In this series opener, Hammer’s prose evokes the romantic diction and mythological complexity of the high fantasy genre, sometimes to an eye-rolling extent: –Kirkus Reviews
so far the pacing is brisk and the world, if not completely unique, is quite fun. –Kirkus Reviews
readers who love the fantasy genre will find much here to enjoy. –Kirkus Reviews
A derivative but skillfully executed and engaging fantasy. –Kirkus Reviews
The author’s narrative technique of rapidly shifting viewpoints from chapter to chapter echoes a similar tactic by some of the bestselling writers in the fantasy genre, and for good reason: It keeps the story hurrying along in a compulsively readable way. Hammer is likewise skillful at changing tones; one chapter can be filled with high-stakes sorcerous tension, and the next can be, equally convincingly, lighthearted –Kirkus Reviews
Readers encounter a very inventive world—one that features everything from Jinns to Greek mythology to Shaolin monks to the Monkey King, and in which the legions of Caesar can easily end up fighting hordes of vampires. Readers already up to speed on the many ongoing plot threads will find this volume a tense and fast-paced addition to Hammer’s engaging fantasy world. –Kirkus Reviews
Hammer does a good job of orchestrating the book’s suspenseful ending, which leads readers right on to the next installment. –Kirkus Reviews
A colorful and hyperactive section of a larger multicultural fantasy epic. –Kirkus Reviews