Fearless

Fearless is the final part of the Powerless trilogy and it's emotional, dramatic and has a strong emphasis on Paedyn and Kai's relationship. Even if that's why you are reading, there's something here to enjoy. There's a lot of longing, tension, and big emotional moments between these two, and Lauren Roberts knows how to write them all. The stakes are high right from the start: Paedyn finds herself back in Ilya, but instead of death, she is called upon for a political marriage that will change everything. That is a good premise, and the book is consistently romantically painful from the beginning.

The book is at its best when in emotional conflict. Paedyn's attachment to Kitt while carrying all his feelings for Kai is the most powerful element of the story. It's a painful thing to be in that situation, and the book goes back to it time and time again. The drama is intense, the emotions are strong and the writing frequently goes to extremes in terms of pushing scenes to the max. There are also a few late reveals that give new meaning to portions of the story and help to clarify some choices that are initially confusing and out of character. If you're looking for twists, emotional confrontations, and a romance-driven fantasy, you'll likely find that in this book.

Nevertheless, there are obvious flaws in the book, and they can't be overlooked. The largest is that the plot is frequently over-elaborate and doesn't get better. New revelations keep arriving, and while sometimes these make the story sharper, at other times it feels like too much. Some moments feel like they're just created to drag out the drama, and not really to add to the logic of the world. One such example is the return of trials. It felt like a repetition rather than an exciting scene, particularly in the final book which could have used some new conflicts. Some character decisions are also more about the necessities of the love triangle than what these characters would do. Kitt is not the easiest character to believe, especially for a big part of the book, but it does attempt to explain him later.

Furthermore, the characters are uneven here than in the previous books. Paedyn and Kai still have some chemistry, and that carries a lot of the reading experience, but both can feel flatter than they should in such an important final instalment. They are always very clear about their feelings but not always as developed or consistent as they should be. Far too often, they go round the same pain, the same want and the same impossible situation without making much headway. That slows down the pace of the novel in the middle. It's a big book so it can get stuck at times. There's some interesting stuff around them, and some side elements hint at a wider world, but not all these threads are developed to their fullest.

Fearless is a messy finale overall, but one that provides payoff and passion for those who are strongly attached to Paedyn and Kai. It has emotional moments, a central dilemma that is interesting, and enough twists to keep the story going, but also has a lot of repetition, some questionable character logic and a plot that attempts to do too much at once. There were some moments I did enjoy, particularly when it was about the emotional stakes of the story instead of the cramming of more into the plot. I am going to end this by saying that it's a readable but flawed ending, which is good for anyone who has been engaged in the trilogy but may be disappointing to readers who wanted a tighter, more satisfying conclusion. I would rate this 3 out of 5 stars.