This is the second book in 'The Long Price', I'm not sure how well I would have graded it if I hadn't read the prior book, so this review will assume you're reading them in order.
The Author continues to handle the new concepts he introduced in the first book excellently, the characters continue to grow and change, a vibrant world brings pressures and situations the character are not in control of suggesting they live in a real place rather than a two dimensional backdrop for their adventures.
I would have to say this is the better of the two books because of two major factors. Firstly and probably less importantly the book is paced better than the first and there is virtually no dragging and (possibly due to the first book) less exposition. Secondly, this book brings together the ending very very well. While there is space for additional stories based in the world, there is a real sense that this story has comfortably closed which is startlingly unusual.