I found the first book in this series to be flawed but entertaining, and feel pretty similarly about this one, if not somewhat less impressed. We continue to follow our cast of characters spread out around the world (though mostly the United States) as a long-dormant species of spider has emerged from the Earth and begun wreaking havoc in its wake. The characters are involving enough, even if no one really stands out, but much of what happens in this middle entry feels like wheel-spinning. The plot largely involves getting people into the place the author wants them to be for the third and final outing. As such, even though things happen, it doesn’t really feel like it. It also feels like there are notably less genuinely creepy spider moments than there were in the first novel, though I could be mistaken. Things did pick up towards the end, and while I was initially having a hard time getting into this one, I found myself interested to see how things will wind up. It’s hardly a classic, even by genre standards, but it was a decent way to pass a few hours, and it did have me creeped out enough that I jumped while reading it in bed when the sheets shifted on my leg. ★★★ – Sean Farrell
