When I read the first book in this series, Ghosts of Manhattan (my review), the steampunk genre was starting to get more popular and there weren’t many superhero steampunk novels out there. So, at the time, it felt fresh and interesting. But by the time the sequel, Ghosts of War, came out, it was just another book like several other steampunkish superheroes and the limitations in the story and Mann’s writing have become more apparent. The story is short, but it probably should have been longer. There were too many story holes and rough transitions in the book. So, let’s see what the Ghost is up to.
When we last left our hero, The Ghost, he had saved the city but lost a girl. In this sequel, The Ghost, real name Gabriel Cross, is having flashbacks to his time as a WW I Flying Ace (along with Snoopy) who was shot down during the war. The dreams/nightmares are assuaged by putting on his costume and flying around the city. This time he’s up against a group of metallic raptors who are kidnapping people and a missing British spy. His contact inside the police department, Felix Donovan, is trying to help and suspects that his boss and a Senator are involved in some way. Back into this an ex-girlfriend Ginny, who drinks up to her name and is a decent shot with a gun, pops back into Gabriel’s life. The stories intersect with a mad genius and a transdimensional monster who can only be controlled by the the right blood.
Overall it’s a mediocre book with flat characterization. Ginny is thrown in to no effect and really doesn’t do a whole lot beside looks pretty, drink and hang with the guys. Felix is a little better, but he’s just a generic bad guy who would fit in on the Untouchables. The plot is decent, but has some major plot holes (at one point a monster is escaping and the book cuts to Ginny and Felix and never comes back; the monster is probably still roaming around). It’s not a bad book and it’s a quick read (with a slow start), but I can’t really recommend it. It’s been done better and this just isn’t worth the time. Not recommended.