Allen's (Slaves of the Shinar
) sophomore effort effectively combines Civil War–era history and surreal fantasy to create an enthralling, eclectic story. Chinese teen Tzu-lu (“Lu”) gets swept up in a cross-country adventure after legendary gunfighter Jack Straw meets with Lu's grandfather to discuss going west to seek gold. Their troupe, traveling by horse and wagon, consists of Chino, a Mexican outlaw; Henry Jesus, a freed slave and marksman; and rogue Confederate Jack MacLemore and his sharpshooting teenage daughter, Sadie. As they cross the country exchanging stories, Lu becomes educated in cooking, horsemanship, hunting and weaponry before spying the mythical ghost riders. Meanwhile, storms, Confederate soldiers, an evil-Yankee legend, horse problems and a shortage of food spell trouble for the posse as they amble toward a fiery face-off with greedy gold miners. The narrative trucks along and indulges in all the trappings of a larger-than-life adventure tale. It's a folkloric Wild West story told with contemporary brio. (Nov.)
