This was such a downfall after the first book, it was much more boring, and it seemed like he was trying to repeat the prior book, almost all sorts of events happened again.It was so bad I didn't finish it through and we gave our copy to the local library! ( )

Pretty good sequel... not as good as the first though. ( )

A sequel to The Straw Men this is an interesting continuation of the paranoia and conspiracy. The serial killer is interesting as well. Some of it is a bit farfetched but I found it a compelling read. ( )

(#20 in the 2004 book challenge)

Eh. This is your run-of-the-mill serial killer thriller type deal. Eh. It was one of those books where the conspiracy gets so huge and murky that it's impossible to keep up with, there were parts where some conspiratorial character would show up, and I couldn't remember whether he was the same guy or a different guy as the last conspiratorial character, and ya know, it wasn't even worth it to go back and check because it all ended up the same. The plot itself wasn't half bad, it had some decent twists and suspense going on.

More importantly, I would now like to announce a moratorium on any sort of narrative exposition that draws parallels between the sad and lonely state of the modern human condition and the internet. No more "we are all just lone sparks drifting in the darkness, not unlike tiny packets of data moving mindlessly across the wires" garbage. You know what? It could be true for all I know, I happen to think it is not true, but regardless, it is TIRED. I am done with being compared to a data packet. It is not original or creative to use the internet as a metaphor for human disconnect and lack of purpose.

In this book's defense (maybe), it's the continuation of a story that was told in a first book, but one that I didn't read. I hate when I pick up the second book by mistake. For all my crabbing, I would pick up the first one should I come across it just to see what happened before.

Grade: C+
Recommended: Not really, but it would be okay if you were stuck at an airport and this was all they had to offer at the bookstore.