This is the first book of a trilogy, but luckily it holds its own as a standalone book as well. It is filled with grit, like he Misery is filled with sand and hope is scarce just like joy is in the same place. A book which manages to resemble Glenn Cook's Black Company in so many ways: the mood, the tone, the morale. Because you get a bunch of cutthroats who are stuck between a rock and a hard place and against all odds they still try their damnedest just to spite everybody to the bitter end. Captain Ryhalt Galharrow loathes the cream (i.e. the nobility), hates the Drudge and despises himself most of all. Nenn is a shewolf who more than equals Ryhalt in swordplay and the hate of nobility, while Tnota is just a gay dude who wants to find joy where others perceive none to be had. Under the threat of the horror of Darlings, Gillings and all the rest, under the screaming sky of the Misery our "heroes" have to face the ancient Deep Kings with the much needed but truly unwelcome help of the Nameless. To help them get through that they have camaraderie and a dash of black humor. Not much, is it?
