When I can’t seem to keep glued to a book, it always seems like some kind of silent commentary on the work.  Dragonquest is slowly grinding along, and finally has moved beyond background bickering into new discoveries and opportunities.  But I’ve noticed this is a book I’ll put down in lieu of far more activities than usual, such as chores, cleaning the kitten’s eyes, or slightly-interesting history programs.  Hmmmm.

However, as I mentioned, things are picking up.  The characters introduced initially were all a little larger than life — as UKL wrote about, in SF and fantasy literature, it can be even more critical that the familiar is believable — but a couple of younger characters have showed up, teenage boys full of curiousity and shy embarrassment and wonder.  This provides some balance to the adults, who ring shallow, stereotypes, standard fantasy characters of royal blood, elitist and haughty.  The teenagers, therefore, are a real relief.

I’m not sure if I just getting used to her writing, or she actually is writing differently as she gets into the story, but it does seem the language and the rhythm of the language is improving.   sigh they can’t all be artists with words, like UKL…