This is a very different kind of OL novel. The theme of this book is creepy-scary-monster-voodoo-vampire. Another title for the book could be "The Louisiana Swampie Massacre".
In a rather simple plot, Krysty and DeFore jump to a Louisiana gateway to find the source of an outbreak of the "black death" plague, where they get captured. After Grant and Kane investigate a redoubt in South America, they return to go rescue the women.
The book has a lot of strange tribal ritual type stuff going on, lots of swampies, and lots and lots of rats.
The action in this novel never lets up, and there is a lot of suspense.
The origin of the swampies is explained in this book, and it was interesting how they and the vampire villain had a tie to the project Excalibur experiments.
This isn't one of my favorite of the Outlander books because of the wierd subject matter, but a very well told story, full of action and gore, and it was nice to see Brigid portrayed like herself again after her lame role in Wreath Of Fire.

Shadow Scourge was a very well done novel. Even after talking to the author about it and being told to be disappointed, that wasn't what had happened.

Sure, it was more combat oriented than most of the previous novels and there was a creature that may or may not have been a vampire, but the rest of the novel more than made up for that.

The story centered more around Brigid and Dafore. It was great to see these two characters getting more attention than ever and learning more about the medic from the Cerberus redoubt. That alone makes the novel worth while picking up.

Then there is the scientific explination on the swampies, as well as the vampire family from Bloodlines, and a re-visit to South America and the natives that were encountered in Emerald Fire.

I was told that Science Fiction and Horror do not mix. Sometimes it's true, other times, take the Alien movie series, it works. As long as the writer takes the time to explain things, it will always work out.

And there is an added bonus that we learn more about the Magistrate training as well as what happened to the installation where the Aurora crashed in Armageddon Axis.

Worth while reading folks!

Shadow Scourge is a different kind of OL adventure because it is more of a horror story, a supernatural tale than the usual science-fiction.

It's also extremely violent and grim, very bloody and creepy. Most of it takes place in the bayous of Louisana as a voodoo cult battles an ancient evil, apparently an "Old One" from the H.P. Lovecraft's famous Cthlhu Mythos!

Brigid and DeFore are featured prominently in this book. They are seperated from Grant and Kane until the last chapter and their experiences while captives of the truly evil Ocajink and his swampie followers should have put them in psychotherapy for life!

This is a very off-trail book for the OL series which is usually centered on actual science. But I tell you, I wouldn't mind seeing another supernatural oriented OL adventure!

I don't think Steven King could have written a creepier book.

This installment of Outlanders creeped me out. And that is not easy to do!
I felt like I was reading a blend of horror and sci-fi, with zombies walking about and the bayou background, it lent this novel a unique feel that keeps this wonderful series fresh and vibrant.

One humdinger of a novel.