This second volume in the Aftermath series is self contained, although I'd recommend reading Dave Hutchison's first volume to help with the background.
I mentioned the influence of Richard Cowper in my review of the first one, specifically the Corlay books, and that echo is even stronger in this volume with its tale of a young boy who is believed to possess some mystical significance. There is a remarkable similarity of tone between the two volumes, and they complement each other well. One annoyance is that, unless I'm missing something, one plot strand seems to disappear. It may be something that's picked up in future books, but it seemed a little abrupt here.
I'm a sucker for English catastrophes (I blame it on being frightened by a John Wyndham book in my pram), so I am easy pickings for these books, but I like them anyway. Here's to the next volume.