Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny

My sinus infection kept me from finishing this book sooner - I’m very familiar with the film version which I’ve seen dozens of times as a kid. The book is drastically different than the film - darker, grittier and much more violent. 

“Hell Tanner” a violent criminal is recruited into driving from Los Angeles to Boston across a post-apocalyptic wasteland known as “Damnation Alley” to deliver plague vaccine in return for a full pardon for his crimes. Flamethrowers, biker gangs, mutated creatures, radiation victims, religious misfits all mix well - making me wish this version made it to the screen.

Pre-dating “Escape From New York” their are some familiar lines of dialogue about the thought to be dead outlaw known as Hell Tanner that fans might enjoy.

Overall a quick fun read … now I need to watch the film again.

Apologies if this isn’t as coherent as it should be my brains still recovering.