Title: Hell's Horizon
Author: Darren Shan (site)
Published: June 23rd, 2011 by Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 341
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository
Series: The City #2
Rating: 4/5
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis: In the City, The Cardinal rules, and Al Jeery is a loyal member of his personal guard. But when Al is pulled from his duties at Party Central to investigate a murder, an unexpected discovery leads him in a new direction, where his loyalties and beliefs will be severely tested.
Soon he is involved in a terrifying mystery that draws in the dead, the City's Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal, and the near-mythical assassin Paucar Wami.
Wami is a law unto himself, a shadowy, enigmatic figure who can apparently kill anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution. And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined...(Goodreads)
Review: This was a great sequel to Procession of the Dead. I was a bit worried about where they could take the stories, especially since it took place alongside the other book. Wouldn't the spoilers be too much? Everything that the character was wondering about, the reader would already know. Shan got around this by making Hell's Horizon more of a side story than a sequel. If you wondered just where Paucar Wami was during parts of Procession of the Dead, then you'll get your answers here. I LOVED getting a more in-depth look at Wami. He was one of my favorite characters in the first book and (in my opinion) way too much was left in mystery about him and his past.
Al Jeery's story is separate but connected to the story of the first book. He is part of one of The Cardinal's schemes and it was satisfying to watch The Cardinal as he thought he was finally going to achieve something he wanted, knowing that everything was going to blow up in his face before his dreams could be realized. The ending sets us up for a Grand Confrontation in the third book, which I can't wait to get my hands on. This is a fantastic series, but probably one more suited to adults. The content isn't over-the-top adult, but the subtle plot and mature characters might bore some of the more action-hungry YA readers.
