The land and the weather are like characters in Johnson's novels.

Hell Is Empty starts out with a bang, bogs down badly in the middle and never really recovers. There's a bunch of spiritual/delusional stuff (you never really figure out where the line is here) that's obtuse, repetitive and, finally, annoying--especially as Johnson appears to be using spiritual/delusional experiences to explain plot threads he can't seem to figure out how to wrap up the old-fashioned way, which is to say, through hard work.

Still, early on there are lines that beg to be read out loud to the nearest person who will listen. It's definitely worth the read, especially the first third, which is exquisitely written: Pitch perfect dialogue.