The Ruin of Kings

This is a tough one to review. I had a hard time getting through it. It should have been right up my alley with all the fantasy elements. I just found there to be too many characters to keep track of, and the duel storylines made it difficult for me to care about them. I usually enjoy a complex story, but only if it's necessary to the story.
I, of course, purchased books 2 and 3 before reading the first. The only thing that might get me to read book 2 is curiosity. Maybe with the first book setting the stage, the second will lead to a more focused storyline.