MarkAlan

Terrific read. The themes of how imposed rule and patriarchy are doomed in the long run permeate the book. Instead of just accepting the fantasy tropes of kingdoms as a setting for intrigue and action, the author questions their essence and proposes another form of fantasy which can function by questioning the "good monarch" theme found in so much of the genre..

Here's the book blurb:

Black Wolves
An exiled captain returns to help the son of the king who died under his protection in this rich and multi-layered first book in an action-packed new series.

Some choices can never be undone.
The Hundred, once ruled by a tainted religion and demon court, is now a place of prosperity, but treachery still waits in the shadows. Once the captain of the elite Black Wolves, Kellas finds himself standing at a crossroads where he must decide whom to serve and whom to betray. Faithful to the king's memory but shut out from his legacy, Lady Dannarah fights for the rank she was denied, while three young outcasts leave their homes to find their own destiny.

As broken alliances are guardedly rekindled and old friendships put to the test, the Hundred's past is called into question ­and its very future is at stake.
 

There's a pretty good tor.com review here