Another thread reminded me of the last part of Morning Star the third book in Red Rising series. The whole book was setting up for a massive Space battle, a ground invasion, a final showdown with the Space empress and another massive plot thread that had to be addressed but looking at the remaining pages of the book there was no way that could happen. So when the plot gears started turning that would somehow circumvent most of the war the climax of the book suddenly got really predictable. It was obvious the MC and his friends managed to turn their ex-friend and supposed captor towards their side and present them to the main villain so they could just end it with a decapitation strike. The best friend who just got unceremoniously killed by the ex-friend was faking it. When the crazy schemer villain turned out to be also chilling in the main villains base it was clear he was going to use the lingering plot thread involving stolen Nukes on the main Villain and main cast.
I adored the series and loved 90% of the book but the last 10% played out entirely how I expected in my head once the obvious trap was setting into motion.
by Brushner