John Fraser's last work of fiction, Hard Places, was a series of novellas concerning physical and moral dilemmas, left unresolved at the expense of the protagonist. This sequel, Soft Landing, is the opposite - a novel of quest and adventure, in which scruple is overcome, and demanding or impossible situations have outcomes favourable to the hero. The trail takes us from urban violence to Eldorado, the regime of a bikers' club, and the secret finds of a prospectors' camp. The last section shows all puzzles solved, and the protagonists' return home with gifts. In keeping with the tale's sour vision of a crumbling present, the landing though soft, is not pleasant.