SFX magazine described this book as 'a 15th century take on Kill Bill and I can see why. The story - without giving the best bits away - is this: Monza Murcatto a mercenary and an all-round interesting girl, goes on a quest for revenge and collects quite a formidable crew along the way to help her out. I can't tell you what or who she is avenging without ruining the first few fantastic pages of the book. But rest assured it's not garden-variety getting-someone-back for a mundane betrayal vengeance, nor is it Hamlet-style angst-ridden score settling with lots of fallout and a big body count. Not that the corpses don't stack up - because believe me they do, but it's all part and parcel of Monza's mission. If you want details, click here, because I can't spoil it - I refuse to be a book jacket!

And the universe Abercrombie has created is so refreshing compared to all those fantasy worlds where far too much improbable magic occurs and everyone is either a noble quester or a despicable villain. Here the characters are fully formed, fully flawed human beings, complete with bodily functions, sexual appetites and complex psychologies.

On top of fabulous characterisation, world-creation and plotting, the pace is also magnificent. This is not a swords-and-sorcery story where people ride their horses for page after page, never needing to use the toilet but setting up camp and posting sentries every evening with monotonous regularity. From the first page Abercrombie sets a cracking pace that the reader is more than happy to keep up with. He takes you on Monza's relentless journey for vengeance, only breaking for well-crafted flashbacks of her life. But this is no two-dimensional quest, as the story unfolds the surprises and twists mount up with breathtaking brilliance and logic.

Dark, gripping, and unputdownable is my verdict.