Land of The Free
(Mystical Slayers Book 1)
Michael W. Huard
3.5 Stars

Today, my Gentle Readers, I have a futuristic post apocalyptic story for you to check out. I enjoyed this book and recommend it, but with a few disclaimers.

Huard has built us a world where in the wake of widespread destruction and warfare, a corporation has arisen to take over all important aspects of our lives. The rich get richer and the poorer, well, maybe they live something akin to a life. To the average person, the American Dream is beyond dead. Enter the Q-Jin, the Mystical Slayers: a group of genetically, chemically, and in some cases cybernetically enhanced women with elite martial arts training across a spectrum of disciplines. Their mission is to return America to the great country it was and bring down Y-Wood Corporation.

Sounds exciting right? And it is. Huard delivers a diverse cast of women with their own unique styles and quirks, bonded by their sisterhood’s ideals and philosophy. The fight scenes are well described and, to my limited knowledge of such things, accurately portrayed. The one difficulty one may have with this cast is the hopping about from character to character is reminiscent of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, but not quite as long between jumps.

For me, the detractors center on two things. First is a constant repetition of the Q-Jin being the Mystical Slayers, being dedicated to bringing back America’s greatness. This seems to happen almost every time the focus shifts from one character to another. After the information drop in the opening chapters, it should be readily clear to all readers and not need repeating as often as it was. It seems like word count padding that pulls away from the driving action of the women’s battle against Y-Wood. Second are scenes that seem superfluous and don’t really drive the plot or provide a clear character development device. I don’t like to post spoilers, but suffice to say there were scenes that I don’t think would have been missed if they weren’t there.

Overall this was a delightful read with some really great fight scenes and a diverse cast of strong female characters. Don’t know if I would recommend it for kids, but late teens should be able to handle the violence and suggestive themes.

Find it on Amazon