That was quite a ride. This particular installment exhibits a notable propensity for abrupt and unpredictable shifts in narrative direction. It reminded me of the distinct sense of disorientation I experienced in the first book of the series. Just when I thought I knew the trajectory of the plot, it would abruptly deviate down some unexpected avenue. Most of the events here were unexpected, and that made it more exciting as the story progressed.

However, it's not all rainbows and sunshine. I have questions. I have theories. I'm not going to go into them, but I want to know when someone is going to create a good wiki so I can finally Google things to either dispute or verify my assessments.

One concern I have is that I have not yet had the opportunity to read all of the short stories and novellas in the series. While I did read the first one, "The Lesser Devil," I am concerned that I may be missing out on important information and context by not having read everything. While I do not particularly enjoy novellas or short stories, I understand that they may be necessary for a comprehensive understanding. I think I'm just bummed that there's so much to catch up on in formats I'm not hyped about. Beyond this hiccup, ultimately, my enjoyment of the series will depend on the quality of the final book. We will see.