Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Reckless by Lauren Roberts.
Summary
The Powerless Trilogywill conclude withFearlessin April 2025, andthe last book in Lauren Roberts’fantasyseries needs to rectify the biggest problem withReckless.The follow-up to Roberts' 2023 debut,Recklesswas one of themost-anticipated fantasy books of July 2024. Given how popularPowerlesswas on BookTok in 2023, it’s really no surprise that its sequel stirred up so much excitement. Unfortunately, Roberts' series isn’t one of thosetrilogies where the second book is the best. While there are things to love aboutReckless,it doesn’t quite reachPowerless’heights.
Powerlessintroduces Paedyn and Kai, two very different people living in a world where magic reigns supreme. Dubbed Elites, these individuals believe that Ordinaries — those without powers — are a threat to their safety and well-being. Being an Ordinary in Ilya can get a person killed, which is why Paedyn works so hard to hide her truth. Unfortunately, it comes out after she saves Prince Kai and is thrown into the Purging Trials inPowerless.And although the first book’s ending promises thrilling things to come,Recklessdoesn’t fully deliver on that.
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Reckless Barely Moves The Plot Of The Powerless Trilogy Forward (& That’s A Big Problem)
The Second Book Focuses Too Heavily On Paedyn & Kai’s Romance
With Paedyn killing the king and being exposed as an Ordinary at the end ofPowerless,it seemed certain thatRecklesswould be another thrilling ride. Paedyn is on the run whenRecklessopens, and Kai is the one tracking her down. The stakes seem destined to grow in this sequel, butRecklessproves that assumption wrong. Rather than hammering home the consequences of Paedyn’s actions,Recklessbarely moves the plot ofThe PowerlessTrilogyforward in its 300+ pages. That’s a shame, as there are major questions to address.
Rather than hammering home the consequences of Paedyn’s actions,Recklessbarely moves the plot ofThe PowerlessTrilogyforward in its 300+ pages.
Recklessshould have dug deeper into the political tensions between the Elites and the Ordinaries, revealing how Paedyn’s actions affected each division. Instead, the second installment spends most of its run following Kai and Paedyn on their journey back to Ilya. And although their romance is a highlight ofReckless,it’s not enough to overlook the poor pacing and plotting. Even Kitt’s chapters, which break up Kai and Paedyn’s interactions, don’t do much to expand the story or world until the very end.Fearlesshas a lot to do when it comes to the main storyline.
The Final Book In The Powerless Trilogy Needs To Make Up For Reckless' Biggest Flaw
Fearless Needs To Focus More On The Overarching Plot
Fearlessis coming out in April 2025, andthe final book inThe Powerless Trilogymust make up forReckless’biggest flaw. WithRecklesshardly addressing the Elites vs. Ordinaries conflict,Fearlesswill need to work doubly hard when it comes to the overarching plot. The third installment must properly show the consequences of Paedyn’s actions, and it also needs to resolve the oppression of the Ordinaries. IfFearlesswants to reimmerse readers in this world, it needs to ramp up the action and political tensions. It could be hard to cover everything it needs to in one book.
This is especially true when you consider thatFearlessalso needs to deal with Kai and Paedyn’s romance storyline. Paedyn’s marriage to Kitt will undoubtedly factor into the main story, as the king of Ilya likely has ulterior motives for wedding his father’s killer. But with Paedyn’s engagement complicating things for her and Kai,Fearlesswill need to juggle the main story with the books' central romance. Hopefully, it strikes a better balance than its predecessor.
Reckless' Story Problems Should Make Fearless A Much More Plot-Heavy Book
The Final Book Has No Choice But To Address What Reckless Didn’t
WhileFearlesscould struggle to strike the right balance between plot and romance,Reckless’story issues make this outcome less likely. SinceRecklessfails to address many of the major plot points ofThe Powerless Trilogy,its sequel will have no choice but to tackle them head-on. WithFearlessbeing the conclusion to Roberts' series, there won’t be another chance to do so. Even if Roberts continues writing in this world, she’ll need to deliver a satisfactory ending to Paedyn and Kai’s story — and that includes the non-romantic elements of it.
SinceRecklessfails to address many of the major plot points ofThe Powerless Trilogy,its sequel will have no choice but to tackle them head-on.
Unfortunately, Roberts concluding the narrative and tackling things that should have been handled inRecklesscould make the finalPowerlessbook feel rushed. Pacing will need to be treated with care ifFearlesshas any hope of sticking the landing. Given how invested so many readers are inThe Powerless Trilogy, getting the ending right is important. Fingers crossed the last book turns out to be gripping and satisfying.
