Plague Lords: Empire of Xibalba, Book 1

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

Excellant book Great series One of the best authors

[ASIN:0373625944 Plague Lords (Deathlands #84: Empire of Xibalba, Bk. 1)]] This book as well as the 2nd half 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!!

Plague Lords is a strong entry in the Deathlands canon that ends on a delicious cliffhanger, leaving me for the first time in years actually anticipating the next book in the series. The primary plot involves the incursion of the titular Plague Lords from Mexico into the Deathlands, using a human viral vector as their agent to soften the opposition before attacking. The subtext to the primary plot is that the plague carrier is a 20th century hack author who used to write for a trashy pulp series of novels called Slaughter Realms, and there is more than just a hint of autobiographical backstory slipped in there. Personally, I was thoroughly amused by the meta humor worked into the story. That being said, the book definitely does not lack for action. There is the high speed encounter with a pack of mating stickies. There are the explosive dealings with a trader from Ryan and J.B.'s past. And of course there is the pitched, running battle at the climax of the bookthat leads to the aforementioned cliffhanger. Speaking of which, I don't recall any book in recent series history that actually ended on such a clear cliffhanger. There have been other duologies, but those stories tended to be self-contained episodes that were loosely related, whereas this reads as quite literally the first 350 pages of a 700 page story. After so many years of lowest common denominator storytelling, it is refreshing to see a bit of a renaissance in the series.

Alan Philipson is the only reason to read this disjointed and generally confused series. In Plague Lords AP has busted another of the silly, jingoistic myths upon which this series is based. For 3 zillion books the series has focused on the remnants of the USA conducting a fratricidal war that features the wholesale bloodletting of every person necessary to survival of the species. The big lie is that if so much of the US survived, then what is happening in the other parts of the civilized world that wouldn't be prime targets for meltdown? As AP posits, central and south America would be mostly intact. At last count, both areas have lots of military assets sold to them by the US, Soviets, Germans, Brits, French and Israelis. Brazil has a fleet of 95 ships, including an aircraft carrier, missile frigates, and subs. It also has also developed biofuels to the point where it no longer depends on foreign oil. Chile has 60 plus ships, Argentina as we know hit the Brits hard in the Falklands naval battles. If north America is nuked and still exists, then south and central America are world powers. PL is the story of what happens when one segment of the southern survivors heads north and Ryan and the Band have the misfortune to land in their path. The bad guys soften up the opposition by using human bioweapons that spread genetically altered diseases. The action is fast paced and fully up to the high standard AP maintains, both in description and dramatic effect. The "AP Twist" herein is the character of the doomed, pathethic Daniel Desipio. Desipio just happens to be a pre-nukecaust pulp writer who has seen his "art" go awry. This has to be the saddest and funniest character ever introduced into this genre. I eagerly await the re-printing of Desipio's "Slaughter Realms" books, featuring the famed Iroquois Ninja Princess, perhaps in a three volume collection. As for Ryan et al in this two-parter, I think they have met their match. DL storylines may come and go, but whenever AP is contracted to write for this series we readers win. I wish AP had a series where he was in creative control. Grab this book while you can: my bookstore started with 25 copies on the day of release and they are already gone.