Review: A satisfying western drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 11, 2013
A somewhat dark western tale after the style of “True Grit,” “Shoot to Kill” follows a drifter who’s out for revenge against a well-known gang of outlaws. Suspense and betrayal are the orders of the day as Reston continually uncovers fresh deceit.Holt’s writing style is perfect for this genre. The narrative perspective is third person limited, meaning that we see a bit of what’s going on in Reston’s head but never quite get the whole story, as it should be. There’s a lot happening in this book--Reston’s quest spans several towns and a deserted expanse or two and involves shady characters and a few deceitful women--and yet Holt never spends too long reflecting on the setting or the apparent moral decay of society. It is made clear that for Reston, this is life.The story’s turns are definitely unexpected, and overall this is an interesting and engaging read.