As a leader of the Dregs, Kaz has contacts, associates, and even a handful of what he might (if pressed) call friends across all the lowest places in the city of Ketterdam. Of late, there have been rumors of a new form of jurda parem, a mind-altering substance, which has been endowing magic-users with previously unimagined power and whose presence threatens to alter the economy in potentially disastrous ways. Accepting a task to lead an ill-advised rescue into the unforgiving neighboring land of Fjerda in exchange for a reward too tantalizing to pass up, Kaz begins to assemble a small team of misfits to take on this impossible mission.

This is a book I wanted to savor and was disappointed when it ended — on a cliffhanger, no less. I had heard such good things about it and was anticipating an immersive experience, so I saved it for while I was vacationing. I was immediately captivated and had difficulty putting it down after just the first few chapters. I loved that the world-building kept me guessing, with some aspects familiar and recognizable and others stretching my brain in a way that was welcome. Eagerly anticipating the next in the series. ( )

Kaz and his crew accept a nearly impossible job because of the promise of a payment beyond their wildest dreams. They must steal a weapon and its creator from an impregnable fortress.

The story is told from multiple POVs filling in the back stories of the characters a little at a time. Each has a different reason for being a part of the crew and it is interesting to see the dynamics of their interactions.

I liked this even more than the Shadow and Bone trilogy and am looking forward to reading the conclusion of the story in the next book. ( )

I really liked the beginning of the book, but then it got boring. I kept reading, because I heard it would get better, but for whatever reason it never did for me. I think my main problem were the characters, I simply didn't really care what was going to happen to them, whether they were going to live or die. I'm not going to read the second book in the series. ( )

Entertaining read which kept you on your toes until the end. Nice cliffhanger to get you to read the next book. ( )

I was really looking forward to this book as I loved the Grisha Trilogy. It was very well written and a great adventure story, but I just had trouble connecting with the characters. I think this may have been because of the different perspectives combined with the flashbacks. Still worth a read! ( )