Dark Resurrection

Once again, a Deathlands "masterpiece"! As an avid fan and collector of the series, I highly recommend this latest addition to the continuing saga!

Dark Resurrection (Deathlands: Empire of Xibalba Book 2) This book is the 2nd half and was great reading--equally as good as Shadow World. That was one on the very best!! I thought James Axler wrote all the books, but now I understand he might not have! Either way Great Books - Great Series KEEP WRITING. I sure would like to see more about Shadow World!!

Ya know, I never hardly get the chance, nor feel the need after reading a book to review it. But after being a huge fan of this writers series for sooooo long, and after reading this lastest novel, it was so brilliant that I just felt compelled to tell everyone out there. The previous reviewrs got it right. Friggin classic! I can't remember the last time I had such fun reading a book. This one held me up late for work, and kept me up late at night. Man, i can't wait for the next one!

Occasionally in the past, Deathlands titles have strayed into other parts of the world - trips to Russia, Japan, and Mexico come to mind - but those have been the result of mat-trans jumps and tended to offer only a tiny local view of the area visited. With Dark Resurrection the series explores a large region of southern Mexico and Central America. The book picks up three weeks after the end of Plague Lords, with the companions barely surviving as slave labor rowing the Matachin galleys that destroyed Padre Island at the climax of the previous books. The book moves from Veracruz to Panama and ultimately to Xibalba itself for a final showdown with the Lords of Death. Where previous Deathlands "duologies" have generally tended to be more along the lines of two or three loosely related stories, Plague Lords and Dark Resurrection really read as a single 700 page novel. There is plenty of a action to go around, but there is also an infusion of interesting ideas and locales into the storyline. One only hopes that those ideas will be picked up on by other authors in the series and explored more fully. I also really enjoyed the character of Daniel Desipio, once the author of dozens of trashy pulp post-apocalyptic novels in the fictional Slaughter Realms series and now the vector for releasing a terrible plague. The metaphor was not lost on me, and even though he was thoroughly despicable as a person I still enjoyed the heck out the wonderful absurdity of the Slaughter Realms books. There was a healthy dose of meaty subtext to this story, far beyond what one expects from a series like Deathlands, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This latest Deathlands installment is not only part 2 of the Empire of Xibalba duology, but also the best and most classic Deathlands written in some time. From the first page to the last, Dark Resurrection takes the wayfarer companions on the darkest of journeys that I think this hardcore Deathlands fan has ever read in this series' 23-year run thus far. Yes, it is that utterly fantastic! The new character introduced in this novel is so colorfully cool and interesting, I'd like to see more of him. I won't ruin it for the readers, but he is the spitting image of Ryan Cawdor, except he's the South American doppelganger rendition of him. (Trust me, you'll dig this guy!) Dark Resurrection starts right where Plague Lords left off, with Ryan and the companions in slave chains aboard the ship of the ultra-mean and bad Matachin pirates. Wounded, exhausted, separated, and depressed at their most dangerous plight, Ryan and the companions are taken to the South American coastline that is ruled with an iron fist and supernatural empowered leaders that will make your hair stand up. They are creepy and mysterious indeed! The overall storyline, as well as the fantastic settings in this Deathlands novel are 1st rate, thus making the overall novel feel like something akin to Steven King's Dark Tower series, with dark, enigmatic figures that lurk in the back of your mind long after you finish the book. The ending, along with the revelation of these mysterious and strange leaders of the Matachin of Xibalba, will surely blow you away, leaving you wanting more. Folks, this is Alan Philipson at the peak and height of his writing and creative prowess. Philipson just raised the bar very high for the other Deathlands - and Outlanders! - authors. (Never in the Outlanders series has Kane and company been in this type of direst of straits. Something that series needs.) I'm glad to see that the one and original series - Deathlands - has not only made a strong comeback, but continues to blaze the trail in action/adventure.