You know when you’re listening to someone explain the rules of a board or card game, or going through a video game tutorial, and you keep zoning out thinking, “I get it, can we get on with it now?” That’s how I felt reading this book. I could not get into it until the last chapter and the only thing that kept me hooked before then was the dialogue between Carl and Donut. I also felt like the book dragged on. Halfway through the book I switched from reading to the audiobook, which made it easier to get through, but I still could not get invested in any major part of the book until the very end, which I think is just me wanting to know what happens next. Each time I picked the book back up or put the audiobook back on I had a hard time remembering what just happened because most of what I read was forgettable. I truly did not get invested until the last chapter and if all of the books drag on like that with small pockets of gasp-worthy moments, I’m worried I may waste my time reading every book in the series. I also know that if I don’t, I’m going to be annoyed that I won’t know what happens next and will feel ridiculous starting something and then not finishing it. So did I like it? I think so. It’s not my go-to choice for a book but I’ve definitely read worse.
I also think I had trouble getting hooked because the book reminded me of too many things:
– The South Park episodes, “Biggest Douche in the Universe” and “Canceled”
– Borderlands
– Dungeons and Dragons
– Assassins Creed
Again, I’m not a huge fantasy person/world-building fan, but I can see the appeal. Reading this book felt like I was held hostage by my younger brother explaining a fever dream. I think I need to power through the entire series though because the idea of reading 1 book within a 7 book series bothers me. I need to know what happens.