Double Review: The Strategy Series

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I’ve been in a bit of a slump for the past couple weeks. I think my depression is acting up. I’m gonna try to push through, though, and get this double review done. It might not be up to snuff compared to some of my other reviews, but it’ll be done; and if that’s all I can manage right now, that’ll be alright.

I felt like these books got better as they went along, though like the first one they didn’t quite impact me enough to leave a lasting impression. I wouldn’t be opposed to reading them again, perhaps sharing them with my wife (and kids, hopefully, one day) on a road trip, or some other communal listening experience. I don’t know if I’ll be queueing them up to listen again anytime soon.

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These books suffer from an unfortunate story quirk where our protagonist becomes less integral to the plot as the story continues. In the second book, Rogue is sequestered away in a high stakes game while the rest of the characters foment rebellion. Because of the way the second book ends, she spends most of the third book as what is effectively a ghost. All is resolved by the end, of course, but not particularly thanks to Rogue. Jewel and Ronin start stealing the show in the second book, and are the protagonists by the third. Rogue is off on her own storyline (which takes a bit of a wild turn, and involves Ancient Greek gods seeking to resurrect themselves), and while it’s ultimately a fine read, I think the series might have benefitted from a tighter edit.

That’s really all I have to say. I feel like it’s not enough, but the truth is that these books were just fine. Not great, not bad. Just fine. And it’s hard to say anything substantial about books that’re just fine.