TCWriter

An interesting mix of the old west and science fiction, this book was just re-released in ebook form by the author (Walter Jon Williams). You could strip out the science fiction bits and still have a good action/adventure yarn, and -- as he's done in so many of his books -- Williams has written characters that are interesting (largely because they're flawed). A small southwestern town's Chief of Police battles his own temper, a dying town, and a series of baffling occurrences, all of which come together in an action-packed climax. In one sense, it offers a preview of Williams' current "Dagmar" novels, which are even more compelling. I'd suggest Williams remains an underappreciated science fiction writer, and Days of Atonement -- while not exactly hardcore science fiction -- doesn't change that thinking.