It's been a few months since
the events depicted in Fragment and the survivors who
escaped from Henders Island as well as the human race in general are struggling
to adjust. It hasn’t been easy for anyone. The “Hendros” are quarantined in Area
51 for their protection while the world argues as to their status. What it now
means to be human is just one of the many issues facing mankind on the wake of
the discovery of this separated evolutionary tangent. Henders Island no longer
exists, but for Biologist Hell Binswanger the nightmares of what happened there
have not gone away as she is troubled by post-traumatic stress disorder.
Her new husband and fellow
Biologist Geoffrey Binswanger is doing his best to help her adjust back to the
real world and put the trauma behind her. Their plans for a honeymoon away from
the constant Secret Service protection and the prying eyes of the media go
astray when they meet a wealthy Russian by the name of Maxim Dragolovich. A
legendary Russian Oligarch, he wants their help and will pay 2 million dollars--
each -- for their expertise for several weeks work. He wants them to take a
look at some possibly previously undiscovered species somewhere in Kaziristan. When
the money proves not to be enough of an enticement, he shows them a sample jar
containing a living specimen unlike anything they have ever seen before.
Nell and Geoffrey agree and
before long they are far from home and outside contact as they are deep underground
in a vast subterranean city in the former Soviet Republic. They are certainly
not alone as the promised creatures are there along with fellow scientists that
were involved with Henders Island. So too are the creatures from Henders Island
as some managed to escape and have been deliberately brought alive to this
underground city first constructed during Stalin's time. As the aging city systems
begin to collapse and outside forces move against them, the battle begins again
to save the planet from a future where mankind is overrun and eliminated as the
weakest link in the food chain.
While the first book was
weakened by stereotypes and two laughable plot twists at the end such is not
the case here. A fitting sequel that is stronger than the original, Fragment
is a good book could be read as a stand-alone though it would be better to have
read the first book. Certain relationships between various characters continue
to evolve here as do some of the dynamics first seen in the previous book.
Things are set into motion there that are ultimately resolved here in a book
that gets wilder and wilder as it chews and kills its way to the end.
This is primarily a science
fiction thriller and as such character development remains very limited. Most of
the characters returning from the last book are not developed further- with a
couple notable exceptions that can't be mentioned without ruining the read. The
primary character development in this novel is with Maxim and his precocious
daughter, Sasha, who becomes a major character by the end of this read.
Building on Fragment author Warren Fahy takes readers deep underground into
a biological hell in Pandemonium. The result is an intense
thriller that works on every level and proves the accuracy of the blurb on the
front of the book from the Wall Street Journal- “’Think Jurassic Park but
scarier.’”
Indeed.
Pandemonium
Warren Fahy
Tor (Tom Doherty Associates)
2013
ISBN# 978-0-7653-3329-2
$24.99
320 Pages
Material supplied by the good folks of
the Plano, Texas Public Library System. If you are in the area and would like
more information about Plano libraries go here.
My review of the previous novel, Fragment
can be found here.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
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