At book 3, this series is still going strong! It was one of my first space operas and I became fascinated. The real draw to this series begins with the characters and ends with their bravery against all odds.

They are faced with people accelerating plans to genetically engineer a plague. The ultimate goal to take charge of these plans is all that Rake, Jackin and Cavalon (and all the other faves) focus on while enduring attacks and trying to save the universe, again! In a world where everything is collapsing, this motley crew are the ones to step in. It was never short on excitement and the intrigue is high for a book 4!? Hopefully?

Thank you to Tor (and NetGalley) for the ebook and final copy to finish off my set. I couldn’t be happier!

J. S. Dewes has finally completed her fun space opera series that started with the universe shrinking at The Last Watch (paper from 2021) Now our heroes of The Relentless Legion(hard from Tor) a dictator wanting to rule our galaxy, and a genetic disease with the potential of wiping out humanity. In this exciting conclusion there are multiple battles, a trip to an alternate universe, and near death experiences. Whew.

I really enjoy this series. Like, a lot. But I do have to caution that it took me a minute to get back into the world. That part is probably on me, but man I did not remember a lot of stuff that had happened! Once I did manage to get a grip, of course I was thrilled to be back with the characters and the world. Now, the question I do still have is, is this the final book? Well, I haven't a clue! My gut says no, because it didn't fully feel like a final book? Like- it wraps up some plot threads nicely, but there is still tons of room to expand, so.

But as always, I enjoyed the complex bonds among the characters, and how they deal with all the high stakes adventures. The story takes some pretty interesting twists, too, especially a few things I did not see coming. Overall, another solid installment in the series, and I would one hundred percent be here for more to come!

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a sci-fi series that will keep you on your toes but also has an incredible cast of characters, this is it!

I’ve been collecting my thoughts on this for a minute, because I don’t think anything I can say will do this justice. I’m growing more and more attached to our characters as the story progresses and not all of them make it through this book and it hits just like losing a friend in real life. The writing is so good in that way.

While the universe grew somewhat in The Exiled Fleet, it felt like it was blown open in The Relentless Legion with some very interesting events occurring. I don’t want to spoil it in my review but it was a great plot device to help wrap up a big part of this first trilogy of books in the story.

Adequin Rake and Cavalon Mercer are two characters that stand out in the scif-fi genre and on top of that we get a third POV in this book, this time from Jackin. ANd between the three of them, there is so much friendship and love that grows. Adequin and Cavalon are clearly platonic soulmates and I love that for them. I need way more of this universe and I hope The Divide grows and gets to run for at least as long as The Expanse because this story has the potential to overtake it in scope if some of the seed that were planted in this story grow further in future novels.

Between this series and Ambit’s Run, women author’s are now dominating the space opera genre and I love it. Be ready for some more antics from the loveable crew of misfits and an expansive world full of fun science and interesting world explanations.

Thank you so much to @torbooks for the finished copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I was so lucky to be able to binge all three books currently put I'm the last month, and now I don't know what to do with myself! I need more Cavalon and Rake and there totally awsome platonic love!! And now that one if the problems that arose in the first book has been taken care of I need to know how the universe is going to be saved!!.
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This series doesn't shy away from killing off characters we've come to love, and that makes the stakes feel infinitely more real. The universe is collapsing, and a megalomaniac is trying to take out a bunch of people in the name of getting rid if the mutagen in their DNA that was put there from an alien race many years ago...
So.. I need more.
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From the first page of bk 1 in this series I knew I was going to love it, and with the final page of this last book J.S Dewes has became an autobuy author, and while I hope the next book she writes will be in the Divide. I will be reading anything else she writes...
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If you love
We MAKE the Protocols
No Thoughts, Only Revenge
Slow Burn
(Begrudgingly) Helpful Aliens
Old Friends, New Problems
Platonic Soulmates Conquer
Codependency
Ghost Ships
• Ancient Alien Superweapon
Daring Escapes
◦ Sedition! Mutiny! Treason
Check this series out!!
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I was hooked on J. S. Dewes' "The Divide" sci-fi opera from the opening moments of her first book The Last Watch, and I was even more bought-in when Book 2 (The Exiled Fleet) came out just four months later and was even better than the debut. Both of these were published in 2021, and after the speedy sequel, it has felt like an eternity to get to The Relentless Legion. But here we are, and thankfully it was worth the wait.

