More of the same.
Not to say I didn't enjoy the fifth novel in the Grimgar series, because in all honesty I did. The action was there, the characters I have grown to love are there, and we get a broader view of the world in which our isekai teens have been thrown.
And despite getting introduced to another party, one that makes me wonder how the hell they have survived, not a lot new happens in this book. Sure, they discover a new area with new rules, but that isn't any different than moving to the Wonder Hole or assaulting the Orc held keep.
I am also getting a bit tired of seeing the party almost get wiped every time. Sure, they are shown to be competent adventurers at times, but that still doesn't stop them from almost getting taken out each and every time they discover something new. I admit, the rules by which the Dusk Realm works would be terrifying if I was trapped in a fantasy world. So much so, I honestly probably wouldn't go into it to be frank.
But that isn't enough to break it away from the fact that we have seen this before. And this being, what, the third time(?), it is starting to get a bit repetitive in the end.
Still, the writing is there, and the interior illustrations are pretty good at capturing what is going on. (though I really wish they had done one of a Cultist)
And yet, as I mentioned, I still enjoyed this novel. The characters were familiar, and they showed evolution as they continued to grow further in their roles. The party leader also evolves, though I felt far too much time was spent on how sleepy his eyes looked. (I mean, Nicolas Cage has sleepy eyes as well, and no one bats and eye) But, we still get to see how he evolves as a character and how he is a worthy leader, despite how he feels about his own performance.
In the end, still worth the read, and I am interested to see where they take the story.