This was my first KJ Parker so I wasn't sure what to expect from it and I was a little concerned that it was part of a trilogy I hadn't read. Which is one of the nicer (and most surprising) things about this book- I didn't have to have any of that background to enjoy this! I'm sure the study would've been richer had I read those first 2 entries but I very much enjoyed it on its own merits. It did feel a little young, not quite YA but not quite NOT YA either which is why I stopped at 4 stars. To be honest though, I'd have given it a solid 4.5 if we were allowed to.