3.5 Stars ( )

Fun read, but it didn't knock my socks off. If he writes more about this gunslinging vampire, though, I'll probably read it. ( )

This one wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best that I've read from McCammon. To be honest, I always have an issue with a heroic vampire, and even more of a problem with a "hybrid" vampire, that is, one that isn't quite all-vampire.

It's the same issue I always had with Buffy's Angel. The only vampire with a soul, making him different from all others.

Meh.

Other than that, the story is somewhat pedestrian, but the fight scenes were good. Overall, this felt like a bit of a supernatural outtake of one of his Matthew Corbett novels. ( )

Entertaining, if oddly slight, cowboy adventure with vampires.

Not much to say about this one. Not one of my favourite McCammon stories, but I'll end up reading the next in the series, when it comes around. ( )

4.5* rounded up to 5!

Robert McCammon has been one of my favorite authors for many years now. His novel "Boy's Life" is one of my favorite books of all time. His older works of horror like "Swan Song" or "They Thirst" were outstanding and they made me a life-long fan. Then came his historical fiction series which is flat out awesome. Then...then came The Five which is not so easily characterized, but just as phenomenal as his other books.

Now comes Trevor Lawson whose business card reads:
All Matters Handled
I Travel By Night

Trevor holds court in the Hotel Sanctuaire located in the city of New Orleans, in the late 1800's. People who have "matters to be handled" seek him out as does Mr. Kingsley in the beginning of this book. It seems that Trevor Lawson has some abilities that cause him to be special, but I won't tell you what they are. You will have to read this and find out for yourself.

Even though this story is set in New Orleans and the nearby swamps, it has a western feel to it. At one point Trevor stops at a bar called the Swamp Root to ask directions and comes upon a card game. Lawson saw "a black glimmer of warning in the eyes and a tightening of the beefy shoulders" of the dealer, interpreting that warning as "approach me with caution."
McCammon writes: "That was like a summons to Trevor Lawson who sipped at his whiskey and brought up his predator's smile..." as he moves in closer to watch the poker game. It's easy to picture this scene as a western movie-the Swamp Root even has batwing doors.

Trevor is a man with faults who is trying to do the right thing, despite all the odds and his own body fighting against him. I just LOVED him, his inner fight, his outer strength...all of it. I would immediately pick up anything else Mr. McCammon chooses to write about him. I deducted .5 of a star because this is a novella and I wanted a full novel. I can only hope that there will be a full novel someday.
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