WHAAAT?? TWO new books releasing in the same week???
YESSSSS.
And I had the opportunity to read them both!! *fangirl squeals* If you missed it, Elizabeth D. Marie's newest novel arrived on the iconic date of 2/22/22, and you can find my book launch post HERE and/or my full content review HERE. :]
But TODAY---today I have another great read for you: what I would classify as a dystopian/urban fantasy full of motorbikes, high-stake challenges, gun-totin' gangs, & trickles of fast-fading magic. Oh, and a dash of found family. (Which I LOVE!)
So, HAPPY RELEASE DAY to Then Comes a Drifter, by C.M. Banschbach!!!
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The Drifter Duology, Book 1
C.M. Banschbach
Uncommon Universes Press | February 24th, 2022
Urban Fantasy, Dystopian Fiction, YA Fiction
Laramie was born to ride the desert wilds. And she won’t let anything stop her, even a fearsome warlord who wants her captive–or dead.
A genius mechanic–and a rare descendant of the once-magical Itan–Laramie drifts from dusty town to dusty town in search of the family that was taken from her.
But her rambling desert journey becomes a game of survival when Laramie crosses a ruthless warlord’s territory. Taken prisoner by one of the warlord’s biker gangs, she befriends a quiet, dangerous man named Gered. After surviving hellish circumstances Gered is tired of fighting for a better life.
Laramie will always fight. And she’ll stop at nothing to win their freedom.
Enjoy this pulse-pounding motorcycle adventure in a post-apocalyptic western setting with found family and being brave in brutal circumstances.
A genius mechanic–and a rare descendant of the once-magical Itan–Laramie drifts from dusty town to dusty town in search of the family that was taken from her.
But her rambling desert journey becomes a game of survival when Laramie crosses a ruthless warlord’s territory. Taken prisoner by one of the warlord’s biker gangs, she befriends a quiet, dangerous man named Gered. After surviving hellish circumstances Gered is tired of fighting for a better life.
Laramie will always fight. And she’ll stop at nothing to win their freedom.
Enjoy this pulse-pounding motorcycle adventure in a post-apocalyptic western setting with found family and being brave in brutal circumstances.
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I was provided with a complimentary copy thanks to the publisher for my honest review.
WARNING: Possible Spoilers!
THE BASICS
First of all, this book was a WILD RIDE. I could hardly put it down! The story, the world-building, the characters, the backgrounds---loved it all! I was kept on my toes the whole way through. I will add, however, due to some mature content in regards to language & violence, I would recommend caution in young readers. More details below.
All told, despite the unexpected foulness of language, I SO enjoyed this novel. And while this is the first book of a duology, I felt satisfied in the resolution of the ending, AND still more than ready for the next book!!
VIOLENCE
In order to have the best chance of surviving capture, a girl challenges a burly gang leader to a fist fight. It's very brief, and she holds her own enough to impress him... Some punches & breath-snatching blows.
Ring fights amongst gang members---basically for entertainment. Bare-knuckle fights in the arena. A serious challenge to take a leadership position leaves a man unconscious with a broken wrist.
A man is shot in the head---cold blood. A shootout takes place in the streets of a town; men are shot in the head & chest; a man is ambushed & takes a bullet in the chest (he's wearing an armored vest), and is then attacked & punched in the head. A bomb explodes, killing at least three people.
Two thugs attack a girl in an alley because she beat them [fairly] in the motor races the night before. (They lost money in the bets & decide to ambush her as an easy target.) They pistol-whip her, but she manages to get some punches of her own in & knock out at least one guy before she herself blacks out; bruisings, swollen eyes, & blood.
In another shootout in a different town, people fall to flying bullets & some are executed in cold blood for the little uprising.
Gunfight during a motorcycle race: bullets knick arms; a cycle crash leaves a man badly scraped. An injured man is beaten & kicked by multiple people---barely left alive, and strung up by his wrists as punishment for his rebellion. We're told those who try to run from the gangs' "membership" are shot by sniper's bullet.
