The Relentless Legion

The Divide #3

by J.S. Dewes

J. S. Dewes is back with her acclaimed and action packed Divide series (The Last Watch, The Exiled Fleet) where The Expanse meets the Night's Watch.

This program features multicast narration.

The Sentinels have rallied under the leadership of Adequin Rake, and Cavalon Mercer has uncovered the horrifying genetic solution his grandfather is about to unleash on the unsuspecting outer colonies.

Both Rake and Cavalon race against time to save the universe once again. They'll need every resource, every ally who might answer the call.

It might not be enough.

The Divide Series
The Last Watch
The Exiled Fleet
The Relentless Legion

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Space Opera, Space, Fantasy, Aliens

Audible Audio

First published November 12, 2024

About the author

J.S. Dewes is an author, cinematographer, and video editor who has written scripts for award-winning feature films and shorts. By day she writes video games for Humanoid Studios, and spends her free time drawing, scrolling ArtStation, cuddling her two sweet dogs and mercurial cat, and occasionally sleeping.

Her debut novel The Last Watch and its sequel The Exiled Fleet are out now from Tor Books. Her third book Rubicon is coming March 28, 2023.

She can be found on social media @jsdewes or her website jsdewes.com, and more stories set in the Divide universe can be found on her Patreon.

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
I enjoyed the Last Watch and it's sequel so I was interested to see the conclusion of the military science fiction trilogy. This was a solid ending that was very much on par with the last two and fans should be quite pleased. This series isn't a personal favourite of mine but as a solid science fiction series I still enjoyed quite a bit.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Liberty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to word the specific problems I've had with this book. It's not boring. And it's not like there are zero stakes. But the way this book was paced felt so off. The author spends so much time building up to these big moments and then they're over in the blink of an eye. The final "conflict" was a couple of pages long and at no point in time during those pages was I ever worried about our main characters. These characters might have gone through some shit, but they were never truly in danger of dying off. Somehow, with the combination of low stakes and odd pacing, we plodded along through the wrap up of this series.

I've said in previous reviews of this series that I need to meet this book where it's at in order to give it a fair chance, but even with those expectations set I was pretty let down with this one. It did involve some of the usual SciFi hijinks that scratched that itch for me (I refuse to do an Expanse reread. I swear.), but it also made it pretty obvious that there was still a lot of work to be done in this series to make it truly successful for me.

I enjoy Cavalon and Rake and Jackin and I love seeing their growth throughout the series. I also loved seeing how their little found family developed and grew over time. Between the characters and the SciFi hijinks I still had a good enough time reading this one, but it's not something I think I'll ever revisit.

[Jessica Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read all three of these in a ten day time span and I am Different™️ now.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I really enjoy these characters and the exploration of a platonic friendship, the plot had too many conveniences that made me lose my footing in the story.

[Gunnar Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this series and this entry was no exception. I’m not really a sci-fi guy but this series really hits all the right notes for me. The characters are fun, the tech is interesting, the lore is complicated and fascinating, and the ideas are complex and cool. I have two major issues that keep it from 5 stars.

1. The finale is blink and you’ll miss it. We have 450 pages of build up, followed by 50 pages of climax and resolution. What?? The ending just kind of happened, not that it wasn’t good, but it didn’t feel particularly earned.

SPOILERS

2. Jack and Rake? Really?? REALLY??? I’m not saying she should end up with Cavalon (although I’d be less upset by that) but Jack?? JACK??? It just doesn’t make sense to me. Idk. Maybe it works for other people.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointing ending to this series (assuming it was the ending? I'm a little confused about that). It started strong, but everything fell apart in the last quarter when the author deus ex machina'd a solution to one of the big plot points. Everything became laughably easy and convenient and got wrapped up really quickly. Plot points were left hanging, all of the political context that had been driving the narrative was handwaved away at the last moment. It's a shame because this series was so well-written and well-plotted but there was no real pay off at the end. The rest of the series is still worth reading but don't expect a satisfying resolution.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stars: 3 out of 5

I loved the first two books in this series. In fact, I rated both of them 5 stars, so I was both excited and apprehensive to pick up the final book in the trilogy. Would the author be able to stick the landing? Will the ending be a satisfying payoff for having invested so many hours into this story? Would the characters I grew to love get the futures they deserved? Would all the plotlines be tied up neatly (or messily, I don't care, as long as they are not left hanging)?

