It took a little while to get going, but once it did - hoo boy was this a good read. Also, the slower pace at the beginning seems to have been entirely because the amount of world-building and setting up this novel manages to do in just 400 pages is D E N S E. It's a brilliant fantasy book with sci-fi elements and a whole host of brilliantly diverse and flawed characters. Genuinely cannot wait to read the others in the series.