Really excellent read! A great one for anyone who is looking for something new but unsure what to pick up. This one is a sure bet! Great for anyone who is into historical fiction. If you're not a big reader it would be great for people who liked the movie 300, as it kind of follows the same premise. ( )

I struggled to keep up with this book, even thought I have read plenty in the fantasy genre it felt like a big book edited into one novel. I had to keep re-reading sections and stopped a little under half way through, I felt like I was missing something. The action was amazing and felt really swept into the battles but just couldn't bond with this book as much as I wanted to. ( )

The novel follows the journey of the Macht; they are a mercenary force who are recruited by the brother of a tyrant. Their job: to invade the main continent and overthrow the High King, installing his brother on the throne. This journey is experianced through the eyes of two main characters, Rictus and Gasca, who have just joined the Macht. As the novel progresses, they will be put through everything that is good and terrible about war. Read the rest of my review here: http://davebrendon.wordpress.com/2008... ( )

Very good book until the end. Over all definatley my kind of book. ( )

Wonderful epic fantasy, even though fantasy elements are very few and delicate. Packed full of emotions and action, determination and destiny, tragic events and doomed love story, all this in a rough and down-to-earth inter-continental military operation. Oh, there's some conspiracy politics, too.

My critique is that there is enough story for several books. Now it's compressed into bare 500 pages, very skillfully I have to admit, but this could have been so much more. It's like Steven Erikson in fast-forward! The good news is that the author Paul Kearney revealed in interview he has plans for another book in same "Macht" world. Looking forward to that! ( )