Kingdom imagery
The imagery that defines the novel is the competition of power in a feudal land. This has led to the rising competition between kingdoms in an attempt to create an empire by attaining the seat of power. This imagery also involves knights and armies doing battle, as in feudal Europe, except the imagery is being applied to an imaginary land. The kingdom imagery is an expression of a thirst for power, and the kings in this novel are typically not satisfied with their power; they are also paranoid about defending their castles.
Magic and the supernatural
The book is similar to J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings in its imagery, because it combines elements of feudal folklore with elements of the sublime. In this case, the sublime aspect is magic. There are several castes of warriors who are able to exert power at a distance. Instead of having to rely only on hand-to-hand combat, there are witches and priests who can tap into supernatural forces to influence the outcome of battles with their witchcraft.
Dragons and legend
The stories have an imagery of the legendary. For instance, there are characters who deal very closely with literal dragons, which is a reference to legendary folklore about dragons on earth. The stories read in a very legendary way, and the idea of securing an epic legacy for one's self dominates the pursuits of the characters. It is as if they understand implicitly that their lives are legendary, and they want to make a name for themselves in that.
Death and the gruesome
The imagery of the novel is famously offensive to delicate readers. There are violent, gory descriptions of death, but not just death—also disturbing and gruesome ideas. There is rape in the novel, and also depictions of horrific scenes of torture and abuse. The idea of power is combined with this deathly willingness to do violence, so that the fear of being under the control of one's opponent is shown to be quite horrifying indeed. The constant deaths of characters, even main characters, shows the reader that nothing is off limits in the novel.
