A moody and strongly atmospheric world that skillfully unfurls around the bones of older works to get their flavour, while still being fresh and uniquely its own. The story focuses on the people who carry it and paints the politics and geography it passes though with broad, impressionistic strokes to let characters shine - but you just know if Larkwood wanted to she could fill in those details down to the colour of every grain of sand. The world is fullly fledged, but the author doesn't reveal any more of it than you need to know to enjoy the adventures of Csorwe and even, gods help us, Tal Charossa.