I sprinted through this one, aided by clear writing, a point-to-point plot with escalating opponents that felt very video game-like, and a rushed conclusion. There were a few too many familiar fantasy tropes for my taste, though, like (spoiler alert) the fallen, decaying kingdom in which it was set, the protagonist who was the last of a long line of protectors, the supporting character who was a bastard prince, the system of magic tied to the land, utilizing a power based on a single premise (the interface between life and death), and talking animals that were not actually animals - there was even an ancient Wall separating the peaceable human lands from the lurking evil beyond, a climactic battle set in the protagonist's erstwhile boarding school, and a horcrux to destroy. I was intrigued by the existence of electricity and motor vehicles south of the Wall, which teased the possibility of a novel clash of technology and magic at some point, but sadly the lights went out in the presence of the bad guys, so there was none of that.