We go from my favorite Science Fiction author right to my favorite fantasy author. 
Half a War is the final book in Abercrombie’s Shattered Sea YA series.  For me, it stood out above the other books (which are also good). This book centers around a few new point-of-view characters, though some of the main people from the prior books remain.

Princess Skara is probably the center of the story and her efforts to save her kingdom in a world at war with many competing interests to navigate. She is a great main protagonist (though I mean ‘protagonist’ in the Abercrombie sense). Koll’s story as Yarvi’s apprentice and Raith’s story of taking care of the queen while battling demons from his time before, make up the other main character arcs. All three are satisfying and reach appropriate, earned conclusions.

This being Abercrombie not everything is black and white, and the reader will surely be conflicted as to some of the decisions made by characters we would be unapologetically rooting for with a lesser writer. If you love Abercrombie read this series. If you like fantasy but haven’t read Abercrombie this series will be a nice entrance as the stories are less complex than his First Law novels (though I’d still recommend those first and foremost).

(Felan’s Rescue Available in all formats August 19, 2022. E-book Preorders Available now)