Deadland's Harvest

Deadland #2

by Rachel Aukes

The seven deadly sins with a shambling twist.

The critically acclaimed DEADLAND SAGA:
Book 1: 100 Days in Deadland
Book 2: Deadland’s Harvest
Book 3: Deadland Rising

It has been one hundred days since the zombies claimed the world. Cash, along with forty-two survivors, have found safety in the secluded and well-guarded Fox National Park. The leaves are changing colors, a beautiful, brutal reminder that winter is coming. As the survivors prepare for freezing months without electricity and not enough food, they learn of massive zombie herds several hundred miles north…and headed their way.

To save the park, Cash must find a place for the survivors to hide from the migrating herds. If Cash and her small band of volunteers don’t succeed by winter, the Fox survivors just may become Deadland’s Harvest.


(Deadland’s Harvest is a journey through Dante Alighieri's classic tale on the seven deadly sins… zombie apocalypse style!)

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction

450 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2014

About the author

Rachel Aukes is the bestselling author of over forty books, including 100 Days in Deadland, which made Suspense Magazine’s Best of the Year list. She writes in a number of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, and more. Her series includes Waymaker Wars, Space Troopers, Flight of the Javelin, Fringe, Deadland Saga, Colliding Worlds, and Guardians of the Seven Seals. Her novels have repeatedly been Amazon Top 100 bestsellers and #1 bestsellers in Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Space Fleet, Space Marine, Galactic Empire, Colonization, Alien Invasion, and Cyberpunk. When not writing, Rachel can be found flying old airplanes with an incredibly spoiled dog over the Iowa countryside.

Reviews

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED the first book so I was keen to jump into this one straight away, this was missing that something which the first book had in spades but it was still such an enjoyable read, it still had hairraising moments which we got in the previous book but I missed those moments when it was just the three of them, those quiet moments they leaned on each other like family members, this was focused more on the overall group. So I missed these three as a whole..I'm hoping it circles around to focusing on these three in next book/the last book of the series. That's where my heart lies.

There's a huge herd of over a thousand Zed's heading their way, and they know they can't stay where they are. They need to find a secure place to hole up not only the group but all their livestock too. And after connecting with a survivor and his crew on a boat ths is this groups lifeline.

It must be an ongoing consensus when it comes to the lack of intimate romantic scenes within this genre because I've not come across many that focus on romance and love within the zombie apocalypse. A bit sprinkled here and there would make for a nice change..

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the series (and to understand this book you really need to read book one) and I loved it just as much as the first.

This is the best zombie saga ever! And I generally don’t do zombies so that says a lot. I’ve been drawn into all the characters and I can’t wait to read the third and final instalment in this trilogy.

Five stars.

At time of posting the full trilogy is available on Kindle Unlimited.

[Steelwhisper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stuff!

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems the author introduces new characters for no other reason than to die a horrible death.



I like zombie / post apocalypse fiction and for what it is, this series isn't bad. But it's not one of the better series' either.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, wow, what a horrible-good ending - emphasis on the horrible. I'm just sitting here stunned. I'm hoping that some of the people were hiding behind the building - that's all I have to say. Well, except UGH!!!

[ALI · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars … this is my favourite one of the series, I think.

[Carien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of you might remember how much I loved 100 Days in Deadland, the first book in this trilogy. So you can imagine how excited I was when I got a digital copy of Deadland's Harvest for review.

And this book is awesome!

Aukes uses the seven deadly sins as a guideline for her story, but in such a way that it doesn't interfere with your reading pleasure. You can easily identify the sins in each part of the story, but the things that are happening, the action, and zombie mayhem make sure you are totally engrossed in the story.

The story starts where 100 Days in Deadland ended, and with only a small reprieve Cash and her friends are once again caught up in the horrors of the zombie apocalypse. The story is intense and full of action. Zombies, greedy humans and more make surviving difficult. There's lots of death and destruction going on, and Cash and those close to her have to fight for survival. I was hooked from the start and had trouble putting the book down. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next.

