Deadlock Rebels has some interesting moments and memorable characters, but the overall plot feels boringly simplistic to a point where no amount of witty dialgoue could really make me point out what exactly the book was aiming for. Some of the tidbits learned are interesting, especially the limited background we’re given on B.O.B, but most of the main lore surrounding Ashe are things we already knew or could have surmised based on her introduction video and Reunion. Most of the “lore” given feels like superficial filler without much actual meat given to Ashe, McCree, or the history of Deadlock, and some of the small details go against information given about Ashe before (like her being from Arizona when her arrest imagery that was supposed to be from the arrest scene in the beginning of the book said Texas).

I don’t put the blame of the mediocrity in the book on the author; Ashe’s amazing characterization, the natural sounding dialogue, and the interesting side characters like Frankie and Julian do make the book a fun enough read. It was clear that the lackluster plot and disappointing amount of information came from Blizzard, who has gotten pretty well known for their restrictive expectations and ridiculous working environments. It seems like the author did the best with what she was given. It just makes me wish she’d been given more to truly show her strengths as a storyteller.

Overall, it’s a quick read and a decent enough story to be given a chance, but not something I’d go out of my way to recommend if you aren’t just desperate for more Overwatch. I’d recommend listening to Jennifer Hale’s audio recording of the book for sure, especially for fans of Ashe specifically. She ups the entertainment value by quite a bit with her voice acting alone.