he hits the ground hard. Later, he wakes by a beach and an ocean and kicks over a skull where he finds another creation of Quin's called the Gollux. The Gollux tells him the truth while John the Baptist lies, the Gollux leads Shadrach to a ray-like creature named the saylber which Shadrach rides across the ocean and into Quin's world which is actually a very large minnow named the leviathan. He kills Quin and the remote and the whole place explodes. Shadrach climbs up the cliffs back to the subway level. Shadrach retrieves Nicola and takes her to the surface where they are both on a bridge staring at the city which is called Veniss. Critical notes William Thompson of SF Site wrote "the author displays his usual bold and imaginative skill, creating a narrative world lush yet spare in detail. It is in description, in imagery, this lean novel most often excels, in VanderMeer's deft ability to capture through brief illustrative portraits what others would require pages to express. Informed by vision, rather than character-driven, his protagonists, by comparison, are more support than lead, acting out their allotted roles, significant most for what they represent than their singular portrayal and needs, or the human sympathy extended each. There is a knit cohesion close in service to the novel's overall themes, an unfolding symbolism and allegory that is ultimately let loose during the final chapters, unleashing a Babel of imagery recalling the febrile panels of The Garden of Earthly Delights. And the themes of the narrative, dramatically yet cleverly revealed, could not be more earnest or timely. Already recognized as one of fantasy's more creative talents, Veniss Underground will only further Jeff VanderMeer's growing reputation for innovative and imaginative fiction." Michael Moorcock of The Guardian noted "This is a short, rich book which another writer might easily extend to a bulky trilogy. It makes a welcome change from the huge tomes that still form a wall between the curious reader and the best of our contemporary visionaries, who could well be creating one of the dominant literary forms of the 21st century." References External links Review of Veniss Underground at SFFWorld.com 2003 American novels American fantasy novels American horror novels Night Shade Books books