This is a hard book to review because while it's really, very good I also didn't enjoy myself at all. This book is a tension headache from start to finish. The interludes, which are fun forays into the history of Locke and the town itself, should have served as some sort of mental cushion, but instead only upped my stress level in nearly every instance.

I love the world. I love the many gods and the triple moons and the horrifying devil sharks and the people's complete acceptance that much of their buildings and technology came from a race that they cannot find any trace of and just call the Eldren. (I didn't like the inexcusable lack of female main characters.) I love Locke and Father Chains and all the Gentleman Bastards.

In short, this book makes the plot of Ocean's Eleven seem about as involved as boiling an egg.