Being dropped into a world as complex as this one, without much explanation, and immediately starting on a fast paced plot which will go all the way to the end is quite a daunting experience, but a greatly enjoyable one in this case. That being said it can leave you with a few questions sometimes but the way the world reveals itself mean none of the questions are needing an answer immediately to understand the plot or the emotions of the characters. I do however reserve the right to lower this rating if these questions are not answered in later books.

The arc of the protagonist is a little predictable but still works really well and there're enough surprises from the well written secondary characters that you don't need shocks from the protagonist as well. The world is rich and intriguing as are all the characters. It's written as the first book in a series but still works well as a standalone book which I appreciate since not all series get picked up for further publication. Fortunately that is not the case this time and it looks like at least a trilogy is on the cards. I'll be reading the rest I'm sure and thank you to @friendofgosig for the recommendation and lending me the book.