And now, the disclaimer:

If you have not yet read the previous books in The Divide series, STOP READING THIS NOW!

My review below will contain major spoilers—recaps, even— for the first two books, but not for this latest installment in the series. If you're new to these books and curious about what all this 5-star space opera talk is about, check out my review of the first two books here.

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Because it had been several years since I'd last spent time with Adequin Rake, Cavalon Mercer, and the rest of the Sentinels, I had to go back and reread the last half of The Exiled Fleet to remind myself where things left off. So, to save you the trouble, here's a quick recap of The Exiled Fleet (at least the last half):

The Sentinels are at an impasse—they need a fuel source, and the only way to obtain it requires biometric access from none other than Augustus Mercer. Cavalon (Augustus's grandson) knows that Augustus keeps a genetic backup of himself in his bedroom at Mercer Manor, and so with no other options, he and Adequin Rake embark on a quest to retrieve it. After obtaining the bio-signature, Cavalon realizes Augustus's genetic code matches Cavalon's exactly, which means he's not Augustus's grandson, he's actually Augustus's clone. During the mission, they also download data that reveals Augustus Mercer's endgame: launch a bioweapon that would kill anyone infected with the Viator mutagen. As they flee from Mercer Manor on Elyseia, Cavalon is seriously injured (his left arm is severed below the elbow). He's able to be saved and extracted to their ship, but in the process the team is forced to leave Rake behind to be captured. When he regains consciousness, Cavalon is furious, but eventually Jackin North trades himself for Rake. Augustus Mercer values North even more than Rake, since North is the only person who knows the location of Mercer's wife Corinne, who North extracted to a blacksite years earlier. North leaves the Sentinels with coordinates to Corinne's location—an outpost on a planet called Akhet— so that they can evacuate her to a new safe spot in the event Jackin is unable to withhold the information under Augustus Mercer's torture. Lastly, as Rake, Cavalon, and team are fleeing across the galaxy and under heavy pursuit, they realize that there is only one way to avoid capture: they must evacuate the ship and turn it into a bomb that will prevent their pursuers from continuing to track them. Of course, one person must stay behind to trigger the bomb, and Cavalon and Rake try to "outmartyr" each other for that dubious honor, with Rake eventually prevailing after knocking out Cavalon. She puts him on a ship to safety, and she appears to be doomed before she is teleported at the last instant onto the Viator ship captained by Kaize. When asked how they got to her in time, Kaize says it was "caelestis", or "the will of the universe".

The Relentless Legion picks up at that point: North is captured and being interrogated, and Rake and Cavalon are holed up on Akhet with the rest of the Sentinels and Corinne Mercer, preparing for war. Augustus Mercer plans to launch a bioweapon that will wipe out half of humanity—anyone with the Viator mutagen—and Corinne and Cavalon have come to the conclusion that there is no way to stop the weapon. The only solution is to cure the Viator mutagen, something that humanity has spent the last hundred years unsuccessfully trying to do.

The first act of the book is a bit slower, with a lot of time spent on setting up the remainder of the novel, but once the story finds its firm footing, it barrels ahead during the second and third acts. The characters we came to know and love from the first two books are back and well established, and because we know them that opens the door to a deeper exploration of portions of their psyches and relationships. One thing The Relentless Legion doesn't do as much of as previous books in the series is completely zig when you think it's going to zag. That unpredictability was a staple of the first two books, and while there are plenty of unexpected occurrences, Dewes is on a mission to wrap things up, and any more drastic adjustments to plot would make that impossible.

