Compared to most series, I find the political disputes and themes a lot easier to understand in this series. Plainly and simply being, there's the Inquisition and Sorcerers. Some kingdoms advocating the Inquisition and some traditionally supporting sorcerers. None of that whole "Here's 7 different sons that look similar to each other and all of them are fighting over inheritance while at the same time there's an entire war conceived by the queen's bullshit to have her favorite son inherit the throne and another son wants to marry into the throne, and so on" type of bullshit story that turns into the most convoluted mess.