The answer is meh... kind of?

The biggest issue with this book is the pacing. The first two books were characterized by an almost breathless pacing where action was non-stop, and things went from bad to worse, yet the characters still persevered and somehow managed to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. This made for very tense, but also immersive reading. I remember finishing each of the first two books within 2-3 days of starting them.

This book, though... let's just say that it took me two weeks to get to just over 50%, after which I put it down and didn't touch it for half a year (set aside in June, and finished end of November).

The reason is that it's boring. Almost nothing happens for Rake or Cavalon for the first 50% of the book. Yes, we get some action in Jackin's POVs, but... let's just say that he is not having the best of times, so those passages are quite heavy, and with nothing to compensate for it in Rake and Cav's POVs, it makes for a long read. They are basically stuck in that ancient fortress, twiddling their thumbs and talking circles around what they could/should/might do. And when the action finally picks up, it's not because of a decision that Rake made, but because it was forced on her by Augustus. 

And then in the last quarter of the book, the pace suddenly revs up to 100mph, and everything careens towards the ending like a car without brakes. The ending is a jumbled mess. Too many deus ex machina moments and wins that are literally handed to our heroes on a silver platter. Why spend over half a book trying to find the cure to the mutagen, when it will be handed to them on a thumb drive in a parallel universe? Why portray Augustus as the big bad for three books just to resolve this situation in less than a chapter? Everything feels rushed and half-baked in the ending.

I would have rather the author sped up through the first slogging part of the book and took more time bringing all her plots to the resolutions they deserved.

The biggest strength of these books has always been the characters. I love Rake, and Jackin, and Cavalon as our protagonists. I grew to dearly care for them, as well as the side characters like Mesa, Griffin, Puck (oh, Puck)...

So as far as the characters go, this book does a good job with them. 

Cavalon especially gets a huge boost in character development. He finally overcomes his fear of abandonment, his impostor syndrome, and realizes that just because he is Augustus' clone doesn't mean he will become another Augustus. I loved watching him grow a spine and take charge of his own destiny.

Jackin gets a good send-off as well, though I feel like the horrors he went through in captivity weren't addressed as thoroughly as they should have been. There is no way he would be this okay after all this, as he is portrayed to be. I know the author wanted to have a happy ending for everyone, and I really want that as well, but it's just not realistic. He needs therapy. He needs rehab. His road to being physically and mentally okay would be a lot longer than it is portrayed to be.

My biggest disappointment, though, is what the author did with Rake. She was such a driving force in the previous two books! Yes, she had moments of doubt and despair, but she always knew when to act and get shit done. And it feels like the author took all of her agency in this book. She isn't acting, she is reacting. She is reacting to Jackin being back, she is responding to Augustus attacking the fortress, and she is reacting to the information Kaize gives her about the generation ships. In fact, the only time she seems to act on her own is when she takes Jackin to get his implants removed and when she decides to strike at the heart of Augustus' empire at the very end. Other than those instances, she is just spinning her wheels for three-quarters of the book, and it seems like everyone around her is trying to push her to do something, anything, and she just... procrastinates, is not the right word. Overthinks everything, maybe?

And because of that, the final promotion Lurgen tosses at her doesn't feel earned. She is portrayed as this great leader who is able to galvanize people and persuade them to follow her into a literal insurrection, but nothing in her actions in this book supports that. The previous books? Yes, absolutely. This book? It's like she is a different person. And that's so disappointing, because she has always been my favorite character.

I am, however, glad that we avoided the dreaded love triangle. I loved her friendship with Cav. They really felt like siblings more than colleagues or friends. 

