This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I just got around to being able to read it. I was not disappointed. In fact, I enjoyed it even more than I expected to.
Eames proved himself an author to watch with Kings of the Wyld. Sharp, hilarious, and wonderfully written, he took the idea of music bands and applied it to adventuring monster killer/mercenaries to create a fresh and exciting twist on fantasy fiction.
With Bloody Rose, he's taken that approach above and beyond, proving without a doubt he can write any damn kind of fantasy he pleases, and at the highest level, deftly wielding his pen to create a truly epic story with spectacular action but also extreme depth and pathos--all without sacrificing the humor that got him to where he is.
As a kind of side note, because it pleases me to no end, I was particularly delighted by the way Eames would occasionally switch from past to present tense for intense action sequences, and the way he handled the ending from a narrative point of view. I'm standing and clapping, Mr. Eames. Standing and clapping. Can't wait to see what's next.