Using stilted language and odd geographic and character names that require a notebook to keep them straight, coupled with a ponderous story line, this book requires more effort to read than it merits expending. I found the characters neither particularly appealing nor well developed, and the plot line was too slow to slog through without characters to care about. (The only exception to this was gentle, bumbling Elphin who, while not fully developed, was at least appealing.) It is a book that takes itself very seriously with nary a scrap of humor, an element I believe essential when trying to describe any society or life tale. But what was really bothersome were the extremely dark pagan practices which are presented as something good or noble. I finally had to stop reading after i realized my throat/chest were starting to constrict every I started reading the occultic stuff. I spot read about 4 points later in the book just to see if it got any less stilted or dark, but it didn't. I personally can't imagine having to slog through an entire series of this, but others in my club were excited about the prospect. It's a matter of different strokes for different folks.