This book was great! I loved it. I enjoyed how the story starts out right away. The prologue is a great way to get the reader really interested in the story. The "Binding" really scared me for awhile by how detailed and scary it started out. I was really drawn in from the beginning, especially when Tarissa was struggling through the snow and about ready to have a baby. Too exciting.

The beginning of the first chapter was a little hard to digest because of the "heart-kills." At first I had a hard time understanding it but it made sense after a while. What I really liked though was how everyone's memories are revealed through flashbacks. It reminds a little of how William Faulkner's stories are told mostly through flashbacks and the mysteriousness of that adds to the mysticism of this story.

I also enjoyed how there are so many characters. Man, I had a little trouble keeping track of all the names but I really got into it.

I was so intent on all these names that I even called one of my professors "Lok" instead of Doc. It was quite humorous. The amount of characters really helps add to the reality of the story.

I noticed that this book is more serious than "The Book Of Words" trilogy. I kinda missed the humor but then I realized that this is a totally different story. It's great that there wasn't a whole remake of characters from the first trilogy. This story is definitely darker.

The characters are very easy to accept. I had no trouble seeing any of these characters as they are. I did have a problem seeing Sadaluk without ears though. That was a little disturbing but everyone else came across quite real. I only have one thing to say about that Mace Blackhail: Damn his black heart. He is this great villain who you just love to hate. And he was really smart about pulling off his schemes. Man, what an evil man.

I also enjoyed the relation of sorcery in this story to that in the first trilogy. It really helped to find out that the sorcery is kinda the same in this world.

I really disliked how this book made me feel cold. I couldn't believe that just by reading about the weather that you could feel it a little. I always had to read with a blanket on because of how cold the descriptions made me feel. Man, now I don't ever want to go to Alaska during the winter. But I am not sure if this is a bad thing or a good thing since details are what make a story a story.

The one thing I really disliked about this book is the fact that it is another series. I like series but I really hate waiting for the next book to come out. Alas, it must be that way. I enjoyed reading this book very much, I even cut class a few times just to read it. So, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this great story.

P.S. I can see why this can cause gray hairs on any author.