Ecletic Reader

This was a hard review considering the I generally like Morgan Llywelyn's books. However, this did not live up to the standard she has consistently delivered in other titles. The best description of this book is shallow. There is not much information on the culture of the Etruscans (besides the focus on the Dying) and little actual description for the Teutmetians or the Romans. The Ais are little more than a plot device, with only one of the Ais getting more than a brief cameo (and even this role is lacking). The story is neither original nor is it much more than a partly fleshed out outline. The story rushes through plot points like it's hitting a checklist rather than showing readers a glimpse of the world. Outside of the disappointing story I was also a little annoyed with the viewpoint of the story. While the whole of the story seems to be told in the 2nd person, sometimes the character's viewpoint would switch from paragraph to paragraph, or even mid-paragraph. This made it difficult to tell when a description was based on a external character's perception or the internal thoughts of the character. On the plus side, this is a quick read with short chapters and it is easy to follow the story.