I think this will shed a new (definitive?) light on the quality of the author:
vol. 1 p.99n., the Pictish hero Kral is thinking:
"The Aquilonians probably thought him a savage who wouldn't understand such fine distinctions. The truth was, the distinction was important to Picts, who beleieved that sending enemies to the lands of the dead in the course of battle was one of the most noble things they could ever hope to do. But killing someone by stealth, without a fair fight - that was the work of an assassin, not a warrior. He was glad that his victim had at least tried to fight back."
Well, nothing more nedds to be said...