Fantasy doesn't tend to be top of my list when I consider my favourite genre of book, so I wasn't sure how I'd enjoy this.
I was pleasantly surprised though - yes, it's a fantasy but, at the heart, the issues faced by the main characters are very familiar. Conflicts within families, confusion of love and friendships, it's all there just in the guise of a crack army soldier and a witch/princess.
The pace of the tale is good and I didn't find it a problem that I hadn't read the previous instalment of the series. The story was quick to pick up and the worlds portrayed were rich and believable. The characters were full of humanity and I was invested in how things turned out, which made for the very definition of a page turner.
I liked the striking cover - it has a luxurious and sumptuous quality that really gives a taste of the rich and varied story within.
I was pleasantly surprised though - yes, it's a fantasy but, at the heart, the issues faced by the main characters are very familiar. Conflicts within families, confusion of love and friendships, it's all there just in the guise of a crack army soldier and a witch/princess.
The pace of the tale is good and I didn't find it a problem that I hadn't read the previous instalment of the series. The story was quick to pick up and the worlds portrayed were rich and believable. The characters were full of humanity and I was invested in how things turned out, which made for the very definition of a page turner.
I liked the striking cover - it has a luxurious and sumptuous quality that really gives a taste of the rich and varied story within.