After reading and reflecting on this book I realized that although this may not be my favorite book in the series it is still an excellent book. At first, I didn’t think I would like this book because it was all about side characters instead of the protagonist, but Fuse made me interested in them. I think this book deserves 5 stars for many reasons so let me talk to you about this book.
But first a summary: This volume is all about side characters and what they get up to when they aren’t with the protagonist. This novel mainly follows two characters Velgrynd and Caligulio. In Velgrynd’s story, she is looking for the souls of her lover when she stumbles onto a familiar but different planet. This planet is similar to Earth but slightly different because it has magic and monsters. When she arrives on the planet the humans are fighting a race of monsters called yohma so she decides to help them out while also trying to become a more caring person. In Caligulio’s story, he is facing up to his past as he strives to rebuild his Empire.
I enjoyed how Fuse characterized Velgrynd, a side character, who in the previous books was brutal and the protagonist's enemy. Her character arc in this book is her becoming kinder and holding back her anger. Although Vengrynd did change in this aspect most of her character didn’t change but this book gives us her point of view changing my whole perspective on her. Caligulio, an enemy general, is a side character who also used to be the enemy of the protagonist who, after losing the war, goes back to his kingdom to reflect on his past actions. Caligulio has to rebuild his beloved empire while also battling his past. Both characters’ development is crucial in exploring the novel’s themes of forgiveness, controlling emotions, and being not as prideful.
One theme in the novel is forgiveness. The story illustrates how being able to forgive past enemy’s mistakes can lead to them helping you out in the future. Another theme is the ability to control your emotions. Even when someone is getting on your nerves stay calm and don’t lash out. The novel's last theme is the danger of being too prideful. As Calugulio reflects on his awful past you learn how dangerous having too much pride can be.
Fuse’s writing style is like no other authors I have seen. His writing style lets you know what every character thinks by switching perspectives constantly. Being able to hear every character’s thoughts contributes to the story. Fuse's writing style also constantly makes me laugh because we know what one character thinks about something, which can be very different from how another character does. Even in this book about side characters Fuse’s world-building skills are incredible and are further enhanced by his writing style.
Like I said in the beginning I didn’t think I would have liked this book. I thought this book was going to be a 3 stars maybe 4 stars but the book proved me wrong. Like they say never judge a book by its cover. I recommend not skipping this book if you have already read all the books in the series before this one and if you haven’t read any books in the series I recommend you start the series. It is a great book if you like a funny story with great world-building.