Cox mixes fast-paced action and nuanced characters with a plausible future dystopia to create a tale that will appeal to fans of wasteland mayhem and future history alike.
This novel is the second in the Roadhouse Chronicles series. So, that dust cloud on the horizon is probably spoilers.
Having saved the woman he loves and gathered the last of the coin, Kevin bought his own Roadhouse franchise. Six months later, he’s settled into a life of selling supplies and beds to travellers, and arranging jobs for those young enough or desperate enough to make a living driving the roads of the former Texas-Mexico border. But, when Wayne—the Roadhouse owner who was practically a father to him—is murdered by a biker gang without a reaction from the headquarters of the network, rumours start that the threat of massive bounties and certain vengeance that underpin the safety of each House is hollow. With further incidents adding to the rumour, Kevin must choose between hunkering down and taking the vengeance the Roadhouses are supposed to exact.
Where the first volume of the series was underpinned by the dangers and resource-management needs of driving consignments through a wasteland filled with raiders, humans driven mad by bio-warfare agents, and sundry environmental hazards, this volume reveals that, while owning a Roadhouse does allow one to leave those things behind, it brings a whole new set of dangers and resource-management issues that are equally challenging—and not necessarily things that driving has prepared a person for.
However, as with the previous book, Cox skilfully balances this realistic portrayal of post-apocalyptic economics and society with plenty of action and drama, creating a sense that events are on a firm footing rather than bogging down in abstruse nuances.
This transition is paralleled by the type of threat Kevin faces: where the Enclave’s attempts at assassination were a danger to him if he stayed, the attacks on Roadhouses pose a danger to his entire way of life. With the Code that makes Roadhouses safe from attack offering no protection against someone who isn’t afraid of a retribution, the question is no longer whether Kevin will run rather than fight, but whether there is anywhere to run to.
Contrasting with the sense of realistic bleakness Cox creates in his dystopia are oblique references to rock music and other common post-apocalyptic tropes. However, while spotting these will provide readers a pleasing sense of getting the joke, Cox also uses each reference to display character, avoiding any sense they are there merely to be ironic.
Kevin remains a well-crafted character. Although he runs his Roadhouse pragmatically, he treats both staff and drivers with compassion, making him a sympathetic protagonist. Any suggestion of greed or shallowness is further offset by the copious evidence of his love for Tris; while owning his own House might have been the dream that kept him going for years, it is clear that the bit that really matters is settling down with her. And Cox makes full use of this love to make Kevin’s life more complex: Kevin knows intellectually that the Enclave’s enhancements and training provide Tris a high degree of protection; but he still doesn’t feel right letting her face danger.
The supporting cast display a similar balance of fitting the world and being unique: more than one character displays the self-centred harassing behaviour likely in a world of high risks and widely separated opportunities for pleasure, but each has a different reaction to being rebuffed; gangs are tribal and prone to violence, but have different moral codes which are in turn differently presented in each member. While there are the various characters common to a post-apocalyptic tale, so sexual violence and other assaults feature, there are no hordes of cannibals distinguished only by which fetish gear they are wearing.
Overall, I enjoyed this immensely. I recommend it to readers seeking all the high-powered action of a post-apocalyptic movie underpinned by realistic technology and characterisation.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a fair review.
