Hell's Horizon (novel)

Hell's Horizon is a novel written by Darren Shan, first published in 2000, with a modified version re-published March 2009, with significant changes made by the author. It is the second book in Shan's The City Book Trilogy, being preceded by Procession of the Dead and followed by City of the Snakes.

The story runs parallel to its predecessor, Procession of the Dead. Hell's Horizon was re-released in January 2011 in the US.

Plot

The story begins with Al Jeery, an African American soldier, going on a fishing trip with his best friend Bill Casey. He soon returned to the city and went to work as a soldier serving under the Troops, the personal guards of an extremely powerful man known as 'the Cardinal'. As soon as he returned, he was summoned by the latter, who asked him to investigate a weird murder case that occurred in the Skylight Hotel.

Al became motivated to be involved as soon as he learnt that his girlfriend, Nicola Hornyak, was the victim of the murder and was brutally treated. As Al proceed with his investigations, he uncovered the truth behind his past as he slowly drifted into the world of madness.

Characters

Al Jeery – An African American soldier serving in the Troops. He was very intelligent and loyal to his friends, constantly relying on careful plannings and willing to protect those around him. However, he seemed to have some problems with father complex, close relationships and alcohols. In general, he didn't have very good mental health. In the midst of the story, he was revealed to be the son of Paucar Wami, thus making him a human-Ayuamarcan hybrid. Unlike his father, Al had a conscience, and didn't take any joy in killing. He was the one of the two main protagonists of 'City of the Snakes', and didn't appear in the first book.

Paucar Wami – An elite assassin working for the Cardinal. He was very sadistic, often took great joy in killing and inventing new torture methods. In the middle of the story, he was revealed to be Al's long-lost father. He was an Ayuamarcan, and the only one who is fertile. He aided Al's investigation by helping him trail the suspects (with Al pressing him not to kill or torture them). Later, it was revealed that he wanted Al to take over his 'career' as a killer, but his son wasn't willing to do so. He made major appearance all three books and was the only character in the trilogy that had this honor.

The Cardinal – The most powerful and influential man in the city. His real name was 'Ferdinand Dorak'. He assigned Al to investigate the murder because he wasn't pleased that something like that happened in a hotel which was supposedly under his control. He could act in a childish manner in his spare time. He was one of the central characters in the first book and a minor one in 'City of the Snakes'.

Ellen Fraser - A capable and mature woman working in a law firm. She was the Al's ex-wife and aided in Al's investigations. She could be quite bold, sometimes causing Al to worry due to this. Later, she even infiltrated into the suspects' lairs during the investigations and got a lot of valuable information. Ellen made a minor appearance in 'City of the Snakes'.

Bill Casey – The best friend of Al. He was a fond book collector who have a huge collection of books, and an expert in explosives. Being sort of a father figure to Al, He aided the latter's emotional growth and also occasionally in his investigations. He also treated Ellen somewhat as a daughter. Bill made a major appearance in City of the Snakes.

Nichola Hornyak – Al's girlfriend, also the victim of the murder. She appeared to be innocent, but as Al met Nicholas and learnt more about her, he realized that she wasn't the 'good girl' she portrayed herself to be, instead she had been earning money as a prostitute and abusing drugs. Nicola was referenced in 'City of the Snakes'.

Nicholas Hornyak – The eldest son of the rich Hornyak family, also Nicola's older brother. He was homosexual, sexually promiscuous and extremely effeminate, frequenting gay bars and clubs. He even had a habit of cross-dressing and showed some sexual interest in Al. He aided in Al's investigations. Nicholas only appeared in 'Hell's Horizon'.

Priscilla Perdue – A prostitute who liked to dress flamboyantly. She was a good friend of Nicola and aided in Al's investigations. She did a lot of business with Nicola in the past and resented herself for letting Nicola get murdered. Priscilla was referenced in 'City of the Snakes'.

References

http://www.darrenshan.com/books/details/hells-horizon/