Manifest destiny

As history tells us, Lewis and Clark set out on an expedition to scientifically catalog unknown plants and animals and explore the western half of the continent but history is rarely so simple. In this alternate history, Lewis, Clark, and the rest of their crew grapple with unknown horrors, such as a zombie-producing plant and bison centaurs wielding Native American weaponry. The latter example could be considered offensive to some, though Dingess seems to try to sidestep that. Thanks to his apparent knowledge of the subject matter, it comes off as a critical commentary on how early Americans viewed indigenous peoples. Dingess' story captures Lewis and Clark's true spirit of adventure while, fantasy elements and violence aside, staying as accurate to their story as much as possible. Roberts' artwork is equally impressive, having fun with the grotesque creatures while simultaneously showing detailed landscapes of the vast, unexplored territories. History and horror fans alike will be very interested to see how this journey ends.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2014 Booklist