This week I have been reading the debut novel by Jessica Bakkers – Guns of Perdition – The Armageddon Showdown Book 1
About the book
IT TAKES GRACE TO HUNT WHEN IT’S DARKSOME
Jessie expects he’ll be forever cleaning up after the cowpokes of the Bad Hoss Saloon. That’s until the day a drifter strides through the doors, and blows away a blood-sucking demon, along with Jessie’s belief in an everyday world. Jessie is captivated by the enigmatic Grace, with her pearl-handled revolvers, and wolf companion. He throws in his normal life and follows her across the Wild West, as she hunts down and slays the evil creatures that roam the frontier.
Along the way, they seek the aid of a Native American warrior, cross paths with a Cajun Queen, and encounter a small-town tycoon with a deadly hunger for gold. Animosity and distrust plague Grace and Jessie, and their strange group of allies, but they must put their differences behind them if they’re to have any hope of finding and defeating the frontier’s true evil, the Darksome Gunman.
The Armageddon Showdown is a dark-fantasy, weird western series of epic proportions, focusing on the age-old battle between good and evil, though in the Wild West, it’s not always clear just who is good and who is evil.
Join Grace Dyer and her band of miscreants as they battle demons and demi-gods, in the frontier’s deadliest conflict…the Armageddon Showdown.
My review for the book October 8th 2020
This is not a ‘cosy’ mystery that you can relax in front of a fire with your slippers on and a cup of hot cocoa just before bed. It is more saddle up, get your boots on and prepare for the ride of your life.
This multi-genre debut novel of Jessica Bakkers has all the elements of a classic western, including the lingo, intersected with demonic apparitions, shapeshifters, and an evil overlord, with displaced Indian tribes and innocent townspeople caught in the crossfire.
Horror is a tough genre to carry off well and the author certainly achieves that in style. The characters are multi-dimensional and complex with both the dark and light shades to their personalities giving them depth. The pivotal relationship of Grace and Jessie evolves throughout the book as he grows from aimless teenager to a man with purpose and performs his role of narrator, conscience and scribe. She is hardened by childhood trauma and the ongoing quest for revenge, but this tough exterior hides a softness shown to only to her horse and loyal wolf until now.
At the heart of the story is an evil driving force that will stop a nothing to bring Grace and her posse to the final destination. The climax that awaits them is both horrific and unexpected as it is for the reader.
This book is excellently written, compelling and also violent and blood-curdling. There are also some lusty encounters which was not uncommon in the wild west of the time. Not many respectable occupations for women who ventured into the gold and cattle towns of the day, especially when they were a little devilish!
Expect the unexpected in this book and I am sure it will delight lovers of horror and action stories. A great start to the trilogy and I am looking forward to book two.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More Reviews: Goodreads
About Jessica Bakkers
I am a creative writer with over twenty years of writing experience. I am a speculative fiction writer, and have written in the genres of fantasy-romance and paranormal-romance, however my genre of choice when it comes to writing for myself is dark fantasy where I can allow myself to fully explore the anti-hero characters that pepper my stories. I dabble at poetry and have written professionally for clients locally and internationally.
My debut novel, Guns of Perdition, The Armageddon Showdown Book 1, is a dark fantasy stroll through a weird wild west setting, pitting bad heroes against worse villains.
My major love affair is with the written word; specifically creative writing. I allow myself to indulge and rendezvous with this secret lover whenever time allows… and then we make beautiful poetry together!
Connect to Jessica Bakkers
Author pages: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Website – JessicaBakkers.com – Facebook – The Written Word – Twitter – @JessicaBakkers
Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you have enjoyed the review for Jessica’s book and will head over to buy.. thanks Sally.
This is a wonderful, comprehensive review. I must add this book to my to-be-read-list.
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That’s fantastic Sue Marie.. Jessica will be pleased. Have a good weekend.
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This is a great review, Sally. I read it yesterday and my sister arrived before I could comment and share. An excellent debut book by Jessica.
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Thanks Robbie..and a terrific book…hugs..xx
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Thanks Robbie 🤗
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What a fantastic review, Sally – this sounds like an outstanding story. Congratulations to Jessica. Toni x
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Thanks Toni..an excellent debut novel.. xx
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Thanks, Toni 🤗
Sally blew me out of the water with this review!
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Fantastic review, Sally – congrats to Jess! This one’s on my TBR.
