Nov 10, 2025
I'm pretty much in the same boat as Steampocalypse. The ending really just deflated things big for me. It speaks volumes to how much I was invested in Mango as a character, but that doesn't mean it was the best in my opinion. I get you want to better set up sequels, but as I said in my previous comment, it would have felt more natural to kill off Mango at the volcano, maybe even Jade too. You still could have gone with the third party angle, but at least there, it wouldn't feel as out of the blue, maybe introduce a character there that would play a major role in the sequel.
Yet despite the ending, I'd still say this was a great read. It won't be getting a 5/5 as is, but it's easily upper 4/5 tier. If you were to take into consideration the suggestions I put forth though, I might raise the score. At the end of the day though, you're the author and you have every right to take your story in whatever direction you so choose. As a fellow author myself, I probably have my fair share of killing off characters in unsatisfying ways, so I'm in no place to critique your decision. Regardless of the ending, I'm still glad I got around to reading this all the way through. Best of luck in regards to the future direction you wish to take this series.