Sunspot

This latest Deathlands novel, number #80 I believe, is penned this time around by long-timer action/adventure writer, Alan Philipson. For those who don't know, he wrote the last well recieved Deathlands novel - Cannibal Moon. In this novel Ryan Cawdor and the wayfarer companions find themselves caught between two warring factions, both led by colorful and interesting barons of different varieties and backgrounds. The first 1/3 of the novel is triple stupendous, chock-full of excellent action and hardcore Deathlands hellscapes and muties. And one of the most interesting components to this novel is the return of the mysterious metal man called - The Magus! (One of the best and most ellusive enemies that's been around since the most early Deathlands novels back in 1986.) Alan Philipson does an outstanding job at writing the Magus, but for me personally, he also kinda let me down in not having Ryan and the companions run into him and do battle. They don't even realize that the Magus is the reason - and the mastermind - for the deadly biological weapons used here as the main nexus of the story. For us personally, that was kind've a let-down, and thus prevented this novel from becoming a 5-star rated novel. We decided to give it a 3.5 star because the middle of the book we felt was overburdened with too large and unfeeling battle scenes. Like in Cannibal Moon, the reader is thrust within the battle scenes with everyone having new blaster and tons of ammo, with POV's being all over the place. I think these huge battle scenes would be better if the readers are kept squarely in the POV of Ryan Cawdor and the main core of the companions, with their feelings intact. Ryan and J.B. Dix don't show their feelings for their mates in danger in this novel. Philipson delves a bit into this, but doesn't capture the emotional depth that the original writer always seemed to capture, thus making the action and adventure that much better because the readers are fully enconsed with the threat of the companions losing one another. especially for ones that are in love, like Ryan and Krysty and Mildred and J. B. Dix. In this novel, like the Outlanders novels, it seems the lovers are now only reduced to a working relationship. The action and adventure is nonstop, but without getting the readers emotionally involved with the companions and their plight, both internally and externally, then the reader only gets a one-sided feeling towards the impending danger and possibility of losing a beloved one. The new cover artist missed the mark again this time. He really needs to learn from the best - Michael Herring - on how to capture Ryan Cawdor's looks and weaponry. He did such an outstanding job with Mildred and J.B. Dix, but can't seem to get Ryan down pad. The backgrounds to the hellscapes of Deathlands could be better, too. And where are the artist's conceptions of some muties? This cover looks too computerized, like alot of the past ones. Other elements that we felt