I was expecting darklords, and unlikely heroes, and maybe elves and trolls. Instead, I got a very different, but no less thrilling story.
The story portrays man in a most inglorious fashion, almost primitive even. The supposed gods that man looks up to view him as vermin and treat him as such. Ultimately, there comes a breaking point when a man accidentally kills a god, which changes the entire thing. This proves that the gods despite being extremely powerful, can be killed. This main theme is set against a backdrop of human treachery, actions, bravery, self-realization and nail biting suspense.
It's not a particularly fast paced read; the pace only picks up in the final pages. The characters are well fleshed out, and they are finely interwoven along with specific elements of the plot. It's a unique story, I've read nothing like it. I cannot say it exceeded my expectations because I was not even prepared for a tale such as this.
There's a whole lot of Thriller-style suspense in the book, and the uniqueness of the characters makes you want to persist with the book. Another interesting theme in the book is the hierarchy of beings: Gods, Fhrey and Rhunes (man). The struggle for power among the Fhrey, as well as the division, and subsequently the unification of Rhunes against a common threat is a quite interesting theme.
If you're looking for dope-ass fighting and complete heroes, then this book is not for you. But if, like me, you're looking for something....different, then this book is for you
