Customer Reviews

Shadow On The Sun

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unlike Richard Matheson's other novels of frontier fiction (Journal of the Gun Years, The Gunfight), Shadow on the Sun is a horror novel set in the Old West. The book begins with an Indian agent negotiating peace between Apaches and the U.S. Government, before introducing a supernatural creature out of Indian legend bent upon survival whatever the cost. As a result, I got two stories for the price of one. Like The Gunfight, the author first creates an atmosphere full of hope and future promise, then chapter by chapter, slowly lowers that future into a lake of quicksand. The contrast between the main characters--the Indian agent and the Washington D.C. bureaucrat--are excellently drawn, but it is the growth of the bureaucrat--from skeptical adversary to heroic friend--that is the heart of the novel. Despite the suspenseful build up, the climax of the story seemed rushed with an ending more fitting to a short story than a novel. Nevertheless, Richard Matheson delivers another entertaining novel.

This is a short book, about 178 pages. Still, it is entertaining. Maybe more books should get to the point and not drag out with useless narrative and subplots.

This book surprised me. First, I've never really read a "Western" novel, let a lone a "Western / Mystery / Horror" novel. It was a good read, a page-turner, very entertaining. The story begins when the US Government has reached a treaty with the Apache Indians. Strange things begin to happen immediately afterwards. Two young men go missing and are later found murdered, while a stranger in town is wearing their clothes!

Not much else can be said without giving away the story. Take a day and read it!

This is a very short book, and I wasnt really expecting anything that will blow me away, but this book was much better than I thought it would be. The whole story line is just great.
The characters involved, and Indian fokelore just tie in soo well. I thought this was a great little read, but you have to give it about 20 pages to actually get into the 'real' story of the book. You wont believe what happens :)

Matheson is an excellent writer. This horror-western is an entertaining stampede through Matheson's twisted vision of an Old West community terrorized by a . . . let's say, monster. :) It is not his best work, but it is a short and sweet example of solid writing and entertaining plot. No subplots weighing it down. Just a straight-forward, spooky tale.

Not worth the Kindle price. Unless you are a real fan. Go to a used book store, otherwise. But you should enjoy yourself if you like the idea of merging westerns with horror. Here is a great example of successful genre-mixing. It is not off-the-wall horror. Instead, a creepy, subdued supernatural invasion of our world in the 1800's by a creature just as scary as a vampire or werewolf.

Surprisingly anticlimactic for a RM novel. Still a good read, but 10 bucks is steep for the ebook version I think. Save your money.