And wrap things up she does, in a satisfactory way. There is room for more story if she wants it and she leaves the door open for that, but The Relentless Legion puts a bow on a terrific trilogy and one that I would highly recommend.

I enjoyed the Last Watch and it's sequel so I was interested to see the conclusion of the military science fiction trilogy. This was a solid ending that was very much on par with the last two and fans should be quite pleased. This series isn't a personal favourite of mine but as a solid science fiction series I still enjoyed quite a bit.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The Relentless Legion is my most anticipated release this year. To say I’m obsessed with this series is an understatement. I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the continuation of Rake and Cavalon’s story.

I was not disappointed.

If you are familiar with the first two books I would highly suggest doing a reread. One, because they're fantastic – the audiobooks are incredible, and two, there's a lot going on and a refresher is never a bad idea.

While the big plot point (the Divide shrinking) seems to get put on the back burner, the Sentinels are once again saving humanity from certain doom. And this time it's personal.

I cannot begin to describe the love I have for the cast of The Divide. They're a family, and this book really brings to light the relationships between the characters. There is a whole space ship’s worth of growth, hard truths, and crying (on my end, I shed many tears).

I’m not positive if this is the final book in the series. Personally, I hope not. I’m extremely excited to listen to The Relentless Legion's audiobook. I’ve listened to the first two books a couple of times and my inner dialogue while reading sounded exactly like the narrators. They're my favorite duo!

My only complaint is that Cavalon was not nearly sweaty enough.

Oh how I’ve waited for this one to be released. I absolutely adore The Divide series, and Dewes does not disappoint with this latest installment. I mean, the book begins with a dedication to Garrus Vakarian – that should explain it all. I began reading the story with my heart full because of it.

Of course you should have read the first two books for things to make sense. The author gives us so so much, so yeah, you should have already been along for the ride to be able to make even more connections. I love an intergallactic space odyssey, but I also do enjoy the politics behind it – which there is more of in this entry.

These characters means something to me. I really, really hope there is more to come.

5

I will admit, I started this book a little disappointed - it felt like Dewes lowered the stakes significantly from "impending collapse of the universe!" down to "human eugenicist must be stopped". Not that the latter isn't important, it just didn't feel as universe-shattering as the former. I was wrong. The book was great (with minor nitpicks, detailed below). Although Cavalon and Adequin spent much of their time apart, their relationship was still very evident and important to both characters, which, let's be real, is the heart of the series. After I got over my disappointment over the lack of "impending collapse!", I enjoyed the politicking and logistics of maneuvering a rebellion to fight Augustus Mercer - actually, I would have liked more detail on that front, but that probably would have made the book too long.

I did feel the last third of the book was a little rushed, and there were definitely some moments that stretched disbelief, some deus ex machina moments with the Viators (or, as the book calls it, caelestis). The ending few lines felt like a combination of blatant fanservice and a sense of "I'm not sure if I'm going to get a chance to publish book 4, so I'm going to write a good stopping point here." (I hope she gets the chance to publish book 4.)

I really enjoy reading about these characters and their relationships, and I'm very curious as to whether we will encounter more alien species!

Highly recommend rereading the first two before tackling this one. There are so many moving parts to this series and a lot to keep track of, and that's not a complaint; it's just that when it all comes together, it's extremely satisfying, way more so if the preceding installments are fresh in your memory! There were several moments near the end where I teared up. I appreciated the addition of Jackin's POV as well. Even though a major conflict was resolved by the end, there is an even bigger one still looming, and plenty of characters whose endings we don't wrap up as Cav's, Rake's, and Jack's do (my girls Emery and Mesa, where did you end up?). I desperately hope that there will be a fourth book in The Divide series!!!

Enjoyable Science Fiction read.

I loved the world building as well as the pacing. Overall a good addition to J.S. Dewes other books.

My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of the third book in a very promiseing science fiction series dealing with the death of the universe, megalomaniacs, killer viruses, and the intricacies of human interaction.

