I recommend this for fantasy fans who want a break from the tired, typical faux Middle Ages European aesthetic, as well as fans of fiction where frankly no one is strictly speaking “the good guy” or “the bad guy.”
The setting of this book is split between the protagonist’s teenage years where he learns combat and magic and him as a sea-faring adult after he takes on a job to obtain a dangerous object. The magic itself is all based around harnessing the power of Cthulhu-like horrors. But overall the magic is mostly downplayed in favor of a more realistic approach, just a world slightly off.
The book gets muddled and hard to follow at times, and many of the characters are just a tad too alike to keep separate in your head, but overall it is a compelling book. Some parts are slower than others, but the last 30% really trots along with nonstop action. Furthermore, the split narrative isn’t too egregious with bad chapter cliffhangers like some books.
So, I’d give this book a go if you want an adventure novel with a fresher setting than what you’re used to.