An
excellent finish.This is the third book in the final trilogy of trilogies, the last book in the series.
At the beginning of this book Duarte remembers how to remember and is inspired. His protomolecule infused brain is certain that he now knows how humanity can defeat the protomolecule builder killers (PBK). Once he goes missing, Admiral Trejo authorizes Colonel Tanaka (whom we met in Persepolis Rising) to find him at all costs and by any means necessary. A task she takes to with reckless abandon.
Tanaka seemed like a reasonable person back in Persepolis Rising before she was relieved of duty for not being ruthless enough towards the inhabitants of Medina Station. But here, we learn how damaged she is and how ruthless she can be when trying to accomplish her mission.
Meanwhile, the Rocinante crew are busy with managing the underground and trying to find a safe place for Teresa to further her education and hide. And Dr. Elvi Okoye is desperately trying to figure out who the protomolecule builders were and how they perished before the PBK can figure out how to end humanity.
One theme running through the book is the strength of long term relationships. Elvi is running herself ragged and pushing herself, primarily coaxed onward by her all too willing test subject, Cara, to keep going. Her husband, Fayez, is her rock. He's always there, willing to be a sounding board and constantly reminding her that she's a good person. Naomi and Jim are extremely grateful to be back together after Holden's imprisonment. He stands back to watch her run the resistance even though he's been a figurehead for it for decades. Plenty of people view him as the one to watch, but he's the idealist while Naomi is the pragmatist, and the one actually calling the shots. Each loves, respects, and accepts the other for what they are, even if by being true to themselves, it leads to trouble.
Alex and Amos are still with us. Alex has to send stealth messages to his son because of who he is, and he really wants to see him and his grandson. Maybe someday, but he has a responsibility to the family he joined decades ago. Amos carries on in his perpetual even keel state, moreso since the events in Tiamat's Wrath. Teresa still treats him like an uncle and becomes his apprentice as ship's mechanic despite all that happened. She's tired of her old life and desperately hopes for her father to return to his senses. Amos is the one person whom she can count on to treat her as a regular person, not as a princess, heir to the Laconian Empire. And she loves him for it.
There isn't a lot of action here, so it seemed a little slow. The experiments that Elvi runs provide for more cerebral entertainment. There are two action encounters, both involving Tanaka, yet they're enough in their own right as each is bloody and vicious.
About 3/4 of the way in, everything comes together for the final showdown. While it isn't the epic battle of Tiamat's Wrath—the spaceship battles are in the background—the focus is where it needs to be. The challenge is the confrontation with Duarte and the PBK. The resolution makes sense to me. How can humanity deal with a megalomaniac, who's tapped into the power of the protomolecule, and with the PBK, an enemy capable of breaking molecular bonds and voiding everything out of existence?
4.5 stars
\_/
DED
