A review by billyjepma
Convergence by Zoraida Córdova

adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

There's a lot of fun stuff here, especially with the charming cast of characters, who are all very easy to spend time with. But for one reason or another, I just wasn't that invested in the story. If this is the formal beginning of Phase 2 for The High Republic, then it's not a very interesting one, at least when compared to the first. That may be an error of expectation on my part, admittedly. Still, the plot felt too slight and too often relied on story tropes I struggled to connect with, even if the execution of them was above average.

I don't know how to say this without sounding disparaging, which I don't intend to be, but the story feels like something you'd find in fan fiction. That's not usually something I mind, as those tropes are popular for good reasons, but they didn't click for me in this context. Despite my misgivings about the story around them, I'm still invested enough in the cast of fresh-faced heroes to want to see where they go next.

If this were a standalone series, I would be more forgiving, probably, but I'm also not sure how compelled to continue I'd be. As part of an ongoing storyline I'm already significantly invested in, it's disappointing. It makes me question more than ever whether the choice to have Phase 2 of The High Republic as a "prequel" series was the best, especially since this first outing has yet to establish a solid direction for the rest of the stories moving forward. I'm obviously in for the whole shebang, so I'm ready and willing to be proven wrong, but the momentum and investment I had in Phase 1 of THR have yet to translate over so far.
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