The first book set up a lot and the pacing was great. Leaned into a lot of “futuristic” things like holo screens instead of just saying screen, but a fun concept and complex characters – the men anyway. The books are heavy on the male gaze, and it is both uncomfortable and unnecessary to the story. Really, we don’t need a lengthy description of how hot a one-scene side character is, it doesn’t add anything. The one lady character we get to know is a ship captain and of course she has a crush on the main character. How original, maybe she gets to be more of her own person at the end of the third book, I didn’t finish it.
Second book builds on it and feels like it’s stretching the story, could probably have resolved everything in this one, but instead we get a setup for a finale and the last third of the book is pretty flat and without a lot of plot.
Third book I just can’t get through, there’s a lot being talked about but it’s not driving the story or the characters much. I stopped after the first third. I might go listen to the prequel story eventually.
The narrator is great, adding a lot to a fairly dull script. Distinct voices that are easy to identify, good pacing, consistent pronunciation. Phil, you’re doing a great job.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Probably worth the credit given the number of hours I listened to, but it’s close.