I found the prologue to this story to be quite the attention-getter, which besides setting up the main thread of the book, also introduces a character who has a major influence on the events to follow, but who is not identified, which of course has you trying to figure out who it is, something that is not easy due to how the characters are introduced and written, plus how the clues to their identity are obscured.

The main story took me a couple of chapters to get into, but from that point on it was addictive. The plot revolves around Farden trying to find out who stole an ancient book of magic and recover it if possible before the power it contains can be unleashed. This leads him to approach the Sirens, a race whom his people have gone to war with, in the recent past, and whom they currently have an uneasy truce with, but whose help they now require.

The characters, which includes several non-humans, are all well-developed and written with engaging personalities. The world-building is also well done, with an interesting history and fascinating societies which are slowly revealed as the events unfold in both dramatic and tragic fashion.

Overall this is a great start to a series that has a lot of potential to be outstanding, and thus well worth reading.