To put it simply, this book, and the rest of the series, is the greatest work of Fantasy to come out since the Lord of the Rings was published. It is a perfect mix of humor and seriousness, both vast in scope and narrow in focus. It creates a world full of magic, but it is a world that is harsh, gritty, and even more diverse than our own. There is both good and evil, but there is no black and white. The series manages to be innovative and yet still retain many of the traditional trappings of a fantasy series. There is a sense of vast antiquity behind these books, as if you are picking up and dusting off the ancient writings of a long dead empire. Gardens is a great introduction to the series, full of great characters you will love, hate, or reserve judgment for. One thing about this series that sets it apart and above all else is its incredible intricacy. There is no wasted text in these books, an incredible feat considering the length of them. Every action and character in this series is tied into the primary plots. Yes, plots. There are three primary story arcs, though as the series progresses they blend together until they are less distinguishable. There are also large numbers of smaller arcs within the main ones. As i said earlier, nothing is wasted or fails to add to the plot. I simply do not have enough room to extol all of the virtues of this series, so let me finish by urging you to read these books. If there is one series that should not be missed, this is it!!