Definitely enjoying it a lot now. The plotting (Locke's team and the Grey King's) is become a little less convoluted whilst remaining very clever.

I do feel, though, that Nazca was terrifically underutilised as a character and her death feels a little cheap to me. It's the problem I have with GRR Martin as well: deaths like that just seem to be there for shock value rather than really driving on the action. We didn't have enough time to get to know Nazca so it doesn't have the impact it might have done later. He could have killed off one of Barsavi's sons to equal effect on the reader, I think. For me, Locke's horror at her death just didn't ring quite true. I don't think Lynch wrote that very well.

The Grey King is pretty scary. I'm trying to remember whether we find out who he is from Locke's vague feeling that he recognises him. Anyone want to remind me?

I really love Jean this time around. Definitely like him more than Locke. So I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in the flashback interludes. The bits we've had so far have been good.

One query: where are the women? I think Lynch has tried to give them more ... equality than they might usually get in SF/F, but where are the major female characters? Sabetha's off somewhere so she doesn't count. Nazca could have been more, but she's been bumped off. Is there anyone else? (Possible major spoiler for later so I'll put it in white text: Apart from the Spider, if I remember correctly.)