Warren Ellis does what he does best .
Gun Machine by Warren Ellis is everything Ellis fans want it to be.
It has Ellis trademark chemically fueled, cynical antagonist.
It contains an extreme amount of violence.
It has a thoroughly original and frightening antagonist.
It has a snarky, world weary supporting cast.
And it has, most surprisingly and welcomingly, a heart.
Gun Machine is a postmodern look at gun worship that never gets political or preachy.
The book proved Ellis can craft a novel as deftly as he scripted a comic.
Ellis uses the history of the island and modern technology to create a sweeping tale of murder and mystery.
Tallow serves as the weary eyes for the reader.
Tallow is always a step away from snapping.
He is lonely, tired and directionless.
Even the most influential man cannot threaten someone who is already half dead.
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Tallow must face the men who constructed the Gun Church, the Hunter.
The Hunter believes himself to be the repository of all the violence and murders in Manhattans history.
He is used by a group of businessmen in a vast conspiracy of greed and control.
The chapters dealing with the Hunter are chilling in their efficiency.
Ellis creates the perfect foil for each of his characters.
Tallow is numbed by the modern trappings of society, while the Hunter is pained by them.
The cat and mouse game the two play throughout the novel is expertly executed by Ellis.
Chapter after chapter of the Hunter evading pursuit as Tallow tries to decipher the meaning of his Gun Church.
The comic relief is provided by Tallows two CSI investigators, Scarly and Bat.
The two characters are so eminently readable that they deserve their own series.
Their weapon is science and their science is as mighty as their foul mouths and towering egos.
Gun Machine is the novel Ellis fans were hoping for.
The only drawback is that there wasnt enough of it.
There is no preach, only punch.
