The Way of Shadows

I enjoyed the world-building used for the setting of this story (the first of three). It's set in a small nation, usually ignored by the others around it. Our hero is a young thief from the gutters, just trying to stay alive, and wishing he had the skills of master assassin Durzo Blint. Events transpire that get him apprenticed to Durzo Blint and then political machinations start getting things progressively more interesting. There's also a cool use of magic in this story which is thankfully not overdone. Those assassins without the magical Talent are just ordinary assassins. But those with the Talent can become the much more fearsome and powerful “wetboys.” Our hero, Azoth, aspires to become a wetboy like Blint. Azoth has both friends and enemies and sometimes the distinction between the two is a bit fuzzy. Throw in an invasion from the nation just north of them and you've got the makings of a pretty fun story. I'm looking forward to the rest of it.