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The Paladin Prophecy #3
The The Paladin Prophecy: Rogue: Book Three
The third and final instalment of the epic Paladin series by Mark Frost, the screenwriter of Fantastic Four and co-creator of Twin Peaks. Will West is playing a dangerous game. Months after uncovering the sinister Paladin Prophecy plot, he continues to work with the mastermind behind the project – none other than his own grandfather, Franklin Greenwood. Will cooperates in order to keep his friends safe. But are they really secure in the hands of a madman?Thrilling mystery and electrifying suspense abound in Mark Frost’s action-packed Paladin Prophecy series, which is compelling to the very last page.
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First published September 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
July 21, 2020
This last book in the series was fast paced, action packed and quite entertaining.
Will found out the pocket book and evil mastermind behind the paladin prophecy project was his own grandfather, Franklin Greenwood. His only weakness was his desire to have his grandson come on-board his evil plan to take over the world. Will used this to his advantage to keep his friends safe and put a wrench in his plans.
I really enjoyed it. Four stars!
Will found out the pocket book and evil mastermind behind the paladin prophecy project was his own grandfather, Franklin Greenwood. His only weakness was his desire to have his grandson come on-board his evil plan to take over the world. Will used this to his advantage to keep his friends safe and put a wrench in his plans.
I really enjoyed it. Four stars!
June 19, 2018
I liked the first two books in the Paladin Prophecy well enough, but the conclusion was very weak. Rogue was anticlimactic, incomplete, and shallow. There was little character development of Will West and his intrepid friends, but off they went into another dimensional world to battle an inconceivable alien threat. Despite non-stop action there, it was boring and I really did not care who won. The final battle seems like the most inconsequential of all in the series, and the real enemy, the evil Makers, were boring. And when Will and his friends returned, the ones trying to master the Makers had all disappeared. Poor ending to the story and series.
June 27, 2016
Okay, so, um, what happened? The series ended like that? There was so many things left unsolved!
Brooke has betrayed them. All along she had been working with the Knights of Charlemagne. Now Will is working for Franklin Greenwood, his grandfather. If he doesn’t do what he says, his friends are dead. But aren’t they dead anyways? Will and his friends hatch a plan to escape from Franklin and the Knights. In escaping they’ll set out to save the world from the monsters from the Never-Was, by entering the Never-Was. This crazy plan may just claim some of their lives.
So um, the characters were pretty great in this one. All their neat abilities seem to be expanding or getting better in one form or another. Will has a sort of telekinesis (which, by the way, I’ve always loved that sort of ability). His stamina and healing is off the charts. He can run fast. He also has a bit of a telepathic ability. It’s all cool, and it’s getting cooler. Elise is now one of my favorites. The way she manipulates sound with her voice. It’s amazing. And I love her telepathic connection with Will. Now that’s Brooke it out of the picture, I’ve started to like her relationship with Will. Ajay is as smart as ever. His sight just keeps getting better and better. His memory is…wow. He’s learning to be more brave than he ever was. Nick’s agility skills are awesome. He may not be the smartest, but I love his loyalty. And he’s the most relaxed dude in the group. He’s just so chill about it all (for the most part, anyways) and it is absolutely hilarious.
So the writing confused me. It wasn’t the pace, the pace was pretty great in this one. But at times, in random paragraphs it seemed to switch points of view. It was really weird and disconcerting because there was no pause in the flow, but at one moment it was Will’s point of view and then at another is was Elise’s or anyone else’s point of view. I don’t know what happened.
The plot was very exciting. The Never-Was was so interesting. There were so many weird things about it. It was a scary and dangerous place. It was intense, life threatening, and just plain fun. The only major complaint I had about it was that the Alliance never seemed to have a definite plan to defeat the monsters or the Knights of Charlemagne. Their plans always seemed random and impulsive. Even the plan they had in this one seemed so unrealistic. I mean, where did it come from and how did they come up with it? The ending felt so unfinished. I don’t mind a few things left to your imagination, but this was too much. It frustrated me.
There was some language and a little bit of kissing. But nothing much. The book got a bit spiritual as started to explain how everything was connected. It began to sound like karma or something close to it.
So, this wasn’t the best book. It was a bit better than book two, but the first book was still the best of the whole trilogy. But if you’re interested in something fun, with superpowers, and action packed, I recommend this. It was still pretty good.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
Brooke has betrayed them. All along she had been working with the Knights of Charlemagne. Now Will is working for Franklin Greenwood, his grandfather. If he doesn’t do what he says, his friends are dead. But aren’t they dead anyways? Will and his friends hatch a plan to escape from Franklin and the Knights. In escaping they’ll set out to save the world from the monsters from the Never-Was, by entering the Never-Was. This crazy plan may just claim some of their lives.
So um, the characters were pretty great in this one. All their neat abilities seem to be expanding or getting better in one form or another. Will has a sort of telekinesis (which, by the way, I’ve always loved that sort of ability). His stamina and healing is off the charts. He can run fast. He also has a bit of a telepathic ability. It’s all cool, and it’s getting cooler. Elise is now one of my favorites. The way she manipulates sound with her voice. It’s amazing. And I love her telepathic connection with Will. Now that’s Brooke it out of the picture, I’ve started to like her relationship with Will. Ajay is as smart as ever. His sight just keeps getting better and better. His memory is…wow. He’s learning to be more brave than he ever was. Nick’s agility skills are awesome. He may not be the smartest, but I love his loyalty. And he’s the most relaxed dude in the group. He’s just so chill about it all (for the most part, anyways) and it is absolutely hilarious.
So the writing confused me. It wasn’t the pace, the pace was pretty great in this one. But at times, in random paragraphs it seemed to switch points of view. It was really weird and disconcerting because there was no pause in the flow, but at one moment it was Will’s point of view and then at another is was Elise’s or anyone else’s point of view. I don’t know what happened.
The plot was very exciting. The Never-Was was so interesting. There were so many weird things about it. It was a scary and dangerous place. It was intense, life threatening, and just plain fun. The only major complaint I had about it was that the Alliance never seemed to have a definite plan to defeat the monsters or the Knights of Charlemagne. Their plans always seemed random and impulsive. Even the plan they had in this one seemed so unrealistic. I mean, where did it come from and how did they come up with it? The ending felt so unfinished. I don’t mind a few things left to your imagination, but this was too much. It frustrated me.
There was some language and a little bit of kissing. But nothing much. The book got a bit spiritual as started to explain how everything was connected. It began to sound like karma or something close to it.
So, this wasn’t the best book. It was a bit better than book two, but the first book was still the best of the whole trilogy. But if you’re interested in something fun, with superpowers, and action packed, I recommend this. It was still pretty good.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
September 16, 2015
Oh my goodness that was BAD!
