plot and characterization, I did not like the mind-blowing number of profanity in the book. I also found a handful of errors that can be fixed with another round of editing. Also, at one point, a character, Vansiir, seemed like she was going to be important. But after her introduction, there was no mention of her. The ending was a major letdown for me. It was not unrealistic or uninteresting; it was simply annoying in the way that Game of Thrones’ was. Even though I could not imagine a better ending, I still felt dissatisfied. If you dislike violence in books, this is not for you. There are shootings, heads rolling, and a lot of blood.
******
The Gunman's Ride
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
