Farmer makes is very clear that this book takes place in the future in a country that does not exist in-between the United States and Azltán (what used to be Mexico) called Opium. There is a big area on the border on the north and south side of the country that is patrolled by the "Farm Patrol". I think that Farmer chose this as the setting because it shows the reader really how trapped people like Matt are. It shows the reader how these people are in a country named after a famous, and possibly deadly drug, they are ruled by a massive drug lord, and they have no hope of escape. As small as the Farm Patrol are in this book, I think they have a really big impact. Because if this was taking place in the country somewhere in say, the U.S then it would be much easier for them to escape, because you can't really have people riding around on horses capturing and shooting people in the U.S. I also think that the fact that Opium is a whole country has a large impact, this is because if it was a small area somewhere nicknamed Opium you would think, "Oh, thats kind of a sketchy sounding place". But when its a whole country called Opium and no one is allowed to leave you think "Oh, thats horrible, how will this turn out". I think the fact that its a whole country also gets your mind stirring too, because its not everyday you heard about a whole country named Opium thats ruled by a drug lord, and has agreements with the U.S.
I like how you described how Opium was very scary, and how trapped Matt was in it. I think you could have some parts saying why El Patrón made the place even more frightening, like how he has many bodyguards, and how everyone in it fears him
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