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Gehenna
(West of Hell #1)
by
"And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat." - Leviticus 26:29
When two cannibalistic, gravely wounded men stagger into the town of Gehenna, all Hell breaks loose. Infamous outlaw Mad Dog McCall, stuck in the city jail, must fight for his life to escape. The lonely, intelligent, and snarky Karen must make horrific sacrifices to su ...more
When two cannibalistic, gravely wounded men stagger into the town of Gehenna, all Hell breaks loose. Infamous outlaw Mad Dog McCall, stuck in the city jail, must fight for his life to escape. The lonely, intelligent, and snarky Karen must make horrific sacrifices to su ...more
Kindle Edition, 176 pages
Published
April 28th 2012
(first published April 27th 2012)
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Start your review of Gehenna (West of Hell #1)

When the two men fighting in the street turn out to be undead cannibals, the tiny town of Gehenna is thrown into flesh-eating chaos. The only people who seem to keep a cool head are Karen, the prostitute with a heart of bitter gold, and Mad Dog McCall, an outlaw trapped in the city jail...
Weird westerns have always been an easy sell for me. Know what's even better than a weird western? A FREE weird western!
Gehenna is told in two parallel threads for most of the book. One thread follows Karen and ...more
Weird westerns have always been an easy sell for me. Know what's even better than a weird western? A FREE weird western!
Gehenna is told in two parallel threads for most of the book. One thread follows Karen and ...more

Gehanna is a western. It has dusty old western towns, trains, cowboys, saloons, whores, and, oh yeah, zombies. I really could end the review right here. It was that fun. The book kicks open the door, blasts a few zombies away, and then hauls you out of the chair and throws you out the door.
It is the story of a zombie outbreak in the Old West seen through the eyes of outlaw Mad Dog McCall and the snarky prostitute Karen. What is great about the story is that this, I imagine, is exactly how the Zo ...more
It is the story of a zombie outbreak in the Old West seen through the eyes of outlaw Mad Dog McCall and the snarky prostitute Karen. What is great about the story is that this, I imagine, is exactly how the Zo ...more

Gehenna by Jason Brant is the first book of the West of Hell series. This one is sort of a western crossed with horror. We have the outlaw, Mad Dog McCall, stuck in jail in the town of Gehenna when basically a zombie apocalypse breaks out. All out mayhem as the locals turn on each other as each are turned. Nice to pass the time for a horror fan but again this one wouldn't necessarily stick with a reader long either.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/ ...more
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/ ...more

Gehenna is the town, an all-out moaner or zombie infestation is the Hoedown, no dancing though survival is the game for a small group desperate for escape as the horde close in.
This story was around 3 hours on audio and an entertaining actionfest, taking on a here and now philosophy with not much in the way of history/character depth but that’s a small complaint and not really what it’s all about. The narrator didn't really do it for me but that may have something to do with the fact that the la ...more
This story was around 3 hours on audio and an entertaining actionfest, taking on a here and now philosophy with not much in the way of history/character depth but that’s a small complaint and not really what it’s all about. The narrator didn't really do it for me but that may have something to do with the fact that the la ...more

Jason Brant did not disappoint. Gehenna is a book like no other I have ever read. Zombies, prostitutes, and cowboys in the old west…who would have thought of that? Well, apparently Jason did, and boy did he do it well. This book grabs you from the very first page. The characters are well thought out, the ride wild, and the losing your lunch optional, though I almost lost mine.
The very beginning starts off like so many historical romances, believe it or not. The first few pages leave you totally ...more
The very beginning starts off like so many historical romances, believe it or not. The first few pages leave you totally ...more

A Free book full of cowboys, outlaws, prostitutes, zombies, a drunk priest who serves as the town doctor and a hero and heroine to die for! What more could you ask for?

An epidemic of biblical proportion is about to hit the old Wild West and when it does everyone is caught unaware and ill prepared to battle the hungry zombie horde.

