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A review by mayhappily
The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Vol. 2: Empire Decayed by Daniel Kraus
4.0
Overall it was a very good book, but I could've done without the final chapter (especially as I listened to this as an audiobook, which did this chapter no favors, despite being narrated by the wonderful Kirby Heyborne).
As for the rating, I'm a little torn but decided to "round up", because it was, by and large, a very good story, even though it didn't quite live up to its predecessor, The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Vol. 1: At the Edge of Empire.
The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Vol. 2: Empire Decayed picks up where volume one left off; Zebulon has recently left the glamour of eccentric actress Bridie Valentine's company after tragedy finally managed to catch up with him there too.
Alone, and determined to stay that way, he begins to wander, heading for the least populated place he can find. And for a good while he manages to stay alone, hiding away in the mountains, until his wandering path crosses with another.
Thus begins the second part of Zebulon Aaron Finch's life after the death.
In this second volume he finds his way through WWII's Germany via a secret governmental agency, a post-Korea-Pleasantville, into space, becomes a martyr for hire, starts a cult, ends up in an asylum and finally... Well, that'd be a spoiler if I told you.
While I thought that most, if not actually all, of Zebulon Aaron Finch's death and subsequent life volume one was truly brilliant, volume two's story was more of an ebb and flow situation; there were some really incredible highlights... but also some potentially too-far-out far out moments.
As for the rating, I'm a little torn but decided to "round up", because it was, by and large, a very good story, even though it didn't quite live up to its predecessor, The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Vol. 1: At the Edge of Empire.
The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Vol. 2: Empire Decayed picks up where volume one left off; Zebulon has recently left the glamour of eccentric actress Bridie Valentine's company after tragedy finally managed to catch up with him there too.
Alone, and determined to stay that way, he begins to wander, heading for the least populated place he can find. And for a good while he manages to stay alone, hiding away in the mountains, until his wandering path crosses with another.
Thus begins the second part of Zebulon Aaron Finch's life after the death.
In this second volume he finds his way through WWII's Germany via a secret governmental agency, a post-Korea-Pleasantville, into space, becomes a martyr for hire, starts a cult, ends up in an asylum and finally... Well, that'd be a spoiler if I told you.
While I thought that most, if not actually all, of Zebulon Aaron Finch's death and subsequent life volume one was truly brilliant, volume two's story was more of an ebb and flow situation; there were some really incredible highlights... but also some potentially too-far-out far out moments.