Probably most of us who buy these things will buy them regardless of quality, but I have just about reached my limit. I am disappointed in the quality of this novel. Much like the old joke about army chow, "It was terrible and the portion was too small."
1. The novel was much thinner than I am used to. If the prices are going to be raised, I would like to at least have as much reading material as before.
2. Considering the writing quality, maybe the author was pressed to even fill as much space as he did. The characters are almost universally as two-dimensional as the "unmen" were in the story and their static personalities clashed with the dynamism of the setting; the plot was repetitive, and the comic relief relied on juvenile body humor. Karona's personality was the only bright spot in the novel, displaying a dynamic character throughout the story.
3. This wouldn't bother me so much if it weren't that I know that WoTC can do better. The Artifacts Cycle and the Ice Age Cycle were much better than this. The Brothers' War novel, for instance, had compelling characters that developed through the story, with real psychological drama, etc. I really felt something reading it, other than "Gee, was that it?" Maybe the target market has shifted for the novels, but nobody told me.
Well, you've been warned.