Black Bottle by Anthony Huso

This is the sequel to Last Page which I read and reviewed on Azure Dwarf.  This was one of those books that makes you wonder if your own imagination was some how truncated.  Huso paints a Timothy Leary type civilization with overtones of steam-punk.   Caliph Howl is called to lead his nation and finds himself surrounded by treachery in the first book.  The second book takes up with Sena, his wife. It explores her journey down a very bizarre rabbit hole. 

Huso’s rich environment is carried further in this book.  The characters right out of a Rod Serling nightmare from the last book pale in comparison to the bizzarity (seems appropriate) of these characters.   Huso has an amazing grasp of florid detail.  He paints  nightmarishly detailed scenes.
 
Machiavellian is how I described the Last Page and frankly this is even more convoluted.  I enjoyed last page.  This book lost me.  I lost my connection to the protagonist and never regained it.  I suspect those who revel in the absurd and favor the outer limits will enjoy it. 


I didn’t.

Body of  work of <a type="amzn" > Anthony Huso </a>
Web site: http://anthonyhuso.com/
 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.