I realised that what I really hate about Lysaer et al is the hypocrisy. It's ok for them to go off and slaughter an entire clan, including women, children and babies, but as soon as those same clans defend themselves, or harry the army, they're evil, vicious brutes. Drives me nutty. Wurts does that very well!

I'm finding that the explanations of magic are just a little too jarring at the moment. They interrupt the flow of the story a little too much and feel artificial. I like her ideas, just not how they're presented as yet.

I also can't decide whether the towns' hatred of the clanborn is realistic or not, whether it's too extreme or sensible considering the history Wurts created for them. More thinking is needed.