I'm out!  

I can't take another 700 pages of this.

OMG this book has turned into one of the most boring things I have ever read.

Now I know why it's attributed to 2 different authors.

Apparently one wrote the first half, up through about chapter 97/98, then someone else wrote the second half.

The writing abruptly became completely different.  Even the characters sound, speak, and act different than in the first half.

I have found my self skimming and not missing anything.

Maybe I should have just stuck with the unfinished copy.

I suppose a progress revision is in order.

Now, having a complete copy, I feel like I slid down a snake.  LOL

We have encountered a Quaker squatting in the secondary Bannersworth estate.  He refuses to leave, says he's going to have them arrested even though Henry has the title papers to the place.  The Admiral kicked him the rear.  LOL

The wedding is still about a week off.

I thought I was almost done.  LOL  

First, the rant:

Anyone wanting to read this in ebook form, download it from MobileRead.

Both the Amazon free version and the Gutenberg version end very abruptly halfway through the story, which is about halfway through volume 2, the end of chapter XCVI.  Seriously!?  You cut it off at chapter 96 when there's 220 chapters in this behemoth!

I don't think it has taken me this long to read a book since Lord of the Rings or my multiple attempts at Atlas Shrugged.

However, other than the meanderings (apparently this (these) guy(s) really were paid by the word) the story itself is engaging and at time time hilarious.

I'm suspicious of Jack Pringle and the Dr. seems to be a bit off kilter sometimes.

Now, off to the wedding!

It has been decided that the mysterious stranger that showed up looking for Varney is a vampire so some of the men follow him from the inn to the river and shoot at him while he's crossing the bridge.

Then this happens:

(Not an actual quote)

The moon is rising and turning everything into a beautiful glowing fairy land

Is that a human figure in the water?  Is it dead?

The water is silvered with moonlight 

Is that a human figure in the water? on the rocks? Is it dead?

The willows sway gently to the gurgling of the water 

There's a human figure in the water on the rocks half submerged. Is it dead?

The occasional fish jumps

There's a body in the water on the rocks half submerged, arms swaying in the current. Is it dead?

The moon continues rise and slowly chase the shadows from the far bank of the river,

Where there is a body in the water on the rocks half submerged, arms swaying in the current, face upturned toward the moon.  Is it dead?

Pages of this bouncing back and forth between describing the rising of the moon and the guy in the water.

WE GOT IT!

There's a body in the river and we don't know if he's dead!  Get on with it!