East of West Volume 2: We Are All One TP
In the second volume of this weird western series, the three Horsemen of the Apocalypse continue to manipulate the Chosen, the American leaders sworn to the message, as they plot to bring about the end of the world. Death, the betrayed Horseman, rides out on a quest to locate his kidnapped son, but a new character, the Ranger, attempts to derail both groups’ plans. Like the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone, Hickman focuses on atmosphere and environment, with slow pacing and sudden quick-on-the-draw action, adding a touch of Lovecraftian horror and epic sci-fi for good measure. Although some of the backstory and dense mythology of the series is better explained in this volume, very little is revealed about character motives, making the plot confounding at times. We Are All One is a challenging read, and those new to the series will need to get their hands on the first installment. Still, this is a very promising series with a compelling enough premise that readers will want to stick around until the final shots are fired. --Peter Blenski