Part historical fantasy and part political drama, Malika the Warrior Queen asks classic questions about what it means to be a good ruler and what price it comes at. Malika is being pulled in a lot of different directions, and I feel for her. It doesn't look like there will be an easy answer to her dilemma. I'm enjoying the setting and the maps. It looks like the story will get more focused on strategy and tactics as it progresses, so I'm sure I'll be referring to them. I felt a bit distant from Malika and overwhelmed in general. While the backstory for the political conflicts is relatively straightforward, there was a lot of lore that had to be introduced this issue.