The cover praise says “fleet and fun. . . a welcome breath of fresh air.” Not quite the words I would have used, unless Lord of the Rings solemnity is a “breath of fresh air.” But despite that, this is a quality book, worth rereading. It is unusual and imaginative. Talk about some excellent first lines — maybe we should just call them hooks. Brandon Sanderson, the author,  kept me jumping, he was continually surprising me, and making life very interesting. It is a high fantasy novel, not a series, although it easily could have a sequel. His world is very detailed, and I was surprised about the amount of religion he put in. If I was to write about a fictional world I think I would be hesitant to write much about religion. The Aon alphabet was also very cool. His characters are strong, and believable, and he doesn’t kill them all off (I wondered at one point). Not all of his characters are particularly likeable, but most have depth. Sorry I’m not going into specifics, I don’t want to give away anything. So yeah, if you like Fantasy, especially High Fantasy, and you don’t mind a little violence and death and destruction, try this one out. It’s a little hefty but very worth it.
I also recently read Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier which is equally hefty, equally good, and still rather depressing at times. But it is a retold fairytale. So if you like Fantasy, especially Retold Fairytales, and you don’t mind a little hopelessness, dress descriptions, and jerks, try this one out.