The beginning of this book was so slow paced. To the point where I was about to DNF. Nothing was happening, and it was around the 200 page mark where the pace began to pick up and things finally began to happen. Obviously, this is the second book in a trilogy, and the second book is often a "filler" book where characters and the plot is being set up for an epic conclusion in book 3. So in that light, the slow pace is understandable. I still wish it didn't take so long for things to get where they were by the end.