*nods* Yeah, gory, definitely. And I would say that of the women it does have, they're pretty great. (Although, I eventually decided that I was just irritated by the Sabetha thing.)

I've had the sequel for months but can't decide if I want to read it. I'm sure I will eventually, but... I was really annoyed when I found out that this guy has a seven-volume epic all planned out. I suppose it's better that he's planned it than not (...Jordan, paging Robert Jordan...), but I find something really dispiriting about the idea that one will be getting no real resolution for six more boos. The first one, it was not short, and I also have to wonder if he will succumb to the usual Sequel Bloat that so many authors do. Mostly, while I on balance enjoyed the first one, I'm not yet sure that I want to spend *that* long in that world, if you know what I mean.