As much as I ADORE fantasy fiction, this one was way too juvenile even for me. And I don't mean the story - premise was good - but the language! It felt like the author had written the book keeping ONLY 8 year olds in mind. It was way too simple, with too much "telling" and not enough "showing", to the point where I began to feel mildly insulted at the patronizing way the author was treating my imagination. Couldn't finish.