Speak to the Devil

Duncan once again managed to create a unique magic system and used it to build an exciting tale of war, family, love and betrayal around. I thought it a good read, though the love-triangle aspect was a little clumsy. One of the brothers starts off as a perfectly likable rogue, but after a while becomes an unlikable boor, simply to make the reader switch their sympathies to the other brother.

That aside, I thought the premise, pacing and characterisation were all excellent, but be warned it ends on a huge cliffhanger, so be sure to have book two on hand!

Duncan has gifted us with another wonderful story, people who are as their culture made them, the culture is late medival europe with some twists, magic and religion and the ethical tensions between these forces. But and this is a giant but and a spoiler alert, this story just stops, nothing is finished, one of the bad guys is killed, and Duncan packed it up and sent it out to his publisher. I like long series, on going plot lines, continueing charactors, this one is absurd. It isn't a book, it's a very good beginning.

Good start in a new series from a proven author. Interesting characters,good and bad and sufficient conflicts to keep the story interesting. Lightly but appropriately based upon the era where chivalry was declining and gunpowder was ascending.

Good start of the book even if a bit juvenile, but the ending is just too much. I can't bring myself to read the next one in the series.