This isn't a book for the faint of heart. Set in a devastated post-apocalyptic future, the environment is almost
totally toxic and the people even more so. Experiments have created things from part-cyborgs under an open death
sentence thanks to their creator's carelessness to eternal teenagers with no brains turned into superman weapons
through hormones pumped into permanent overdrive. Our heroine Parrish Plessis is merely hosting a parasite that is
trying to take her over completely by feeding onto the anger she needs to survive, while also sending bloody visions
and inspiring an intense and indiscriminate horniness. This is a world where light is something that indicates
glowing fungus and hope is something you used to have.
In the aftermath of the first book, Parrish has become a warlord caught in the power struggle that is what
survival has become. Which means that she's dealing with all sorts of responsibilities she doesn't need while
trying to repay a blood debt to the Cabal, who even scare her. Their Karadji, the ones with spirit power, have
been kidnapped and Parrish must rescue them. In return they will offer her the only chance she has against the
parasite inside.
Parrish is a bundle of contradictions and somewhat of an enigma even to herself. She's as lethal as the knife
plunging into your heart but finds herself picking up and helping animals and outcasts wherever she goes. The story
follows her quest at a constant breakneck pace that never gives you a chance to catch your breath, which makes the
effect of all the violence and evil around even more overwhelming - like you're drowningswimming in it along with Parrish.
The writing contributes to that too, full of sharp action and exclamation points.
I'm not sure I can say I entirely liked this book, based on personal taste. It's just too unrelentingly dark
and violent for me. But I cared what happened and can certainly recommend it if your own taste runs more to fast
paced, action filled dives into the heart of darkness of an all too believable post-apocalyptic future.