A review by falchionm
The Last Emperox by John Scalzi

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Listened to the audiobook. Each book of the narrative deteriorated like the Flow was unraveling both within and without the narrative. I know that Scalzi's brand over time has become more of a "wife guy." But hearing Wil Wheaton revel in the Kiva "fucking" Lagos tirades and be cutesy with the sciency and cheesy nerd love got thick for me. Scalzi tied things up in this, but left many loose threads by focusing on Hub and a roaming office on a smuggler ship rather than expanding the vision to other planets and the effects of the Interdependency people whose fate the series ostensibly wants me to care about. The plot of the book felt a little too on the rails for me and the twists and turns of the plot didn't throw me. Good execution on a series, but I have seen Scalzi's potential heights be better realized with less snark in Old Man's War series, and to better effect of narrative service in "Redshirts", which remains a peak for me on execution of premise and plot.