Of course the action was OK, but not particularly frightening, engaging, thrilling, or otherwise of interest. Actually, action-wise it felt a lot like a Saturday morning cartoon... not all that much deeper than "Thundar the Barbarian" (Remember him? *smile*)
The biggest disappointment was the writing, itself. This feels VERY much like a 1st draft or 2nd draft. It's just clunky, all cheap tricks, and no real danger. I mean, how many "Oh by the way, I have just the skill or tool we need for this!" moments can you have? It's just way way way unbelievable. It feels cheap.
Again, Thundar.
The climax was just about anything BUT a climax. I kept waiting for something bigger or more frightening or more epic to happen. But instead the last chapter was a very short, fast wind down.
So, in short, it's way way below what I think this author is really capable of. He could have really put out an awesome story -- double the length and actually tell us what the people are feeling and thinking and describe things more. Triple the length and give us more history and background and culture and it'd maybe even be a classic.
But as it, it's Poptarts and Thundar...
Of course the action was OK, but not particularly frightening, engaging, thrilling, or otherwise of interest. Actually, action-wise it felt a lot like a Saturday morning cartoon... not all that much deeper than "Thundar the Barbarian" (Remember him? *smile*)
The biggest disappointment was the writing, itself. This feels VERY much like a 1st draft or 2nd draft. It's just clunky, all cheap tricks, and no real danger. I mean, how many "Oh by the way, I have just the skill or tool we need for this!" moments can you have? It's just way way way unbelievable. It feels cheap.
Again, Thundar.
The climax was just about anything BUT a climax. I kept waiting for something bigger or more frightening or more epic to happen. But instead the last chapter was a very short, fast wind down.
So, in short, it's way way below what I think this author is really capable of. He could have really put out an awesome story -- double the length and actually tell us what the people are feeling and thinking and describe things more. Triple the length and give us more history and background and culture and it'd maybe even be a classic.
But as it, it's Poptarts and Thundar...
September 12, 2015
Ok here goes.
Rogue finishes off the YA trilogy Frost began which combines bits of James Bond Alex Rider , and the supernatural. The premise follows the set YA (chosen heroes tasked with saving world) trope but it manages to keep things fresh (at least for me) by including the supernatural elements. If you thought that the mind-reading, force walls and scream-attacks would cease after the middle slump, you'd be wrong. In fact, the supernatural hijacks the entire series.
I still feel like there should be two hundred pages (judging based off of book one's length) that we are missing. I liked the depth of level of description of book one. We really lose that (definitely in book two and slightly less in book three).
The characters are certainly distinct in their machinations. Although I found one's (Nick) faults to be so overplayed and annoying. It wasn't until much later on that he started thinking like the strategist he was supposed to be and begin redeeming his character. Shame.
I thought that the trilogy as a whole is a solid YA. While it does bring new themes to my table, it doesn't change up the formula too much. I'd give the trilogy a solid 3.75 as a whole (accounting for what I see as a lack of some vital descriptions, a few loose ends left loose, and the slumpy middle book).
One of the reasons that I am hesitant to write this off as merely a trilogy is because of the loose ends left unanswered. Granted, not every story needs to end with an epilogue of the characters after all is said and done, but a little closure would leave readers from anticipating a fourth novel down the line.
Mild character spoilers (from a character not related to book 3. Tread below at your own risk).
What happened to Nando? It looked like he was actually going to end up PI'ing for Will, but we saw neither hide nor hair of him. Not even a casual mention by the end. That miffed me a little more than it probably should.
Anyway, it was a decent YA trilogy. Deals with some unique themes, but familiar YA tropes.
Rogue finishes off the YA trilogy Frost began which combines bits of
I still feel like there should be two hundred pages (judging based off of book one's length) that we are missing. I liked the depth of level of description of book one. We really lose that (definitely in book two and slightly less in book three).
The characters are certainly distinct in their machinations. Although I found one's (Nick) faults to be so overplayed and annoying. It wasn't until much later on that he started thinking like the strategist he was supposed to be and begin redeeming his character. Shame.
I thought that the trilogy as a whole is a solid YA. While it does bring new themes to my table, it doesn't change up the formula too much. I'd give the trilogy a solid 3.75 as a whole (accounting for what I see as a lack of some vital descriptions, a few loose ends left loose, and the slumpy middle book).
One of the reasons that I am hesitant to write this off as merely a trilogy is because of the loose ends left unanswered. Granted, not every story needs to end with an epilogue of the characters after all is said and done, but a little closure would leave readers from anticipating a fourth novel down the line.
Mild character spoilers (from a character not related to book 3. Tread below at your own risk).
What happened to Nando? It looked like he was actually going to end up PI'ing for Will, but we saw neither hide nor hair of him. Not even a casual mention by the end. That miffed me a little more than it probably should.
Anyway, it was a decent YA trilogy. Deals with some unique themes, but familiar YA tropes.
November 21, 2018
Given how much I liked the first to books of this series, I really don't know what to say other than 'not what I was expecting'. To be completely honest this book confused the heck out of me for a number of reasons. In the first few chapters we were thrown around the timeline without any clear indicators as to what's going on. And speaking of being thrown around, we also jump from POV to POV really awkwardly. I loved Will in the previous books, but in Rogue I found myself becoming increasingly meh and why with him (hope that makes at least a little sense) The ending also brought up more questions than answers and definitely not in the cliffhanger kind of way. Overall I'm kinda on the fence for this one.
April 14, 2016
My name is Elise. Will convinced us to enter the Never-Was in order to rescue a Guardian named Dave. We need his help to stop creatures from invading our world. I'm able to use my voice as a weapon or a tool, and Will and I have improved our mental communication. I taught Ajay how to do it too, but all of his abilities are growing at an amazing rate. We need all of our powers, because the monsters, land, and plants all seem out to kill us, and Dave is being held captive in the middle of an army numbering hundreds of thousands troops. What chance does our group of five have against them? But all humans will be destroyed if we can't figure out some way to close a portal between our worlds.
This book is different from the prior books in the series. The plot starts slowly, as characters reveal more information about the Others and the history of the Paladin Prophecy. However, Will and his friends actually enter the Never-Was in chapters 4 & 5, so things become much more interesting. There are action and adventure, as the characters travel through the bizarre world and try to outsmart the intimidating, huge army. As mentioned, Ajay's character goes through some dramatic changes which makes him intriguing. The end of this book feels like there should be another sequel, but I haven't been able to find one. Questions remain about the transformation of the main characters and the intentions of any Knights who still exist in our world.
This book is different from the prior books in the series. The plot starts slowly, as characters reveal more information about the Others and the history of the Paladin Prophecy. However, Will and his friends actually enter the Never-Was in chapters 4 & 5, so things become much more interesting. There are action and adventure, as the characters travel through the bizarre world and try to outsmart the intimidating, huge army. As mentioned, Ajay's character goes through some dramatic changes which makes him intriguing. The end of this book feels like there should be another sequel, but I haven't been able to find one. Questions remain about the transformation of the main characters and the intentions of any Knights who still exist in our world.
