"I realized my creative energy was fading under the onslaught of reality, and I didn't have it in me to write three books in this milieu. I came dangerously close to quitting after book one, in fact - but I absolutely hate leaving stories unfinished (and readers disappointed) once I've begun a thing, so I finished this out of sheer bloody-minded stubborness." [N.K.J. in the Acknowledgements]

It figures, dear NKJ, it feels throughout the book. I guess as Padmini would say that finishing something for finishing it takes out that little bit of chaos every story needs to sparkle. It's not that it's not good, because you're an amazing talent and writer, but it just feels forced upon you and tha page. That said, it's still better than most literature, so... thanks for it anyway.
I guess you have to let a bit of un-schrodingering get to you for the next one!

PS: hope the meaning of this rant is not total moot as I'm not a native-tongue American-English speaker, but that's my tackle on the book :)

PPS: really loved you brought HPL back home... So much of the fantastic literature we read stems from him (disgusting person he was, but awesome world creator and horror monger) and yet so little is acknowledged.