Here’s one that starts badly with the first word and goes downhill from there.
“Shalthazar the dark wizard came to Llars seeking power beyond imagining, and got more than he ever imagined.”
*doh*
I’m almost sorry I missed this book. (But, I wasn’t really aiming, anyway.)
I’m also unimpressed by blurbs that mention an “affirmative action” award–you know, one reserved for some ethnicity or whatever “disadvantaged” multi-culti “lit-ur-airy” Balkan state group author who can’t write well enough to win a legitimate award.
Oh, heck. ANY award not decided strictly by everyday, ordinary readers of the book is bogus. In that vein, book awards should be based on (actual, real, legitimate) sales, and, in fact, the only awards that really count are those that go into the writer’s pocket.