This book snuck up on me.

It has the elements of a generic fantasy novel: a world reminiscent of medieval Europe, a cast of familiar archetypes, and a vague portent of doom. Even the cover art is nonspecific enough to adorn most other fantasy novels without seeming out of place.

As I read, though, I realized that the author was using these usual elements to do something unusual. The archetypal characters defied my expectations, sometimes shockingly. The typical fantasy militarism was muted, with fewer words given to battles than to their aftermaths. Even the ominous threat turned out to be both less and more dangerous than I expected.

The plot is driven by standard nation-state squabbles, but the characters are rarely the political actors. Instead, they're the people whose lives are upset by the changes sweeping their world. They must adapt, but they seldom turn to the violence that generally solves such problems in fantasy novels.

The result is something rare: a refreshing new take on Tolkien-derived fantasy. I almost didn't pick it up in the first place, but in the end I couldn't put it down.