Status Updates From Tales of the Left Hand, Book 1

it really is just the first act of a book not the first book of a trilogy

i'm not even done with this book but i can tell that (if properly edited) this trilogy could have (should have?) been one book instead of three

Tesca is the Iron Fist of the Frees and I hate it
that duel was... bad

I REALIZED another thing that is bothering me that I can now articulate: everyone is forthcoming. even this assassin is mouthy to kayrla when he's trying to do his thing and then grievous (naming yikes) is giving himself away to tesca
also meagher must be familiar with brandon sanderson because i keep wanting to call kayrla "vin"

i think maybe another of these rookie signifiers is a show/tell issue? something about the thought-processes/feelings of these characters is a bit grating

if i have to hear "those black bastards" one more time i'm gonna flip

I like the idea of scrapper's honor motivation but I wish it was written about earlier/better?

I dunno it still feels very beginner but Kayrla needing money from Teska seems like a solid motivation to stay
Still pretty racist but I do love the Argument and the Retort that's very good

I think it's clear that this is this author's first work. I don't hate it, but it does definitely feel very rookie
tropes are so far a bit clunky, motivations a bit stiff, and exposition poorly placed
also raCIST?? already quite a bit yikes though i'm hoping (perhaps naively) that that gets complicated down the line?