ARC Review - The Gospel according to Gray Collins by Lance Lansdale

This is the prequel to We Burn Beautiful. I haven't read WBB yet and after reading this book I know I will, but I am just going to need some time to calm down. 

I won't tell you too much about the book because I think in this case it is better that you form your own opinions. But let me tell you it will be a tough pill to swallow. I was warned that something bad was going to happen, but dammit I didn’t think it would be like that. So please read the warnings beforehand.

I am usually a person that sees redemption arcs for most characters, but there is one person in this book that I hope will meet a painful end. As a scorpio with a temper to match, if this person was a real one, they would hurt… 
I think I have never met a character in a book or film that I hated more and this is a testament to Lance's brilliant writing. I needed time to calm down and not rage before writing this. 

This book is heavily infused with religion and as an atheist but also as an Swede that grew up with a very open view of religion, it’s quite interesting to see the journey that people make when devoting themselves to a god. 
And it made me think about the fact that some people in the world are so indoctrinated in their beliefs and won’t leave their small circle of “land”. And when they are scared of people that are “different”, hurting said person is the only “right” way for them to act. For me it doesn't make sense that they can hide behind their religion/beliefs when questioned; Why did they do this heinous thing?. Because one thing is for sure they are not God and they never will be. 

This book has really left me reeling but also left me questioning the state of humanity. Maybe this was not what Lance intended when writing this book, but somehow this story is a reflection of what is going on in the world. Maybe not in the details but in how things seem to shape up and that is making me want to fight even harder for what is right.