The Warden

Engaging characters and dialogue, but weak in story, stakes and even the romance the cover teases.

The magical system developed throughout is interesting, but somewhat overwrought in excessive explanation and pace-disrupting flashbacks. The last 40-odd pages felt like an afterthought to justify the protagonist being marked out for being a Necromancer specifically, despite there being very little in the way of necromancy in other 250~ pages beforehand.

Seems like the sequel might have a lot more to say and do, so will probably continue with it.