PREFACE: I agree with many of the points raised by other reviewers, re, 
 The Silence of Medair 
 's good points: original story line, complexity of the reluctant folk hero, spin on the idea of "blue-blood," etc. THAT SAID, I do not think that these merits sufficiently make up for 
 Medair 
 's weak points to warrant beyond a 3-star rating. I just wish it were better... 
 1) This claims to be a stand-alone book, but it doesn't really. 2) Host spends an absurd amount of time creating unnecessarily complex system of titles and introducing such a multitude of characters that it is exhausting to keep them all straight or sort out who the really important ones are. 3) Compounding the bewildering systems of address and oppressive cast of characters, occasionally the prose is entirely opaque, for example, Not with the massive Conflagration the mages of Farakkan warned would be the consequence of wild magic slipping from control, but by a creeping blackness which melted the land from beneath their feet. As Sar-Ibis dissolved into nothing, the Ibisians had fled to Farakkan through arcane gates; an incredible feat of magic. This is not only awkwardly composed, but given that the reader is unfamiliar with Farakkan, Sar-Ibis, and Ibisians, this statement is almost impenetrable. 
 That said, bits in the first section [i.e. the part included in the kindle sample] were charmingly engaging enough to keep me reading. For example 
 the idea of talking to people seemed impossible. Not when they would ask questions, or say devastating things quite unintentionally, and look at her with eyes that tried to guess her place in the world 
 and the mountain did not bother with foothills, and hindsight was no benefit to the ill-prepared, are all delightful observations. 
 I thought at several points that 
 The Silence of Medair 
 was going to be a genuinely nuanced rumination on colonialism, racism, and notions of patriotism or loyalty. This seemed less and less the case as the story developed; the character of Medair grew flatter and more childish as the narrative progressed. For example, I found her limp acceptance of the (view spoiler)[impending destruction of the city she currently occupied (hide spoiler)] to be tedious. It should have been edited down. The same could be said for many bits and bobs throughout, for example the seemingly pointless anecdote about Ourvette. The fact that both books really are co-dependent, the length overall is sprawling and unnecessary (especially for readers less interested in chase scenes, which is what these long travel narratives really entail).