I don't know if the author (the series is planned for 4 books) maybe makes a connection to our world and this is some future version of our own, where the sea has risen, but for now there are no imminent signs for this. Elena is a bodyguard on the court of Javon, which is also a nation on Antiopia (think persian culture), which has a special standing, cause their royal family are traditionally half-bloods, half Jhafi from Antiopia, half Rimoni (think italian culture) from Yuros.

Then you’ll notice that there’s a couple of simple infodumps, but they’re short: the student mage reciting lessons or fathers telling children about history. Nothing really stands out in this paint by numbers generic setting with its very poorly disguised nations of Western imperialism, Muslim religious intolerance and Hindu colourful poverty. This book has the best parts of the epic fantasy genre and adding to that also has a conflict that promises to be epic but is also grounded in moral ambiguity that is prevalent so much in the current geo-political scenarios of our world. I don't need perfect characters who fall into the chosen one trope, but something about their faults really just rubbed me the wrong way and I often found them frustrating and unlikable.The character cast is a vast one and it can be confusing sometimes plus there are no character appendices provided so it was very cumbersome to keep track of who’s who and related to whom and located where.

Many other people have complained about a slow start and while I can see where they are coming from, the first few hundred pages were the best for me.

When looking for a new epic fantasy series, I am always on the prowl looking for a story that has the humongous world building we see from Steven Erikson and combine that with the wonderous magic systems we are always treated to with Brandon Sanderson.