First off, this should probably actually in the 3 1/2 star range.

Jumping back into the Odd Thomas series was nice and I wasn't sure how effective the series would be after the events of the first book, however, stepping back into Odd's life was an easy and pretty comfortable fit. While this book is not quite on par with Odd Thomas - what sequel ever is - and has lost some of the charm of the first book, there's still plenty to enjoy with Odd and his quirky sensibility and humor. Ghost Elvis is still hanging around as are most of the regulars from the first book, though at times they felt a little forced into the story.

The main villain was very interesting and very memorable and their scenes together were almost always compelling. She was not really like any "villain" I have run into in quite some time and I appreciate originality when and wherever it shows up. Still, there was far too much of the book of Odd either traveling to the place where he believes his friend is being held hostage - by way of sewer/flood tunnels - or him navigating a burnt out old hotel where the climax takes place. Literally chapters are spent describing these journeys and while some of it is necessary to setup the story and provide context, it was a bit tough at times to push through some of it. I also thought the "reverse physic magnetism" stuff was a bit far fetched and really thought the lengths that the last bad guy went to to track Odd down were a bit over the top.

Still, these somewhat minor glitches in an otherwise enjoyable story. Odd remains an interesting, warm and compelling character to follow and I'm looking forward to continuing the series when I find some time to revisit the series. Recommended if you're already a fan of Odd Thomas but it's certainly not as good as the original.