The Six-Gun Tarot

A wild, ridiculous, fun ride of a book. Take every fantasy-Wild-West character you can think of (and a bunch of other fantasy/sci-fi/steampunk characters for good measure), jam them into one book, and watch them rattle around, bumping up against each other and external threats. The writing isn't brilliant, and plotting isn't brilliant, but the book is just so much fun to read that you don't really care. Highly recommended if you're looking for a light, fast-paced, fun book.

This was a fantastic weird west story.

And now I really want to play Deadlands...

File this under weird western. It's got some nice touches, mixing strange devices, zombie-like citizens, mythology, and mad science together. But the action only really lets loose in the last quarter.

The Six-Gun Tarot Something sinister is headed to the town of Golgotha, and every inhabitant can feel it. From the very first page, The Six Gun Tarot has an ominous aura about it. Add to this a population that contains everything from assassins to shape shifters, and you have a book with any extremely promising premise.
 
That being said, I was anxious to see where R.S. Belcher took this idea. The first half of the book was a little slow for me, but I kept in mind that it was building an extremely intricate backstory. Each character, and there are many, has something to contribute to the darkness that is steadily rolling in. The one downside to this is that all the little asides make it difficult to keep with the main story line. The POV often switches, which can be confusing.
 
I kept reading though and, as I neared the middle of The Six Gun Tarot, things really picked up. I found myself much more immersed during the second half of this story. Golgotha goes from being an odd town with interesting inhabitants, to a town trapped in the middle of a horror story. No spoilers here, but it is absolutely stunning even while being dark. I definitely felt like the slow beginning was worth it to get to this portion of the book.
 
Days later I still can't seem to classify The Six Gun Tarot. There are elements of mythology and horror, all tied up with historical events. This was a very different kind of read and, while it won't make my favorites shelf, I admire the ambition that R.S. Belcher shows. A vast story, with an equally large cast of characters, it was admittedly an intriguing read. Give this one a shot.