Series Review: The Prodigy Chronicles by C L Denault

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

The Prodigy Chronicles

Synopsis for Gambit (from Goodreads):

In Earth’s battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills rise to power and fame. Those without live in poverty.

Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she’s thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she’s never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.

Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?

Series: The Prodigy Chronicles
Author: C L Denault
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: No
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Action, Dystopian
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Date: March 2015 – ongoing
Source & Format: NetGalley–eARC | Thanks REUTS Publications!

**This post was originally posted as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to reflect my conclusion to DNF this series. It will not be further updated.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Gambit had been on my NetGalley personal wishlist for a long time. It was always at the top of my “request” list because the synopsis sounded kick-ass. It sounded like a science fiction dystopian novel rich in political intrigue and danger. I LOVE stories like that and I really wanted Gambit to join that list of awesomeness.

What I Liked:

–The Genetics Aspect–

I thought the abilities of these characters were really intriguing. As someone who has studied biology for many years, I liked the approach this novel took. Society’s focus on making the human race stronger by selective breeding and other methods–ethics aside–is very interesting and gives this world a depth I really enjoyed.

What I Didn’t Like:

–The Pacing–

I felt like this book moved at a slow pace. I thought more of it would take place in the Core, leading to more politics and the like, but it took a long time to get there. And once it did, I had lost interest.

It doesn’t help that Willow just lets things happen around her. She doesn’t push back too much–at least that’s the case earlier in the novel–so she was a bit of a lump on a log for the vast majority of this story.

But another reason the pacing seemed so was…

–Too Many Unanswered Questions–

I kinda felt like things were thrown out there but never really worked upon. Things were mentioned earlier and then randomly reappear later and I had a hard time keeping everything straight. Maybe part of the problem was I read this book sporadically over a week and with mild interest, thus dampening my memory but things just didn’t seem to add up for me.

–The Romance–

At first, I worried there was going to be a love triangle but that is not the case in the slightest. The arranged marriage trope takes a backseat for the longest time and the other potential triangle goes away quickly.

But with the potential love interest, I wasn’t feeling it. It seemed to appear out of nowhere and I didn’t like the unhealthy approach it had. Shame, because a good romance might have kept me interest.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

There are a lot of things left unanswered that might make this story more interesting. However, in the long run, I didn’t enjoy this one all that much and my investment is pretty much zilch in continuing on to the next one.

My Rating: 2/5

Gambit 2/5

This one just took too long to get anywhere. The potential was there but it just didn’t work it to its full advantage. I would seek a second opinion if you are interested in reading it because I know a lot of people did enjoy it.

Read if You Like: slower stories, science fiction
Avoid if You: dislike slow stories, want more romance