Anyway, rather than a part by part review, this is more of just my thoughts on the series (without giving away spoilers). I wouldn't go as far as to call it a masterpiece, but it is a very solid series.
What I find most interesting is how the paced the story perfectly and the way the plot makes use of science (alchemy), religion, cultural history, the effects of war, human sins and the bonds of family. While many other series uses these too, in my opinion its rare for this amount to blend so well without making a mess, just touching the surface of certain aspects or rushing the plot.
Also, I find that there is a sense of reality even within this fictional world as it isn't always up to the two main characters to save the day. Characters from different backgrounds have their chance to shine, such as the childhood friend who has to stand by the sidelines, the few supporting soldiers, foreigners from neighboring countries, or even the wives & civilians. This allows us to know their story and empathize with most of them. And if I may say so, I think they did a good job showing that everyone is a main character in their own story. Even the villains.
Finally, my favorite subject of the whole series has gotta be how they deal with death though. Loss, pain, moving on, hatred, revenge, forgiving. All were expressed rather well by both main and supporting characters in my opinion. At the end of the day, death is inevitable and we can only learn to accept it and live on.
In summary, I really enjoyed the series. ^_^
