If you are wondering what I mean by "very hard to catch up on", I mean that if you haven't read the first book in a while you'll spend a moment or two trying to remember the smaller details. It doesn't impair the enjoyment of the book, but it's the smaller details that may get forgotten, such as Karloff & Erika IV. As I kept reading I was able to remember them, but it just took me a while. (I didn't have the 1st book on hand to flip through before I started in on the 2nd book.)


This volume picks up where the last one left off (of course), with the death of Harker & the strange thing that burst out of him. There is also the threat of Randall Six, a creature who wants to learn the secret of happiness from Artie or else. All through this you have Carson & Michael, the two cops who got caught up in all of this, who are now being hunted by Helios's assasins. Meanwhile Deucalion is trying to meet his maker & put an end to the threat posed by the New Race & his master.

I did enjoy this book greatly, but like I said above... it's best if you read these books in the same time frame. I'd put off reading this one until the 3rd book came out & I'd read the first one over a year ago. The book is still thrilling & entertaining, though. I do have to admit that I got a little impatient with the scenes with the garbage crew of the New Race because so much of it was repetitive, with descriptions of Nick's nose abilities, the lusts of the crew, how they couldn't rebel & the strangeness of what lay beneath the garbage. It's necessary stuff in those scenes but I couldn't help but get a little impatient at times. Other than that, I genuinely enjoyed this book.