_b_a_l_ 's review for:

The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley
4.0

Awesome *proper* epic fantasy with excellent world building; giant-bird riding elite juiced-up special-ops warriors, orders of monks established to battle immortals living in another dimension, saga-level political intrigue around the ascension to the throne and the emperor's family. You know, all the stuff you want in a book.

The *entire* novel though is essentially just the set-up to the real story. And we don't know anything about this Brian guy as an author right? How long will he take between books? Will he do a GeorgeRRMartin on us? Can he maintain this colossal chronicle? :P

So risk getting emotionally invested in something that may meander into mundanity. Gamble on Brian finishing this story before he loses the ability to write in a horror accident. Or don't. You know, up to you.