User blog:7GSTF/Endless Summer Review - PB’s Zenith

I recently completed a comprehensive ranking list of every single one of PB’s books (only exceptions being - The Phantom Agent (which released the day after I published the piece), and all of the Holiday specials, one chapter books, and the short books that weren’t a part of the main story sequence). It got me thinking quite a bit. I realized that PB had never really stepped out of the shadows of two of their earliest series - The Crown and the Flame and Endless Summer. I also felt obliged to talk about them. So, here it is - a comprehensive look back at Endless Summer.

This book was made with love and care, and probably a bit of magic as well. It is one of the most brilliant worlds I’ve ever seen constructed by PB. Honestly, if this book had been written by a reputed author, with a few minor tweaks here and there, I have a feeling that it could have been a bestseller. A truly brilliant adventure, masterfully told over a trilogy, which is really executed well. It isn’t a book which was limited by a story app (the market for these apps generally is focused on young women of the impressionable age, and consequently, a lot of their stories are smutty tales tailored for them - they make the most money as well). This story was different. It immediately showed me that it took itself seriously, and there was a genuine effort to ensure that the tale was told with consistency, style, finesse and a great deal of love.

Book 1 made it clear as early as the character selection screen. Newbies to the app mayn’t remember, but early PB was well known for developing female MC only books like the plague. Most of their female MC books consequently belong to that age. This wasn’t. It allowed the reader to play as a man, and the scenes are written accordingly in places to differentiate from a female MC (PB often did not do this either, and several of their books have sub par writing for their male MCs, often contrasting sharply with their excellent writing for their female MCs).

This book immediately set itself on an island. What did this achieve? This limited space was now completely given over to the author. The island could be anything they wished. They created a world which revolved around time travel. Time travel was used effectively to show the several different timelines, several deaths, and differing results of the same story. The ending of book 2 and the beginning of book 3 is particularly poignant. The Endless says that he has seen his friends die over 2000 times. In order to ensure that they lived, he had to replay these events again and again. It is pretty remarkable to think about. It is also amazing to see this in action with the time loops and time jumps.

The cast of characters are excellent. The four LIs are among the best ever. The male and female LIs here have a great deal of depth and character development. Sean evolves from a man who doesn’t trust anyone else and relies on himself for everything to a man who trusts his friends and delegates work so that the work is done more efficiently. Jake evolves from a loner, completely disillusioned with the world and the system at large to a man who is willing to risk it all to fight for justice once again, and one who receives justice in the end. Estela goes from a girl focused on revenge, unable to think of a life beyond to a woman who matures, forgives and lets go - making peace with her past. Quinn, a girl who has a terminal illness is cured but at a great cost, but nevertheless retains great hope for the future. Raj goes from a man low on self confidence (concealing his secret genius) to a man who fully expresses himself through food and one who bonds completely with his friends. Craig opens up to everyone about his inner feelings and resolves his own issues, while also opening up to Zahra - eventually beginning a relationship with her. Zahra gives up on her lone wolf status, and opens up to Craig, while also finding friendship with the others in the gang. Aleister confronts his past, learning the truth, and eventually building himself into a better man in a better life with Grace, rejecting his father’s legacy. Grace transforms Aleister, and changes him for the better. She becomes self confident, and moves forward with her own dreams and ambitions, rather than satisfy her mother’s dreams and ambitions. Michelle makes peace with her past, and is able to find common ground with Sean again. Diego is able to accept his own true self and is able to act on those feelings for the first time and finds a kindred spirit in the tribal chief. Each of the main characters has a story arc. These arcs are completed with skill and finesse. Each of the characters has a satisfying ending to their storylines. It is extraordinary to see how well PB can weave these characters together. Despite the app not being a year old, this book really raised expectations early on. The simple reason was that it was truly extraordinary in many ways. Every character felt relatable. Every character felt real. I felt empathy for every character - even Aleister. Thanks to the number of chapters and a storyline which did not overly rush, character building was of the highest quality.

The world building was probably even better. The island’s peculiar tendencies were revealed piecemeal. Nothing was rushed, and every event in the book served a particular purpose, often becoming known to the reader after a few chapters, or at the end of the book, or even at the end of the trilogy itself. Nothing was taken for granted, and explanations weren’t always expositions, often the answer was given through deduction, reasoning, riddles and puzzles. The puzzles at the end of each book are genuinely challenging. Solving them wasn’t easy either.

The villain - Everett Rourke is one of the most complex, hidden, gray villains ever. His motivations remain partially hidden throughout - being revealed very very gradually. The seeds for the mystery of the island are sown in the first book, and the story only grows from there. He is one of the most interesting and thought provoking characters in all of Choices. Despite being a villain, one of the endings takes the path that he suggests. A truly remarkable character.

Vaanu - A complete mystery almost throughout. An alien who is responsible for the damage in a truly twisted manner. To pity him or not to pity him is the question. Gray character as well. No clear way to decide if he is good or bad or a victim of circumstances.

Endless - One of the grayest characters ever - and an older version of the MC. Are his actions justified?? I don’t know. His shaping of the Vaanti - their culture, and their religion to save his friends is a pretty remarkable thing in itself. Most of the scenes involving him hit very very hard. The memories of death, the memories of a great future, and so on. His very presence carries great weight and his death scene is one of the most emotional scenes ever. It was extraordinary. The catharsis is legitimate. There is no faking it. A magnificently written character.

The other characters - the Vaanti, the pirates, Lila and Jake’s old army group each have their own charm as well. A remarkable mixture of people. Every character elicits a response. Even the fox, how could I forget him?!

The setups were amazing and the payoffs were even better. In the first book we learn about the characters present motivations, in the second a past version which died in a different timeline, and in the third a hope for a better future. It is supremely well structured, written and executed. The work behind this book series is truly legitimate. There is no mistaking the hard work behind it.

In conclusion, these are some of the many reasons why PB’s magnum opus in my opinion will remain Endless Summer. Quite simply PB at their peak, and the writing was flawless. Every moment, every emotion, every character counted for something. The action is paced superbly, etc. I could wax lyrical for days about this book, but I won’t. A truly tremendous piece of fiction, especially for the story app genre. A supreme effort. Even after all is said and done, PB will always have this masterpiece to look back on. This is their greatest legacy. Even with all of the other books - the good, the bad and the ugly, they will always have this trilogy to bank on. Endless Summer book 2 marks their zenith, and although they are going through a bit of a renaissance right now, I do not see them surpass this series any time soon. I hope I am proven wrong with COP 2. Thank you PB for this masterpiece.

Yours

7GSTF