I enjoyed the first book. This one felt like an exercise in world building and cool ideas that did not make it into the first book. If this were music it would be relegated to b-sides. It isn't until half through that it gets interesting. The ending sets up an interesting premise for another book. Overall pretty mediocre followup. Bonus points for GK Chesterton references though. Negative points for no war or conflict of any magnitude. 2 1/2 stars.