Raging Star

Raging Star by Moira Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Justice is finally served in the post-apocalyptic old west, and it is not pretty. While things might seem to have gone off on somewhat of a tangent in Rebel Heart (the second book in the series), it all comes together in this book.

Saba and Jack are back and they are out to overthrow DeMalo. And athough things move at a somewhat slow pace, they do move steadily to a conclusion that to some might seem anti-climactic. Young has taken the route of high and low points in the story leading to one final high that resolves, rather than having things build to a big showdown that then ends happily. The thing that makes this whole series stand out is that Young captures the feel of the old west, where life is cheap and pretty much hardscrabble. People die. That's just life and there may not be any rhyme or reason to it, so it's best not to think about it too much.

The characters are all there; Jack, who stays true to his fickle, cowboy self. Nero, who is the pet we all want. Emmi who is still the sweet little sister who is growing up but still going off half-cocked in her efforts to be one of the big kids. Molly, who takes the path of least resistance to benefit herself but is still loyal. Creed, who can't decide whether he wants to be in charge or just get down to business and kill the bad guy. Tommo who is much more than we thought we was. DeMalo, who is charismatic and evil and whose methods are questionable but whose intentions are good. Lugh, who - let's face it - nobody ever really liked anyway.

And Saba. Saba, who is such a basic person who just wants things to be simple. Why can't people just be plain bad or good? Why can't justice be a clear-cut thing? Saba, who is conflicted because her emotions can cloud how she sees people's intentions. Saba, who is guilt-ridden because of her impulsive actions in the past. Saba, who is constantly second-guessing herself. Saba, who can't be honest with anyone and is driven crazy trying to keep secrets. Saba, who has to go sit and think things through. Saba, the reluctant leader by default. Saba, who is such a study in extremes, fiercely loyal and ready to rip the head off anyone who threatens those she loves, but can't decide if that makes her weak or strong.

This is one of those books where people will either love it for what it is, which is like a rollercoaster, or hate it because it seems anti-climactic. It's both, depending on the way you view it. The colloquial language may have stood in the way for some; for me it was charming and easy to translate. It just added to the atmosphere of the old west. And the paranormal aspect of the story added just the right amount of mysticism to it.

On audio, this is narrated by Heather Lind who really does capture the voice of Saba. Here that colloquial language made sense and the phrases used fit perfectly with the feel of the story. My only complaint was that thing narrators do when the scene calls for people yelling and shouting - they "whisper-shout." This might work in a studio booth where the sound control is limited. But it sure does dampen the action when people are getting killed and characters are screaming their heads off. I'd much rather the narrator turn away from the microphone and yell and have a sound person drop the volume rather than have the narrator hiss as if people in hiding are trying to call to one another. When shots are fired and people are falling out of buildings and running for their lives, nobody is whispering.

Raging Star wound up things in the Dustlands with something between a bang and a whimper. Regardless, it was a satisfying conclusion to a great series and ended on a note that was right in line with the characters. It would make a great movie with the right casting. It offers complex characters who contrast well against a barren, desolate post-apocalyptic landscape. Ultimately it's a great story and worth the read.


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