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jonhutchings's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
adam_nie's review
3.0
I don't mind the gaudiness. This series has always prided itself on set-piece battles. They're a genre staple. I personally prefer Baltimore in its quieter moments, where the atmospheric towns and bit characters can breathe. Unfortunately, this final installment has little room for that kind of downtime. It rushes through intra-party conflicts and ultimately kneecaps its own climax by making the title fight more mundane and uneventful than the battle montages which proceeded it.
On an unrelated note, the map of the Red King's territory really drove home Baltimore's messy flirtation with period-specific Western propaganda tropes. Russia has fallen to the red menace! China has cut a deal with the devil! "We cannot expect help from the East" is written as fact in a military briefing on page 2. We know that the US fights with Western Europe in the heroic alliance and that some Coptic magicians have joined the Inquisition. The Inquisition does score points for showing a global range of Christian practices. But beyond that, the only sign of the Western or Southern hemispheres in this ultimate battle for the planet is a map showing much of West Africa as under the Red King's domain. It's not great.
On an unrelated note, the map of the Red King's territory really drove home Baltimore's messy flirtation with period-specific Western propaganda tropes. Russia has fallen to the red menace! China has cut a deal with the devil! "We cannot expect help from the East" is written as fact in a military briefing on page 2. We know that the US fights with Western Europe in the heroic alliance and that some Coptic magicians have joined the Inquisition. The Inquisition does score points for showing a global range of Christian practices. But beyond that, the only sign of the Western or Southern hemispheres in this ultimate battle for the planet is a map showing much of West Africa as under the Red King's domain. It's not great.
tmaluck's review
3.0
If volume 7 is going to be a giant buildup to this finale, then you have to bring the finale.
Spoiler
The ongoing, futile last stand against the armies of monsters/demons is good. More of that, please, with even more momentum and collapsing fronts. But that final showdown of "I'll stab you now" "No I'll stab you!" was featherweight compared to what's been dangled for the past year or longer. Baltimore had to lie low and bide his time for this perfect moment when the Red King is on this mortal plane... to lunge a spear! The death doctor seemed to have everything under control all on his own. Why was Baltimore central to any of this, beyond revenge? Even with the "now his spirit may rest" epilogue, I don't think his treatment was given enough consideration, or at least he and his team went out with a whimper when they've been shown to be made of grander stuff.jlsigman's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Oof, this was just... not good. Rushed. Unexplained. The time skip made no sense at all.
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