The Devil’s Revolver by VS McGrath throws us headlong into the world of Hettie Alabama. A world with magic and machine. All was right in Hettie’s life- as right as it could be with a sick sister- until the day she won a shooting contest, saved a man’s life, and saw her father kill a bound man in cold blood. Not long after, undesirables come snooping around the Alabama ranch. Next thing Hettie knows is her parents are dead, and her sister kidnapped, all over a mysterious box tied to the legend of the Devil’s Revolver.

Hettie sets off to retrieve her sister, accompanied by three companions collected along the way. Oh yes, and with the fabled Devil’s Revolver, a powerful mage weapon she accidentally bonded to herself. Not that it’s power comes without a price. This deadly weapon was forged to destroy and destroy it does, both wielder and target. For every life taken a year of life is also taken from the wielder, aging them prematurely. Despite this, and the companions she’s not sure she can trust, despite being beset by numerous factions eager to lay hands on Diablo, Hettie plows forward, focused on finding her sister. Her path leads her to Patrice Favreau, the Soothsayer of the South, who points Hettie towards her sister, and lays an even heavier burden upon her. But when Hettie finally reached her sister, things have changed on all fronts. And in the end, Hettie will be betrayed by the one she trusted most.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a book mixing fantasy with Western, a genre I’m not much a fan of, but the premise sounded so cool. I wasn’t to be disappointed!! Hettie is an easy character to like, given all she’s put through. She’s pretty badass in her own right. Add a sentient magical weapon and she becomes uberbadass. Hettie’s got grit and determination in spades. She’s young yet, and has a great deal to learn, about fighting, and negotiating life, though. Diablo, the Devil’s Revolver, reminded me of Charon’s Claw, the sentient magical sword wielded by Artemis Entreri of RA Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt series. The brief glimpses into its mind were intriguing.

I enjoyed Hettie’s companions. I get why they were all male. Except for the rare few, women of this era didn’t charge into battles, guns blazing. Hettie was different from the start, more interested in hunting and the ranch than in trying to secure a ‘good match’ for a husband. Each could use a different type of magic, too, and neat magics are a favourite of mine. Ling is a Celestial (read Chinese) who used Eastern ether magic, and is trained as a healer. Walker is a bounty hunter, who uses Western talisman magic. Last is ‘Uncle’ Jeremiah, who seems to know many types of magic. We also meet Patrice, who is a Soothsayer, and Zavi, a Kukulos warlock who uses blood magic.?

This is a world where technology is as important as magic. There are trains, mine cars, guns (and the facilities to make them), and Patrice even has a mechanical wheelchair. Most fantasy I read is set during times before modern(ish) technology. This story held a perfect blend between the two- just the thing I love about the Final Fantasy game series. I’m looking forward to the next book! I want to see how Hettie evolves, and learn more about Diablo. Highly, highly recommended!!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Brain Mill Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.