There is a bit of a learning curve in that respect. This volume though could have used a synopsis of volume one to remind the reader about what's happened and who all these characters were. The world building is immense and detailed and believable. Subplots abound such as the secret of Ting who is half human half computer network. The story features a squad of criminals drawn to one last chance to earn their way to freedom and the bulk of the story is about how this squad composed of nobodies but filled with loyalty and bonded like a family are the best hope of mankind. But even these are barely enough to withstand the lamprey assault. The best hope are CAVs, which are pods into which human warriors are fitted with probes fitting into every orifice so that man and machine are paired as one and quicker than thought -practically. There aren't to many weapons left to face such dread foes. But, overcome, it's morphed and now various remorts and terrifying lamphreys which are like giant fifty foot eels are appearing wherever and destroying. Years after Armageddon, terraforming artificial intelligence was set out and buried to slowly but surely restore the earth. There are a few corporate enclaves, but most of earth is unrecognizable. Burn Cycle is the second book in the Cry Pilot series, the orange book, which portrays a future earth where global Armageddon has destroyed much of what we know.

Burn Cycle by Joel Dane