3 because of a character I have a hard time identifying with.
4 because of an author who knows how to rock some text.

I admit. I struggled a bit more with this book. There were many many saving moments. Many more of great things happening and layers of depth that I re-read so I made sure to understand them but Jalan pisses me off so much, so many times.

It's because I don't have a cowards heart and he does. I am not mad at the book, the way it is written, or the true intrinsic struggle that goes on in our heroic coward but there it is. Jalan wants to run, wants to hide, wants to GFTO of it all and it angers me. I wait pensively for him to overcome, to grown, to nurture something that will iron out his character--then like a poorly smelted metal he breaks--and I AM PISSED again.

I smile every time his comeuppance happens. I smile at each foolish thing traps him, and of course again hope that he can escape without ruining the other characters or the heart of the quest. It's so sad in that smirking sort of way.

The end of this book has one of his bigger moral plays and he wins it--as he should. The very end is laugh out loud spectacular watching the fool endure. I will not give it away, but least to say the final book should be well to be read.