Ovid Vesper headed out west like a lot of other men after the Civil War to find a living, some peace, and maybe someone to love. Unlike those men, however, Ovid finds adventures and creatures that are clearly not of this world. The Country Under Heaven, by Frederic S. Durbin, follows Ovid through the 1880s and across the wide American West, battling monsters everywhere he goes.
Ovid hasn’t been the same since he was nearly killed at Antietam. He wasn’t physically wounded in the explosion, though he lost his hearing for a bit. Ever since the explosion, Ovid has been able to see things that other people can’t. One of the things he sees is a sinister creature that fills him with deep fear. This creature comes ever closer, and Ovid dreads the day it catches up with him.
In the meantime, different chapters see Ovid in a new town somewhere in the dusty west. On a cattle drive, he confronts a murderous mystery that snatches every living thing that passes through a desolate stretch of hills. In New Mexico, a crime lord does his best to wipe Ovid off the map. In yet another chapter, a supernatural tornado visits a town where Ovid hoped he might find a scrap of happiness. One adventure summons Ovid to help an old friend who wants to help two odd, green-skinned orphans find their way home.
Because these stories are recounted in chronological order, it’s easy to track Ovid’s progress over the years. He’s a man of few words, so we have to get to know Ovid through his actions. He’s the kind of moral character who appeals to me because he doesn’t follow the law just because it’s the law; he does the right thing because evil needs to be swept away and suffering relieved. He doesn’t do things for money. He won’t work for just anyone. And he’s definitely not afraid to stick his neck out to rescue people in need. It’s refreshing to see such an honest character doing good wherever he goes, no matter how weird things get.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.