The narrator was fairly good. The story is interesting. However, certain elements are unnecessary. Every chapter begins with a detailed announcement of date, time, number of years before or after the Scourge, then the physical location. This could have been shortened. There is a long running side story where we go back in time to our heros’s military and combat days. It eats up chapters and pages before something meaningful happens. If it is character development, it is done continually in parallel with the main story arc, and adds little.

His talking to his wife and son does add to it. They are his conscience and help direct events, but the overall man himself comes off flat. A semi-emotionless automaton that occasionally quotes Bible verses as another another method for injecting a change in the story and guide events.

I get the impression this may be one of the authors first works. If so, then hats off. I will be curious to see his style and form develop. I want hear the rest. I’m hooked, but I do fast forward through history lessons.