I glare at Scythe Dude as he strides from the hearth, tracking soot over the genuine Persian carpet. I say, "Really? Really? Doesn't J. K. Rowling have a patent on that?" ( )

Returning to the world of "Those Explosions Were Someone Else Fault" (where superheroes, villains and the supernatural powers-that-be square off in a rough balance of power), Gardner is not giving us a sequel, as he apparently intends the four planned books to all be free-standing stories. What he does do is concentrate on the issues of "99" (Jools Walsh to friends & family), a person who represents the best a person can be; at least when she's not beating herself up with self-doubt and liquor. Apart from Jools working through her issues, the guts of the plot turns on the gun of the title, who built it and what its real purpose is. If you read and enjoyed the first book you'll certainly enjoy this one; other folks will still probably want to read the initial novel before giving this one a try. ( )

Fuck, the political correctness! The final straw, which made me discard it, was when the protagonist who insists she's "gender non-binary" demands to be called by the "pronouns" ze, zir, etc. And the others agree to go along with this! Nope. Life's too short.

Should you read this? Only if you want an SJW lecture instead of a story. ( )