Unreliable Narrator: This was given perhaps a little bit of screen time in the first chapter, then maybe once or twice throughout the remainder of the novel. However, the ending precipitates on proper execution of this writing method. I didn't see it coming. There's no build up to it. It is abrupt, sudden, and becomes the major theme of the book over any other theme, as it dominates any other story for the narrator, plot, and theme. The commentary section tries to hand-wave some of the concerns that will naturally arise for the reader, but this is poorly done and feels forced. Even if it was properly build up to, it is not fleshed out in any fashion (see Lyochandis below), nor does it have any depth or true impact on the story.
Plot: I was able to stomach much of the sudden, loosely termed deus ex machina moments -- ala the underground river, the bay blockade, and especially the Necklace to name a few. These moments are just happy little plot accidents that serve as a way to make the narrator seem better than he actually is because "here's a way to solve the plot that has been given no screentime prior to this." Coupled with the unreliable narrator, it might work in some instances, but poorly in this heavy handed fashion. This book's approach to plot is the opposite of Chekov's Gun, and I was able to swallow that in some instances. However, the entirety of the plot, the basis for Orhun's character arc and the primary theme of the novel centers around the engineer's selfless sacrifice and the tension therein, which is perhaps stupid, but this is the foundation upon which the plot believably moves forward. Cue the Fleet. The Fleet, its captains, and the perhaps ten pages left, completely unravels any build up for a final resolution so the unreliable narrator trope can be hammered home further. Everything that was done the 300 pages prior? Worthless. And solely because the author wanted to hammer home -- though he hadn't throughout the remainder of the story -- that Orhun was worthless, unreliable, and this story doesn't deserve a healthy plot resolution, but a kick in the teeth for literary's sake. Again, it's a hand wave for the sake of a new theme we don't see coming.
Character Arcs: Orhun's character arc is flipped on its head within the final ten pages. Ogus? He's forgotten and nothing is resolved. Faustinius, Aeta, the others? Nothing. Nothing at all. While they didn't receive that much character development, their relationship with the narrator -- which is one of the more important aspects of first person narration -- is hung to dry with no resolution. The arc with Lyocandis and his heroic interaction with the city? Build up thrown away. If this had been tied with the unreliable narrator, it might have been a little better, but again, the plot and character arcs are rushed for the sake of a theme thrown from left field. It's rough, childish writing that should have received 20 or more so pages to fully flesh out this trope.