Aukes doesn't pull any punches and there were some gruesome scenes and deaths that shocked me. I can say I was glad that most of my favorite characters survived, although not without wear and tear. And the ending...

It's not a cliffhanger ending, but so many things have happened, so many things might still happen: I seriously need to get my trotters on the last book in this trilogy!

If you haven't started on this trilogy yet, I can only tell you to pick up the first book asap, because these books are so good. You can count on it that I'll be rereading this book, and I'm stalking bookdepository, so I can buy this book in print as soon as possible.

[Senona Macias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not read this book fast enough. Love the family that Cash, Clutch, and Jace have become. When they decided to join Camp Fox it was a huge step. In this book they are trying to stay away from herds of Zombies. They end up asking for help from a huge vacation boat, who later betrays them. There is nobody who you can trust anymore. Finally have to leave the little boat they were staying in when they get attacked by bandits and end up killing their man in charge. Ends with the three of them starting over again.At least they still have each other.

Looking forward to final book.

[Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clichéd crap. Enjoyed the first book but I guess the novelty wore off. The entire storyline is cheesy and convenient, pushed along by characters making ridiculous decisions to feed the story and produce embarrassing, gun ho reactions. Desperately disappointed.

[J.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary

Cash, Clutch and Jase's journey continues with Camp Fox as they struggle to find a way to survive the massive zed herds heading their way. The group goes through the 7 deadly sins this time around and not all of Camp Fox will make it out unharmed.

Personal Opinion

Just as action packed and addictive as the first with more risks as massive herds of zeds head south for the approaching winter.
I have to admit that while Camp Fox is a resilient group, they don't always have the best of luck. Or more like they always have the worst luck most of the time.
I really liked the story being broken up into the 7 deadly sins. But most of all I absolutely adored Benji, a little boy with Down Syndrome who got his chance to play the hero at one point in the book.
I couldn't help but be happy how close Clutch, Cash and Jase have grown as a family and there are even more new survivors added into the group.
The ending is much more sad with this one though.
A must read for fans of 100 Days in Deadland!

[Lucas Hamasaki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m very disappointed with these books.

The MC’s love interest is the most boring character in the story. He shouldn’t even be able to walk, and yet, here he was, running around, killing zombies, tackling bandits, carrying heavy stuff.

Why?

Cause he’s damn perfect.

He’s also always right.

The story is mainly about how amazing he is. The zombies and TEOTWAWKI are simply details.

I believe the story would’ve been much better if he had died at the end of the first book. As it stands right now? Boring and cliche.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating - 3.5

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

"100 Days in Deadland" may have ben more of a 3.5 than a 4, but "Deadland's harvest is a solid 4. ----

By this installment Cash has really come into her own and I loved it! For some reason, female protagonists have a tendency to be... obnoxious. (Sorry ladies, but it's true). It seems like there is a fine line between smart and know-it-all, strong and bitchy; contentious and whiney, in love and stupid. Cash is a believable realistic character, but she manage to never cross the annoying line. ----

I didn't quite connect with the supporting characters as much as I would have liked, but I definitely felt more attached to them in this book than I did the first. -----

My only other (minor) constructive criticism would be that there are a few times where Cash's thoughts / feelings felt a bit repetitive. It only happened a few times though, and it didn't detract from the story. -----

As soon as I hit the final page of this book I leapt onto amazon so I could download #3, only to discover, (to my horror), that it's not out yet! Pre-order only!!!! Gah!!!! ----

