I've had to take a few days to really process this book and get my assessment in order. This will be a tough review to write. 
 Let me first start off with I loved, loved, loved the first book. I told anyone who would listen about it and brought copies for friends. I'm not sure what happened with this series but had I read this book first I wouldn't have gushed about it. WAIT! That doesn't mean that I didn't like this book. I liked it, I didn't LOVE it. Here's why. 
 There didn't seem to be as much adventure in this book. Part of what I enjoyed was the edge of the seat adventure and thrills. Which just weren't present in this book. 
 This whole book focused on a mystery and Will Swyft uncovering that mystery. There was a little bit of an adventure/fight at the end but not what drew me into the first book. 
 Also I felt a lot of this stuff was sorta thrown out there and never fully developed. The whole "weapon" for Scar-Crow Men to be exact. 
 Scar-Crow Men is still filled with all the history and real life people that I liked in the first book. And in fact, there's a secret society. 
 But here is my main problem with this novel. I finished the book (which ends on a b it of a cliffhanger note) and I feel as if the novel moved an inch. The plot line from the first book is no more advanced than when I left the first book. 
 That being said. The third book? I really have HIGH expectations for because I view this second book as a sorta setup for that third book. I guess only time will tell :)