So in summary, this is an okay ending to an otherwise great series.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[J. (JL) Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books so much. I feel like I recommend them on r/printSF pretty regularly. It's currently one of my favorite ongoing series, and this book was well worth the wait. Honestly, I thought the (probable) standalone Rubicon was going to be the third book in the series which led to a brief disappointment when I found out it wasn't (though it quickly faded, and the author actually answered some questions and did a zoom meeting for the book club I read it with which was so incredibly cool), but needless to say I had been looking forward to this one for awhile. I don't know if I agree with Amazon's tag of "the Expanse meets Game of Thrones," though I suppose vibes wise it does bear some similarities to the Expanse and we did, unfortunately, lose an awesome character this time, so maybe it's fair enough, but these books are very much their own thing. I've listened to the audio for them each time, and unlike the first two we now have a third POV character and third narrator. I can confidently say that the narrator for Cavalon sounds less like Zap Brannigan than he did in the first book or two, which is good because as the character has grown the Brannigan level of arrogance wouldn't really fit anymore. This book does a great job of resolving some things while still setting up the next narrative arc for the series. I have no clue how many more books there are going to be, if any, but I'm really hopeful we get some more. There's some first class world-building here and not everything has been resolved yet.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Relentless Legion by J.S. Dewes: A Thrilling Continuation

Having just finished The Relentless Legion, I can confidently say it was a thrilling and satisfying continuation of the series. J.S. Dewes masterfully balances high-stakes action with meaningful character development, creating a narrative that is as emotionally engaging as it is gripping.

The pacing of the story is relentless, true to its title. The stakes feel higher than ever, and the challenges faced by the crew are both physical and moral. Dewes excels at crafting tension, making each twist and turn feel impactful. The action sequences are cinematic, and the descriptions make it easy to visualize the chaos and heroism unfolding.

What stood out most to me was the growth of the characters. Their relationships deepen, and their struggles feel authentic, adding layers of complexity to the plot. The emotional beats hit hard, providing moments of introspection amidst the chaos.

If I had to critique anything, it might be that some of the world-building felt slightly rushed compared to the previous installments. However, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise stellar entry.

Overall, The Relentless Legion is a fantastic addition to the series, combining heart-pounding action with rich storytelling. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi with depth and heart.

[Sussu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh no.

How to take away everything I liked about books 1 and 2 and add in everything I enjoyd not having in book 2.

Way too many side plots, completely out of the blue, unbelievable romance, so much cheese, Rake's entire personality sucked out of her, insanely convinient resolutions to conflicts. So sad.

Read like a finale to a series where the author had no idea how to write any of it. Haven't been this disappointed with a third in a trilogy since Only Human.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like this one started off a little slow, but when the action got rolling, it really rolled! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great conclusion to the triology. Everything was wrapped up in a frenetic last 50 pages. At this point I will read anything Dewes writes, she has a great mix of space opera and characters you fall for. One star penalty for a plot thread that was way too obvious. I kept thinking that it might end up being a mis-direction but alas I was left yelling at characters that something bad was coming (they didn't listen)

[Kat Sanford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This came soooo close to a solid 4 stars. Despite “The Divide” being hawked as a great high-concept sci-fi series, where it truly shines is in its characters. The breakneck pace of the first book works against it slightly, but even then it’s easy to get attached, and in the series-high-point second book I absolutely fell in love with Rake, Cavalon, Jackin, Puck, Mesa, and everyone else. There’s some really fun ragtag-band-of-misfits energy here, a lot of scrappy throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks attitude, and that’s just not something I encounter often enough in science fiction (rare exceptions like “Firefly” notwithstanding). I’m a noted worldbuilding dork and I love me some technobabble, but this is a series where I had to consciously look past that and focus on the characters and their relationships to find my happy place.

The pacing in “The Relentless Legion” is again faster than in book 2, closer to book 1 levels, and that drags it down juuust a smidge. I needed a bit more of a chance to breathe than I got here, and there is so much plot to wrap up that I really didn’t get one. They’ve got to solve the problem of Augustus’s bioweapon (which we see in action, and boy howdy was that nightmare fuel), parse cryptic Viator comments about “caelestis” and “levalaine,” get Jackin back from the cliff book 2 left him dangling on, figure out how to handle the Rake/Cavalon/Jackin relationship triangle, work through more of Cav’s leftover trauma (my sweet baby boy!), and a dozen other issues. The plot has some fantastic twists, some I kinda called but most I didn’t.

