Ok, it took some doing but I finally choked down The Blade Itself. Overall it was not bad, but it really was not great either. I guess I'm not a big fan of the fantasy genre in general but there are some I really like, this one I could take or leave. My biggest criticisim is the language he used. I find modern day venacular, slang, and profanity a little out of place in sword & sorcery fantasy. Don't get me wrong he has to tell his story but... some phrases just do not fit. I did like the charachters though, particularly Glotka. I'll get to the next one, but just not now. There are three other books in line in front of it.
The ending to The Blade Itself was really nice. The trilogy is really closer to one long book instead of three shorter ones, most of the plot twists and whatnot is still yet to come.