The Court of Broken Knives (Empires of Dust, Book 1) | 
Slogging Thru The Mud was about 70 percent of this book, and made for a very slow read for me.
I did appreciate the depth of characterization done during the STTM, but still, it seemed to really slow my reading down.
Very interesting book regardless of the STTM, though. Written a bit differently, style wise, and the characterization was great. The plot was twisty and surprising quite often.
panAnna Smith Spark‘s debut epic fantasy (the first in a trilogy) is a nihilistic grimdark affair featuring vivid description and world-building but which is hampered by characters who are, for the most part, self-absorbed, unpleasant and petulant, an insta-love romance that made me roll my eyes and a meandering plot that lacked drive such that I will not be reading on (although the vivid descriptions mean I would check out Spark‘s other work).
#TBRtemptation post 6! Recently released. This is the 1st installment in the Empires of Dust series. A grimdark fantasy following a crew of mercenaries as they approach Sorlost, the empire's richest and never-conquered city. Their mission: usurp the Emperor. This story covers a massive swath of land, encountering many races and creatures, complete with a detailed map. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎
