Walk the Sky

De: Robert Swartwood, David B. Silva

Narrado por: Matt Godfrey

Dean Koontz meets Louis L'amour in this weird Western by Robert Swartwood and David B. Silva

Things are bad for Clay Miller and George Hitchens. For starters, they're on the run from a posse out for blood. Then, as they ride through the Utah desert, the two come across the crumpled body of a young boy on the brink of death. The boy can't speak, but it's clear he's frightened of something nearby. When asked what's got him so scared, the terrified boy writes three letters in the dirt...DED.

By nightfall, Clay and George are tied up in jail. They can't move. They can't speak. They can do nothing but listen to the boy, outside, screaming for his life. Yes, things are bad for Clay and George. And they're only going to get worse.

©2013 Robert Swartwood (P)2018 Robert Swartwood

Walk the Sky

I will be honest, I didn't expect the way it progressed and ended, but that was not bad and I really enjoyed this book. I felt a lot of emotions about these characters. Everything from pure disdain for the antagonists to curious optimism for the outcome. It was a clean story that took the reader into a sinister hell and brought them back out looking for more. Just another reason not to go into the desert in my opinion.

This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.

Great story, great listen

This is one of those stories that doesn’t have hidden meanings or rites of passage.
It’s a story that has a fun plot with great characters. It’s a story I didn’t want to stop listening until the end.
I think you will enjoy this one.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Western + Horror = Yes

In its opening moments, George and Clay, a pair of men on the run from the law and fleeing through the desert, come across a small boy lying near-death beneath the hot sun. The boy is the sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out a nearby town and when they take it upon themselves to care for the boy and investigate, George and Clay find themselves captured by bandits and tied up in jail. The men are to be sacrifices for the inhuman evils roaming the desert, the nightmarish creatures that wiped out the town and demand blood, creatures that only come out at night.

Co-written by Robert Swartwood and David B. Silva, Walk the Sky is a very well-done work of western horror. It's also Silva's final piece of work, having passed away in 2013 mere weeks after the publication of this title as a limited edition hardcover by Thunderstorm Books. As such, Walk the Sky is dedicated to Silva, who, as an editor, author, and Bram Stoker Award winner, has a long, and very rich, legacy within the horror genre. Silva was not just a friend and mentor to Swartwood, but a co-author on one other title they penned together, At the Meade Bed & Breakfast. Listening to Walk the Sky in audio format, it's hard for me to tell where Swartwood's style separates from Silva's, and their prose blends together seamlessly. The end result is a perfectly engaging story filled with terrific characters, some of them quite smarmy, and a rich supernatural spine binding them all together.

On narrating duties is Matt Godfrey, whose soft, natural reading style is one I'm quickly becoming a fan of after listening previously to his smooth delivery of The Happy Man from Valancourt Books. His subdued Southern twang lends a certain richness and authenticity to this particular work, and his use of a rougher, gravelly voice for Clay lends to that character an air of American Western classicism that I quite enjoyed. All in all, this a polished and professional production.

Walk the Sky takes a number of Western genre tropes - outlaws on the run, gun-toting bandits, a town ruled by an iron fist - and twists them in a number of satisfying ways, with particular motives being wrenched in response to an ancient, mysterious force. Of the handful of supernatural historical horrors I've read thus far in 2018, Walk the Sky is easily my favorite, sitting tall in the saddle as the best of the bunch.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.

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Wow

Wow! This was my favorite listen of 2018 when I heard it, and I listen to a lot of books. I have since picked up tons of other books narrated by Matt Godfrey. The book was wonderful and he did a fantastic job with the narration. Highest recommendation!

I received the book for free at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Walk the Sky

I liked how the story unfolded. The supernatural elements were an added bonus. The narrator did a good job. I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom for my unbiased review.

Great

Would you listen to Walk the Sky again? Why?

Yes I would listen to this again, if I had an unlimited supply of time. The voice was very easy to listen to

What was one of the most memorable moments of Walk the Sky?

Excellent interesting characters and a great story line.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't know which scene would be my fave, as there are many great scenes in this book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I just loved every bit of it because it always held my attention, which made me feel happy.

Ain't nothing like western horror!

Ain't nothing like western horror! From Ambrose Bierce to Joe Lansdale, western horror is one of the genre mashups next to scifi horror. Silva and Swartwood hit out of the park with this RIP roaring adventure. Highly recommended

Very Different Western

I'm not a huge fan of western stories but this seemed more like a paranormal/demonic story that just happens to take place in the desert. Definitely had a western feel but that worked perfectly for the story line and I really enjoyed it. It is a quick listen but is full throttle the entire time and I didn't want it to stop, even after it ended.
Aspects of the story seem somewhat familiar and if you take out the supernatural evil plot it would be your typical western. It is the Indian lore and demonic story that really makes this exceptional. It's like that fusion restaurant that surprisingly comes together quite nicely. Simple and straightforward but unique enough to bring the two aspects to a single wonderful creation.
Matt Godfrey does a great job. Haven't come across a narration by him that I didn't like. He definitely reads books that fit his voice and this one was no different. I think the calmness of his voice and the feel of the writing were well paired.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Amazing Western

If you could sum up Walk the Sky in three words, what would they be?

Fast paced and surprising, this western is one that I couldn't stop listening to.

What other book might you compare Walk the Sky to and why?

No Country for Old Men crossed with Stephen King.

OMG A Western Horror!

'Walk the Sky' was such an incredible breath of fresh air for me. I consume almost entirely horror content and so much of it is so similar. However, Robert Swartwood and David B. Silva have created a tale that I won't soon forget in 'Walk the Sky.' This story is a great combination of real world difficulties (in the wild, wild west!) along with a paranormal curse that haunts the desolate area at night. This has to be the most unique story I've listened to in a while. It caught me totally off guard and I genuinely loved every minute of it. Matt Godfrey is a master of narration, though, so I'm sure he had a lot to do with it! I would recommend this novella to absolutely anyone who enjoys the horror genre - you're in for a real treat.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.