My March madness means something different

Happy Monday everyone. Since I have spent the last month settling into my new home, I have fallen behind with my reading. Fortunately I have built a small pile of unpublished reviews. To kick off the week, I am going to get started with a novel that published last fall. It took me awhile to get through this book and then even longer to get through the review. See below the fold for why.

The Paladin Caper by Patrick Weekes

I finally made it through the next of the Rogues of the Republic series. Then I wrote my review. Then I rewrote it, scrapped all of it, wrote a new one, edited it... Get the feeling I had no idea how to write this review? I didn't. Here is what I could come up with best. We have another fun caper of mayhem and best-laid-plans shenanigans with some serious satirical problems. 

All the original characters plus some of the background support group are all back to participate in the new con. The plot and story itself felt the same as the first two novels. This in itself is not terrible. There are many authors who make a lot of money with a formula. When you are in the mood for a witty thief escapade, you will now have a go-to series. This gang of bandits definitely knows how to make a plan and then disastrously go through the rest of the plan alphabet. There are some surprising new character traits that popped up. A couple of plot twists even threw me. Those are the highlights of the book. And the only ups for me this go around.

Now for my con, which almost made me stop reading. The commentary of social problems is much more present. Like way more present. (To me) Like way too annoying, upfront present. I understand the point of satire, but I don't like mine forcing my face in it as if I'm insensible. Granted it did not ruin the story, but it will easily knock it down into the 3 star range.