Second book in the trilogy- I would recommend reading this right after the first one. I read two other books in between and it took a little bit to get my mind back into the story and plot. It is a bit complicated- I was confused sometimes but didn't get too caught up in the details. You still understand what's going on and can follow it. I think reading it the second time around will be even better. I love how he takes historical events and then takes liberty in speculating and creating a fiction story around it. I was googling gene therapy, Malta, the Black Plague, the Justinian plague, etc. I love when I can learn things while reading. There was a lot of action and I read this book fast- a good page-turner. I think the author showed a lot of creativity and intelligence, as well as a good grasp on what makes a good story. I'm glad I own this series and am looking forward to reading the third installment.