Solid, well-conceived, pacy, action-packed fantasy adventure. Good world-building, and the magic is interesting with lots of horror overtones. Engaging characters, and it doesn't avoid either sex or death, keeping it grounded and giving the adventure a real cost. Honestly found the writing a bit clumsy, though, making it a bit of a chore at first, and my eyes began to slide over sentences. It's not badly written, just a bit heavy and plodding when it clearly has ambitions to be more.