REVIEW: THE TRIAL OF ROOKER FLYNN (LOCKE INSTITUTE TRILOGY # 2)

Forgive me if you can...

After enjoying THE CRIMES OF ROOKER FLYNN, I've been looking forward to the release of it's sequel. This month felt like the month to treat myself to it, so I did. 

HOW I RATED IT 

5/5 Even though this book ends on another vicious cliffhanger, I felt as though it was everything the second book in a trilogy should be in that it was a satisfying entry in the series while still leaving me desperate for the true conclusion to this turbulent tale.

Please Note: While I will be aiming to avoid spoilers for THE TRIAL OF ROOKER FLYNN, I will likely mention characters and events which could be considered spoilers for both the first book in this trilogy as well as the original THE LEGEND OF BLACK JACK. 

CHARACTERS

We once again find ourselves with the notorious Rooker Flynn as the book kicks off with another flashback of him from when he still went by his birth name of "Pip." We also meet the original "Rooker" in this prologue, but his ultimate fate remains ominously vague. When we come back to the present, we quickly discover that Jack is, of course, not actually dead and realize that the depths of Gerba's depravity truly knows no bounds when it comes to getting what she wants. Things get extremely heated between Rooker and Jack as the pirate's betrayal leads to an even more bitter confrontation that rocks them both to their core. The tension between them remains a heavy thread throughout the story and I found myself really impressed with how the conflict was done in such a nuanced and adult way. We dive deep into Rooker's psyche with this one and there's some pretty dark stuff to be found there as one might expect. It was similarly interesting to see how Jack responded to the horrible things happening to him in real time. The results of how these events transform Jack proved to be both heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. The horrors he's faced with harden him certainly, but there's still this firm sense of identity that he maintains and I loved how that drove other aspects of the plot forward. We also get to know some of the pair's fellow inmates on a much deeper level than before. Patch and Billy Pilgrim served as particular standouts, but some other characters had some satisfying moments of character development as well. I wouldn't exactly call it "found family," but there is certainly a very motley crew element that forms here and I very much enjoyed seeing how all these surly characters interacted with one another. On the less wholesome front is the one and only Gerba Whipmarples. If anyone was left unsure about what a nasty piece of work she is after the first novel, then there is little room for doubt left after this one. She's the type of character who you can just love to hate, but we also got some additional insight into what really motivates her to be as wicked as she is. The little tidbits about her background and the way that the curtain is pulled back on her true plans are for the Locke Institute made for some fascinating reveals. Last, but not least, it's worth noting that several side characters from THE LEGEND OF BLACK JACK have small cameos in the story. This was such a delightful surprise and I was impressed that they were sort of reintroduced in such a way that readers wouldn't be totally lost if they never read that original standalone novel. I'm hoping that they will get a bigger role to play in the third and final part of this series.

PLOT/TONE

While the first book in this trilogy was sort of more of a prison survival story with some light mystery elements and conflict born of miscommunication mixed in, there's quite a lot happening in this sequel. Once Jack and Rooker get resettled into "the institute," they immediately set about to upending the order of things in their own way. Rooker resorts to his typical, opportunistic habits, but Jack has a much grander scheme in mind, which he naturally elects to leave Rooker out of. The subtle prison rebellion and escape plan plot that ensues was good fun and I liked how it was broken up with moments of drama between Rooker and Jack. Things then get completely shaken up when Gerba unveils a new plan for her "students" and things get even more deadly for them. The dire nature of this act forces Rooker and Jack back together again and the way that this relationship uneasily reforges itself had me on the edge of my seat almost as much as the mortal trials that these characters have to undergo. Though it'd be hard to say much more without resorting to spoilers, the third act turned out to be every bit as fulfilling as the first two when the plot turns back to a sort of prison riot theme accompanied by the culmination of the grand escape plan. The climax of the book is absolutely intense and the way things left off had me a little bit "shook" to say the least. There is a ton of fun to be had with this dark adventure story, but it's also an emotional roller coaster that's been diabolically designed to manipulate one's heartstrings like a little marionette. Typically, I prefer that books have a more conclusive ending, but as far as second books in a trilogy go, this one is essentially flawless. It improves upon the first in just about every imaginable way and completely avoids the infamous "middle book syndrome" that plagues so many sophomore entries in a series.  

SETTING/WORLD

While some might be disheartened that the story remains largely confined to the island of Huánghūn, I think this book still managed to create a captivating setting. It was probably to be expected that our heroes would remain trapped within the confines of the Locke Institute, but the first book left us with more than a couple of mysteries regarding what is really going on here. Many of these lingering questions are answered and the revelations can be quite unsettling. I appreciated how these interspersed reveals made me see the familiar setting in a new light and left me with new questions about where this will all go. We also got to explore the literal underbelly of the island and the hidden portions of the institute itself, both of which are very dark places in both the literal and figurative sense. In the second act of the book, the satellite island that the action takes place on offers a little geographical variety as well. It was cool to see how the characters reacted to being confined to a new type of prison and there's an interesting contrast between how this place is both markedly better and significantly worse for them in different ways. As this portion of the story rolls along, we get a little more information about the significance of it to Gerba which gave it a bit of a new significance to the story overall. It's in this portion of the story that we get some additional insights into the broader world of Keymark as well. I have to wonder if these are just little bits of flavor to remind us that there are a myriad of exotic nations out beyond the Institute-controlled islands or if maybe these are tantalizing teases of places the author will explore later on. Rounding things out is a more comprehensive exploration into the magic of this world (called by other names in the text). While magical elements have always played a part in prior books set in this world, they've remained somewhat ambiguous. The magic systems at play here are still distinctly on the softer side, we get a much better understanding of what's possible along with some of the mechanics behind how things work. I loved that these elements were crucial to uncovering the truth behind Gerba's masterplan as well as the key to how she maintains such a firm grip on the island of  Huánghūn. 

PAPERBACK

First off, the image gracing the front cover is absolutely spectacular. The Venture Brigand is a very cool vessel and I think this artwork does it the justice that it deserves. The cover itself fits the same sort of overall presentation and is the exact same size as Witham's prior books which makes it sit decently well up on a shelf with its counterparts. It's also a slightly darker shade of red than the first book in the LOCKE INSTITUTE TRILOGY which both sets it apart from the previous entry while still making it clear that it's part of the set. The one thing that bugs me a little is that there is a white number two on the spine. The previous book (or at least my copy of it) isn't numbered, so this little inconsistency does bother me slightly. The interior of the book though is extremely consistent with the quality and attention to detail that I've come to expect from the Keymark collection. The little flourishes that are added always make for a very nice reading experience. 

CONCLUSION

If you liked THE CRIMES OF ROOKER FLYNN even just a little bit, then I think you absolutely must continue with this new installment in the trilogy. It builds off of an improves upon the prior book in just about every way and is one of the best book twos I have ever read in any trilogy. The pressure is on for THE EXECUTION OF ROOKER FLYNN to really bring everything together in a fulfilling way, but I'm hopeful that Witham will rise to meet all of my wildest expectations.

(+) A much deeper look into Rooker's backstory and underlying psychology.

(+) Jack's personal journey was every bit as engaging as Rooker's

(+) Drama between Rooker and Jack that felt mature and heartbreaking in all the right ways.

(+) Side characters each got their time to shine.

(+) Gerba's true motives and plans are finally revealed. 

(+) The story was gripping across all three acts of the story and managed to keep things fresh.

(+) We get some fun exploration into the world, lore, and magic of both The Institute as well as Keymark as a whole

( ) There is one nasty cliffhanger here, but it also felt earned and satisfying in it's own way (the pressure is on for book three to really deliver though!)