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A review by authorcagray
Final Strike by Jeff Wheeler
4.0
The ending was in keeping with the rest of the series. High stakes, action packed, but also somehow failed to engage me emotionally to the same degree that a lot of Wheeler's other books seem to do. I'm not sure what exactly was missing, though I assume it had to do with the level of characterization? I don't think there was exactly less, but maybe it felt like less because this one was set in the real world (sort of) rather than a fantasy realm?
The story picks up the trauma of Jonathan Roth's family, at first forced to play the Death Games in former Maya lands, and then stalked by the Jaguar priests for betraying their secrets. Jacob, the high priest, was a main character in this one, who used his magic to shape-shift and make his way into the highest echelons of society. For much of the story, Suki and Serena are separated from Roth and the twins, all either hiding or running for their lives. The action doesn't let up for a minute. There are some peripheral characters involved too, mostly FBI agents, who never really get enough personalities for me to care about them. At least there was a happily ever after, though it was a little too neat and tidy, almost deus-ex-machina. Even so, I was glad it ended well.
There are some truly grisly scenes--I mean, the history of the Maya involves sacrifices in which they cut out the heart while the person still lives, so I don't see how that was avoidable. They were pretty bad, though I guess about as tame as they could be, considering.
The story picks up the trauma of Jonathan Roth's family, at first forced to play the Death Games in former Maya lands, and then stalked by the Jaguar priests for betraying their secrets. Jacob, the high priest, was a main character in this one, who used his magic to shape-shift and make his way into the highest echelons of society. For much of the story, Suki and Serena are separated from Roth and the twins, all either hiding or running for their lives. The action doesn't let up for a minute. There are some peripheral characters involved too, mostly FBI agents, who never really get enough personalities for me to care about them. At least there was a happily ever after, though it was a little too neat and tidy, almost deus-ex-machina. Even so, I was glad it ended well.
There are some truly grisly scenes--I mean, the history of the Maya involves sacrifices in which they cut out the heart while the person still lives, so I don't see how that was avoidable. They were pretty bad, though I guess about as tame as they could be, considering.