The way the book starts off, the way the main character is introduced, is absolutely incredible.
When I see a “save the world” plot, my first reaction is the same as most people’s — I cringe.
Nope, not this one. The reason for why he has to do what he has to do, and how he screwed up to get there are actually real motivations people would have.
The combat makes sense, and the planning makes sense. The best thing about this book are the combat scenes, because despite the fact that they’re grounded in an understanding of the economy of movement, the focus is on the magic.