This is a very different kind of reading experience from the first book. This is a book about war. I don't normally enjoy books about war, and while I am not sure the word, "enjoy" is the right one, it was a wonderfully written book that captures the darkness, meaningless and horribleness of war and what it does to us. It's an intense read. The writing is as amazing as always and while I do prefer a lighter read most of the time, I sped through this one to see what would happen. I was surprised numerous times, which is always a bonus. There's a strong love story, but it's not the focus in this particular book. I'm intrigued to see how it's handled in book 3, which I have right here ready to start!