At its core, The Crown of Omens is a novella focused on an epic battle as the Terrazi forces raid the harbour of Casantri. This is an experimental novella and for me, it was brilliant. 

Often times, long battle scenes in books can feel dragged out and eventually lose my interest. That is not the case here, as Doble's stylistic choice of narration made this novella and absolute blast. It was exhilirating, and yet still full of emotion and heart. I was surprised at how quickly I came to feel for the characters, regardless of what side of the battle they were on. That in turn is another highlight for me, as the structural aspect of this novella did a great job at framing the battle from both sides. Readers are often limited to following a single protagonist and seeing the battle from their eyes. The Crown of Omens really encapsulates every single aspect of a battle, and it does so in such a unique way. 

Doble's prose has always been a highlight for me, and this novella showcases his writing in a perfect way. His ability to "set a scene" is impressive, and I do think this novella is a perfect entry point into Doble's writing. It really showcases all of the authors strengths, but in a much more condensed form, for those who may not want to immediately jump into a 500+ page epic fantasy novel. 

The pace of this novella, which is loaded with action, allowed me to absolutely rip through it. This was then contrasted with the rich writing, a style that allows the reader to truly savour each word, as well as Doble's ability to make me truly feel what each and everyone of the characters was feeling. Obviously it is hard to go into a ton of detail without spoiling the experimental aspect of the story, but I was hooked from the beginning and am thoroughly impressed as to how Doble continues to evolve as a writer.