Another tubby book, but another page turner too with plenty to interest the reader in the magical realm of Ithania and its warring nations. The focus is never on one individual or group for very long, and so if part of the story begins to flag, something interesting and new soon replaces it. In a long book like this, that is a recipe for success. It makes the tale somewhat resemble a soap opera - and we all know how addictive those are. There is much to ponder regarding the subject of religious tolerance (or lack of it) giving the book a topical feel, which is one of its strengths. Unlike too much fantasy, this is not a tale of heroes and villains, but of people living their lives according to their beliefs, circumstances and characters. This lifts it up out of the common run of fantasy novels, and made me think about its various themes long after the cover was closed on the final page. Like all long books it could stand some editing, in particular the many sections involving Auraya and her doomed love affair with Leiard which seems to go on and on, and round in circles. But there is plenty to enjoy in here, and I can see why this author has become very popular. Her earlier series (The Black Magicians trilogy) was also brought out for younger readers, and this too is basically a serene, mild book that should appeal to a wide age range, although probably more to members of the female gender than the male.