It blows my mind when people say that they don't want to read this one because they don't like Chaol. So much more happens in this book that doesn't involve him, so many things are revealed that would leave you feeling completely lost in the next book. I'd get it if this was a novella just about your least favourite character. However, this is a full length novel with a full cast and so many new people that are vital to the story. This one made me cry just as much as the others, even without the majority of the original characters being seen. It's definitely worth the read, and it was worth waiting for Kingdom of Ash when they first came out. (Also, this made Chaol one of my favourites again. I didn't want it to happen I was happy being indifferent about him, but it made me love him.)