This was...wowzers. It was a very good sequel. I'm not sure how I feel about that ending, but I also do not think it could have ended any other way.
Note To Self: Write a better review after the readathon.
Updated Review (too many days later):
So this was a bit more serious that it's wackier predecessor. We are reunited with the survivors of Apocalypse Cow and are met with some new characters. Now the secret is out that the British Government created a biological weapon, and that they inadvertently let out of the laboratory. The virus, which was engineered for animals, has now mutated and made the jump to humans. There is an entire island of infected people trying to make the best of the life they've been cursed with. Meanwhile the rest of the world believes they have the right to make the decision about whether or not these infected people have the right to live. The fear is that the infection will eventually escape the island and infect the rest of the world. Both positions are understandable and even defensible.
Our heroes are thrust back into the thick of things. Geldolf learns that his mother was right to hide him from his grandfather, who is a greedy old man concerned only with profits and securing his legacy. When the man learns that his daughter is still alive on the island, he tasks his grandson with hiring a team of mercenaries to infiltrate Scotland and rescue her. Geldolf invites himself on the mission, Both to escape his grandfather and to see his mother again--not positive that the rescue mission will work.
There are a lot of shenanigans by both sides, threats and posturing and both secretly plan to destroy the other. The problem is that each side is only seeing things from their own viewpoint. In the end members from both sides seem to see reason, but will the powers that be agree? It's a bit of an open ending, which...meh. Based on how the plot played out, it makes perfect sense. It would have been hard to create a truly good ending choosing either side. However; there is also and opening for another sequel, without the absolute necessity for one. I enjoyed this very much, but am still not certain how I feel about the ending. I'll go with neutral.
Note To Self: Write a better review after the readathon.
Updated Review (too many days later):
So this was a bit more serious that it's wackier predecessor. We are reunited with the survivors of Apocalypse Cow and are met with some new characters. Now the secret is out that the British Government created a biological weapon, and that they inadvertently let out of the laboratory. The virus, which was engineered for animals, has now mutated and made the jump to humans. There is an entire island of infected people trying to make the best of the life they've been cursed with. Meanwhile the rest of the world believes they have the right to make the decision about whether or not these infected people have the right to live. The fear is that the infection will eventually escape the island and infect the rest of the world. Both positions are understandable and even defensible.
Our heroes are thrust back into the thick of things. Geldolf learns that his mother was right to hide him from his grandfather, who is a greedy old man concerned only with profits and securing his legacy. When the man learns that his daughter is still alive on the island, he tasks his grandson with hiring a team of mercenaries to infiltrate Scotland and rescue her. Geldolf invites himself on the mission, Both to escape his grandfather and to see his mother again--not positive that the rescue mission will work.
There are a lot of shenanigans by both sides, threats and posturing and both secretly plan to destroy the other. The problem is that each side is only seeing things from their own viewpoint. In the end members from both sides seem to see reason, but will the powers that be agree? It's a bit of an open ending, which...meh. Based on how the plot played out, it makes perfect sense. It would have been hard to create a truly good ending choosing either side. However; there is also and opening for another sequel, without the absolute necessity for one. I enjoyed this very much, but am still not certain how I feel about the ending. I'll go with neutral.
This 2nd installment didn't quite grab me the way the first one did. But, I admit that probably is because it follows a bit more military/government/mercenary kinda storyline versus following the misfit crew from the 1st one. Those misfits are still there (sadly with the exception of Terry who was my fave from the first book), but the POVs go from them to the military guys.
A few months have passed and the military on both sides (non-infected vs infected) are gearing up to save themselves. Lesley is still a twit but does manage to actually redeem herself. Geldof is and will always be a dork, but at least he always tries to do his best which sadly can't be said for the rest of the world.
We meet a neat band of mercenaries in this one, but I didn't really care for either sides of the government characters as they were a bit lame.
There's some room for a further novel, so I'm definitely interested in where this goes, but it did kinda feel like a middle book where there's some progressions but the end doesn't really feel like the end (if that makes sense).
*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher.
A few months have passed and the military on both sides (non-infected vs infected) are gearing up to save themselves. Lesley is still a twit but does manage to actually redeem herself. Geldof is and will always be a dork, but at least he always tries to do his best which sadly can't be said for the rest of the world.
We meet a neat band of mercenaries in this one, but I didn't really care for either sides of the government characters as they were a bit lame.
There's some room for a further novel, so I'm definitely interested in where this goes, but it did kinda feel like a middle book where there's some progressions but the end doesn't really feel like the end (if that makes sense).
*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher.
