My single favorite quality of this book was its texture. Here's what I mean. I was enthralled by the weather Belardes used so ably, almost in becoming another character in the story. In a place like Bakersfield where weather tends to be so singularly routine, the weather breathed its way into the story and I found myself I becoming more present to what was taking place as the characters lived and breathed the changing conditions.First the fog enveloped everything, and I could feel the cold, damp isolationist feel as I imagine Minstrel felt it settling onto his skin and into his lungs.... And into his psyche.The violence of an incredible valley dust storm foreshadowed destruction of a most insidious kind.The power of the natural force of weather, strong and almighty like the power of evil that blows throughout the captivating chapters of "Lords: Part one" and... does it continue to blow, today, too?Hmmm. Maybe there will be a "Lords, Two..."