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Super-dry theme aside (you're running a merchant cartel in the era of the Hanseatic League), I really enjoyed this. It has significantly more interaction than your typical eurogame, with mechanics that encourage you to get in the way of others. Lots of strategic and tactical options, with multiple, interlocking ways to score points.
I would avoid playing this with people who are prone to serious analysis paralysis. The game state can change significantly with each player's turn, so you could end waiting a while for people to evaluate their options. But we had three relatively swift players, and it moved along quickly. Well under two hours, including teaching time.
I ended up in second place, with more on-the-board presence than anyone else. The other new player won, because he managed to dominate an important score multiplier. The owner, who taught us the game, took a more diversified strategy and was a close third.