I gave this book a little more than one hundred pages to capture me but it never did. The writing is hopelessly clumsy and the dialogues inane. The author's prose has the unfortunate effect of making the characters lifeless and uninteresting. I have little sense of the milieux that produce Kuni Garu and Mata Zyndu, the novel's protagonists. Though it's obvious Liu's put a great deal of thought into the East Asian-flavored world of Dara, I often felt that I was reading a Wikipedia entry.

This is my opinion, of course. Other people will find something in this book that speaks to them, even if only to make a long bus ride pass more pleasantly. But for my part, I'm not going to devote more time to a story I have no interest in and an author whose style grates on my ear.

I just can't handle the long-winded style of writing. It's driving me nuts. It's taking me so long to read a page because I keep editing it.

The idea sounds intriguing, but the writing style just can't keep my interest.

Not a good book for those who are sensitive to long-winded writers or books in need of an edit.