Amazing! I picked this book up at random based on it's cover art and couldn't put it down. The number one thing that I most appreciated about this book is that it is told by so many perspectives that right when you are starting to hate a character you fall in love with them. It got off to a fast start by assuming you have some knowledge of the world that isn't explained, which for some might be uncomfortable, but I thought it skipped a lot of the boring introduction that many large scale fantasy books seemed to be bogged down with. Much to the surprise of everyone I am also a huge fan of the Game of thrones series. Just as the marketers assured me, lol.

It also comes as no surprise to me that Bakker is a philosophy student. He brings up some interesting ideas without overcrowding the story.

Anyway, I fell in love with this book and I consider it and the rest of the series to be in the top five all time fantasy books I have read. I would recommend this book to anyone and have on many occasions.