The Blade of Shattered Hope

The detailed magic system and rich world-building really stood out to me. I'm curious whether he started with a concept or let the world evolve during writing.

The story hit some slow moments before picking up again. I'm wondering if that was intentional to build tension or if others felt the same.

The book had a lot of intense scenes but also inspiring messages. Did anyone else find that contrast powerful or a bit jarring?