I don't normally dive into the middle of a series, starting with Book Three, but I was sufficiently intrigued by the dust jacket summary of The Iron Wars that I thought I'd give this one a go. Although I was impressed with both the writing and the story, I discovered that this is not a stand-alone novel. On the plus side, I was so impressed with Book Three that I decided to go back and read the first two to fill in the gaps. It's an adventure well worth taking, and you won't want to miss out on any of it. The story in The Monarchies of God takes place in a fantasy setting roughly parallel to Renaissance Europe.
Magic exists, but is on the wane.
Gunpowder exists, and is on the rise. The Dweomer-folk, those with a talent for magic, are forced to flee their homes to avoid the zealots' pyres. And this is only the backdrop. There's a lot going on in this story, and there is a real depth to the world, its history, and the characters. The cast of characters is vast, but each of the protagonists in the various intersecting story lines is clearly defined.