March 1, 2018
If you've just finished book 1 or 2 and this is you looking for a sign that this book series is not worth finishing - this is your sign. Maybe I just don't like this writing style but you can tell the author is used to writing scripts. All the emotion is lacking, there's no paragraph where Will explores his feelings of betrayal, longing to see Dave again, or reflection on his friends at all. just action action action. It's not my style, and if you're like me and hoped it would get better it really doesn't. The resolution is weak, I'm left with a million questions that I assume would get answered in a slightly foreshadowed sequel series I'm never going to read.
February 7, 2016
I skimmed a lot. I liked the first book, the second not quite as much, and the third was mostly to complete the series. I wanted to like it more, but I felt like it didn't connect well with everything else. It was just a lot of strange, fantasy action with no real plot driving it. It was weird. Like I said, I skimmed a bunch, mostly to get to the end. I didn't feel like a lot happened in the book. Just getting to the end...
August 1, 2022
4,5 stars - English Ebook
Quote: “I can think of no measurable way to assign a value to that. This is a priceless treasure. After so many disappointments in my personal life, I could never have hoped for more.”
“For me, too.” Will held his gaze and smiled shyly. “Grandfather?”
“Yes, Will.”
“You’ve told me that, as we get to know each other, you wanted nothing more than to gain my trust.”
“That continues to mean more to me than I have words to express. . . .”
Franklin’s voice caught in his throat, choked with emotion. Moisture appeared in his hazy blue eyes. He gulped down another half glass of champagne, then took a pocket square from his crested blue school blazer and dabbed away some tears.
“You don’t have to say anything, Grandpa. And I only hope that, with all you’ve seen and heard from me these last few weeks, I’ve gained your trust as well.”
“Yes, of course.” Franklin folded and pocketed his handkerchief and smiled benignly. “How may I convey that to you, Will?”
“I think I’m ready to hear the whole story.”-
Will West is playing a dangerous game. Months after uncovering the Paladin Prophecy plot to destroy all of humankind,
Will continues to work with the mastermind behind the project, none other than his own grandfather, Franklin Greenwood. Will cooperates in order to keep his friends safe. But are they really secure in the hands of a madman?
Under constant surveillance, Will and his friends secretly devise a plan to defeat his grandfather and the sinister Knights of Charlemagne.
The team must enter the Never-Was, a hellish land beyond our own, and find an elusive group of supernatural beings called the Hierarchy. But as the battle approaches, the alliance uncovers old secrets that threaten to tear them apart.
Can they protect Earth from the demons beyond? Or will a rogue player destroy them and the world they live in?
Rogue finishes off the YA trilogy Frost began which combines bits of James Bond, no, Alex Rider , and the supernatural. The premise follows the set YA trope but it manages to keep things fresh by including the supernatural elements.
If you thought that the mind-reading, force walls and scream-attacks would cease after the middle slump, you'd be wrong. In fact, the supernatural hijacks the entire series.
I mist a little dept in this book but the action and adventure together with plot twist made this book good fot me.
I thought that the trilogy as a whole is surtely a solid YA. While it does bring new themes to my table, it doesn't change up the formula too much.
One of the reasons that I am hesitant to write this off as merely a trilogy is because of the loose ends left unanswered.
Granted, not every story needs to end with an epilogue of the characters after all is said and done, but a little closure would leave readers from anticipating a fourth novel down the line. But that is mine opinion.
Quote: “I can think of no measurable way to assign a value to that. This is a priceless treasure. After so many disappointments in my personal life, I could never have hoped for more.”
“For me, too.” Will held his gaze and smiled shyly. “Grandfather?”
“Yes, Will.”
“You’ve told me that, as we get to know each other, you wanted nothing more than to gain my trust.”
“That continues to mean more to me than I have words to express. . . .”
Franklin’s voice caught in his throat, choked with emotion. Moisture appeared in his hazy blue eyes. He gulped down another half glass of champagne, then took a pocket square from his crested blue school blazer and dabbed away some tears.
“You don’t have to say anything, Grandpa. And I only hope that, with all you’ve seen and heard from me these last few weeks, I’ve gained your trust as well.”
“Yes, of course.” Franklin folded and pocketed his handkerchief and smiled benignly. “How may I convey that to you, Will?”
“I think I’m ready to hear the whole story.”-
Will West is playing a dangerous game. Months after uncovering the Paladin Prophecy plot to destroy all of humankind,
Will continues to work with the mastermind behind the project, none other than his own grandfather, Franklin Greenwood. Will cooperates in order to keep his friends safe. But are they really secure in the hands of a madman?
Under constant surveillance, Will and his friends secretly devise a plan to defeat his grandfather and the sinister Knights of Charlemagne.
The team must enter the Never-Was, a hellish land beyond our own, and find an elusive group of supernatural beings called the Hierarchy. But as the battle approaches, the alliance uncovers old secrets that threaten to tear them apart.
Can they protect Earth from the demons beyond? Or will a rogue player destroy them and the world they live in?
Rogue finishes off the YA trilogy Frost began which combines bits of James Bond, no, Alex Rider , and the supernatural. The premise follows the set YA trope but it manages to keep things fresh by including the supernatural elements.
If you thought that the mind-reading, force walls and scream-attacks would cease after the middle slump, you'd be wrong. In fact, the supernatural hijacks the entire series.
I mist a little dept in this book but the action and adventure together with plot twist made this book good fot me.
I thought that the trilogy as a whole is surtely a solid YA. While it does bring new themes to my table, it doesn't change up the formula too much.
One of the reasons that I am hesitant to write this off as merely a trilogy is because of the loose ends left unanswered.
Granted, not every story needs to end with an epilogue of the characters after all is said and done, but a little closure would leave readers from anticipating a fourth novel down the line. But that is mine opinion.
December 13, 2021
The book “Paladin Prophecy Rogue” is the third and final book in the Paladin Prophecy series, written by Mark Frost. This book is mainly about Will West finalizing his dangerous journey after discovering a plot to destroy the world. After finding out that his own grandfather Franklin Greenwood is behind it, he cooperates with him in order to ensure the safety of his friends. Then he and his friends create a plan to defeat his grandfather along with the Knights Of Charlemagne, a group of enemies they had previously struggled to deal with in the previous book. But to accomplish these goals, Will and his friends travel to an alternate world called the “Never-Was,” and are tasked with rescuing Will’s previous guardian. However, this clear goal is suddenly plagued by mistrust in the group, as secrets about each other are revealed that have the potential to doom the group of their goal.
