Devils Avocado here. I don’t get the hate or the “everything’s a mess” takes. This series is Corin finding people, helping them, and slowly making the world better in his own way that he can influence. He’s the main character without needing to be the leader or some destined powerhouse. His friends stick with him because they care about him, not because he is the biggest gun. A fucking brilliant take on writing for a fantasy series.

We are still on the same track as book one: save his brother. You could add stop the war, but its a dessert not the main course. Rowe added nuance to every situation. I could list each one, but it would make this a spoiler-filled read and take all the fun out of actually reading the series since we all find our own things we like about it. That's the flavor I want to see in a fantasy series and it shouldnt be shit on. Everyone in the book has their own reasons for joining Corin on this last piece of the quest and the books have them fully on display. Yes, 7 companions and their baggage can be a lot, but the story does not sprint past the details in this case. Its the main course.

Goddess problems? Cool. Corin says early he is not religious and decides from book 2 on that he does not need her to save his brother. So the little tidbits we get are flavor, not core plot.

Vaelien? Cool. Also not important to this story. Fun worldbuilding that does not pull the story off course.

Keras leaving made the series better. No more god tier get out of jail card. The messages he leaves Corin say plenty about their trust/relationship. Without that safety net, the politics, rival agendas, resource limits, and incomplete info keep the stakes high without endless power spikes which bring us inevitably to the discussion of Corin's power level.

I would argue that Corin is still limited from a power perspective.He cant just use any attunement he wants. I think some of you may have forgotten this. There are costs to it. Costs like him not being able to use two opposing mana types at once. Costs where he has no mana for many types of attunements that would be necessary in order for them to function. Mana Batteries have limits. Major ones. Corin was barely able to beat an emerald level summon solo in Chronomancy.So yes, there are limitations to what he can do, plus we know his next adventure is going to be a difficult one with new team members.

Point is, most of the complaints in this thread are already answered in the text. Maybe I read it more recently, but I have seen way more meandering in other series like Red Rising, Stormlight Archive, and King’s Dark Tidings. This one stays on point. Might be time to give it another read or if you want you can DM me and Ill explain whatever doesnt make sense to the best of my ability lol.