The last thing Richie was expecting to do was wake up. Finding himself fastened to a bed and in the care of Sierra whose role it is to guide newcomers to this particular afterlife where he discovers that everyone here arrived after they committed suicide. No-one knows why they go there, but everyone knows the same sense of despair that caused them to end up there. Richie still has to undergo an evaluation, but Sierra takes him around the area as the people know it. It is a small town with a barrier around it and wasteland beyond. The town is functional, but still has several mysteries, one of which is revealed to Richie on a tour around, the gateway which all the people came through. Without knowing his new future, Richie decides to make the best of it, come what may.

I was not honestly sure what to expect with this story as the initial synopsis gave little away and in some ways I’m happy I approached it with an open mind. The plot is certainly an interesting twist on the afterlife, and this short doesn’t give too much away of why it is happening or where the story may go. However it does set up the story and situation nicely for it to continue, and leaves plenty to consider. One part it doesn’t seem to cover is the effect of the new society on each of them, and you might wonder why those who had decided to commit suicide might be different in this afterlife than they had been in their real lives. The writing style is very black humour that fits the setting impeccably, and it comes across strongly both in the setting and the way the characters interact. There is a more serious side that is touched on, but is held more in the background. The characters fit into this crazy world and especially how Richie reacts to his new situation. One nice touch is that Richie and Sierra’s conversations, as well as those with the other people living there, always have the underlying tone of what put them in the same place and how it tinges their thoughts and actions as they adjust to their new life.

There are a few notes from the author about depression and this book has been written with those in mind and gives something more to think about if you have had those kind of thoughts. When it comes to editing, the formatting appears a little suspect around the chapter starts, but otherwise works fine, and the two interludes fit in neatly. I didn’t see anything wrong with spelling and grammar through the book and I did complete reading it all in one sitting.

Overall, this is a story with an interesting premise, smart characters and a fascinating future in the next stories.