When I first began reading science fiction, militarized sci-fi and it's older brother space opera were popular, but were stuck in a rut of vrooming space ships, rock jawed heroes, fetishized weapons, women who acted like men or aliens, and space invaders that wanted to steal these same women, resources, or just kill everything. There were a few exceptions and some good writers, but most of these books all came from the same publishers, looked alike, and were plotted alike. I drifted away from science fiction as it seemed for awhile it was stuck in the past, and being gatekeeped by people who were afraid of the future. Thankfully the genre has seemed to have changed, grudgingly and with much whining, but their seems to be more to what is considered space opera today. Better plots, more diversity, bigger ideas, and a want to see a future that might not be the one of today. In the case of the books by J. S. Dewes this also includes very good writing. The Relentless Legion is the third book in The Divide Series, with the story expanding to include more characters and more dangers from a contracting universe, and a biological war that could end everything.

Adequin Rake and the Sentinels that Rake leads finally get a chance to take a breath, though those breaths might be quick gasps as things are still going very bad. Revelations that the universe might be growing smaller, leading to large groups of other species coming into Earth space are a problem, but they are problems for another day. Humanity is still recovering from a large scale war, a war that has left humanity with a genetic virus that might destroy them all. One man has a plan, but it might mean the end of half of humanity. Rake and her trusted partner Cavalon Mercer, a clone of the madman in power, have to find a cure for the bioweapon, or aim bigger and halt the growth of the original virus. This will lead to some weird places, weird times, unleash long buried weapons. All while dealing with traitors who are closer than they think.

There is a lot going on in this book. Characters have been added and lots of interactions are going on which really fill out the world building in this series. I was a huge fan of the first book, and enjoyed the second, but found that this one really set the story going, and solved some long standing subplots. There are more aliens, more big ideas, and a lot of action. However what this book does well is that it gives the characters a chance to change, and grow. To find and deal with the numerous, numerous traumas that many of them have. They are not a happy bunch. The narrative is split between three characters, Rake, Mercer, and a third, which allows the story to expand, unlike the universe they live in which is not. There is humor, moments that will upset, and moments that will make a person go, hmm that character has really grown, or wow was that a shocker.

This being the third book, I really recommend starting with the first. There is a lot going on, and coming in blind would be a lot to ask. That said I do wish publisher would have cast of characters or just a one page or two to tell what has happened. I read a lot, enjoy Dewes books and was a little lost in the beginning. That is a minor quibble. This is a really good series, one that I enjoy, as I have the stand alone books that Dewes has written. I eagerly await more in this series.

The final book in the divide trilogy takes place six months after the end of book two. It is told from the viewpoints of Adequin, Jackin, and Cavalon. It is a little bit more political than the previous books but still had lots of space action which is what I really enjoy. I love that the characters don't just do things but take the time to talk about why they are doing it and what is their reasoning behind it. I also feel that the relationships between the characters are well thought out and realistically represented. While this third book did sum all of the plot points. The world building is good enough that there could easily be more books in the series.

Very fun sci-fi book, but nothing to think about after it was done. Still, I read it really quickly and was highly entertained.

This was a very good read. It builds on the prior books in the series, without being to predictable. I enjoyed the continued character development and the new characters introduced. If you liked the earlier books in the series you'll want to read this.

I have really enjoyed the Divide series by J. S. Dewes. A story about loss, recovery, found family, and of course the end of the universe.

This being the third in the series I hope that anyone reading this is already familiar with the first two books. We join our band of forgotten soldiers in a position they haven't faced in a long time, relative safety. Having found a refuge in the storm Rake, Cavalon, and their rebellion finally have some room to breathe, but it's short lived. Augustus Mercer has not been sitting idly as they muster their forces. If he has his way many more worlds may die to satisfy his need to eradicate the Viator curse.

There is so much going on by this point in the story, and I was not disappointed with how all the threads came together. Dewes has a fun and unique world with character, depth, and lots of space ships. I am a fan of space hopping adventures with a lot of heart and The Divide definitely fits that bill.