I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into the book, being both scared and enticed by reviews promising extreme violence and gay porn! I would tentatively agree with the first, but not so much the second. 
 I like grey characters and this book excelled at them. Each of the three POVs are flawed individuals, shaped by their pasts, and they all exhibit less than ideal behaviour. The main POV is Ringil, a battle-hardened, cynical warrior who happens to be gay. Unfortunately for him, this is considered deviant behaviour and is outlawed. 
 At one point in the story, Ringil describes his part in the death of a child. This whole scene is steeped in gruesome brutality (there's a whole lot more going on than just the child). Ringil's behaviour is abominable, and yet ... I ached for him. Egar, the Northern clan chief, is berated by certain clan members for his abject failure to uphold their traditions and for turning his back on all it means to be their leader. Every word they say is true, and yet ... I sympathised with the warrior who had discovered a whole new world and was no longer content with his lot. The characters felt real and believable to me, and if an author can pull this off I'm usually sold on the story. 
 The plot itself was a little heavy-going at points. I found myself a bit confused early on with all the different names, places and factions. I suspect this is down to my late night, sleepyhead reading. The book requires you to pay attention and it's worthwhile concentrating on the text early on until you grasp the basics. 
 Violence is commonplace throughout the book, mostly swordfights and the like, but there were a couple of rather disturbing scenes. What the Empire does to its criminals left me squirming in my seat! 
 And as for the 'gay porn' ... Le Sigh. For sure there is a very explicit sex scene between two men. It's quite descriptive and not in a titillating kind of way. But it's two pages long, out of a 391 page novel. There are frequent references to sex, both gay and straight, but I simply cannot class this as porn. That would be ridiculous. I can't help but wonder if those screaming 'pornography' would be quite so vocal if this were an equally explicit scene between a man and a woman. Some of the reviews I read began "I don't mind gay people but ..." Let me stop you right there. You just voided your first statement with that "but". Shut up. 
 I don't think this book is for everyone. It's dark and quite complex, but I found it entertaining and compelling. I've already ordered the sequel and I'm looking forward to it. There was a delicious twist at the end and I can't wait to see where it goes in the next book. If you like complex grimdarks, this one's worth a look.