I read this as an experiment, following the previous books in the series. I spent a total of 5.02 on the series, receiving the first book for free from Google Play, and purchasing the second and third (this one).
The editing is terrible, almost to the point of being unintentionally humorous. Constant misuse of homonyms is jarring (waist/waste site/sight), the author misspells several words (ie. solo plexus), confuses characters in the middle of a paragraph, changes the spelling of character's names etc. This author needs an editor - badly!
The story has some interesting ideas that I think could have made a good book or series in the hands of a competent writer, or, this writer with a very good and heavy handed editor. Some of the characters are interesting, although most are one dimensional and frustrating with their instant like/dislike reactions to the protagonist.
The issue I find most jarring is the constantly changing geography. Much of the story takes place in a huge Capital City surrounding a castle. However, the characters are able at various times to magically transport themselves: a) to a hidden lake with an island within several minutes of the castle, b) to a hidden mountain stream for a morning bath, c) to the middle of a deep magical woods and a witch's cottage. When the protagonist leaves the city for a foreign training session, the Legion marches 2 days to the sea. On the return, they are able to make the hike in half a day.
Every plot device seems to be a contrivance. The protagonist's mysterious magical powers only work when it is useful to the story. This is not an entirely bad thing, but the rest of the plot devices work similarly. Magical items are simply "found" laying around or in odd spots, monstrous beasts seem to change size - as if the author did not actually spend much time thinking about the repercussions of having the characters fight a dragon that can leave footprints that create canyons hundreds of feet deep, that also just "happen" to have the magical scepter they are looking for in a cave at the bottom.
There are several instances, especially at the end of the book, of intrigue that is closing in on well written. The world the story exists in could be interesting if properly fleshed out. There are a couple of interesting characters, but Ms. Rice seems to have mostly thrown them away once they are created - a good example is the servant who dumps the waste from the castle chutes. (Spelled waist several times in the novel).
The book reads like youth fiction, and this is not a bad thing. I've read several young adult books and series recently and enjoyed them very much. However, if the book is intended for young adults (about 10-13 by the complexity of the prose) then it should not feature characters being sold into the sex-trade, commoners being raped by pillaging raiders and enemies who tear out the throats of naked concubines and enjoy sitting with a naked corpse on their lap.
Also, if this is intended to be young adult fiction, it should be used as an example of how to butcher the English language.