An epidemic of biblical proportion is about to hit the old Wild West and when it does everyone is caught unaware and ill prepared to battle the hungry zombie horde.
When two cannibalistic, gravely wounded men stagger into the town of Gehenna, all Hell breaks loose. Infamous outlaw Mad Dog McCall, stuck in the city jail, must fi...more

If you like zombie stuff and John Wayne, you'll *really* like this book. I admit to being a zombie newbie (so not cool, I know) but I'm an old hand at westerns, both books and movies. Jason Brant's strong suits are the way he weaves humor into the story, despite their dark nature, and also his character development. You love who you're supposed to love, hate who you're supposed to hate, and in the case of zombies, feel like barfing when you're supposed to feel like barfing (which, BTW, is throug
...more

Gehenna, written by Jason Brant, is a horror novel. This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I was not disappointed. I am a big fan of zombie stories. There may be more out there written with the twist this one is written with, but if there are, I haven't read them. Oh, and I wouldn't recommend eating while reading this book.
Gehenna is a place of eternal torment and suffering, the place of condemned souls. It is hell. There is an old west town by the name of Gehenna. The old w ...more
Gehenna is a place of eternal torment and suffering, the place of condemned souls. It is hell. There is an old west town by the name of Gehenna. The old w ...more

Loved this book. This is my first Zombie book, actually its my first Old West Book too. I very much enjoyed the story line and the characters, especially the addition of a strong female lead in a horror genre.
Good writing, many moments had me holding my breath waiting for the next move.
Great ending which immediately makes you want to read the next book in the series.
I highly recommend getting the omnibus version as you will want to read all three!
Good writing, many moments had me holding my breath waiting for the next move.
Great ending which immediately makes you want to read the next book in the series.
I highly recommend getting the omnibus version as you will want to read all three!

A Zombie tale set in the old west. An outlaw, a prostitute, zombies, and the rising dead fill this quick read. The author's descriptions are very disturbingly vivid. The question is can they beat the zombies and escape them? Jason Brant kept me on the edge of my seat anticipating what was going to happen next. I look forward to reading more from this author.
...more

"You keep calling them 'moaners'."
"Well, they moan. A lot."
"But the best you could come up with was 'moaners'? What about 'the living dead', or 'the eternal hungry.'"
"I'm shooting them in face, not writing a book."
Really enjoyed this book. It was well written and moved at a nice fast pace. Zombies and the old west...great combination. Will definitely read the next two.
...more
"Well, they moan. A lot."
"But the best you could come up with was 'moaners'? What about 'the living dead', or 'the eternal hungry.'"
"I'm shooting them in face, not writing a book."
Really enjoyed this book. It was well written and moved at a nice fast pace. Zombies and the old west...great combination. Will definitely read the next two.
...more

After a long couple of months of just average or even disappointing reads, Jason Brant's pulpy Western-zombie infusion was just what I needed. Gehenna could not have been simpler and is written with a sparse, direct style that will have no-one comparing Brant to Laird Barron or John Logan, but it is all kinds of fun.
Brant wastes no time in dropping a group of disparate characters into the midst of a zombie outbreak. The short novel is structured so as to be written from the alternating third-per ...more
Brant wastes no time in dropping a group of disparate characters into the midst of a zombie outbreak. The short novel is structured so as to be written from the alternating third-per ...more

I am normally not reading books about zombies, but this book sounded interesting. It was lots of action and reminded me of the pulps. There were no boring moments, action all the time. I give it 3 stars, but would have given it 3.5 if it was possible. Since I am normally not reading zombie stories, I don't know if this was more gory than other stories, but for me it was a bit too much. Not so much that I would stop reading, but plenty of it. Still I do recommend it if you like action and zombie
...more

A nice Weird Western, mixing well alcohol, pistols and zombies.
When people rush out from the saloon, they discover 2 men eating a woman in the street. They succeed to restrain them, gathering some bites during the fight. And yes, hell is coming.
I've a nice background of zombie books behind me, so for this part, the book was fine with lots of guts, gore, groans and missing parts. The tension was good, especially with the characters who didn't know what was happening, doing debutant mistakes. I ha ...more
When people rush out from the saloon, they discover 2 men eating a woman in the street. They succeed to restrain them, gathering some bites during the fight. And yes, hell is coming.
I've a nice background of zombie books behind me, so for this part, the book was fine with lots of guts, gore, groans and missing parts. The tension was good, especially with the characters who didn't know what was happening, doing debutant mistakes. I ha ...more

Mar 13, 2014
David Dalton
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
guns-gun-and-more-guns,
isolated-location,
creepy,
zombie,
intense,
old-west,
violent,
thriller,
scary,
gross
I finally got around to reading this story, and I am glad I did. One reviewer commented the story was too violent- - - It's a zombie book set in the ole west, what else would you expect to read? "Dawn of the Dead" meets "A Fistful of Dollars".
Gruesome? You bet! This is a short read, but I thought the author did a good job of setting the characters up, with the two main characters being an outlaw on the run and a intelligent hooker with a heart of gold. Loved the ending........I could just see t ...more
Gruesome? You bet! This is a short read, but I thought the author did a good job of setting the characters up, with the two main characters being an outlaw on the run and a intelligent hooker with a heart of gold. Loved the ending........I could just see t ...more

