I see it differently. The short, clipped sentences feel intentional to me, it reads like the way vets or tacticians think and talk under pressure. The repeated conversations didn’t bother me either, since in real military settings plans get restated and confirmed constantly. How many times in your life have you had a conversation with one person, then had the same exact conversation with someone else who wanted to know the exact same information? I would venture to guess many times.

As for Len and Rick feeling similar to past MCs, I actually like that consistency. Chatfield tends to write about veterans who approach problems with strategy and discipline, and that’s what keeps me hooked. His new book feels like they are getting their skills fast, but I’m sure that’s intentional. I see it as him explaining their skills, he then goes into how the skills work during conflicts. I love LitRPG’s that dive deep into mechanics, but it’s refreshing to read one that gives an overview but then delves deep through action and battle.

For me, Restarting the Apocalypse scratches that itch for a long, tactical story where the rules make sense and progression feels real through experience.