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Thanks, Teri! I hope you enjoy it when you get there 🙂
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Thanks Teri.. happy reading..hugsx
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Wow! Western, Horror, and Thriller is a killer combination. I love it! Congrats to Jessica on her new release and fabulous review! Thanks for hosting, Sally. 😀 xo
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Thanks Vashti.. an unusual but effective combination especially when well written…hugsx
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After seeing the movie Cowboys & Aliens I got a taste for westerns combined with other genres. I’m sure this’ll be a fun read. ❤
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Very much so Vashti.. I am sure you will enjoy..♥
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Thanks Vashti 🙂
Cowboys and Aliens was such a fun movie, wasn’t it? I do love a good genre mash-up!
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Great review, Sally. I have this book on my Kindle and can’t wait to get to it. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks John..happy reading…hugsxx
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Thanks for popping by, John! Hope you enjoy it when the time comes 🙂
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Wow, what an in-depth fantastic review. Congrats to Jessica for this beautiful review. And sounds fascinating with such a blend of genres! Hugs xxx
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Thanks Debby… it pulls no punches and is very well written.. keeps you reading..hugsx
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Well done Jessica! ❤
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I couldn’t agree more, Debby! Sally’s review was fabulous – has me still grinning from ear to ear!!
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No doubts Jessica. Take it all in! ❤
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What a great review, Sally. I had no idea that you read horror! And this book is that. But I think you got the characters down well too, and that’s part of what makes this read so good. I know that Jess is thrilled. Congrats to her on the wonderful review. 🙂
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Thanks Diana.. I used to read more back in the day but this book intrigued with its cross genre elements and the reviews from yourself, Mae, Denise Finn and Marcia whose judgement I trust…hugsx
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I’m glad we didn’t steer you wrong. 🙂
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Never ♥
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Aw, you two are gunna make me cry over here!! Thank you both for supporting the heck out of GoP – makes me appreciate every hunched minute I spent at my keyboard for nearly five years getting it down!
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Time well spent Jessica and it shows…♥
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❤
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Wonderful review, Sally. You really captured the story and I agree I can’t wait for book two.
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Thank you Denise.. hopefully not too long..xx
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Thanks, Denise! Sally’s review was amazing and again I’m so overwhelmed by the unbelievable support from authors and readers such as yourself and Sally in our community 🙂
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I’ve read several great reviews about this novel, and the genre mix appeals to me as well, Sally, so many thanks for the recommendation and good luck to Jessica.
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One of the elements I enjoyed about the book Olga was the ease it had bridging the genres…clever writing..xx
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Many thanks, Olga!! It was certainly a fun mash-up of genres to write – gave me a lot of freedom to explore some interesting themes 🙂
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Terrific review, Sally. Congrats to Jessica. Hugs all around.
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Thank you Teagan…hugsx
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Thanks, Teagan… MORE hugs!!
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Wonderful review. I really enjoyed this book, too.
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Thanks Craig and for adding your recommendation.x
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Thanks, Craig – you’ve been such a great supporter of GoP since its release 🙂
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Thank you for the review, Sally Instead of “showdown” i had read “shutdown”. 😉 However a interesting story. Will put it on my list. Need to force my reading speed. Michael
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Great thanks Michael.. and something to look forward to…hugsx
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:-)) Yes!
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Thanks for commenting, Michael! Oh, I get you about reading speed – my poor Kindle is about to meltdown with so many books in my TBR pile 🙂
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Lol – I am most times reading on the PC, but there is my other equipment for communication, and whenever i dont think i get messages. 😉 Enjoy your weekend! Michael
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An excellent review, Sally but I’m too wimpish to do blood-curdling horror 🙂
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Lol..It has been a while for me but I have to say it was so well written that the blood-curdling was in context…xxx
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Thanks, Sally – I did try to keep the, ahem, gore, in context 😉
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lol…xx
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Thanks for commenting, Mary – and I totally get you! I think you have to be brought up on the likes of King and Koontz to have a horror ‘bent’ 🙂
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Fantastic review. I keep seeing lots of great stuff about this book. Best of luck with everything, Jessica 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Sally. Hugs xx 🙂
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Thanks Harmony.. an excellently written book that keeps you turning the pages.xx♥
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Thanks, Harmony 🙂 I was beyond thrilled to receive this excellent review from Sally!
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Reblogged this on Jessica Bakkers and commented:
Another review for Guns of Perdition here, this time by Sally Cronin, supporter extraordinaire of authors everywhere! If you’re not a follower of Sally’s blog, get along and take a peep – there’s a reason it’s called smorgasbord…there’s something there for everyone!!
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Thanks for the great intro Jessica…and delighted to read and review.. terrific book..xx
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Wow, Sally! Such a comprehensive, amazing review 🤗
You really GOT the book 😁. An author can’t ask for more than that!! You’ve made my night, my tomorrow, my entire week with this review ❤️
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Delighted you are happy with it Jessica… if you are going to write a horror thriller it has to do both and you delivered…♥
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