Part two of the horror experience of the year is here, and I could not have been more excited to get my hands on it and find out what happens next. Book one was, inevitably, going to be a hard act to follow. John F.D. Taff did everything right to set up the story and give the readers astronomically high hopes for what this story could be and where it could go.

Water & Wind faced the tough task of continuing the journey of the characters that Taff endeared us to in just 100 short pages. It also ups the ante in a big way. In many big ways to be more accurate. Every story we began in book one is advanced as we begin to get some theories about what's going on. We don't have any solid answers yet, but that works in the series' favor. We are too early on to get a straight answer, and the speculation certain characters put forth with no way to confirm makes the immense situation that much more terrifying.

Book two continues book one's breakneck pacing with so much happening in 120 pages. Somehow Taff squeezes in new characters with Reverend Hubert (whose opening chapter is one of the top 3 most intense experiences in the series thus far) and Monday, who I'm dying to learn more about in book 3. It seems like there may be more there than simply tragic back story.

The ongoing saga of Rich, Marcia, Charles, Wanda, and Glen driving their bus through the western U.S. is shaping up to be one of my favorite parts so far. The circumstances around their exit from Albuquerque are really going to stick with me.

If you've seen Taff referred to as the King of Pain, you're going to find out why in this book. I've heard Taff say in several interviews that his job is to make you care about these characters early on and then spend the rest of the time kicking the shit out of them. You've got to do what you're good at, right?

Something that has impressed me in both of these books is how Taff and his editor managed to put chapters up front that grab you by the collar and shake your ass around to bring you into the story. You're held there for the duration, and then the finals chapter (again, in both books) slaps you across the face and throws you on the ground. It almost seems shameful that you dust yourself off and ask for more.

If you loved book one, get into book two immediately. If you didn't read book one, get both, read both, and be thankful you didn't have to wait 6 weeks in between. Now begins the interminable wait for book three.