Looking through the rose-tinted spectacles of time, I regard Fragment with more fondness than may be apparent from my review. Warren Fahy's ideas were always exciting, it's the execution with which I took issue, and to some extent the same is true of Pandemonium. Like a magician who is famous for a particular trick, he can't resist trying to pull it off twice. But, to give credit where it's due, the sheer spectacle presented by Pandemonium and the underground city that guards it is well realised. Similarly, the pseudo-science employed by the author is, I believe, convincing to all of us who are not highly qualified experts in biology. Once again, it is the involvement of Henders Island life forms that takes star billing, initially via a timely reminder as to how dangerous Henders creatures can be to everything else. We're also brought up to date with the fate of the Hendros, who begin the story as virtual captives quartered at Area 51. The Hendros are now world famous via their interactions with humanity across the Internet. Before the main action begins, Hender, the most personable of the Hendros, is allowed to go on a trip abroad and begins to meet more humans. These include a religious leader and a would-be assassin. Both encounters are entirely predictable, but no less fun to read.

Meanwhile, we learn that specimens of Henders organisms have been acquired as a potential WMD by Maxim Dragolovich, the self styled benevolent dictator of Pobedograd. It comes as no great surprise to learn that they have proven more than a match to his attempts at controlling them. The same is true to a lesser degree with the denizens of the Pandemonium ecosystem, dangerous amphibious examples of which have begun to infest the many tunnels of the city. Once it becomes clear that Dragolovich is behind the disappearance of the two American scientists, and that he is in possession of Henders life-forms, a mission is thrown together. The team includes the obligatory military specialists, equally obligatory scientists, plus two of the Hendros. One of them is an historian, the other a soldier, both have tens of thousands of years experience. Panicked authorities allow the team just a few hours to find and rescue the missing scientists, and if possible arrest Maxim Dragolovich, before explosives are used to seal off Pandemonium forever.

There is a lot to like here. Hender and Kuzu, the two featured Hendros come across well, and so do the twin ecosystems with their many fascinating and ingeniously imagineered life-forms. As with Fragment, this novel is very readable and could be made into a superb FX-laden action movie. What lets it down are the elements of the plot that link the flashes of brilliance. Characterisation is mostly off the peg, and some plot devices are poor. For example, would two highly intelligent scientists really run off with a dodgy Russian oligarch on the eve of their honeymoon? Then later, a shady group within a powerful government who want to kill the Hendros, apparently just give up because one attempt fails. Also, it must be said, if any militaristic county -- especially the US -- ever got their hands on a resource like the Hendros, it is unrealistic to think that they would ever willingly release them. But most disappointing was that virtually from their introduction it's blatantly obvious how the author intends to collide his most fantastical creations. So, the deal here is that if you loved Fragment, this is more of the same fast and furious killer critter fun. Also, like Fragment, it's a good novel that falls short of greatness.