Overall, I found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the book. Since it was the third entry in a series I had never read before, I found the beginning to be somewhat perplexing as it was building up on events that occurred in the previous entries. The plot wasn’t very exciting; most of it was predictable and opportunistic, as the group would solve a conflict with not much effort put into it as if they were pulling out a rabbit of a magician’s hat. The ending felt a little bit incomplete and simple as well. The book in general lacks depth, or as if there are parts of it missing that were thrown out, and what remains is a non-existent sketch of a book that was crafted to mark a strong finalization to the series. I would not recommend this book to those who haven’t read the first two entries in the series, as I feel they could provide greater context and width to the main events and characters in the book.
Overall, I found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the book. Since it was the third entry in a series I had never read before, I found the beginning to be somewhat perplexing as it was building up on events that occurred in the previous entries. The plot wasn’t very exciting; most of it was predictable and opportunistic, as the group would solve a conflict with not much effort put into it as if they were pulling out a rabbit of a magician’s hat. The ending felt a little bit incomplete and simple as well. The book in general lacks depth, or as if there are parts of it missing that were thrown out, and what remains is a non-existent sketch of a book that was crafted to mark a strong finalization to the series. I would not recommend this book to those who haven’t read the first two entries in the series, as I feel they could provide greater context and width to the main events and characters in the book.
May 20, 2024
Wish they would continue the series does kind of just end abruptly, but still a very good read
February 5, 2017
This final outing of the Paladin Prophecy series ultimately falls flat. With the build-up of the first two books, I felt like so much more could have been done with the ending. It was almost like Frost got tired of writing it out, and he kind of decided just to get the story over with, content to leave much of the open-endedness of the story to fend for itself.
The group of friends, led by Will, make a plan to escape travel into the Never-Was to find their lost angel buddy, Dave, who has the ability to call in reinforcements from the Hierarchy to face the forces of evil. Coach Jericho, the shaman who can turn into a bear, goes with them to help and guide them along the way. The Never-Was is a fascinating place to have an adventure, filled with carnivorous plants, snake men, and many other dangers along the way. The journey is perilous and exciting, keeping the reading turning pages in search of that ultimate climax. The kids' powers are becoming keener along the way, which makes you think there is going to be an all-out power battle in the end.
The ending was disappointing. Their is no resolution with Will's grandfather, the Knights of Charlamegne, Lyle Ogilvy, or the Hierarchy. We're just left with a scenario where the kids need to blow up a thing and escape. Once back in their own world, life just goes magically back to normal, and we don't get as much closure to many of the things that made this story so great in the first place. The complexity of the first two books had me believing that there would be much more mystery/reveal at the end. But it turned out to be more of a problem that is solved by a smash-and-run scenario that, I'm sure, would look fun on the big-screen but ultimately leaves the lovers of good storytelling without much meat. I was really hoping for more.
It's not a bad book, but it could have been better. Finish the series at your own peril, or read the first two and make up your own ending. It may be more satisfying.
The group of friends, led by Will, make a plan to escape travel into the Never-Was to find their lost angel buddy, Dave, who has the ability to call in reinforcements from the Hierarchy to face the forces of evil. Coach Jericho, the shaman who can turn into a bear, goes with them to help and guide them along the way. The Never-Was is a fascinating place to have an adventure, filled with carnivorous plants, snake men, and many other dangers along the way. The journey is perilous and exciting, keeping the reading turning pages in search of that ultimate climax. The kids' powers are becoming keener along the way, which makes you think there is going to be an all-out power battle in the end.
The ending was disappointing. Their is no resolution with Will's grandfather, the Knights of Charlamegne, Lyle Ogilvy, or the Hierarchy. We're just left with a scenario where the kids need to blow up a thing and escape. Once back in their own world, life just goes magically back to normal, and we don't get as much closure to many of the things that made this story so great in the first place. The complexity of the first two books had me believing that there would be much more mystery/reveal at the end. But it turned out to be more of a problem that is solved by a smash-and-run scenario that, I'm sure, would look fun on the big-screen but ultimately leaves the lovers of good storytelling without much meat. I was really hoping for more.
It's not a bad book, but it could have been better. Finish the series at your own peril, or read the first two and make up your own ending. It may be more satisfying.
December 7, 2017
Rogue by Mark Frost was an amazing thriller, and a great third to the series. The last book ended on a cliffhanger so I already was waiting for this book, and he did very well with it. Will and his friends besides the betrayer were captured by Will’s crazy uncle who is working with the Ancients from the Never-Was to take over the world. Will is going along with his uncle to protect his friends, but during this time, they plan and execute their plan to launch themselves into the Never-Was. There they go searching through all the dangers there, to find and destroy what the Ancients are working on. I really thought this book was a great finish to the series, showing the characters and making them very life-like. I also really like the science and fantasy part of this book, and how they developed the powers and personality of everyone in the story. I think the theme of this book is, life changes you change, but friends and family should never change. These characters have several near death experiences, they are betrayed, ripped apart inside, but they are still best friends. This was a fantastic end to the series, I would rate it five stars.
August 19, 2018
I am honestly this close to crying right now. I believe that the first time I read this, I wasn't approaching it with an open mind and so many things just didn't make sense. But now, I notice so, so much at the core of everything about Rogue and the Paladin Prophecy series as a whole.
At it's core, the series is truly about friendship and building your own family, and I just love it so much. I could never see myself as a student at the Center, but fitting into the group is a whole different matter. I just love Will and Elise and Nick and Ajay and Jericho and maybe even Brooke so much, and if they were real people I'd want to be with them.
The character development, throughout the series as a whole, is one of the best I've seen within a whole series, and the fact that it's packed into only three books...it's absolutely amazing. It's not just how they grow their talents, but how they grow as people over just half a year and learn to really live in a world where nothing is as it seems.
But oh my god I'm in love with this series, and I'm so glad I have the whole trilogy to read over and over again whenever I feel the need.
At it's core, the series is truly about friendship and building your own family, and I just love it so much. I could never see myself as a student at the Center, but fitting into the group is a whole different matter. I just love Will and Elise and Nick and Ajay and Jericho and maybe even Brooke so much, and if they were real people I'd want to be with them.
The character development, throughout the series as a whole, is one of the best I've seen within a whole series, and the fact that it's packed into only three books...it's absolutely amazing. It's not just how they grow their talents, but how they grow as people over just half a year and learn to really live in a world where nothing is as it seems.
But oh my god I'm in love with this series, and I'm so glad I have the whole trilogy to read over and over again whenever I feel the need.
