Coming back to the world if Pratchett and Baxter was one I looked forward to. The long Earth, the first in the series, was a great read A really good premise on a different kind of science fiction, a new way to explore the earth and humanity.
Mixing the fable and the modern world, it threw humanity into a spin with the concept of multiple Earths all divergent - same but different.
In this sequel the Earths have been populated and humanity spread out amongst them. Datum or the Earth humanity originated on, seeks to control these other Earths.
The war in The Long War is a potential something that almost happens through fear and a quest for control.
Frankly this isn't as good as the Long Earth. The additional creatures and interactions in these alternate Earths are not explored enough. Characters are not as deep and I think we were cheated on some great potential on the war.
I enjoyed the book and will loll forward to the third, the redeemer, if that happens!