Stop me if you heard this one before: a long forgotten but powerful mage, a fencing pretty boy from high society, and a rugged brute have their fates intertwined as a larger and more sinister plot threaten the country.

What could have been a boring and trite story was anything but. Abercrombie avoided a rehash of a familiar story by having distinct and interesting characters and a narrative that moved along quickly. From the first chapter I was hooked and my enjoyment of the story never let up. Just as I abandoned a previous fantasy series I wondered if I needed to take a break but Abercrombie proves that a simple story concept doesn't have to be boring.

Each character/POV has their own struggles and interesting backstory that you never feel tired and you find yourself rooting for some pretty unlikable people (a famed swordsman turned torturer). The story has a gradual build adding in layers of political intrigue, a dash of magic and mystery and wonderful action sequences that I found myself saying 'just one more chapter' frequently.

I am excited to carry on the series and continue this world Abercrombie created.