Upon reflection, upgraded from 4.5 to a full 5 stars. I really, really, really liked this book!

Excellent follow up to the Justice of Kings. This series has been a great mixture of fantasy, legal drama, politics, and the philosphy of how an empire conducts justice. Can't wait for the final book of this trilogy!

I finally got around to finishing... This book is probably more of a 3.5. It falls short of a 4 for me, as I'll echo the comments about "middle book syndrome". I felt the middle 60%ish of the Tyranny of Faith suffers from a side plot with little payoff. The beginning of the book is solid and the ending is fantastic, but that side plot dragged on for me. The final 15% or so definitely has me hyped up for the next in the series however, so I can't say the book let me down. I expect most everyone who enjoyed the first installment will enjoy this one as well.

I'm really loving this series. Even darker than the first book. Swan's writing is excellent. It is never overdone and yet it is much better than a lot of writing you see in the fantasy genre. Excellent characters and well-realized world. Highly recommended. Hopefully, the concluding book doesn't disappoint. I can see this becoming one of my favorite series.

Personal notes for future reference, mild spoilers:

This book further chronicles the (mis)adventures of Konrad Vonvalt, Imperial Justice of the Autun Empire. Initially, the book takes place in the capitol, Sova, where Vonvalt confronts multiple justices about their corruption. Appointed by the Emperor as the head of the Order, Vonvalt purges the Magistratum. The Order appears to be being undermined by the Templars and other factions within the Senate to reduce their power and influence.

While investigating the alleged kidnapping of the royal heir, Vonvalt heads south to follow up on leads. He suspects that the kidnapping and the conspiracy against the Order are connected but he can't find the link. All the while, Vonvalt is afflicted by some type of illness that clouds his mind and makes him lethargic.

Eventually, they reach the Frontier, far to the south. Here, Vonvalt appears to be at the end of his energy and life. It is up to Helena et al to find and confront Claver, the Templar priest, who has grown ever more powerful.

Pomalo treš, sve što je valjalo u prvom delu ovde se ignoriše i umesto toga fokusira na manje više tradicionalnu fantastiku obrađenu na trapav, neritmičan način. Tu je i dalje filozofija o "pravdi" kroz razvoj likova, ali očigledan je put koji autor za njih bira od prve stranice i to se ne menja do poslednje, sve dok se ne dogodi najčudniji revers "obrta", pomalo u stilu Marvel filmova koji pokleknu pod pritiskom tviter publike. Šteta, neću nastaviti serijal.

2

4,5
Very captivating, I couldn't stop reading. A lot of unexpected twists. Fun to read.

An awesome second book that is unafraid to deviate from the setup of the first. We get to see more of Sova and get wrapped up in political intrigue. So excited for the third