The Void
Suddenly, a massive explosion rocks the ranch, and Royal is thrown from his horse. He wakes up in a hospital bed, surrounded by strangers. They tell him that he’s been in a coma for six months; that he was injured in the explosion and has been in a coma since then. Royal is shocked to learn that his family has been selling the ranch and moving away for months without telling him. Now, with the help of his new friends, Royal sets out to find out what really happened on that fateful day and to save his family from moving away forever. ..
For now, we see more of the day-to-day life of these ranch owners. Royal’s son Rhett fails with his bull riding while church sees everyone get involved singing and praying… except for Royal. We soon learn that his disillusionment with God is a result of Perry’s wife, Rebecca, having gone missing.
The animals in this pasture have always been able to sense when something is wrong, and that night, another groan echoes across the field. This time though a whole flock of birds fly away.
Wayne Tillerson, the current US Secretary of State, has connections to the Abbott family and he warns them that something is coming.
Autumn arrives in the morning, seeking refuge from the harsh realities of the world. She has money and a desire for a new beginning, but she is met with resistance from Royal and Rhett. The fences around the ranch are seemingly intact, but Autumn is able to convince them that she needs time to get used to things before moving in. They are caught off-guard by her arrival and must decide whether or not to let her stay.
As Royal and Rhett continue their search for their missing cows, they come across a strange hole in the ground. As Royal looks down, he sees a future where he’s forced to quickly leave because of strange particles swirling around.
The whole family gathers to hear Deputy Sherriff Joy announce that the FBI have stopped looking for Rebecca. Royal is more concerned about the strange hole in the ground and decides to cover it up. After warning Autumn to be careful, he leaves to see her. ..
The woman in question, Autumn, is selling the ranch to a group of people. There’s something off about her and they think she knows what Royal is up to. Autumn asks if there are any secrets she wants to share and when she reveals that her smile has layers of deception, the group decides that she’s worth taking on.
Rhett has been struggling with his own issues for a while now. He’s not happy about his father’s old-school methods of farming and worries about the commercialization of the industry. He regrets the family not selling up 10 years prior and believes they’re all stuck in a rut as a result of Rebecca’s disappearance.
The Tillerson brothers, Trevor and Perry, were fighting outside a bar when one of them got into a fight with another man. Perry Abbott, the other man’s brother, beat him up and then killed him. As he tried to cover up the crime, Perry dropped Trevor’s belt buckle. This makes the issue even more complicated because it shows that one of the brothers was responsible for another person’s death.
Rhett drives with Perry, Trevor in the back of the truck, as they head back to the ranch. Royal is understandably not happy but works to try and cover up the body with his sons, burning the bloody clothes while Perry has to deal with the Tillerson brothers, Billy and Luke. Billy and Luke remain determined to find Trevor even after he’s been killed. ..
The Tillerson’s ride out to find Royal and find out what’s going on. However, they quickly realize that Trevor was killed and they ride back home.
Autumn arrives with a flashlight to find Royal throwing Trevor’s body into the hole. She’s shocked and starts talking about the Greek God Kronos. Autumn asks Royal what he was doing, and Royal tells her that he threw Trevor’s body into the hole because he didn’t want him to die.
According to some, this hole is the manifestation of a tear between Heaven and Earth. Autumn promises to keep it a secret… before pushing Royal into it.
The Episode Review
The opening chapter of Outer Range is moody and atmospheric, with a strong sci-fi feel. The characters are well-drawn and the setting is interesting, making for an enjoyable read.
The novel’s set-up is straightforward: Rhett and Perry are caught in the middle of a land dispute between two families. The novel spends time fleshing out each of the characters and understanding their motivations. Rhett and Perry are obviously regretful for not selling their ranch earlier, but the boys also have sympathy for the other family members. ..
Rebecca’s family is struggling to cope with her disappearance. ..
The hole is a large, dark opening in the ground that appears suddenly and is difficult to see. It’s been reported that the hole was created by an underground explosion. ..
With two episodes released a week, there’s a nice model with this one and thankfully we don’t have to wait too long to find out what happens next after that agonizing cliffhanger!
