With most books, standalone or series, that I have read the direction the plot is heading is possible to guess, and within reason work out what the general conclusion will be, but this book is one of those where it's difficult to see just where it's headed as it appears just to be a recounting of the life of the main character, this being Alwyn, a whores bastard, who was found lost in a forest and taken in by an outlaw at the age of ten, becoming a valued member of his band. In the next fifteen or so years, life takes many twists and turns for Alwyn, with very few of them in the latter part favourable to him, in this well-paced tale, that draws you in as the events and experiences that shaped Alwyn's life unfold before you.

The characters, which are many and varied, are on the whole well written and nicely developed as the story progresses, with more than a few of them having interesting personalities, though I didn't develop any great emotional attachment to them.

This is a very entertaining adventure that is full of blood and guts conflicts, betrayal, revenge, mystery and intrigue, plus a plot that will keep you engaged from start to finish as well as rarely going in the direction you might expect, which to me is always a sign of a good book.