Nice and thick book in an old -fashioned fantasy setting. Family features, battles around territories, jealousy and murder, love and unreachable love.
Roric is one of the main characters, he is a bastard son and can therefore not claim a maker on anything. Due to an armed threeping of Harold, the reigning duke he becomes the Duke of Clemen.
Clemen is a part of an island that is separated by a swampy area from Harcia where his cousin Balfre is in charge. Balfre is a manipulator and a man of intrigues and manslaughter.
In the swamp, the cheerful pig is a sanctuary where Harcians and Clemen people meet and where Marie and Edo provide food and drink. Benedikt is Marie's son and they have taken care of Willem, who is actually Liam, son of Harold, but who has been saved by Ellie's feeder from the massacre around the deposition of Harold. All parts of a very easy -to -read book. That tastes like more, but I have not been able to find the second part so far. ( )

It`s strange to read all of these negative reviews about this book. For me it`s an excellently written epic fantasy where the `fantasy` part is in the background and the majority of the story is a medieval tale full with politics and intrigue. My only criticism would be that the book is a bit overwritten but if we want to be honest the Game of Thrones (the book was advertised as a GoT-killer) is suffering from the same. ( )

After quite a long gap writing YA Karen is back to writing grown-up fantasy. It's billed as 'epic' but it isn't being much more closely focused on a few characters in just two duchys. These were once a united kingdom which is where all the trouble comes from. Succession is always to the eldest male child, even when they turn out to be either figuratively or literally a bit of bastard.

Out antagonist is the aforementioned figurative bastard Balfre, not beloved of his father, the current Duke, whom feels Balfre is far too headstrong and aggressive to lead a country into peace and prosperity. Traditionally the eldest son would learn his leadership as Steward of a local territory, but the duke bestows this honour on his younger son, leaving Balfre fuming and dispatched to the Marches, the quasi-independent border between the two territories. Roric is the literal bastard, but being a nice person has the support of the local Lords and they depose of his hated brother the current Duke of the other land. In the surprise the young heir is believed killed but escapes with his nursing whispering vengeance into his ears. Roric tries to rule well, but the land suffers an unfortunate run of weather, fearful and greedy merchants, etc and finds it hard to counter Balfre's continual antagonism, however while the old Duke lives, peace simmers on and Liam lives as a foster son in a Marches pub.

Women get very short shift in this world. Lords daughters are assigned to marriage and male heirs are required. Little choice or agency is given to them unless they work subtly with an understanding husband - rare indeed. There are tow exceptions, one a pub Matron, Molly (who fosters Liam) but even she leads a hard life, brutally bereaved of her first husband. The other is a witch Izuna, who's on no-ones side but her own and the dead spirits she communes with.

As may be expected from a book that opens with the escape of a baby ducal heir, many years of events have to be compressed into a readable length, and unfortunately this is often done in skips and jumps not always signaled as clearly as they should be. The transitions between character viewpoints are also sometimes a little jarring. I much preferred the first person style of Empress. Very few of the characters are in and of themselves likable but together they make a twisted plot with plenty of unexpected turns and the consequences of their actions well thought through.

The magic is very light, almost low fantasy, with just the witch having any powers at all. I suspect a greater play of religion will be forthcoming in the later books as there is frequent mention of tension between a one god grey robed church and the old ways of the villagers with their charms and superstitions.

Enjoyable is perhaps the wrong word for a lot of it but it was captivating reading and I'm interested to know how it all works out. ( )

So I trudged through this, I've read books by this author before and enjoyed them but this was a bit more grimdark, GRRMy and it did not suit. There was one character that I liked and by the end what happened to him wasn't good.

The story starts with a revolt winning and a bastard son taking over a duchy, dark magic and plots and a lot of evil people winning.

I have no urge to read further in this series. It reads well and it's craftful but I didn't care really by the end. ( )

I tried several times to read this book and just could not get into it. I don't feel I have read enough to fairly review it, but I also feel like I have tried enough that I am resigned to mark it DNF and move on.