Everything mostly wraps up by the end and we get to a satisfying place, though there is very clearly room for more stories should J.S. Dewes choose to return to this universe in the future. If this ends up being a single trilogy, I think most people will be happy with it; the entire Augustus storyline gets closed out, at least, and that was the driving force of most of the plot. I was also really happy with the resolution of the Rake/Cavalon/Jackin situation—NGL, I thought for a minute we were heading for a throuple, which I would have appreciated not because of any particular feeling towards poly relationships but because it’s something I just don’t see often in stories. But instead we end up with one romance and one platonic friendship love, and I am 100% down for that. Friendship IS magic, y’all.

My one serious qualm with the book, aside from the pacing, is that the ending comes so fast and so furious that it almost feels like Dewes was writing to a page limit. I was at page 475 of a 500-page book and we were only just getting to the climax, and as a result, there ends up being a lot of telling rather than showing in the final stretch. The Sentinels converging on Augustus and his stronghold could have been a big flashy battle or a tense stealth mission, and instead it just … happens, like surprise, we’re with Augustus now! And the character/story wrap-up post-climax had to happen even faster. Would it have killed her to add another 40 pages and slow it down a little?

But that’s just me whining. “The Divide” is a super fun series with wonderful characters, and I’d be very happy to come back to it if and when another story appears. There’s still all those unanswered questions, after all!

[Alexis Tari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh - I’m disappointed

For one the pacing of this book feels all over the place. 90% of the book is slow paced, which is fine- except at the end when the parts that could’ve been exciting and tense were completely glossed over???

We figured the cure! Now we’re infiltrating Mercer manor. Now we’re confronting granddaddy Mercer. Oh no he’s dead! Whoops. Like all in one chapter..

Why did a budding romance happen between Jack and Adequin? It felt so forced and unnecessary. If anything, Adequin had much more chemistry with Cavalon.

2.5, unfortunately since I was excited for this and re-read the whole series for it to be fresh

[jayashree · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you, like me, could not remember a bloody thing about the first two books since you read them so long ago (and book 3 plunges right in without any backstory), these two links will help:

https://www.jsdewes.com/divide-recaps

https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comm...

[Avdotja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could say it blew me away but it kind of fizzled out. I wanted to know more about the Viators, about the war between them and the humans and about the other species. And I love Cavalon (he really grew into his own) but the whole grandfather thing was blah in the end. If Dewes ever writes a prequel to the Divide, I'll be the first to read it.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having re-read the first two books, I dived straight into this and it grabbed me from the first page to the very last. It was absolute insanity in the best possible way!

As with the first two books, this one had fantastic pacing. It was full of action and twists and turns that had me flying through the pages. And yet still had plenty of those character moments that added to their growth perfectly. I love these characters so much! There's such a great found family aspect in here that was lovely to read.

My emotions were all over the place reading this. Excitement, joy, sadness, amazement; it covered them all and I love when a story does this to me.

This series had a great concept and interesting world. I thought the plot and pacing were perfect. But it's the characters that stole the show. I adored Adequin and Cavalon and the group that grows around them as they battle to save the world and try to be the best versions of themselves.

This series is being added to my favourites and will one hundred percent be re-read multiple times in the coming years. J.S Dewes is officially an auto buy author for me.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. Like, a lot. But I do have to caution that it took me a minute to get back into the world. That part is probably on me, but man I did not remember a lot of stuff that had happened! Once I did manage to get a grip, of course I was thrilled to be back with the characters and the world. Now, the question I do still have is, is this the final book? Well, I haven't a clue! My gut says no, because it didn't fully feel like a final book? Like- it wraps up some plot threads nicely, but there is still tons of room to expand, so.

But as always, I enjoyed the complex bonds among the characters, and how they deal with all the high stakes adventures. The story takes some pretty interesting twists, too, especially a few things I did not see coming.  Overall, another solid installment in the series, and I would one hundred percent be here for more to come!

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a sci-fi series that will keep you on your toes but also has an incredible cast of characters, this is it!

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

[Jacob Kopnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 and very minor spoilers below.

