Swords and Deviltry

I thought the book opened really well, very descriptive flavourful text and the beginnings of an interesting world.

It went downhill quick for me though. I found the dialogue overly stiff and formal, and the female characters are questionable. Early into the novel the main character seduces a travelling actor, strips and enters her bed while she's asleep (we don't hear her reaction we just know she approves because she compliments his sexual abilities in the next scene). Then, after a short back and forth where he tells her he's in love with her or whatever, she proceeds to recite her entire backstory to him complete with a murder of “insert loved one” that she is avenging long-con style. To top the scene off, we have a painfully on the nose discussion about how civilized people are the real barbarians.

If dialogue and engaging plot is unimportant to you then I might recommend this book. I was quite enjoying it until the dialogue & plot kicked in.