Needless to say I can't wait.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel never disappoints. Her second installment of the series is full of action from the first chapter again.
Cash is still the tough, Iowa girl, trying to help solve problems in a zombie apocalypse world. Her contribution to the camp is invaluable. She is always there to save the day.
Clutch was broody and a tad less likeable in this book. I understand his frustration to get better and contribute, but his broodiness was slap worthy. Cash should have smacked him around. I also understand they don't have much privacy, but couldn't they have found a private moment somewhere?
As always, I was on the edge of my seat anticipating what was going to happen next, and how they were going to escape the herds of zombies. Love her creative world of zombies. Can't wait to see how the series ends.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first one, "100 Days In Deadland" and I wasn't too excited to start this one because of how the first ended, but from the very first paragraph, I was shocked, surprised, and excited! I was so shocked I had to put it down for a bit so because I wanted to think how the writer would explain a few things. I'm trying not to give anything away if you haven't read the first one, which you should. It lags in just a couple of spots, but the characters and the story pull you along so quickly that I finished this one within a day. ~ Note to the writer: PLEASE don't kill off Clutch and Cash at the end of three! I've come to love them like they're personal friends and I would really hate to see them killed! One of the best zombie books I've ever read!

[Shellie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this second book was awesome and just blew my mind...this is why i love zombie books because of books just like this. There are so many emotions while reading these types of books. Rachel Aukes just stunned me in this last part of the book if you read it you know what I am talking about and was not even recovered from that part and Boom knocked on my ass again and this time unable to speak....WOW! I need to read the third one like yesterday!!!!

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books must be read in order. There's a lot more zombies and action in this second book. I missed the interpersonal relationships from book one, and while we had some in this book, it was definitely more focused on non-stop action. Quite a few good characters get taken out in this one, so prepare yourself!

[XR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daaaaaaaaaang... it’s so bloody good!!

[Leslee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't think that this sequel was as successful as the first novel, but I think a trilogy like this is likely to suffer from 'more of the same' syndrome. Still, it was a pleasant read and kept my interest well enough that I'll likely continue on with the next one. The author did a good job of coming up with interesting new scenarios to put her characters in mortal danger which I feel is half the battle in keeping up a good zombie trilogy, since it's such a flooded genre.

[Patrick D'Orazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadland’s Harvest starts off where 100 Days In Deadland left off, with Cash and company doing their best to survive in the wooded park where they have taken up residence. This after the mayhem that closed out the first book and wiped out Camp Fox, the National Guard base where most survivors in the area had migrated to after the dead rose. Clutch is still alive, but working on learning how to walk again after the injuries he suffered in the mayhem at the end of 100DiD. The survivors are fewer, but the human dangers from the first book are no more, making the undead once again their main concern.
On a mission to save a group of refugees stuck in a building surrounded by zeds, Cash and Clutch discover that there are hordes of the undead roaming the countryside, moving south toward their current safe haven. After flying a surveillance mission it becomes clear to Cash that these hordes are massive, with tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of the undead in them and they are wiping out everything in their path. Nothing remains except rubble and desolation. And soon they will trample the park and anyone who remains there.
The survivors make a decision to seek the assistance of a riverboat captain, who has taken on other survivors on his boat that floats on the Mississippi river, out of clutching grasp of the zeds. This leads to new complications and more human conflicts as the two groups struggle to coexist with one another while at the same time the hordes continue to advance on their position.
Deadland’s Harvest maintains the fast pace of its predecessor and the narration has a natural flow and feel to it. While Cash has become a seasoned survivor who has been hardened by the trauma she faced in the first book, she has formed a family bond with Clutch and Jace, and will do anything to keep them safe. While this story is told in first person, the author manages to continue to let the secondary characters tell their own tale and grow as the story progresses. Avoiding many of the pitfalls that challenge the middle book in a trilogy, Deadland’s Harvest does a solid job of standing on its own, though with an intriguing promise of what is to come in the final act in this three part saga.
Kudos to the author for using the idea of massive hordes of the undead moving and migrating together, like other creatures who are avoiding the cold of winter. I do wish there was greater detail on the hordes shared, as the concept was an intriguing one. Also intriguing is the theme the author has carried over from the first book, which is to use Dante Aligheri’s works to set the stage for her story. 100DiD traversed the nine circles of hell while DH examines the seven deadly sins. The final book promised to explore the seven virtues. The reader need not know anything further about Dante to appreciate the story, just the fact that this is a solid zombie action tale.

