This is one of my favorite current fantasy series, period.  So complex and multilayered but if you have the attention span to stay focused on all of the twists and turns, it will reward you richly.  The characters and world-building rival anything being put out by the bigtime authors in the genre right now.  Great stuff and I am really looking forward to the next book so that I can immerse myself in Lehmann's fascinating world once again.  Don't pass on this wonderful series!