Ok, admittedly, it doesn't live up to the previous trilogy. But it still has a good involving plot, and it's fairly easy reading. Speaking from a teenage point of view I would say this is a great book to ease yourself into the sci-fi/fantasy genre, before working yourself forward onto more challenging read like Janny Wurts, Tad Williams or Robin Hobb (or the more fun writing of Laurell K. Hamilton). So if you've only just moved on from J. K. Rowling or Tamora Pierce, this is a good, absorbing read with not too complex a story-line. In truth, the characters in this are a bit more... flat than the original trilogy (and all the original cast seem dull, old and Faraday (as always she was) seems very boring). But with Zared, Leagh, Theod, Goldman, and ofcourse, Drago, you don't really mind, 'cause this new generation is far more fun than the last! So pick up this book for a fun read!