Steampunk is not a genre that I find myself gravitating towards. I'm not sure what it is about it that just doesn't suit me. That being said, I'll read anything that Kat Ross writes. I don't know that I even read the blurb before I said yes.

A Feast of Phantoms is a strange matchup of western, steampunk, and paranormal fiction. As always, Kat Ross's worldbuilding is immense and totally enveloping. From the dirt town that Ruth lives to the technology ladened city, the details encompass you and draw you in. There's an account of this alternate history that we get details of along the way, little by little. The Phantoms are an interesting twist to this American Old West retelling. They threatened everyone until the Carnavons managed to learn their language and wrangle them to do their bidding. Mixing spooks and spaghetti western is a bold move but I have no doubt in the author's ability to devise a compelling tale.

The characters are wonderfully animated. Ruth, while young, is a real humdinger. She's brash and brave and a firm believer in law and order, which makes her a perfect deputy for the small frontier town of Lucky Boy. Her relationship with Sebastian is complex since he keeps his motivations and thoughts quiet. He's cautious but isn't as much for the straight and narrow as Ruth. Lee, however, is chaos in both of their lives. He has a good heart but is very much a free spirit. He proclaims to be innocent of his crimes. While there are typical elements of the white hat vs. black hat gunslinging western, Kat Ross's characters are always complex. What you see isn't always what you get in the end.

This one ends on a serious cliffhanger. This isn't a book that gives you a gratifying all-ends-tied up completion, proving that sometimes it's not about the destination in fiction, it's the journey.


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