As the crawlers pass on from Faction Wars we get the plot moving past that major hurdle and heading towards the next baked in contest: the Ascendency Games of the 12th floor.
But rather than letting the story treat these next floors as filler, we’re getting a real sense of the screws tightening on the remaining crawlers, the thread with the War Mage Rebellion continuing, and other new factions being brought into the mess. While that’s happening the AI’s deterioration is becoming more and more of a factor for everyone, and many of the villains from earlier books are being relegated to pointlessness.
Carl’s temper remains a potential liability, as does Donut’s self-blindness. In spite of that, both of them continue to grow, and evolve in ways I find both credible and satisfying. In some ways, this book brings Imani and Elle more to the forefront. Similarly, the plot around Lucia Mar and the Kinder facility is gaining momentum, as are the questions about Samantha.
I think this is a good addition to the series, and a satisfying read. I do not believe it would work as a standalone volume.
The audiobook is very well done, and I enjoy the format and the multiple readers/actors for the format. With such an ensemble of characters I believe that multiple readers really enhances the listening experience when it is done well.
Soundbooth Theatre does it well.
Now to wait for the next book.