Some pretty clever battles that deviate from the gory norm and show some signs of wit. Also, the confusion I had as to the setting and wider context of all the mercenary action finally gets alleviated in this volume as we learn the kingdom of Midland has been at war with its neighbor for the past 100 years presenting opportunities for advancement for men of arms and strength. We also get a little more intuition into Griffith's ambition, which, sorry to say, right now looks like nothing more than an inexplicable desire for raw power and position. I'm tempted to say that's intentionally misleading, because that just seems too boring and normal for a series like this.
