A few less character arcs to follow this time around, which I kind of miss, to be honest. But Ellis takes his time helping us understand the stakes of what he painstakingly set up in the first volume. This series is definitely a slow burn.

I will say, however, that this is what I like about Warren Ellis' writing. While he often has a habit of building in the most up-to-the-date science, his stories are very different from virtually anyone else working in the field today. Hell, even when he takes on Iron Man, he brings something new to the table.

And because he's not afraid to blaze new trails, he doesn't always succeed. Could he perhaps take more time to ensure all of his stuff has some closure? Hell yes. But even with the stuff that remains incomplete, there's still usually a lot to love.

I also find that, most times, Ellis is teamed with an artist that can take his concepts and run hard with them. Once again, not always, but more often than not. And Howard gets the job done. But he's far too cartoonish for my tastes. More Skottie Young than Neil Adams. And I'm not much of a fan, to be honest. For me, it's literally the only downside to this series.

In fact, I'd even go so far to say that I wish Ellis had forgone the art side of things altogether and published this as a prose novel. I think it would have been spectacular. ( )

I remain intrigued. Though it was so long since I read the last one that I forgot mostly what happened...luckily Dr. Creasy was having flashbacks I guess? I'll probably read the next one after having forgotten all that happened in this one. I like the story though, so maybe once I hit the end I'll re-read it back to back properly. ( )

This is the second part of a series but I still got what was going on. Ten years previously, giant alien 'trees' descended from space and crushed whatever was below them, then remained inert. This volume contains two stories, tenuously linked. Dr Joanne Creasy was studying one of the Trees in Svalbard when it exploded somehow leaving her the only survivor from her expedition. She spent a lot of time in hospital and now has been asked to investigate another Tree in the Orkney Islands. Across the Atlantic a ruthless mayoral candidate in New York City (site of another of the Tree landings) gains power over the city. ( )

I like this book, but there is so much going on that I think it would be a much better experience to read it all at once when it is concluded rather dipping into a slim volume every year or so. ( )

Looking forward to more. ( )