An Outlaw, a prostitute, and a zombie walk into a bar... I'm not going to give you more, read it, ok? This book was fast paced, action packed and humorous. I am a tremendous fan of zombie movies and this book played out in my head as such. Kudos to Jason Brant on writing a zombie book without all the trite romance that can muddle a horror story. Oh, don't get me wrong, I like a good romance book, but it would have seemed forced and wrong in a book of this nature. To sum up, excellent story, go r
...more

Very fast paced, a bit on the gory side, lots of zombie action. It was a fun read. I got it because I figured a zombie western would be different, and it was - the reactions of the townspeople to something they've never even heard of before was done very well.
I also like Mad Dog McCall, Karen and Ellis. Got a hint of backstory for McCall and Karen, but not enough to interrupt the flow of the action.
My only problem was that I wanted a little more western flavor. The feel was just a tad too modern ...more
I also like Mad Dog McCall, Karen and Ellis. Got a hint of backstory for McCall and Karen, but not enough to interrupt the flow of the action.
My only problem was that I wanted a little more western flavor. The feel was just a tad too modern ...more

This was a fun and quick read. Two gutsy protagonists, representing both genders, join forces during a zombie uprising in a small outpost during the wild west that may have never been. Brant keeps the plot moving with action, gore, doses of humor that steer clear of 21st century snark, and serviceable prose. I'm game for the sequel.
...more

A Western town. A train track runs by the town. There's a saloon and a house of ill repute. A lady of the evening with a great mind and a heart of gold. A desperado locked up in jail. The town is a no-gun zone, and firearms must be turned in to the sheriff. Oh, yeah....now the zombies show up. An adrenaline ride with a good dose of western humor.
...more

OMG! I loved this short book! Zombies, gore, whores, outlaws, plenty of dying, and at a breakneck speed. I hope someone has the good sense to turn his into a movie because it would be a brilliant gore fest. "Cowboys and Zombies" coming to a theater near you... I hope!!
...more

A quick read
I noticed this book was getting a lot of unfair one star reviews, thus my five star to try to balance it out. Honestly, I think it's a four star because it's nothing new or groundbreaking but it's well written. The western spin makes it a little different. My only real complaint was there's a whole lot of Christian bashing going on. Dude, you alienate a few billion people when you do that. But reviews are supposed to be about the quality of the book, not necessarily whether you agree ...more
I noticed this book was getting a lot of unfair one star reviews, thus my five star to try to balance it out. Honestly, I think it's a four star because it's nothing new or groundbreaking but it's well written. The western spin makes it a little different. My only real complaint was there's a whole lot of Christian bashing going on. Dude, you alienate a few billion people when you do that. But reviews are supposed to be about the quality of the book, not necessarily whether you agree ...more

Cowboys vs Zombies
You don’t expect to read deep literature with a book about zombies, but you can expect it to be a fun read. And that’s what you have here. When an outlaw rides into town, he never imagined he would be taking on hordes of the living dead. He teams up with one of the saloon’s working girls in an attempt to escape ever increasing number of zombies. There is some graphic violence.
You don’t expect to read deep literature with a book about zombies, but you can expect it to be a fun read. And that’s what you have here. When an outlaw rides into town, he never imagined he would be taking on hordes of the living dead. He teams up with one of the saloon’s working girls in an attempt to escape ever increasing number of zombies. There is some graphic violence.

This Zombie Western is gory, thrilling, and laugh out loud funny all at the same time. Who could ask for more? "Gehenna" is my first Jason Brant novel and I couldn't be happier that I had the sense to buy the first two books in this series. Now that I'm done with #1, I will be starting #2 this weekend and looking to get my greedy eyeballs on #3 and #4 in the very near future. Absolutely love!
...more

The Wild West meets Zombies in 'Gehenna' by Jason Brant. Not for the squeamish. It felt short. I'm not sure if it actually was short or if I just inhaled it so fast it felt like it was over fairly quickly.
...more
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"JASON BRANT" is an anagram for Bas Trojann, a former Bigfoot hunter who, after being abducted (and subsequently returned) by aliens, decided to hang up his ghillie suit and enter the world of professional arm wrestling. Despite back-to-back first place finishes in the South Dakota World International Championship League, Bas receded from athletics to invent cheese and give Al Gore the initiative
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West of Hell
(3 books)
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