Amazing second book! MUCH better than the first once I was familiar with the characters. This book was just as predictable as the last, but I still had an enjoyable experience reading it. For a book to be great, in my opinion, the characters have to make you feel along with them. And Abercrombie definitely does that. His characters have strong personalities, and as I read, I found myself falling for some and wishing nothing but the worst for others. I will always recommend these books to friends and colleagues who also enjoy fantasy novels.