[Sue Moro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadland's Harvest

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

One hundred days have past since Cash met Clutch while the world around them dissolved into a zombie infested nightmare. As the book begins, the two are at Camp Fox, along with forty-two other survivors, as they recover from the injuries they incurred at the end of 100 Days in Deadland. Clutch is struggling to walk again after severely injuring his back. Having previously suffered PTSD while in the service, Clutch has retreated into himself. Cash, while supportive, wisely gives him space and time and hopes the man she is falling in love with will return to her.

Cash has become a valued team member at the camp. She has developed into an an expert shot, and she is also a pilot able to fly small aircraft to scout out the surrounding territory. While out on a run she discovers several massive herds of zombies (zeds) heading south and Camp Fox lies directly in their path!

It is imperative that the camp be relocated, but with the herds spread out so far, there isn't enough time to move all of their supplies and live stock around and past before they are upon them. Bargaining with another local group of survivors, they move to barges out on the water and hopefully out of the zeds reach. The members of Camp Fox will soon face many challenges as trouble comes at them in both dead and undead form, and winter is just around the corner.

Oh, the feels in this book! No one is safe in this series which keeps the reader on edge and constantly surprised. Danger is around every corner from both the living and the dead, and it makes for compelling reading. The characters are what truly make this series so special. Cash is wonderful and I love that the story is told from her POV. It's so nice for a change to see a female lead character develop into a strong and brave fighter. Deadland's Harvest is a great sequel! No middle book syndrome here! I absolutely loved the idea of the zed herds driven by some unknown instinct to migrate south for the winter.

In 100 Days in Deadland, Ms. Aukes wove the story around the nine levels of Hell encountered in Dante's Inferno, with Clutch acting as Cash's guide through a nightmare world. Once again returning to the Divine Comedy for inspiration, Ms. Aukes ingeniously utilizes the seven sins from Purgatory to build her story upon. The sequel will focus on the virtues of Paradise and hopefully the survivors will rediscover their humanity.

[AudioBookReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABR's original Deadland’s Harvest audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

100 days ago, zombies consumed most of the living population with the exception of pockets of survivors. Like with most zombie books, there are bandits and evil humans who prey on those not yet eaten by the wandering zombies.

Supplies are scarce; trust is even scarcer. Cash, Klutch and Jayse are the main characters that discover there are herds of zombies – tens of thousands – headed straight toward their home in Fox National Park. In a leap of faith, a fellow colony of survivors is contacted and they generously share the broken and abandoned barges and other boats in their area. The downside is the group must repair them, stock them and move their colony there in under two weeks. Although their plans are set and they have contingency plans – Aukes throws in several twists that have the listener cautioning the characters knowing that things are not as they seem (nothing like yelling “don’t go in there” while driving solo in a car!). Aukes does an excellent job of bringing in the seven deadly sins and using the zombies and their situation to demonstrate them.

Well written, character developments were strong and made one gasp when their situation was revealed. I was confused for a few minutes – it was not apparent, as I did not read book 1) that the zombie apocalypse occurred 100 days ago – so I was struggling to figure out why there were so many shortages. One example of Aukes clever writing and playing on emotions – she has a 10 year old boy with downs syndrome talking down a vengeful father hell bent on revenge. In his innocence, he prevents bloodshed.

Hollie Jackson narrated the book; she did an excellent job with voices and reading concisely. Her energy level helped keep the realness present. There were no production issues.

Love zombies? Love to root for the underdog? This story has it all – highly recommend this audiobook!

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!

I’ll be honest: It’s difficult writing reviews for anything beyond the first book in a series because I don’t want to write something that will spoil it for anyone new to the series. There are so many specific things I’d like to discuss, but instead of giving too many details, I will just tell you why this series is so freaking awesome.

Deadland’s Harvest is rich with character development, which kept me fully engaged from beginning to end. It’s impossible not to care deeply about the characters’ outcome. Cash is freaking badass. I love her to pieces. She’s grown so much since the beginning of the first book. She feels like a real person to me after this much involvement in her story.

