Chef Boyardeez Nuts posted:

I really think there was a magic plotline that got cut in TWoC. The first two books have too many random characters making too many references to the House of the Maker opening but in the third book I don't think anyone mentions it except as a landmark.

Also, I think Vic oversells Glotka's plot as brilliant 3d chess and it left me looking for more connections than there really were. Glotka's plan was fine, but all it was was controlled opposition left to run wild as a distraction while the Inquisition purged the bank. The impression is that Pike had an army of practicals hanging out and ready to end Burners whenever he wanted to and the Terror only happened because they couldn't get the vault open before Risinau ran out of steam.

That's unsatisfying to me because there's nothing on the page indicating that Bayazites were resisting, or even existed to resist. It seems like a lot of unnecessary kidney punches to the nation state that he plans to resurrect not to mention extreme personal risk to his daughter.

My biggest disappointment on my reread though is Orso's escape being a poo poo show premised upon everyone becoming incompetent. Savine and Vic together are ostensibly a dream team of intrigue and influence with the tacit support of the Inquisition. It makes no sense to break Orso out without a plan to get him out of the city.