the usual fantasy-racism and sexism with a bit of homomisia sprinkled in. the author should just have written the novel in 19th century europe, the fantasy aspect is rarely used at all.

the book seems to want me to have sympathy with an absolutist ruler. 🙄 and what's up with all these different names, and sometimes more than one name for one person? feels like there were a hundred or so names used. oof! and then there are perfectly translatable concepts that are left in some kind of elven language, and sometimes the characters speak really old english? why?!?

at least the story itself is somewhat interesting and has potential, but i'm not gonna read the next books.