not since [a:Robin Hobb|25307|Robin Hobb|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205023525p2/25307.jpg] has a fantasy author gripped me with such a tome. I have truly adored the [a:Dave Duncan|30279|Dave Duncan|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] I've been reading of late, but his longest work would barely mar the dust jacket of one of these.

The world is stunning - not rich or vibrant but downtrodden and poor. the characters are so much more vivid as a result - combined with the excellent narrative and superb mastery of pace, the story unfolds and keeps you coming back for more. it's a self-contained story in and of itself, but leaves so much of the history and even more of the future open for speculation and further works, of which I tend to partake posthaste.