Reviews of this book say it is ‘wonderful’, ‘tremendous’ and ‘magnificent.'

Well, no. It isn’t. It’s a good workmanlike book but I wouldn’t say it’s a masterclass. I say this for two reasons. First, I found the ascension of Cale a bit hard to swallow. He goes from being a gifted killer in the first book to being the general of, well, of just about everything, in the second book, and it just doesn’t ring true. Not enough time is spent showing how he gets to this exalted state. Secondly, there isn’t enough foreshadowing and pulling the whole plot together: the book reads like a series of episodes. This happened. And then this happened. And this was next… And so on, instead of there being one harmonious whole.

Still, it’s fun in its own way. If there’s a sequel I shall probably get it just to find out what happens, not because I think it’s a ‘must-have’ for my collection.