This book left me with more questions than answers. The first chapter comes out with a bang and caught my attention, but did little to keep it as the book continues. It does not mention that it is a sequel to another book, but somehow I am left with the impression that I am supposed to know about what happened to Brand (one of the main characters) prior to the events of this book. His time in a mental hospital and abuses with virtual reality are mentioned vaguely, yet they seem to be important to the movement of this story. Also central to the story is haitian voodoo, yet this is not "fleshed out" enough to really understand. Afterwards, I looked up some of the words and "gods" on the internet and found that the words and names the author used as a powerful, evil entities were actually benefic. For instance, the evil character in the book says that he had called on aido wido and damballa and others too dangerous to name...yet aido wedo is said to be is a loa of fertility, rainbows and snakes, and a companion or wife to Damballa, and damballa is noted to be the father of the loa and of humankind. Many words are thrown around to sound sinister and evil but upon further examination don't have anything to do with such. Maybe they are impressive sounding words and the author never intended that someone would have enough interest to actually find out what she was talking about. The buildup takes almost the entirity of the book with only the last handful of pages winding up the story. I was left feeling rather cheated..."WHAT??? It's over? This is all there is?"