May 1, 2019
A final push to the suspenseful end, all bets are off. This is the final book in the Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost, the title is Rouge. Rouge and the rest of The Paladin Prophecy feels shallow like a demo or a teaser to a movie. Mark Frost use a couple of elements to encapsulate the reader and never let them go. The first element that Mark uses is the continuity suspense. The suspense that lures the reader and dangles him right above the answer to the problems that have arose and, then leaves his reader hanging there and goes for a lunch break. The sense of the reader benign through it all really isn't there, now the book is presented in third person so feeling like a part of the story is to be expected. Yet it feels as if the reader is left out on important developments of the characters and just presented the end result. The final theme that is prevalent throughout the series is the shallow action. The actions and settings are presented at face value and never are explained when,where,why,and what are never explored in depth unlike the 70’s tween books like Dune which explore everything in painstaking depth. Readers of series like Percy Jackson and Hunger Games will find familiarity in this series.
January 22, 2018
Honestly, I struggled to get through this. The adventure should have been exciting, but the main characters were overpowered, discovering new powers as they needed them, and it got frustrating and annoying. They became less and less sympathetic and the tension in the story eroded as it became clear there was no way they could lose. They philosophized just enough that I wanted to jump in and correct their musings with other points of view and things to consider but, of course, that wasn't possible, so it became an irritation.
October 12, 2015
It was almost non - stop action and it was really good. I love how smart all the characters are. Ajay had a sudden moment that was a bit odd and the ending could have explained a bit more about how the hierarchy works but other than that it was really good.
October 5, 2015
"Will's Rules For Living #7: Sometimes, in order to get completely sane, you have to go a little crazy."
"Will's Rules For Living #13: Read books to get smarter. Read people to become wiser."
"Will's Rules For Living #13: Read books to get smarter. Read people to become wiser."
February 10, 2016
Plenty of action and imagination, but ultimately soulless.
September 20, 2017
Throughout the book Mark Frost highlights a set of rules one of which states, “Dad’s Rules For Living; Rule #5: Trust No one.” This quote reels the reader into reading the book because it implies that someone is on the run and in danger and they cannot trust anyone. Rogue, the third and final installment of The Paladin Prophecy, written by Mark Frost, is a part of a trilogy that follows Will West from his hometown in California, to his new school, The Center, in Michigan. At The Center, he meets new friends including Ajay, Brooke, Nick, Coach Jericho, and Elise, and enemies such as Lyle, Todd, Will’s grandfather, The Order and their members, and in the end Brooke in a surprising betrayal. The Paladin Prophecy trilogy takes place in both California and mainly in Michigan, modern day times. Will and his friends must defeat The Order, a group of people who secretly are trying to overthrow the world, before it is too late, at any cost necessary. I highly recommend this book, though you should start at part one, because the plot of the story was action-packed, creating a page-turner in every chapter, and a twist and turn in every chapter.
One reason why the plot is interesting is because of the amazing characterization. For instance, Will has to face that his mom has died and to find the power inside if him to persevere and complete his objective, defeating The Order. “So being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared, then. It means you’re scared, and you do what you have to do in spite of it,” Coach Jericho said to Will. This quote shows that even though Will is scared for his own life and his friends’ lives, especially after what happened with his mother, he should not take it as a negative, but embrace it and persevere. Will is used as a symbol for perseverance and hope to himself and his friends. Another outstanding example is Nick’s characterization because it teaches the readers a vital lesson. Nick is an amazing athlete, his flexibility is astonishing, and his reflexes are incredible, but his smarts are below par. His friends like to poke fun at him on a constant basis but they also realize his importance in their “team”. Though he is not smart, his abilities, along with his fearless, simple thinking he never shies away from certain death, making him a vital asset on their side. This shows that when you are not good at one particular thing/skill, you make up for it in different areas, and you should never underestimate or disregard that individual for being that way, especially with smarts. The characterization in this book is amazing, making for an interesting plot.
Another reason why the plot is interesting is because of the point-of-view the book is written in. Mark Frost decided to write the book in third-person limited point-of-view. The author allows the readers to follow the story smoothly, but can drop clues/hints that entices the readers to read further to find out what happens. This is important because it engages the readers while still having a narrator's point-of-view, so that something that is missed by the main characters is not missed by the readers. Also, this style of writing focuses on one character and their emotions so that the book is not confusing and contradicting, while giving a non-biased account of the situation / problem. This is important because it lets the story run more smoothly by having the book focus on one person, but still having the “all-knowing” narrator write the book. The point-of-view that the book is written in greatly contributes to why the plot is interesting.
The last reason why the plot is interesting is because of the clear theme in the book. The theme in this book and series is family. Family is necessary to survive and thrive, as well as for support and guidance. Early on, Will has to cope with his parents death / disappearances and has no one to turn to for guidance. However, once at The Center, Will finds himself in some amazing friendships with Elise, Brooke, Nick, Ajay, and Coach Jericho (though Brooke’s dies out by a third-way into the third book). With the combined father-like figure of Coach Jericho with the wisdom and kindness, and the friends who support him, follow his lead, and care for him deeply, they mold to become his family, and he is part of their family as well. “We have two families in life. One were born with that shares our blood. Another we meet along the way that's willing to give it's life for us,” Coach Jericho told Will. This is important because it shows that even though Will’s family is deeply troubled, he already has a family without realizing it, where his hope, support, and guidance originates from. This theme is not only present in this book series, but also in real life as well. The clear theme in the book is the last reason why the plot is interesting.
The twists and turns in this book, Rogue, along with its action-ridden plot creates a world mesmerizing beyond all standards which is why I would highly recommend this book, though you should start at part one. The characterization of many of the characters, specifically Nick and Will, show Mark Frost’s ability to write characters exactly the way he wants them to be. The point-of-view, third-person limited, contributes to the amazing book by grabbing the reader's attention and luring them to read more and it makes the writing more smooth. Lastly, the ever present theme of family shows that family is not limited to blood, but by empathy, kindness, compassion, and support of one another. Though without his dad’s guidance, Will took after him and made his own set of rules such as, “Will’s Rules For Living #11: It doesn’t matter how you do it. It only matter that you do it.”
One reason why the plot is interesting is because of the amazing characterization. For instance, Will has to face that his mom has died and to find the power inside if him to persevere and complete his objective, defeating The Order. “So being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared, then. It means you’re scared, and you do what you have to do in spite of it,” Coach Jericho said to Will. This quote shows that even though Will is scared for his own life and his friends’ lives, especially after what happened with his mother, he should not take it as a negative, but embrace it and persevere. Will is used as a symbol for perseverance and hope to himself and his friends. Another outstanding example is Nick’s characterization because it teaches the readers a vital lesson. Nick is an amazing athlete, his flexibility is astonishing, and his reflexes are incredible, but his smarts are below par. His friends like to poke fun at him on a constant basis but they also realize his importance in their “team”. Though he is not smart, his abilities, along with his fearless, simple thinking he never shies away from certain death, making him a vital asset on their side. This shows that when you are not good at one particular thing/skill, you make up for it in different areas, and you should never underestimate or disregard that individual for being that way, especially with smarts. The characterization in this book is amazing, making for an interesting plot.
