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This second book in The Pulse series is action-packed, hurtling into Jack Broderick’s one mission of reuniting with his family. Always fighting for the underdog, Jack finds himself with hideous, painful injuries. Even as the Red Haze hits him square in the face, he parries, and his adrenaline gives new life to broken bones, bullet holes, and pulled tendons. Forget about trying to save the day, Jack is focused in the moment, either on those he defends or reunites with their maker. When Jack realizes he must have a map, he meets up with Skinny, but doesn’t know if this new guy will be another violent evildoer or fight what's right. Meanwhile, Skinny does not have a straight-and-narrow morality—and neither do the bikers or the churchgoers who run the town. Their pasts are crooked and now include Jack in their coming retribution.
Garratt brings his characters to life with total abandon and savagery. He imbues Jack with the experience needed to bring him through brutal events with heroism. Creating Skinny as a bit of a weakling provides a foil to Jack’s complete decisiveness. The characters they meet in Florida are always a surprise. When Jack thinks he is fighting on the side of the good, he is actually tricked and fails to tell the difference between right and wrong. Both he and Skinny are in serious danger. Overall, giving Jack a second mission is brilliant as he is determined to have one last swim with the manatees he loves. His emotional tie to the earth and his desire to keep the environment safe provides a glimpse into his passionate personality. Garratt includes maps to bring clarity to Jack’s plan, which involves getting to his family—a family that he's desperate to see again.