River of Stars, going into part three, is a very action packed read. That Ren's and Lin's stories finally intertwine definitely contributes to this sense of great momentum.
However, I have to take issue with the passage of time that brings these two stories together. There are some spoilers in what follows, so read on with care.
Ren and Lin are brought together as part of Ren's plan to rapidly ascend through the army. His reason for wanting to become a high ranking officer being simply that it will give him some power over the outcome of Kitai's upcoming war the barbarians to the north. This is a fine ambition and is a concrete goal that helps to make Ren's character all the stronger.
But it's an ambition that would take time to follow. A lot of time. Even with the help of a chief magistrate, climbing up the ranks would take years. In the book, however, chapters 11 and 12 show Ren's initiating his plan and, subsequently, its coming to fruition in his being the imperial guard who saves Lin's life. Such an act is sure to rocket him even further up the ranks. Though, getting into the imperial guard in the first place would take time, even with the favour of a magistrate.Yet, in the book it seems that no less than a year could have passed between chapters.
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