pros:

- successfully descriptive language

- interesting characters

- interesting world

cons:

- a meandering plot

Unfortunately the plot is a good part of why I rated this book so low. I have the worst trouble trying to describe the book to other people because the plot was meandering, weak and confusing. There is little momentum and frequent emotional detours. A similar problem popped up in Swordspoint, but not to the degree it happens here in The Fall of the Kings where I had trouble figuring out why anyone was doing anything at all.

Worth reading, but its not one of my favorites.