Another reason why the plot is interesting is because of the point-of-view the book is written in. Mark Frost decided to write the book in third-person limited point-of-view. The author allows the readers to follow the story smoothly, but can drop clues/hints that entices the readers to read further to find out what happens. This is important because it engages the readers while still having a narrator's point-of-view, so that something that is missed by the main characters is not missed by the readers. Also, this style of writing focuses on one character and their emotions so that the book is not confusing and contradicting, while giving a non-biased account of the situation / problem. This is important because it lets the story run more smoothly by having the book focus on one person, but still having the “all-knowing” narrator write the book. The point-of-view that the book is written in greatly contributes to why the plot is interesting.
The last reason why the plot is interesting is because of the clear theme in the book. The theme in this book and series is family. Family is necessary to survive and thrive, as well as for support and guidance. Early on, Will has to cope with his parents death / disappearances and has no one to turn to for guidance. However, once at The Center, Will finds himself in some amazing friendships with Elise, Brooke, Nick, Ajay, and Coach Jericho (though Brooke’s dies out by a third-way into the third book). With the combined father-like figure of Coach Jericho with the wisdom and kindness, and the friends who support him, follow his lead, and care for him deeply, they mold to become his family, and he is part of their family as well. “We have two families in life. One were born with that shares our blood. Another we meet along the way that's willing to give it's life for us,” Coach Jericho told Will. This is important because it shows that even though Will’s family is deeply troubled, he already has a family without realizing it, where his hope, support, and guidance originates from. This theme is not only present in this book series, but also in real life as well. The clear theme in the book is the last reason why the plot is interesting.
The twists and turns in this book, Rogue, along with its action-ridden plot creates a world mesmerizing beyond all standards which is why I would highly recommend this book, though you should start at part one. The characterization of many of the characters, specifically Nick and Will, show Mark Frost’s ability to write characters exactly the way he wants them to be. The point-of-view, third-person limited, contributes to the amazing book by grabbing the reader's attention and luring them to read more and it makes the writing more smooth. Lastly, the ever present theme of family shows that family is not limited to blood, but by empathy, kindness, compassion, and support of one another. Though without his dad’s guidance, Will took after him and made his own set of rules such as, “Will’s Rules For Living #11: It doesn’t matter how you do it. It only matter that you do it.”
June 27, 2017
In “Rogue” the third book in the thrilling and imaginative “Paladin Prophecy” Franklin Greenwood, Will’s grandfather has not only coerced his cooperation in his project to create a master race of humans, but is determined that he will follow in his footsteps revealing the technology and the Knights agreement with the aliens in Never-Was. Playing a dangerous game with his psychotic grandfather Will has him divulge the secret of the “Carver” opening a portal for he, his friends and Coach Jericho to enter Never-Was knowing that only with the help of Dave will they be able to stop the madness that could spell the destruction of humanity.
The plot heats up when Will, Coach Jericho and his friends venture into Never-Was an alien landscape that seems unreal, manufactured and where time is non-existent. In a terrifying environment filled with vicious, cannibalistic life-forms and sentient plants, the action never slows as Will and Elise who were holding hands going through the portal search for Ajay, Nick and the Coach before venturing near the alien Citadel where Dave’s held hostage.
Well-structured and fast-paced Will and his friends’ powers not only increase but they begin learning about the genetic tinkering in their creation as well as the extent of the aliens’ plans to invade Earth. Skilfully Mark Frost uses humor and a budding new relationship between Will and Elise to defuse moments of high- tension and any extreme violence. Yet the intensity and suspense never deflates as events unfold that move quickly and smoothly to an explosive climax as an alien army closes in and a betrayer begins to doubt her decision.
The complexity and development of the characters with all their flaws and faults continue to make this adventure a page-turner from beginning to end. Will West gifted with speed, endurance and self-healing is intuitive, a leader who makes decisions and formulates plans quickly while Elise Moreau continues to be a bad-ass who’s alert and capable especially in a fight. Nick McLeish a born athlete is humorous but dense although he proves himself a clever strategist as the story progresses. But the character that develops the most is Ajay who is often hyper and freaks out when he’s out of his comfort zone. Yet as his brilliance increases and he learns to mind-link with Will and Elise his fear dissipates and he’s able to take control in difficult situations.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Rogue” with its innovative and chilling world of the Makers, colourful characters and inventive storyline. Although I felt there were questions about Will’s father, grandfather, and the Knights left unanswered, I’m hoping the ending is just a prelude to another mystery and adventure featuring Will and his friends.
The plot heats up when Will, Coach Jericho and his friends venture into Never-Was an alien landscape that seems unreal, manufactured and where time is non-existent. In a terrifying environment filled with vicious, cannibalistic life-forms and sentient plants, the action never slows as Will and Elise who were holding hands going through the portal search for Ajay, Nick and the Coach before venturing near the alien Citadel where Dave’s held hostage.
Well-structured and fast-paced Will and his friends’ powers not only increase but they begin learning about the genetic tinkering in their creation as well as the extent of the aliens’ plans to invade Earth. Skilfully Mark Frost uses humor and a budding new relationship between Will and Elise to defuse moments of high- tension and any extreme violence. Yet the intensity and suspense never deflates as events unfold that move quickly and smoothly to an explosive climax as an alien army closes in and a betrayer begins to doubt her decision.
The complexity and development of the characters with all their flaws and faults continue to make this adventure a page-turner from beginning to end. Will West gifted with speed, endurance and self-healing is intuitive, a leader who makes decisions and formulates plans quickly while Elise Moreau continues to be a bad-ass who’s alert and capable especially in a fight. Nick McLeish a born athlete is humorous but dense although he proves himself a clever strategist as the story progresses. But the character that develops the most is Ajay who is often hyper and freaks out when he’s out of his comfort zone. Yet as his brilliance increases and he learns to mind-link with Will and Elise his fear dissipates and he’s able to take control in difficult situations.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Rogue” with its innovative and chilling world of the Makers, colourful characters and inventive storyline. Although I felt there were questions about Will’s father, grandfather, and the Knights left unanswered, I’m hoping the ending is just a prelude to another mystery and adventure featuring Will and his friends.
June 14, 2024
Rogue Paladin Prophecy #3 by Mark Frost
Book 2 ended with a bang as Will and his friends were captured by the Knights of Charlemagne and betrayed by their friend Brooke. Will found out his grandfather was still alive and the biggest bad guy of them all. Will's grandfather, Franklin Greenwood, was convinced that humanity could benefit by using the Makers/Other Team. Meaning the beings older than humanity that were imprisoned in another dimension or world. Franklin believed he could control the Makers with small promises but did not consider that the Maker's had their own plans for returning to earth and possibly far more dangerous than realised. So in book 3 Will and his friends are compelled to work with Franklin so as to assuage suspicion from them. Giving Will time to protect themselves and possibly find a way to stop his grandfather and the Maker's. Central to this plan is finding Dave, Will's guardian angel and covert operative of the Hierarchy. The hierarchy being a sort of spiritual group that protects earth from a distance. Dave was trapped in the never-was at the end of book 1 when he saved Will from a Wendigo and was dragged through a portal to the never-was by said Wendigo. But in Book 2 Dave was able to make contact with Will and let him know that he was still alive, but more importantly that the Maker's were planning on returning to earth and wage war against humanity. So Will and his friends now have to find a way into the Never-was, save Dave and stop both the knights and the Maker's from destroying the world.
