I liked this second book much more than I enjoyed the first in the trilogy. Whether it was that I knew the characters better or that the world and characters were better fleshed out this time around, I am not sure. But at the end of the first book I was set to read the other two out of stubbornness. Now, having finished the second, I am looking forward to seeing how Wells finishes the story.That said, there is still nothing fantastic going on here. It is pretty standard fantasy fare, and relatively unremarkable within the genre. However, I like the genre and the fact that there is nothing to make this trilogy stand out doesn't bother me.