This book didn't grab me at first (partly because I have a hard time with tremulous lady voices), but the story picked up from the middle. I don't really get the Roman-times vibe...should I associate jinn and ifrit with Romans? Maybe I'm just clueless. Oh, emperors! Maybe that's the connection. Anyhow, the intrigue makes it fun to read though the plot isn't incredibly thought-provoking. I'm curious to learn more about the Resistance and the oogy-boogy stuff, so I'll likely check out the next book in the series.