The last book in the series was ok. It didn't have all the compelling mysteries that made the first and second books so captivating to read, but at least it provides a conclusion to the series. The story did fall a bit flat as the Makers appeared quite easy to actually stop. Their experiments from the never-was were also not as frightening as what the knights did to the child paladins in book 2. The horrors described to those children were much worse than a bunch of cannibalistic plants and snake men. The animal hybrid monsters were actually kind of simplistic in relation. The Never-was as a world was also lacking.
Book 2 ended with a bang as Will and his friends were captured by the Knights of Charlemagne and betrayed by their friend Brooke. Will found out his grandfather was still alive and the biggest bad guy of them all. Will's grandfather, Franklin Greenwood, was convinced that humanity could benefit by using the Makers/Other Team. Meaning the beings older than humanity that were imprisoned in another dimension or world. Franklin believed he could control the Makers with small promises but did not consider that the Maker's had their own plans for returning to earth and possibly far more dangerous than realised. So in book 3 Will and his friends are compelled to work with Franklin so as to assuage suspicion from them. Giving Will time to protect themselves and possibly find a way to stop his grandfather and the Maker's. Central to this plan is finding Dave, Will's guardian angel and covert operative of the Hierarchy. The hierarchy being a sort of spiritual group that protects earth from a distance. Dave was trapped in the never-was at the end of book 1 when he saved Will from a Wendigo and was dragged through a portal to the never-was by said Wendigo. But in Book 2 Dave was able to make contact with Will and let him know that he was still alive, but more importantly that the Maker's were planning on returning to earth and wage war against humanity. So Will and his friends now have to find a way into the Never-was, save Dave and stop both the knights and the Maker's from destroying the world.
The last book in the series was ok. It didn't have all the compelling mysteries that made the first and second books so captivating to read, but at least it provides a conclusion to the series. The story did fall a bit flat as the Makers appeared quite easy to actually stop. Their experiments from the never-was were also not as frightening as what the knights did to the child paladins in book 2. The horrors described to those children were much worse than a bunch of cannibalistic plants and snake men. The animal hybrid monsters were actually kind of simplistic in relation. The Never-was as a world was also lacking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2024
I enjoyed it... until the end. It ended verryyyy abruptly. There's still a ton of things left unresolved. Like for example... Dr. Robbins, the headmaster, and the doctor dude just completely vanished from the narrative after having a seemingly important role in the first book. The knights involvement and knowledge of the whole operation in the neverwas is still almost wholly unknown, like how Hobbes and Brooke were somehow able to band together a task force for whatever their purposes were seemed to contradict much of what Franklin seemed to say about their involvement. And not having any closure with Franklin or with Wills dad in any way just doesn't feel right. And suddenly at the end they make Brooke out to be a victim in everything, but didn't even give her extended dialogue to explain her involvement, cause apparently one act of benevolence is enough to erase LITERAL years of sabotage and betrayal. Like I don't care if she didn't know the whole story, she still willingly participated in multiple plots that intended to, and nearly did, kill her "friends." Which brings up the whole point of Lyle's involvement, which they made a big deal out of him turning into a wendigo, and have multiple high suspense almost run-ins with him, and then also got completely forgot about it.
All of that being said, the excursion to the never-was could have been half as long (for example, the whole snake temple thing was completely unnecessary). And they spent way too much time on Will's ability to talk to plants, just to have it help them literally a chapter later and then also forget about that for the rest of the book. And like literally every chapter, someone comes in with a brand new ability to save the day, like wow, how convenient! I'm honestly incredibly disappointed with the amount of things left unresolved, and the lack of cohesiveness alltogether.
All of that being said, the excursion to the never-was could have been half as long (for example, the whole snake temple thing was completely unnecessary). And they spent way too much time on Will's ability to talk to plants, just to have it help them literally a chapter later and then also forget about that for the rest of the book. And like literally every chapter, someone comes in with a brand new ability to save the day, like wow, how convenient! I'm honestly incredibly disappointed with the amount of things left unresolved, and the lack of cohesiveness alltogether.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2017
A final push to the suspenseful end, all bets are off. This is the final book in the Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost, the title is Rouge. Rouge and the rest of The Paladin Prophecy feels shallow like a demo or a teaser to a movie. Mark Frost use a couple of elements to encapsulate the reader and never let them go. The first element that Mark uses is the continuity suspense. The suspense that lures the reader and dangles him right above the answer to the problems that have arose and, then leaves his reader hanging there and goes for a lunch break. The sense of the reader benign through it all really isn't there, now the book is presented in third person so feeling like a part of the story is to be expected. Yet it feels as if the reader is left out on important developments of the characters and just presented the end result. The final theme that is prevalent throughout the series is the shallow action. The actions and settings are presented at face value and never are explained when,where,why,and what are never explored in depth unlike the 70’s tween books like Dune which explore everything in painstaking depth. Readers of series like Percy Jackson and Hunger Games will find familiarity in this series.
February 4, 2018
Een onwaarschijnlijke vijand van Mark Frost was niet zo goed als de eerdere boeken uit deze serie.
Het boek gaat over een aantal jongeren die naar een speciale school gaan, Het centrum. Op het Centrum loopt een groep rond die de wereld over willen nemen namelijk de Ondergrondse Orde. Will moet samen met zijn vrienden deze groep stoppen en de wereld redden.
Dit boek is deel 3 uit de paladijnse voorspelling serie. Ik wilde dit boek lezen omdat ik ook de voorgaande 2 delen had gelezen. Ik heb ongeveer een week erover gedaan om dit boek uit te lezen. Ik zou dit boek niet perse aanraden maar de serie wel omdat ik die erg leuk vond.
Omdat dit het laatste deel was verwachte ik een spannend einde met een plottwist op het einde. Maar dit gebeurde maar niet. Het einde was voorspelbaar en eindigde te abrupt.
De personages in het boek vond ik niet zo sterk omdat ze in eerdere boeken nog iets van groei meemaakte maar dit gebeurde nu helemaal niet in mijn ogen. Mijn favorietie personage in het boek was Brooke omdat ze een echte vriendin is en een sterkte persoonlijkheid heeft.
Het boek bouwt langzaam op en soms gaat het opeens in een stroomversnelling waardoor het voor de lezer niet altijd duidelijk is wat er nu precies gebeurt.
