David B. Coe has always been a comfort read for me. His books are always solid fantasy stories minus the usual formulaic storyline that is so prevalent in the genre. The first book in his Winds of the Forelands series is no different. Every once in a while I get in the mood to read fantasy, so when I do, it has to be something that is pure escapism with an intriguing plot. This book met both of those requirements and then some. I look forward to reading the second book and the rest of this series by one of the most underrated fantasy writers in the business today.