KTF Part 2

Galaxy's Edge Season 2, Book 7

By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

It all ends here.

Every decision, battle, triumph, and heartache has led the galaxy to this moment.

The Republic is spun wildly into sudden war as Gomarii slavers, in overwhelming numbers, strike on behalf of their Savage allies. The battle is fiercest on a newly rediscovered world: Earth.

But galactic war is only the symptom of an older, deeper, and far more dangerous conflict. Now, Keel and Ravi must work frantically to assemble the warriors needed to withstand an ancient threat, and Prisma must wrestle to control her own inner darkness. While on the front lines, Death’s grim specter comes for Chhun and Victory Company.

For once again, a Legion stands steadfast before the void.

KTF Part Two marks the end of Galaxy’s Edge: Season Two, and of the expansive story arc that began long ago with Legionnaire. Listen with caution, for here is where the characters you have come to know and love will meet their ultimate fates.

Includes special notes from the authors.

©2022 Jason Anspach and Nick Cole (P)2023 Podium Audio

A Rushed Departure, and Unsatisfying Conclusion

First off, I am a Galaxy's Edge long-time insider subscriber. I've listened to every book up to KTF 1 and 2 at least 4 or more times. I love the world building and the intricate stories they've woven. However, this book represents a major departure from their modus operandi. I lost count how many times I said, "Wait, what? What did I miss? What happened?", just to rewind and realize entire segments were just not there. This story was as if they had a storyboard outline for the conclusion of all these story arcs and wrote only the parts that were bulletin points. There's nothing to build there. Too many things are skipped over or are told to us without showing us. They spent a big chunk of the book writing an inconsequential battle and skipped over the parts of the story that really needed to be told.

I feel like I had a lazy tour guide who walked me through a museum in 5 minutes when the brochure said it would take 3 hours. Sure, I SAW all of the exhibits... but only in passing without explanation.

It reminds me of the last season of Game of Thrones, just time skipping and hitting the big points to quickly draw a conclusion so they could go direct Star Wars. I'm not sure why JA and NC would treat the ending like Season 8 of GoT, but perhaps they've got their next project lined up also. It's a shame, really. Let me give you examples...


**SPOILERS**
How did Prizma live a thousand lifetimes in the Savage Hulk and become an adult? What was her journey? How did she become more powerful than everyone else? Don't know, happened off page. The Golden King had an entire plan to deceive the galaxy through his orchestrated invasions, and then you never hear of it again. How were the dark ones enslaved, and how did the Ancients fail to do whatever was done? Who are the Dark Ones? Neelo's AI betrayed him, as did his most trusted lieutenant, but any more details than simply that? Neelo surely had communication still. What were their fates? Don't know, happened off page. What happened to Rechs' AI Lyra? What happened to Maestro or his betrayal plans? What happened with Kill Team Ice? Who knows or cares, I guess. How did Wildman teleport planets and somehow end up helping during a battle? What happened to him? What happened to the preacher bot, and why/how was he receiving savage doctrine? What sort of being was Bubbles, and what happened to it during the final battle? Macafee just kinda vanishes, and we are simply told he undertook a huge mission and accomplished it successfully. Why was he a dirty wizard? What was his fate afterward? Don't even get me started on Crometheus and his 50 parts randomly introduced, and just as quickly abandoned. What happened to the bots and DDOW? How did Keel react to DDOW's actions and subsequent freedom? Why did Garrett suddenly disappear from the story? What happened to Zora? Did Kel Turner survive? What happened to Carter? Did he talk to Neelo again? What happened to Bear? What about Praxis or the Cybar? Did Keel ever get the memory reversal treatment that Carter got? Are we to assume that literally never came up? Ravi was on deaths door and can't move... oh wait, nevermind, he's fine now. Andine was an afterthought and inserted into the last 5 minutes as a corpse on the floor. Then there's Skrizz and the Koobs. An entire storyline abandoned in both of their instances. Skrizz vowed to steal a ship and go to Prizma (this doesn't happen for some unknown reason until after the battle AND the book is over), and the Koobs were supposed to learn the fate of their homeworld. PEOPLE JUST DROP OFF AND NEVER GET MENTIONED AGAIN, IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORY THEY'RE INVOLVED IN! What the hell happened to everyone, and how the hell did anyone get to where they were going and how did those relationships react and evolve to what occurred?
**END SPOILERS**

I could keep going and write a thesis here on how they crammed 5 books of story conclusions into one book without so much as an explanation to how anyone truly got there, but this review is already too long. These are simply the plot points, but beyond the big questions, there are entire stories left out. How did X character get where they suddenly appear? How did they come to make their actions? How did the people around them respond to their actions? How did the final moments of X character play out? What led them to that moment? What were the results of their actions? Frankly, the entire battle sequences of this book, which are hours long, could've been cut, and it wouldn't have impacted a thing. I love a good battle, but if we are counting words, those words should've been on the story that mattered. This is your biggest franchise, and you D&D'd it.

The authors say they're done with these characters, but even if they weren't they would have to release KTF Part 1.1, Part 1.2, and so on to even correct the mess they're leaving behind. I understand leaving holes for Crometheus and Thomas Roman for their own respective trilogy series, but the rest is inexcusable. This end is completely unsatisfying, unlike "Season 1". I may have to reconsider this as my go-to recommendation series to others.

Galaxy's Edge, a fantastic series!!

A fabulous and exciting continuation to a series loves by all! A book not to be missed and the series of a lifetime. (Or many lifetimes, as the case may be!)

Too much for one book

It was a good novel but the last few chapters tried to cover way too much ground and ended up missing an opportunity to be great. Having read all the books in the galaxy’s edge universe there was a lot of ground to cover. Maestro just disappeared with some vague crap about a majority of crometheus rebelling in a warehouse, prisma blows herself up, and the Indian dude just fades out. Azon somehow becomes a planetary ruler, The golden king is killed with a grenade, etc… I think the end will generally leave most readers disappointed.

Glorious

An end to something great, an end that mirrors the beginning. Great book, will be reading this a few more times for sure.

BRAVO as always KTF

Bravo as always.. Immediate turn around for re listen.. Laughed , Cried, Happy , Sad. Exquisite addition to our GROWING UNIVERSE.. Can't wait to see what comes next. Make sure you listen to after action report on this one............... The EPITAPH Broke Me.. KTF