It’s been so long since book 2 that I’d forgotten that I’d sworn off the series. What became unbearable to me is the main character, whom the author represents to be some mastermind manipulator of people and who engages in monologs laying out his theories on behavior control. His theories are supposed to be profound and insightful, but they come across instead as an odd combination of cynical and naive. Cynical in that he thinks the worst of people and naive in that he thinks his clumsy manipulative attempts would actually work.
Not only does the author completely miss the mark about what good manipulation looks like, he also reveals a stunning lack of cultural awareness by attributing the MCs supposed skills to the fact he comes from a family of politicians. Any politically aware person should know that politicians aren’t usually very good manipulators.
As for the narrator: Jeff Hays is usually very good, but the voice he chose for the MC is just terrible.
I’m quitting the book halfway through.