The Lawless Taketh

Former Pima County Deputy Sheriff Jake Blakely is now an Arizona Ranger, living by his own set of rules, Jake's Laws, dispensing swift gun-barrel justice to bad guys, as well as protecting the safe havens he's helping establish from the ever-present zombies. The safe havens are the seeds for the rebirth of a Staggers Plague-stricken nation. So far, it has cost him his girlfriend, Jessica, and his survivalist home in Split Rock Canyon. Now, zombies are pouring over the former U.S.-Mexico border by the thousands, driven north by remnants of the Mexican Army. Jake has a plan. It's bold and dangerous, and could easily cost him his life. That's never stopped him before.

The Law Giveth is the second book in the Jake's Law series by JE Gurley. In the first novel, Jake's Law, readers are introduced to a diabetic survivor, Jake, who creates a new system of law in a zombie post-apocalypse. Gurley places more emphasis on the fights between the survivors than the zombies. The story ends with a shift from the civilian battle to the introduction of a military group.

In the second novel, there is no peace to be found. As the Territorial Government overlooks the reclamation of areas to establish new safe haven communities, Jake leads the newly reformed Arizona Rangers. Survivors are threatened by both the living and the dead, and Jake has made it his mission to execute anyone who refuses to follow the Law. As if the rebuilding process wasn't difficult enough, Mexico has declared war on what's left of the United States, using the hordes of zombies to overwhelm what is left of the U.S. military.

The relationships Jake established in the first book and in the time since then have not held up well in the face of constant conflicts. Jake is more withdrawn than ever, but continues to attract new acquaintances to his way of doing things, following Jake's Laws. When one of those acquaintances shows signs of possible immunity, Jake wonders if it's a sign of better things to come. Unfortunately, he forgets to follow his own laws and Jake finds himself losing everything and everyone all over again.

It's possible this will only be a two-book series, but I'm hoping Gurley will follow up with some of the loose ends still remaining. I think some of the supporting characters are capable of carrying on the Jake's Law series on their own merit. In any case, I hope fans will see more of Gurley's work soon.

As always,
AstraDaemon