Diminishing returns on this series, and I'm really debating on whether to continue.

As mentioned in the review of the second book in this series, Carr drizzles his own politics all over the main characters. It's fine in low doses, but Carr worries at it like a dog with a bone. He just won't let it lie. A little is okay. A lot—whether I agree with it or not (and I complained about the politics in Gwendy's Final Task too, and I agreed with them)—is unwelcome in my fiction.

The second is all the damn redactions. Come on, Carr...if something's redacted, you're a bloody author...make something up instead of leaving it in there to show how verisimilitudey you are. I'd rather read a fake place name rather than a redaction notice. Carr acts all upset about the redactions, but with such an easy fix at hand—and not utilized—one begins to suspect that he actually digs them, and likely puts stuff in just so it can be redacted. Whatever. Put on your big author pants and write something.

Finally, I'm beginning to see how one-dimensional the characters are. There's no shades of gray in Carr's world. The soldiers are almost uniformly incredibly good at their jobs, incredibly noble, and have a wealth of hidden skills, such as master gun builders, or archers, or wine experts, or whatever.

The women are both really hot and badass. Always. Even when they work for the enemy.

And the men that are on the bad side? They're REMFs, they're doughy and paunchy and they all seem to have some deviancy (either to do with sex or torture, more than likely both). And they're rich.

It's getting tiresome. ( )

This one had a lot of action and some very gruesome violence. Not for the faint of heart. My only gripe is sometimes I feel like there are too many product placements if you know what I mean. ( )

Third book in James Reece series and continues to be sooo good! Praise to Jack Carr as he proves to be a fabulous story teller. If you like Scot Harvath and haven't checked out James Reece, you are missing out. ( )