At present, I would consider Martin and Friedman the best living authors of Fantasy. Both are capable of rendering deeply 3 dimensional characters, enAt present, I would consider Martin and Friedman the best living authors of Fantasy. Both are capable of rendering deeply 3 dimensional characters, endearing them to the readers (and presumably themselves) and offering them to the rightful fates that their worlds require. That's no mean feat, when it's far more palatable to pad their worlds in the name of story-telling, keeping them in gilded adventures, with only a shadow of true risk.
That's a beautiful thing.
This book has many of CS Friedman's characteristic hallmarks -- strong female characters -- willful and hurt, as well as some of her typical male leads -- the noble and kind self-sacrificial males and the alien, detached ones who yet have some kind of compassion. The rules of her world are again as merciless as they should be... Which provides a wonderful backdrop to the drama that she sets in motion in this book.
I look forward to watching as she weaves this skein to its conclusion.
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