Arthur G. Menezes

If I had to describe this book in one single sentence, I would say that it condenses the best aspects of George R. R. Martin and J. R. R. Tolkien into a single volume of intrigue, romance and adventure. It combines an incredible world-building with political intrigues and an intense — albeit somewhat cold — religious conflict. You will accompany the point of view of four characters across the world as they walk through seemingly divergent paths. From the start, it's possible to identify a solid background deeply entangling myth and History. Belonging to distinct places in the world, however, each protagonist has a singular point of view on the events that lead them to the point when the narrative takes place, leaving the reader to speculate on which is right. The debate between different perspectives is one of the central themes of the story and it is done greatly. In addition to the incredible world-building and interesting themes, the author created a diverse range of characters belonging to different ethnicities, with different habits and religions. It also includes homosexual couples, presents gender without the usual stereotypes and develops deep and honest platonic relationships. It's a breath of fresh air. There are some problems, however. Being condensed into one single volume, the narrative is rushed and character development sometimes has to pay the price. In addition to that, background characters often disappear to reappear later on having accomplished something that should have been included in the narrative. Still, it is a fantastic book. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a different kind of high fantasy.