More of the same, but in a much weaker and more repetitive package than the honestly refreshing first book. 

Its another day for our crew, and this time, they're stealing money from an orphanage. Frey's justification? He's an orphan himself; that money is meant for him! We quickly move on from this as we get introduced to the larger plot: Captain Grist and his search for a downed treasure on a dangerous island. But we don't spend much time there either as we move on to a more global chase that turns into an almost horror-adjacent tale. 

The reason why I described the plot above is to lay out what I meant by a weaker and repetitive package. It follows the same pattern of "something happening-betrayal-something happening-betrayal" until the end. And the characters (especially Frey here) frustrate me in their gullibility or lack of foresight. Solutions that felt clever in the first book are simply repeated.

Its not all bad, though. Frey may be rehashing the same arc, but there is a continuing of Jez and Crake's story from the first go-around, and Harkins gets an extended focus, and they all work. Woodings' writing is still very fun and funny. There are also crazy ideas that do genuinely excite you. 

Its just that its all wrapped in an overall package that didn't satisfy me as much as I was hoping for, and I was disappointed at the constant promises that were being set up but not followed through on.