Hell on Wheels
Published on 2. June 2026
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-6680-7329-2 (ISBN)
Description
A CANNONBALL RUN ACROSS AN AMERICA FULL OF MAGIC
Silas Danger can't stop running.
The year is 1975. Silas drives a red Pontiac GTO. Trapped in the back of his muscle car are the ghost of his sister Betty and half of the demon that killed her. He doesn't know how she died, and he hasn't figured out how to save her yet, but he knows that if he spends three days in any one place, the other half of the demon will catch up, kill him, and drag Betty down to hell.
Silas works as a scout, messenger, courier, herald, and sometimes spy across the weird, fragmented, magical world of Other America. Dodging bridge trolls as well as alien grays, lamiae along with snallygasters, undead blues singers and also bison-headed giants, he runs errands in exchange for information that will help him save his sister.
This time, he's hired to run a deck of Tarot cards from New York to San Francisco on a tight schedule. The first complication comes when the dame with the card deck won't just hand them over, she insists on coming along. The second is that everyone else in Other America seems to know that Silas has the cards, and everyone seems willing to kill to get them.
Silas Danger can't stop running.
The year is 1975. Silas drives a red Pontiac GTO. Trapped in the back of his muscle car are the ghost of his sister Betty and half of the demon that killed her. He doesn't know how she died, and he hasn't figured out how to save her yet, but he knows that if he spends three days in any one place, the other half of the demon will catch up, kill him, and drag Betty down to hell.
Silas works as a scout, messenger, courier, herald, and sometimes spy across the weird, fragmented, magical world of Other America. Dodging bridge trolls as well as alien grays, lamiae along with snallygasters, undead blues singers and also bison-headed giants, he runs errands in exchange for information that will help him save his sister.
This time, he's hired to run a deck of Tarot cards from New York to San Francisco on a tight schedule. The first complication comes when the dame with the card deck won't just hand them over, she insists on coming along. The second is that everyone else in Other America seems to know that Silas has the cards, and everyone seems willing to kill to get them.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for D.J. Butler:"Butler follows Witchy Eye with a satisfying second tale of a magic-filled early America. . . . Deep and old magic influences both places and characters, and the story is tightly focused on the determined Sarah . . . Fans of epic and alternate historical fantasy will savor this tale of witchery and intrigue." -Publishers Weekly
"For readers who love history-based fantasy, steampunk, or urban fantasy . . . this series that gives the genre a new twist." -Booklist
". . . you can't stop yourself from taking another bite . . . and another . . . and another. . . . I didn't want to stop reading. . . . Kudos!" -R.A. Salvatore
"Excellent book. I am impressed by the creativity and the depth of the world building. Dave Butler is a great storyteller." -Larry Correia
"Witchy Eye is an intricate and imaginative alternate history with a cast of characters and quirky situations that would make a Dickens novel proud." -Kevin J. Anderson
"Butler's fantasy is by turns sardonic and lighthearted; ghoulish shadows claw into the most remote areas and heroism bursts out of the most unlikely people. Sarah is the epitome of the downtrodden hero who refuses to give up until she gets what she needs, and her story will appeal to fantasy readers of all stripes." -Publishers Weekly
"David's a pro storyteller, and you're in for a great ride." -Larry Dixon
". . . a fascinating, grittily-flavored world of living legends. Hurry up and write the next one, Dave." -Cat Rambo
"This is enchanting! I'd love to see more." -Mercedes Lackey
"Goblin Market meets Magical Musketpunk . . . A great ride that also manages to cover some serious cultural terrain." -Charles E. Gannon
"Witchy Eye is a brilliant blend of historical acumen and imagination, a tour-de-force that is at once full of surprises and ultimately heart-warming. This is your chance to discover one of the finest new stars writing today!" -David Farland
"A gritty, engrossing mash-up of history, fantasy, and magic. Desperate characters careen from plot twist to plot twist until few are left standing." -Mario Acevedo
"Captivating characters. Superb world-building. Awesome magic. Butler fuses fantasy and history effortlessly, creating a fascinating new American epic. Not to be missed!" -Christopher Husberg
"[A] unique alternative-history that is heavily influenced by urban and traditional fantasy and steeped in the folklore of the Appalachians. . . . Fans of urban fantasy looking to take a chance on something with a twist on a historical setting may find this novel worth their time." -Booklist
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Riverdale
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 163 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6680-7329-2 (9781668073292)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
D.J. ("Dave") Butler grew up in swamps, deserts, and mountains. After messing around for years with the practice of law, he finally got serious and turned to his lifelong passion of storytelling. He now writes adventure stories for readers of all ages, plays guitar, and spends as much time as he can with his family. He is the author of City of the Saints, Rock Band Fights Evil, Space Eldritch, and Crecheling from Wordfire Press, and from Baen: Witchy Eye, Witchy Winter, Witchy Kingdom, and Serpent Daughter; The Cunning Man series with coauthor Aaron Michael Ritchey; In the Palace of Shadow and Joy as well as Between Princesses and Other Jobs; Abbott in Darkness; and with M.A. Rothman, the Time Trials series.
David J. West writes dark fantasy and weird westerns because the voices in his head won't quiet until someone else can hear them. He is the author of many short stories and several ongoing novel series including Cowboys & Cthulhu, #SAVANT, Dark Trails, and the Brutal Sword Saga under the not-so-secret pen name of James Alderdice. He is a great fan of sword & sorcery, ghosts and lost ruins, so of course he lives in Utah.
David J. West writes dark fantasy and weird westerns because the voices in his head won't quiet until someone else can hear them. He is the author of many short stories and several ongoing novel series including Cowboys & Cthulhu, #SAVANT, Dark Trails, and the Brutal Sword Saga under the not-so-secret pen name of James Alderdice. He is a great fan of sword & sorcery, ghosts and lost ruins, so of course he lives in Utah.