Such a disappointment. It was deadly dull and lacking in much intrigue, and a huge letdown after the first book. Book one was wonderful, I was completely absorbed in the plotting and the competition, and the strays were interesting characters themselves. The scheming and plots that made the first book great were lacking here, I felt, and this was a chore to finish. Jaron and Roden bugged me so much. I hated their relationship. I also felt that Jaron made some decisions that were completely lacking in common sense here. A wise king, he is not. If there's a third book, I'm not reading it. What a letdown.