I love these characters and this world so much that I'm probably too willing to forgive larger issues present here. That's why it pains me to say that the pacing felt like a miss. The first half churns along at a slow-burn rate and really offers a very thorough inspection of the characters' emotional nuances and of the legion's tactical and strategic woes. Then the second half houses an unhealthy amount of amphetamines and slingshots you through some genuinely riveting set pieces.

This dichotomous pacing is not, by itself, an issue, if Dewes was more willing to revert back to the slower pace after the rush of the second act's events. Needless to say that doesn't happen, and, instead, the problem gets worse. In the last 30-ish pages, it feels as though Dewes was in a rush to put a ribbon on the series, or at least this 3-book arc, and had to squeeze in a monumental ending in under 500 pages.

And, honestly, that's what may be the most disappointing development. I want more of this world and this series. Witnessing these fabulous characters solve massively complex, high-stakes issues was an absolute joy, but it feels like the second half of this one was largely bereft of that feeling. The third act was simply just wrapped up with too neat of a bow in too short a time.

(**actual spoilers time**) The fact that we didn't get an all-out war between the legion and Augustus' forces, or something more akin to that reality, is a deep afront to the phenomenal world Dewes has built. It felt like the perfect next phase for this series. The first installment was a minute-by-minute white-knuckle survival story. The second was a day-by-day survival romp that begins to inject the need for more long-term strategic thinking. The third, mostly, then shifted the series to the realities of that thinking and focused on the new demands on our characters. It just felt like Augustus posed such a far greater threat than he ended up being and that future installments would have explored the characters meeting those challenges and confronting a galaxy-wide war.

Here's to hoping the next entries in the series, which will undoubtedly shift the focus to be on the strains presented by alien species flooding into humanity's galaxy, slows things down and lets the characters and Dewes' penchant for setting up and solving great, galactic challenges shine. Because, for all this critique, I've immensely enjoyed immersing in this world and just want more of it.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

4.75

I read the first two books of The Divide in 2021 and I have been eagerly anticipating this continuation ever since I finished The Exiled Fleet. It's been a couple of years since then, so I did reread the first two before jumping into this one and I would recommend going that route. Or at the very least reading the recaps Dewes has published on her website because this book picks up only a few months post The Exiled Fleet.

In The Relentless Legion, we see Rake, Cavalon, and the Sentinels race to foil Augustus Mercer's plot to "save" humanity by killing the majority of them in a genetically engineered plague. The plot almost solely focuses on the fight against Augustus who is textbook genocidal maniac and honestly I found getting lost in this fictional fight against corrupt powers to be really cathartic. We also get tidbits of more aliens and other universes and some really cool technology and worldbuilding that leaves me eager for more.

I'm not sure if there are plans to continue this series, because this book wraps up a pretty big plot thread; however, there is still the mystery of the collapsing Divide and considering that's the series title I am hopeful for more!

Where the first two books have a dual narration, this installment keeps Andrew Eiden as Cavalon and Nicol Zanzarella as Rake but also adds Anthony Rey Perez as Jackin. I continue to love Nicol and Andrew's performances (and the friendship between Rake and Cav) and loved to see Jackin's POV considering where he was left at the end of Book 2. Unfortunately I did not love his narration quite as much as the other two. I think the acting choices fit his personality, but the gruff/gravely voice started to become grating for me towards the end of the book.

Overall, if you are also disappointed by the continued removal of "genre science fiction" in things like the Goodreads Choice Awards, I highly recommend trying out this series! It is full of loveable idiot characters and detailed world building and weird science and I cannot recommend it enough!

[Greg Barlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to one of the better sci-fi trilogies I have read, the Sentinels once again try to defy odds to save humanity. The first act of the book is a bit slower, with a lot of time spent on setting up the remainder of the novel, but once the story finds its firm footing, it barrels ahead during the second and third acts. The characters we came to know and love from the first two books are back and well established, and because we know them that opens the door to a deeper exploration of portions of their psyches and relationships. One thing The Relentless Legion doesn't do as much of as previous books in the series is completely zig when you think it's going to zag. That unpredictability was a staple of the first two books, and while there are plenty of unexpected occurrences, Dewes is on a mission to wrap things up, and any more drastic adjustments to plot would make that impossible.

