A Betrayal in Winter

For once this is a book of which the raving back cover blurbs are all true.

"There is much to love in the Long Price Quartet. It's epic in scope, but character-centered. The setting is unique yet utterly believable. The storytelling is smooth, careful, and - best of all - unpredictable." (Patrick Rothfuss)

"To call Daniel Abraham an exciting new author is to wildly understate the case. His entire Long Price Quartet is utterly original and incredibly seductive". (Connie Willis)

"A Betrayal in Winter is exactly the kind of book I love: dynamic characters, sharp plotting, and an original, thoughtfull take on magic. Abraham knows what he's doing." (Brandon Sanderso)

...all that, and the fact this book is highly emotional too, at times. And that it's actually a much, much better story about gender than Ancillary Justice or The Left Hand of Darkness, set against a Shakespearian tale of intrigue, love, family and power. And, as in the first book, that this one also comes to an elegant finish of its own.

If you haven't, read A Shadow In Summer first. I'm pretty sure you'll feel compelled to read the entire Long Price Quartet. Absolutely mandatory.

5/5