Is it better that the guilty should perish, or that the innocent should live?

This was my first exposure to Brent Weeks and I knew nothing of this book before I started. I liked the story but I can't explain why I wasn't able to give it a higher rating.

Right out of the gate I'm hit with a complicated and really interesting magic system that utilizes lights and colors to craft material, objects, weapons, bridges, etc. The properties of each color are unique and how to use the colors for good, or evil, is slowly explained. Life revolves around those who can bend color to their will. This is not your typical magic system and takes some time to understand it, and even to the end the reader learns more about the characteristics.

As I look for reasons why I didn't rate this book higher it's not because of the story either. It starts off quickly, does a good job covering the different locales and their histories and there is enough happening that my interest is maintained.

When you don't know what to do, do what's right and do what's in front of you. But not necessarily what's right in front of you.

The only other fault would be characters. There were none that I disliked, and maybe that's why I struggle with an it was okay rating. The characters were good but not the highlight for me.

I liked the entire Guile family story, particularly Gavin and Dazen. Gavin on his own wasn't enough for me so the backstory with Dazen and the events of the False Prism War helped keep me going.

Kip's progression through the story was predictable and didn't do much out of the ordinary . He starts as your generic farm kid with no talents that learns a hidden potential with himself, but he kept the story light with his comedic relief and awkward teenage monologue.

I'm interested enough in the story to stick with it but for now it's on thin Luxin.