First of all, a warning. If you are sensitive to depictions of sexual assault, this might not be the book for you. It isn't graphic, but it is there for a chapter or so.

With that said I think the series is coming into it's own. The world building is finally stretching a bit with pirate towns and a whole new continent / civilization. I also think the promotion of Salamander to a leading-for-this-book character was clever, as he brings some needed irreverence to the scene.

For better or worse, it really is a cliffhanger, and I kept going from book 3 to book 4 without a pause.