There are wonderful glimpses of hope sprinkled throughout the story… and then pulled out from under you, of course. The great thing about that is the story is so well written I was never left feeling hopeless. I spent most of the book rooting for Cash and.. well, for the rest of the gang. Ooh, see, I almost wrote something that wouldn’t be good for newcomers! The simmering build up just before the action scenes is enough to make even the most seasoned zombie fanatics want to scream from the anxiety. And the action scenes themselves will have you swinging your arms in the air like you’re helping in the fight. Try not to read in public. Some people may not respond well to your reaction.

Deadland’s Harvest is filled with super awesome zombie goodness and characters that will make you love them (or hate them). It’s the perfect blend of a struggling humanity and hardcore zombie terror. I’m fully invested in this series and can’t wait to read the next book!

I highly recommend The Deadland Saga for all fans of horror and zombies!

[Marissa Pedroza · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are books that you force yourself to finish. You have to give yourself a pep talk, promising yourself it will get better, because who wants to waste their time and money for more disappointment? With Deadland’s Harvest by Rachel Aukes, the only pep talk that I had with myself was, “You really have to put this book down sometime.”

Deadland’s Harvest (book 2 of the Deadland Saga) was a grand slam, and I’m looking forward to book 3. Cash, Clutch and Jase are back and they are still learning to survive in this new world of the dead. They are saving lives and keeping the human race from becoming extinct in their own corner of hell.

There are no super hero’s, no Hollywood one-man-army kind of characters. Everyone is learning to rely on one another while they hone their survival skills. They become a troop. Some have military experience, some are simply learning as they go. What I liked about Deadland’s Harvest is that there is gritty realism to the characters and the plot. Now, for the not so good news: I didn’t understand why at 406 pages we couldn’t see Clutch and Cash’s relationships continue to develop. Although Jase got more “screen time” he still is a bit of mystery; his character seems to be on the cusp of being fully developed but it isn’t quite there yet.

There are a lot of action scenes. The first few chapters start out a little slow, but once the pacing gets going it comes at you at full tilt until the ending. I really like these characters and the world that Rachel Aukes as created for us with this series. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good zombie read (but I highly recommend reading 100 Days in Deadland first).

[Shana Festa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camp Fox is running smoothly, but Clutch is still out of commission from a back injury. According to another surviving faction, the zombies are migrating south and are on a collision course for Cash's home. Camp Fox must make a move to the water, and hide until the horde passes, or rather, hide and hope the horde passes them by.

Rachel Aukes is a woman after my own heart. I find her writing style to be straightforward and clean, she doesn't bore me with any lengthy descriptions and there is very few moments of rest for her characters. Translation: Deadland's Harvest is truly a great piece of fiction with non-stop action.

Her characters are well fleshed out and there is distinct progression shown in each one. Clutch has been transformed from a ruthless, uncaring soldier into a compassionate man in love, protecting Cash, Jace, and the inhabitants of his small community. He's got a new vulnerability that makes him a much more likable character rather than just a bad boy.

For me, the shining moments in this already stellar book, were those including Benji, a boy with Downs Syndrome. I've really got to hand it to Aukes for portraying his character so skillfully. It had the potential to come off stereotypical or callous, but instead, she did this sweet boy justice and he is an inspiring part of the story.

Just like the first book in the series, 100 Days in Deadland, Deadland's Harvest has earned five stars from The Bookie Monster, and I am excited to see how this story concludes in the third and final book, Deadland Rising.

[Adam Geise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give this 3 1/2 but my phone hates me today.

I was really looking forward to this continuation of the deadland saga. The first book was great. This book was good. There were a couple things that detract from a higher rating and an overall better book. It seems that the first book was edited better or had more feedback. There are multiple references in this book to the survivors getting all their supplies from Doyle's camp. After the first refresher I didn't need to read it 2 more times. This occurs again later on the subject of there not being small talk. The two sentences, chapters apart arte so similar I thought it was an error.
In the last quarter of the book it is pointed put that Cash had never heard Clutch pray before when he does, then in the final chapters it happens again. Maybe I'm nit picking but a little more time with the editor would help this book tremendously.
The positives. Rachel Aukes uses the footprint again in a great way, only tweaking the story to fit here and there. It was fun to find the similarities in each section. The characters are written well. I think in the first book a more personal connection was built. The "bad guys" are bad but never have the same ominous feel as Doyle's Dogs. Not spoiling the end I can see some being a bigger problem later.
I enjoyed this, but not quite as much as the first. I will still buy the third book to see how the story ends. Overall a solid zombie book with a female lead character.

