What do you think?
Rate this book
The Defectives #2
The Defectives Vol. 2
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 22, 2026
"Reputation, authority, threat, incentives. Any of these four will get people willing to follow you. But if you don't have the experience, ruthlessness, or money, then all that's left are unfulfilled promises and inspirational words."
This one took real effort from me. I couldn’t just sit back and glide through it. I had to focus, reread sections, and really use my imagination to keep up with everything unfolding. The science, the politics, the battle plans, all of it demands attention. There were moments when I felt mentally tired, but in a good way, like the story respected me enough not to hand me easy answers. What hit me hardest was the emotional weight. I understood Li Jingheng’s motivations and why he makes the choices he does, yet my heart ached for the ordinary people caught in the middle, doing their best to survive while being treated like pieces on a board. Priest doesn’t look away from the cost of war. It hurt to read at times, but I genuinely admire that honesty.
Lin Jingheng completely owns every scene he’s in. His control, his precision, the way he pushes himself past exhaustion and even illness just to secure a win, it’s intense to witness. He feels almost untouchable, yet around Lu Bixing you can see the cracks. The anger feels layered. The silence feels heavy. It’s clear there’s fear and protectiveness buried under all that restraint. Lu Bixing is the emotional opposite in many ways. He’s brilliant and impulsive, open with his feelings, stubborn about reaching out even when he gets shut down. Watching him tease, confess, and still stand firm made me love him even more. Their dynamic feels raw and complicated, full of tension that builds with every argument and every quiet moment.
The action never really slows. Mecha formations, pirate ambushes, viruses spreading, political chaos, public training drills that feel humiliating, it all keeps moving. The casualty count is high and it weighs on you. Some of the strategic explanations are dense and I had to push through them, but I was emotionally invested the entire time. By the end, I felt wrung out in the best way. It challenged me, broke my heart a little, and still left me deeply satisfied.
Date Read: 2026.02.22
This one took real effort from me. I couldn’t just sit back and glide through it. I had to focus, reread sections, and really use my imagination to keep up with everything unfolding. The science, the politics, the battle plans, all of it demands attention. There were moments when I felt mentally tired, but in a good way, like the story respected me enough not to hand me easy answers. What hit me hardest was the emotional weight. I understood Li Jingheng’s motivations and why he makes the choices he does, yet my heart ached for the ordinary people caught in the middle, doing their best to survive while being treated like pieces on a board. Priest doesn’t look away from the cost of war. It hurt to read at times, but I genuinely admire that honesty.
Lin Jingheng completely owns every scene he’s in. His control, his precision, the way he pushes himself past exhaustion and even illness just to secure a win, it’s intense to witness. He feels almost untouchable, yet around Lu Bixing you can see the cracks. The anger feels layered. The silence feels heavy. It’s clear there’s fear and protectiveness buried under all that restraint. Lu Bixing is the emotional opposite in many ways. He’s brilliant and impulsive, open with his feelings, stubborn about reaching out even when he gets shut down. Watching him tease, confess, and still stand firm made me love him even more. Their dynamic feels raw and complicated, full of tension that builds with every argument and every quiet moment.
The action never really slows. Mecha formations, pirate ambushes, viruses spreading, political chaos, public training drills that feel humiliating, it all keeps moving. The casualty count is high and it weighs on you. Some of the strategic explanations are dense and I had to push through them, but I was emotionally invested the entire time. By the end, I felt wrung out in the best way. It challenged me, broke my heart a little, and still left me deeply satisfied.
Date Read: 2026.02.22
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews