This was my second Adrian Tchaikovsky book (after 'Alien Clay') and his skill in writing such different genres absolutely knocked me off my feet. This is fantasy like I have not seen since the supremely original Malazan series, and it was a true pleasure to spend time in its pages.

I didn't initially realize that this was a sequel to previous adventures, and immediately shot out to buy Book 1. I wasn't lost at all, though - the setup of the society, war, races and 'magic' is perfectly clear, and the characters are easily distinguished despite their complexity. A certain scrapper reminded me of the Sharpe books, which seems a good parallel to this series, while at the same time being very different!

Loved it. I've already been recommending it to those who like in-depth, smart fantasy that isn't afraid to get its hands dirty.