And wrap things up she does, in a satisfactory way. There is room for more story if she wants it and she leaves the door open for that, but The Relentless Legion puts a bow on a terrific trilogy and one that I would highly recommend.

My full review is here: https://www.barlinsbooks.com/post/the...

Also, if you're like me and forgot some of the details of the previous books, I recap the last half of The Exiled Fleet in that review to get you primed and remembering where things left off before starting this one. Enjoy!

[Bets O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to J. S. Dewes and Tor Publishing Group (through Netgalley) for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Relentless Legion is my most anticipated release this year. To say I’m obsessed with this series is an understatement. I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the continuation of Rake and Cavalon’s story.

I was not disappointed.

If you are familiar with the first two books I would highly suggest doing a reread. One, because they're fantastic – the audiobooks are incredible, and two, there's a lot going on and a refresher is never a bad idea.

While the big plot point (the Divide shrinking) seems to get put on the back burner, the Sentinels are once again saving humanity from certain doom. And this time it's personal.

I cannot begin to describe the love I have for the cast of The Divide. They're a family, and this book really brings to light the relationships between the characters. There is a whole space ship’s worth of growth, hard truths, and crying (on my end, I shed many tears).

I’m not positive if this is the final book in the series. Personally, I hope not. I’m extremely excited to listen to The Relentless Legion's audiobook. I’ve listened to the first two books a couple of times and my inner dialogue while reading sounded exactly like the narrators. They're my favorite duo!

My only complaint is that Cavalon was not nearly sweaty enough.

Available November 12, 2024.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride this book was, especially those last 100 pages!

This book picks up a few months after what happens in The Exiled Fleet.

The characters really made this series and this book for me in all honesty. I loved the addition of another point of view in this book (very biased opinion). There’s more character development and relationship (romantic and platonic) focus in this one. You can tell how much the characters have grown since the beginning. Though I will note that some characters get more page time than others and it did feel like some characters fell off a bit at times. Also, if I’m being honest, I expected more characters to not make it to the end (though I’m not complaining).

Given how much I love these characters and the overall story, I wasn't really bothered by the way the book was paced, but I know that's been something others have mentioned. The pacing felt pretty on par with the rest of the series where there’s a lot of action at the end and a lot of build up to that moment.

Overall, I absolutely adored these characters and would definitely read more books following them. There seems to be an opening for the writer to continue despite one of the main conflicts being resolved by the end.

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing end to the series as it was resolved with a deus ex machina and had poorly written characters that seemed too emotional for battle scarred warriors. The largest plotline is still unresolved and I believe is unlikely to be resolved as the series is ended. The final resolution also took 5 pages.

[Andi · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s been three years since the last installment, and I can’t remember a darned thing. The author really needed to include a prologue to recap the events in the two prior books so readers would have a clue about the characters and plot.

Fifty pages in, I still have no recollection of what’s going on. I’m done.

[Whitney (SecretSauceofStorycraft) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A seemingly satisfying conclusion…

Gotta be honest this book dragged in the beginning to middle. There was no summary from what happened before and I didnt remember the details of previous— which took me too long to remember. However the story did pick up eventually. The resolution was a bit “magical”& convienent for me but still decent. Would still recommend.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was really slow, but the second half was chock-full of action sequences. If there is a fourth novel in this series, I will probably read it

[Crowinator · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying end to one of my favorite space opera series, with an ending that definitely leaves the possibility of more books open.

[Naffa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

You know when you were in high school and you hadn’t had the time (or just didn’t want) to read a book you were supposed to read and so resorted to an online summary that essentially provided a bullet point recap of each chapter? This is what the last 50 pages of this book felt like.

I had loved the series so far, but I am very sorry to say that the way it ended (not the events, but the fact that basically what could’ve been a full novel was cramped into 50 or less pages) kind of ruined it for me. My guess was that the publisher wanted the story to end here no matter the cost, and the author had to adapt the ending in order to get everything to fit into a single book. I’m a bit heartbroken.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first two. Maybe too much time has passed since #2, but I struggled to remember characters (probably due to my old age) and what happened. This one was very heavy on feelings and emotions and less action.