This latest installment in the series continues to impress. Sleep’s expanded role allows us to see more of his guild as they team up with Ned and Omen, which is a fun development. House’s character also grows, showing her fierce loyalty and terrifying wrath when crossed, while still remaining lovable and adorable. Frank and Ned’s dynamic stays consistent, with Kirrin providing welcome humor without taking things too seriously. The tangents and bunny trails are highlights, so I hope the author keeps including them.
Regarding Ned and Darling, their relationship progresses at a glacial pace. While this isn’t a romance series, the chemistry makes the slow development feel unrealistic, especially considering the hints from Sleep and Nina. Ned’s obliviousness to women stretches belief after four books. Moving things along between them would improve the story.
As always, Travis Baldree’s narration deserves high praise for making the story even more enjoyable. Don’t pay attention to the one-star review without comments – likely just trolls.
The end setup with “the Frankening” had promise for a spinoff subseries, but the execution felt overly mean-spirited considering it was meant as a nice gift for Frank. Their relationship thrives on playful contention, but this crossed into unpleasant territory given the context. Seeing Frank actually enjoy himself in a game world would have been more fulfilling. The addition of House was perfect, though!
Overall, another fantastic installment worthy of 5 stars. The Frank point conversion must be astronomical by now. Looking forward to seeing what comes next in this highly entertaining series!
