“He’s no hero – he’s an outlaw with 13 death sentences. It’s time to meet the hangman.”
The Execution of Rooker Flynn is, dare I say it, a perfectly executed finale. I mean, this entire book is just one big satisfying climax full of action, pay-off, growth, sacrifice, and triumph that had me crying tears of both immense joy and sorrow along the way, and I loved every single second of the wild emotional rollercoaster.
Now, I already had a blast with The Execution of Rooker Flynn when I had the honour of being an alpha reader for it, and then I somehow adored it even more in its final form (especially listening to the audiobook performed by the one and only Andy himself). And call me biased all you want, but I think there is truly just no denying that Witham is an exceptionally gifted storyteller who wields his words like they’re the most awe-inspiring type of magick.
For me, the characters have always been the heart of this story, and the conclusion to their journeys here is just everything I could have wished for and more. Like, Locke & Jean? Royce & Hadrian? Frodo & Sam? They have got nothing on Jack & Rooker’s bromance, and I will die on that hill. No, it wasn’t smooth sailing for them the entire way through, but all the tragedy only made the triumphs feel more earned and rewarding to me, and I loved how this finale showcased just how much they have helped each other grow and heal in the most unexpected ways. Yay for trauma bonding, I guess.
But it’s not just Jack & Rooker who absolutely steal the show here, but the side characters as well, be they goodies or baddies. I mean, we just have to take a little moment of appreciation for Gerba Whipmarples, the most deliciously despicable villain I have read in a long while (Umbridge, who?). We get to spend a lot more time in her POV in The Execution of Rooker Flynn, and I loved how Witham was able to maintain her wicked villain status while also giving her more depth as her backstory and motivations are unearthed.
And you know what, her actions might have been terrible, but at least it brought together this motley crew of morally grey misfits. The friendships and found family vibes in this series are just off the charts, and I really appreciated how everyone had their own role to play in the big takedown of the Locke Institute. Whether it was seeing familiar faces from The Legend of Black Jack coming to the rescue or some of the badass underdogs we got to know in the prison camps getting their time to shine, I was cheering for them all along the way. And there are definitely some heavy sacrifices along the way (MY HEART!), but ultimately I just loved how everyone got their own sense of closure, no matter how triumphant or brutally bittersweet that might have looked for them.
Now, with this entire book taking place in the 13 hours surrounding the dreaded execution of Rooker Flynn, it could very easily have become a rushed ending, and yet it totally isn’t. Normally I get so easily exhausted by fast-paced narratives that just keep barreling onward at breakneck speed, but it totally worked for me here because of how Witham managed to sprinkle so many moments of call-back, reflection, and introspection throughout all the non-stop pulse-pounding action here. Those little moments didn’t just raise the emotional stakes to incredible heights, but it ultimately also resulted in the most satisfying pay-off as promises you had probably already forgotten were even made in the first two books are finally fulfilled here.
There’s quite a bit of horror and tragedy packed within these pages, but at its core it’s such a beautifully human story with a ton of heart. Especially the last chapter of The Execution of Rooker Flynn just had my emotions running absolutely crazy, which is exactly what you want when you come to the end of a great series. The Locke Institute trilogy just started with a bang and then only got darker, deeper, and stronger along the way, and I honestly think it’s everything you could wish for in a swashbuckling dark fantasy adventure.
