Mercy....
This was the first book in the series that I ever read. The second was #23... which he narrates.
When I read it, the death seemed... almost more realistic. It was like they were saying,
"This IS a WAR. People DIE. People that you love, people that you know...they die, and nobody else really gives a sh**. It doesn't really hit the headlines, now, does it, kiddies? Why should it, then, in a SECRET war? Get over the bird-boy, tyke, or it will just keep on hurting. Stop being shocked when bad things happen to good people."
If it had had a full-page monologue from Jake about the details... I don't know if I'd have believed it so thoroughly. Then, when I read 23 with no in-between?
Well, I had to figure that one out for awhile. *chuckle*
However, that ability to shock me... it is what made me STAY in love with the series enough to keep reading.