Blood in the dust is an adventure, akin to a Western, set in the Australian outback in 1853.
The opening of this book gets off to a vicious and bloody start, with Swiggs setting the tone with heat, dust and inescapable violence. These events send the protagonists careering on an adventure that spans years.
However, after an exciting start, I felt like the middle was a little baggy and it left me wanting something a bit leaner. Saying that, the characters were evocative and the slow pacing of most of this book feels in keeping with the period in which it is set.
Although this is a three star read for me, it is a strong three stars and I would be interested in reading more of Swiggs work. He has an eye for detail and environment that really lends itself to historical fiction and if you are a fan of that genre, or authors like Wilbur Smith, I would highly recommend reading this book.
The opening of this book gets off to a vicious and bloody start, with Swiggs setting the tone with heat, dust and inescapable violence. These events send the protagonists careering on an adventure that spans years.
However, after an exciting start, I felt like the middle was a little baggy and it left me wanting something a bit leaner. Saying that, the characters were evocative and the slow pacing of most of this book feels in keeping with the period in which it is set.
Although this is a three star read for me, it is a strong three stars and I would be interested in reading more of Swiggs work. He has an eye for detail and environment that really lends itself to historical fiction and if you are a fan of that genre, or authors like Wilbur Smith, I would highly recommend reading this book.