Sequel to How Like a God (1997), Clough's oddball debut in which Virginia computer programmer Rob Lewis wrested godlike psychic powers from Gilgamesh, King of ancient Uruk, while Rob's friend, microbiologist Edwin Barbarossa, received the gift of immortality. These days Rob's a carpenter, but when finally he steels himself to tell his wife Julianne about his powers, she—feeling excluded and manipulated—threatens divorce. Meanwhile, Edwin, returning home after a research stint on the Moon, is the only survivor of a calamity aboard the space shuttle. Unfortunately, NASA suspects him of murdering the others. Edwin announces he's immortal; his boss, the devious Burt Rovilatt, believes Edwin and confines him, keeping him drugged and helpless in order to perform experiments. Rob contacts Edwin mentally, and uses his powers to rescue his friend. Julianne, in the meantime, comes around. Edwin decides to go public about his immortality and allow reasonable experimenting on himself; but Rovilatt, having accumulated a damning dossier, threatens blackmail if Edwin doesn't cooperate. Rovilatt even arranges for an assassin to shoot Edwin, but Rob takes most of the bullets, and Edwin has to lend him the pearl of immortality to save his life. Rovilatt finds out, and now knows there're two of them with powers.
Not much more than an extended meditation on the acquisition, use, and disposition of godlike power, but it might be of some interest to fans of the previous book.