Thanks for updating with thoughts on conclusion, Eclipse, because I was really curious to know how you felt about this all, and how it held up altogether.
I think it has some weaknesses not so much as a result of the author's inexperience--because obviously Tom Holt has buckets of writing experience--but the novelty of this particular style/form/subgenre to him at this stage in his career. A lot of the themes from this trilogy get honed and polished and done differently/better (your mileage may vary) in other works, but I still think a lot about the Fencer trilogy in terms of how the elements were particularly put together here and how, for all its flaws, it was fascinating and visceral.
Thesis: all of KJ Parker's work has the underlying theme/moral/message: "You should just get over it and live your life." and therein lies the root of all his tragedies. It's certainly a Thing.
I’m not sure I ever understood how the magic worked in this world I found it a bit confusing I just let it flow over me.
I sort of love that about this trilogy, how NO ONE understands how it works, and the entire magic subplot is sort of about frantically trying to fix something when you don't know how it's broken or even necessarily if it IS broken and oh gosh who's flying this thing?? I also find it funny that this is basically the only time Parker bothers having a magic system, and no one understands how it works.