SPIRITUAL CONTENT
A character mutters a prayer to a "Jaan" for luck---we later learn that Jaan, or John, is a being known as one of the four "messengers of God, who took the form of an eagle; John's Path, a cosmic phenomenon, appears like a comet, or cluster of stars, streaking across the sky. Matteo/Maatu is the winged patron of the Itan people.
A phrase is referenced several times: "How shall I fear that which I'm protected by Heaven's wings?"
A worn prayer book is found in a girl's bag & tossed aside in a raid of her possessions.
LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS
The phrase "shift off" is used numerous times---especially seeing as the majority of the characters use or are associated with motorbikes. "Pissed" [someone off] is used at least once, as well as "a--," "a--holes," "d---," and "hell." Other slang such as "for dust's sake" (it's a desert setting); and uses of "that dusting this, or that dusting ____," among phrases like "dusting hells," "Jaan's Wings!", or simply "dust" itself is in place of more foul words & phrases. There are three uses of the word, "b----," and one use of "whore."
Multiple uses of the middle finger in a variety of different scenes/scenarios.
//
We observe a room full of alcohol at the gang's headquarters. A character is known for always having multiple beers, and teased about it. People get drunk & stumble into others or things. Some gambling & bets are taken in regards to challenges & races. Smoking, as well---mention of a guy probably finding something stronger than a cigarette. Bars in different towns sell alcohol & whiskey. Some gang members smoke joints of a drug. A man recalls a memory of being drugged at the age of 16 in order to receive (involuntarily) a tattoo without resistance on his part.
ROMANTIC CONTENT
A gang warlord is known for his "love of whiskey & women." A young woman is warned that if she wishes to "stay out of his bed," she should prover herself a challenge. It's implied that at least one female gang member was once an unwilling companion of the warlord.
A guy jokes with his friend: "what if I'm feeling cuddly?" (to which his friend flips him off).
It's implied that many girls who are captured by the gang are taken advantage of by the warlord. A bully makes a lewd remark about wanting company at night. A rather sensual-looking woman shows off all of her curves. A few sexual implications & innuendos suggested. But nothing is ever described or graphic in any way. And absolutely no spicy scenes.
Two members of the gang share a secret relationship but are forbidden such as part of the warlord's rules. They are extremely careful in snatching precious moments together.
A bar in town sports flirtatious waitresses in short skirts & low necklines. At a local bar, a rider sidles up to Gioia & runs a hand down her back, but immediately encounters a punch to the throat and the threat of her blade.
A man forces himself on a girl---kissing her smack on the mouth; but to everyone's (and the reader's!) utter surprise, she kisses him back (all the while fighting revulsion at her actions, but seeing a means to survival), and promptly challenges him to a race.
CONCLUSION
Loved it. I. Need. The. SEQUEL!! We're not left with a cliffhanger, so to speak, but there's obviously PLENTY of room for another book, and I needs it!!!!
The whole story---the plot, the TWISTS, the world-building---I enjoyed it all. It was rather refreshing to be in a desert setting where the world has the tribal vibes of the Native American cultures (maybe even some African cultures), mixed in with the more modern, western feel of motorcycles, mechanickin', and endless desert roads.
I could have done without the unnecessary language & numerous uses of the middle finger---hence my reason for only a 4-star rating instead of the full five, but this would still be a book I'd heartily recommend.
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4 OUT OF 5 STARS
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Ages: 18+
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C.M. Banschbach is a native Texan and would make an excellent hobbit if she wasn’t so tall. She’s an overall dork, pizza addict, and fangirl. When not writing fantasy stories packed full of adventure and snark, she works as a pediatric Physical Therapist where she happily embraces the fact that she never actually has to grow up.
She writes clean YA/MG fantasy-adventure as Claire M. Banschbach.
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I am so excited about this one! It sounds amaziiiiing! Thank you so much for sharing about it. ^_^
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