Het boek gaat over een aantal jongeren die naar een speciale school gaan, Het centrum. Op het Centrum loopt een groep rond die de wereld over willen nemen namelijk de Ondergrondse Orde. Will moet samen met zijn vrienden deze groep stoppen en de wereld redden.
Dit boek is deel 3 uit de paladijnse voorspelling serie. Ik wilde dit boek lezen omdat ik ook de voorgaande 2 delen had gelezen. Ik heb ongeveer een week erover gedaan om dit boek uit te lezen. Ik zou dit boek niet perse aanraden maar de serie wel omdat ik die erg leuk vond.
Omdat dit het laatste deel was verwachte ik een spannend einde met een plottwist op het einde. Maar dit gebeurde maar niet. Het einde was voorspelbaar en eindigde te abrupt.
De personages in het boek vond ik niet zo sterk omdat ze in eerdere boeken nog iets van groei meemaakte maar dit gebeurde nu helemaal niet in mijn ogen. Mijn favorietie personage in het boek was Brooke omdat ze een echte vriendin is en een sterkte persoonlijkheid heeft.
Het boek bouwt langzaam op en soms gaat het opeens in een stroomversnelling waardoor het voor de lezer niet altijd duidelijk is wat er nu precies gebeurt.
October 27, 2019
Okay so let me just start by saying, that the world building in this one, is quite the treat. Very interesting, and unique.
Elise and Will are adorable, Ajay is still a cool know-it-all, and Nicks humorous comments are on point, however, the ending is not great.
That dude from the first book, that Elise had a thing with, his whole disappearance and such is never explained and that bugged me to no extent. The “final battle” was anticlimactic at best, with everyone in “our” world simply disappeared and apparently we’re okay with that? The whole spiritual Karma stuff that showed its face, I could’ve lived without. Another thing is that, we never get closure when it comes to Will and his father, we just have to accept that again, we don’t know where he is.
In general, if the author is not planning on writing a fourth book, this book has some major plot holes and gaps that I didn’t care for.
I will say though, that all in all, it’s a fine book series that I could see myself recommend to someone, I would however feel a need to specify to them that it isn’t the greatest read ever, but it’s lighthearted and fun.
Elise and Will are adorable, Ajay is still a cool know-it-all, and Nicks humorous comments are on point, however, the ending is not great.
That dude from the first book, that Elise had a thing with, his whole disappearance and such is never explained and that bugged me to no extent. The “final battle” was anticlimactic at best, with everyone in “our” world simply disappeared and apparently we’re okay with that? The whole spiritual Karma stuff that showed its face, I could’ve lived without. Another thing is that, we never get closure when it comes to Will and his father, we just have to accept that again, we don’t know where he is.
In general, if the author is not planning on writing a fourth book, this book has some major plot holes and gaps that I didn’t care for.
I will say though, that all in all, it’s a fine book series that I could see myself recommend to someone, I would however feel a need to specify to them that it isn’t the greatest read ever, but it’s lighthearted and fun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2022
The final book in a pretty cool series just seemed to lack the "oomph" I was looking for. Nearly the entire book taking place in the Never-Was, Frost spent a lot of time describing the unique reality of this space filled with animal hybrids engineered into deadly monsters. As Will and his friends leave their world behind to find Dave and fight against the Other Team, it seems we lose a lot of strings that were really looking to be resolved (Will's father, the further involvement of the school, Haxley, Paladin Alumnus, etc) The majority of these plot points are inconsequential to the action-focused task at hand, and thus you lose a lot of the emotional connection you have with the characters, instead only getting excited at the evolution of their "abilities" and brief, quirky, elements of the world they are exploring. The final battle was definitely pretty disappointing and I was left with a rare feeling that I was happy the book was over because any further unpacking of this complex world just seemed to be a messy task that wasn't going to continue the same warm feelings that started this series.
July 6, 2017
This series started off strong. It was awesome in book one. Book two was less. Not bad, but less overall. The spy in their midst and all was so cliche. Then comes the third one.
What was that flashback that was never fleshed out and wasn't even explained until the bow was being tied in the wrap up? Huh? Flashbacks are supposed to be integral to the story or what's the point?
And don't create a love interest without fleshing it out. The second book had Will being torn between two hot girls, then the triangle is removed by betrayal and then... what? Where's the meat and potatoes of this storyline?
But the journey was interesting. The story was still entertaining.
Then we come to the last chapter. What??? You're tired of the story? You ready for the end? Because the author is... he's done. That nice little bow was a short and sweet one. A lot of lose ends were left hanging... and did they succeed? Did they achieve the goal?
Is this being setup for another trilogy down the road? Is that the point?
What was that flashback that was never fleshed out and wasn't even explained until the bow was being tied in the wrap up? Huh? Flashbacks are supposed to be integral to the story or what's the point?
And don't create a love interest without fleshing it out. The second book had Will being torn between two hot girls, then the triangle is removed by betrayal and then... what? Where's the meat and potatoes of this storyline?
But the journey was interesting. The story was still entertaining.
Then we come to the last chapter. What??? You're tired of the story? You ready for the end? Because the author is... he's done. That nice little bow was a short and sweet one. A lot of lose ends were left hanging... and did they succeed? Did they achieve the goal?
Is this being setup for another trilogy down the road? Is that the point?
December 1, 2020
Spoilers?...Possibly.
With the premise unfolding to an almost entertaining conclusion, the story remains flat. While the action is well conceived and the dialogue well-developed, the story held its ground as a juvenile adventure. For those hoping for a philosophical twist relating to human nature or our role in history, you will be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it followed an interesting encounter with the other-world, which was fine but I was hoping for more discourse on the value of humanity or a surprise revelation about the origin of life. While the ending was satisfactory, it left out some key details that leave the story open (Something I do not like in a book such as this). It would have been better (for me) if the loose-ends were tied up. In some cases, loose-ends are appropriate and add to the story. Here, they are slightly annoying. Overall, I enjoyed the trilogy for what they were: Early-teen adventure novels with interesting characters, good dialogue, but timid depth of meaning behind the story.
With the premise unfolding to an almost entertaining conclusion, the story remains flat. While the action is well conceived and the dialogue well-developed, the story held its ground as a juvenile adventure. For those hoping for a philosophical twist relating to human nature or our role in history, you will be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it followed an interesting encounter with the other-world, which was fine but I was hoping for more discourse on the value of humanity or a surprise revelation about the origin of life. While the ending was satisfactory, it left out some key details that leave the story open (Something I do not like in a book such as this). It would have been better (for me) if the loose-ends were tied up. In some cases, loose-ends are appropriate and add to the story. Here, they are slightly annoying. Overall, I enjoyed the trilogy for what they were: Early-teen adventure novels with interesting characters, good dialogue, but timid depth of meaning behind the story.
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