Review: I was let down
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2014
Overall the is one of the better "bargain" space opera type trilogies available. I loved the first two books and this one started out OK. The only real problem I had with the first half or so of the book was the love scenes. We would be going along just fine and all of a sudden I thought I was in a romance novel. I have no problem with the love scenes in general but these were just SO over the top sappy. And then, like one reviewer wrote, at the very end when Paul is embracing Sofia from behind MUCH more like a lover than a friend I found hugely disturbing.Then there is the straw the broke the camel’s back (for me).Full disclosure I am an atheist. That said I don't always have a huge problem with religion in books if the author is capable of striking the right balance. For instance I am a big Star Wars fan. At least of the concept of Star Wars as the execution could have been a lot better. The "force" is integral to the story and was handled in a way that works for me. I don't have any problems at all accepting it. Obviously, understanding it is a fictional story. This book, Pax Impereia, had a lot of references to The Great Maker throughout. I did not like it but I would not have counted much against the book in terms of a review. That is until the end. Basically, at the end of the book every accomplishment and sacrifice that the main character, Jon, made over three books were taken away from him and all the credit handed over to guess who, The Great Maker. My son is a high school football player. He is not a super star and I don't expect a lot of recruiters to be calling next year when he is a senior. But he still gets up at 4:45 AM to go to championship workouts in the off season. His coaches are always coming up to me to tell me how impressed they are with his work ethic and how he is competing and winning against other guys where he could not or would not when he first started. My point is this. What he is doing has nothing to do with any god. It is 100% him. It is his drive, his determination and his sacrifice and whatever he accomplishes is his. I despise every football player who points to the sky after scoring a touchdown like it was god who worked and sacrificed for years in order to be prepared to make that play. If I did believe in a Great Maker I think I would be pretty disappointed in him if he was taking sides in a football game and would certainly be disappointed in him for taking credit for someone else’s work.