The Conqueror's Shadow Hot

I recently read Ari Marmell's 'The Conqueror's Shadow' - Book 1 of the Corvis Rebaine series - and to be honest, I'm a little unsure how I feel about it. The main plot idea is very appealing to me but I found the execution of the story to be lacking.

Firstly, the story is set after events that are only referred to as piecemail backstory. That isn't a problem, except that it is done in such a way that I feel like I've entered a room halfway through a conversation and I just don't quite get what everyone is talking about. It almost feels like an 'in joke' or 'in story' that I'm just not 'in' with.

Secondly, Marmell tries too hard to be quirky and/or funny. Often using jokes that feel wrong for a fantasy world; jokes that are far too 'our world' to sit well within the story. As such, I kept being reminded that I was reading a book and that annoyed me because I like to be immersed in the story.

Then there is the main character, Corvis Rebaine. Referred to as 'The Terror of the East'. I understand that he has mellowed with age and love but there is no real sense that the man in The Conqueror's Shadow could have ever been the man referred to in the backstory. Marmell makes him far too, well, bumbling. Sure, he did what he had to do because he felt it was necessary but any man willing and able to cut a bloody path through a country killing any and all isn't going to keep saying 'Ummm' anytime someone asks him a damn question! And he is going to be much more capable than the character we are given. How he managed to survive to see a sequel is somewhat beyond me.

Then there are all the secondary characters that obviously have wonderful, fleshed out backgrounds - too bad Marmell chose not to share them with us. Would you please stop alluding to things that we, the reader, have no knowledge on if you're not going to share it with us?

Despite all that, I did find myself enjoying the story more often than not.

In the end, while the story is founded on a great idea, I'd have to say that the overall way in which the story is employed makes it feel like a very well-written fanfic.