WEST WORLD Homepage
An introduction to West World
Welcome to the official West World Homepage. This site is designed to acquaint you with the novel entitled West World by Ed Crandell. Here you'll be given a brief summary of the plot, as well as a glimpse at the many and varied characters that populate the West World universe. If you are a reader who likes science fiction or westerns - or someone who's finally decided that they've outgrown Harry Potter - then you are sure to enjoy West World.
Please feel free to sign the Guest Book and contact Ed Crandell about any questions or comments that you might have. After you've read the book, the author invites you to tell him what you thought about West World: What did you like? Who's your favorite character, and so on. Please enjoy your time at the West World site! If you enjoy this site, please spread the word. There is nothing like word-of-mouth advertising!!!
West World was a really good book. Although it is not the kind of book I normally read, it kept my interest all the way through and made me laugh . . . There is also just enough suspense and romance to keep it lively. Once I started reading it I couldn’t wait to get some time to finish the book. - Roger, Kentucky
This is one book you don't want to miss out on. Whether young or old you'll find this book to be enjoyable entertainment. - Jaime, Harrisonville, MO
West World is a wonderful melding of sci-fi and western that delivers a fun and fast paced adventure story with plenty of wild characters and surprises along the way. This is the first book that I’ve read in years that is suitable for all audiences, as Crandell does not wallow in violence, sex and gore. Extremely enjoyable and recommended.
- Robert Freese, Huntsville, Al
For more, please select the "West World Reviews" tab at the top of the page!
One man's fight against the powers of prejudice and greed to save an entire race from extermination . . .
The story of West World follows the adventures of Tom Shallowhorne, an army captain who kills his commanding officer when he comes to realize that their militia force is massacring innocent natives of the planet that they are trying to colonize - Endia. The bulk of the narrative, however, is ten years after this event.
In those ten years, the solar system where West World takes place is running short on natural resources. So the planetary leaders of the system - under the direction of an enigmatic tycoon - plan a second invasion to get at Endia's untouched reserves. They send one of the soldiers who took the lead in the original massacre of the Endian people who is an archrival of Tom Shallowhorne from their early days in the military. His assignment is twofold: eliminate the outlaw Tom Shallowhorne and his gang, and locate and eradicate the native Endians.
But the ultimate battle Shallowhorne faces is with his own conscience, living with the fact that he had killed his commanding officer. He is joined along the way by several characters - some human, some alien - that all have their own reasons for joining the fight. So, once again, Shallowhorne finds himself fighting: for his friends, for the preservation of the planet, and for the native people of that planet. All of this culminates in the ultimate showdown between Shallowhorne's ragtag group and a determined and battle-hardened enemy!
The novel West World's cover design
UPDATE!!! September 3, 2008 UPDATE!!!
The second story of The West World Trilogy - Return to West World - is now complete. Once again, PublishAmerica has agreed to publish. Expect Return to West World to be available early in 2009! The website dedicated to this upcoming novel is: www.returntowestworld.iwarp.com.
Check out the new Video section at the top of the page. A new video depicting the essence of New Kaukazen, the massive city in West World, has been added.
Visit the WEST WORLD General Store by clicking on this link: www.cafepress.com/westworldstore
PublishAmerica is slashing prices at their on-line store! You can now purchase West World for only $16.95! To do so, just go to www.publishamerica.com.
The message of West World
Ed Crandell's desire in writing West World was to create something that was family-oriented and exciting at the same time. The inspiration naturally comes from George Lucas' Star Wars and the many other works of science fiction that the author enjoys, but he also gives credit to the more historical narratives of James A. Michener. It must be noted that although this story may be family-oriented doesn't mean it's fluff. Ed Crandell found that many stories present heroes that kill without apparent consequences to their psycke. But interviews with war veterans show this not to be the case, so the author wanted to delve into that territory with his Shallowhorne character. The story of West World is strongly designed around character motivation. Mr. Crandell also wanted to develop the idea of what it really is that defines a hero, and he wanted to discuss the folly of prejudice - all in a manner that is appropriate for readers of all ages.
If you have any questions or comments about the website or the book, please feel free to contact Ed Crandell. You can go to the Contact Info page, or sign in at the Guest Book. For those that have read the book, the author would especially like to get your thoughts.
How do I get my copy of West World?
West World is available through the PublishAmerica online bookstore. Visit PublishAmerica at this link: www.publishamerica.com. West World is also available at this time through other booksellers, including www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com, and www.booksamillion.com. You can locate it through other online bookstores by typing together the names "Ed Crandell" and "PublishAmerica" in your favorite search engine.
