A Fearlessly Exciting Finale

Lauren Roberts Releases “Fearless,” the Final Installment in Her Hit Trilogy

Photo by Elisa Calvet B. on Unsplash

On April 8, Lauren Roberts released “Fearless,” the final book in her bestselling “Powerless” trilogy.  The first book in the series, “Powerless,” was a hit with young adult readers all across America. With cliffhangers that leave readers on the edge of their seats and a spellbinding romance, “Powerless” managed to earn the title of New York Times Bestseller. The final installment in the trilogy was long-awaited by “Powerless” fans, bringing readers back to the universe they had grown to love. The plot, setting and romance were executed well throughout the book, but these aspects occasionally felt drawn-out and predictable.

To begin, the plot was predictable, especially to readers who have avidly pursued fantasy in the past. The twists were exciting, but most have been used before. In addition, the balance of plot and romance in a book is what keeps the reader hooked into the story and its characters. While the romance is written well, it easily overshadows the plot. This can be a positive or a negative, depending on the reader’s preference. The readers who seek an intriguing, all-consuming plot would likely not admire the excessive romance featured in “Fearless.” Regardless, the story is still entertaining, and the familiar structure can be seen as a comfort to readers.

The fantastical land of Ilya, where Kai Azer and Paedyn Gray, the story’s protagonists, live, is interesting; however, there’s nothing that makes it especially unique. To avid readers who have experienced many fantasy worlds, Ilya and its surrounding regions feel copied and pasted from other fantastical universes. In addition, Ilya has an absolute monarchy as its government structure, which is quite common and somewhat overused in fantasy worlds. These aspects of the setting add to the predictable nature of the overall storyline. However, Ilya makes up for its bland setting with an interesting societal structure made up of powerful Elites and powerless Ordinaries. This unique caste system featured throughout the trilogy is intriguing to fantasy fanatics.

The “Powerless” trilogy closely follows the enemies-to-lovers trope. “Fearless” picks up at a point in Kai and Paedyn’s relationship where they have learned to care for each other and are no longer enemies. Roberts puts their relationship to the test throughout “Fearless.” The obstacles they face demonstrate the strength of Kai and Paedyn’s bond and put their mutual devotion to the test. This lovable romance is a major feature of the book, and its beautiful execution makes the book popular among avid readers.

Overall, Kai and Paedyn are the stars of the show in “Fearless,” with their relationship at the forefront of the storyline. For some readers, their well-developed romance makes up for the lack of a unique setting and plot, while the lack of individuality is a too significant issue for others to ignore.

<Star Ratings>

Plot: ★★★★★

Setting: ★★★★★

Romance: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★