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cash, Clutch, Jase, and the other members of Camp Fox are doing their best to survive. It’s been 100 days since the zeds have taken over the world and there are few groups of humans left unmolested. They’ve learned to be ruthless about any survivors they find lest they let an infected person into their midst. One of the scariest things they’ve seen lately is huge migrating herds of zeds, cutting a swath right toward them. Now they must find a new place for their group to hide from the herds, but dealing with other humans is a treacherous business. Nothing is easy in this new world, but Camp Fox is determined to survive…

DEADLAND’S HARVEST follows directly after the events in 100 DAYS IN DEADLAND and this time the author takes her characters through the seven deadly sins. DEADLAND’S HARVEST is just as fast-paced with as many deadly dangers as the first book and you can really see the character growth. Clutch isn’t just a hardened solider, he now has a family in Cash and Jase. Cash is a lot stronger than she was in the first book and it was good to see her come more to the forefront regarding negotiations and decision making for the group. I also loved Benji, a little boy with Down Syndrome, who shows there is still hope and goodness in the world. DEADLAND’S HARVEST has a natural flow and doesn’t feel stilted or disjointed. I’m excited to see how the Deadland Saga concludes!

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounding to 4 because the overall story of both books together is just so, so good.

Very good, but something about this wasn't quite as gripping as the first. Often times it felt very rushed and like some stories weren't fleshed out enough. Everyone outside the main trio felt completely expendable. Which essentially they are, but it made caring about these characters impossible and ultimately is what led to me being less invested in this book.

I was excited about the 7 deadly sins aspect but in the end it felt too forced. The first book's tie in to Inferno felt seamless and natural.

There was a lot of good action (at times it even felt like too much, though), and more than a few moments that had me up reading well past my bed time. A few times I even carried the fear in the book into my own world. Suddenly finding myself nervous going to the bathroom in the dark of night... I love when a book can do that.

Overall a very good (but not great) followup to 100 Days In Deadland, and I am excited for the release of Deadland Rising.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part 2 of the dealand series, a great apocalyptic tale, the main character Cash is civvies made scout for Camp Fox, the last of a military camp, leftovers from a National Guard Post. Cash, Clutch and Jase met up in part one of this series and rebuilt the camp in a national forest. Cash in her late 20’s becomes a replacement mom for Jase a 17 year old that has seen it all and done so much more and Clutch in his mid-forties takes keeping them both safe to its limits. After the end of the world as they knew it, Zed’s or Zombies have become enemy number 1 and are taking over the world by violence because of their numbers alone. The three of them are a scout troop of their own and Tyler the leader of the camp and Clutch do not get along though they make a great team when it comes to taking care of their camp. This book has plenty of action, Zombies and violence. All of them must make decisions that will change them forever. Recommended for ages 14 and up!

[Passion1kiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

The author's work paralleling Dante’s “Purgatorio” with zombies, yet again, subtle, was genius. “Deadland's Harvest" picks up after “100 Days in Deadland” and dives right back in as Clutch, Cash and Jase emerged from their own (Hell). Each begin to deal with their own demons both physically and/or mentally as they prepare to take on protecting what was left of Camp Fox. Along with the other survivors they must battle the (migrating herds) of zeds. Here, they will be guilty of the (seven deadly sins) as they fight the battle of right vs. wrong as any way necessary in surviving both dead and undead. Decisions will be made. Lives will be lost.

It is full of action to go around, lots of gore, but still has very well-developed characters. Details were the key. Overall, a really good read for the 2nd book of it series.