Stiger

Ben Stiger, a newly commissioned lieutenant from a troubled noble family, is assigned to Third Legion during the opening stages of a war between the Empire and the Kingdom of the Rivan. He enters his first posting inexperienced, ostracized by peers, and under an incompetent superior, while the campaign hinges on a dangerous river crossing.

As he learns the realities of legion life, Stiger is forced to deal with training, camp politics, chain-of-command failures, and the pressures of battle. Reviews describe his arc as one of growing from uncertain, self-centered, or spoiled youth into a more selfless officer who begins to understand and lead the men beneath him.

The book follows the build toward a contested crossing and the fighting around it, with emphasis on tactics, battlefield chaos, and military detail. Reviewers also note hints of a larger world with magic, fantasy creatures, and broader political forces, though these elements are described as light or only partly developed in this installment.