What a disappointment! After eagerlay awaiting the first EFC book and having to have it 'hot off the press', after only a few chapters I wondered why I bothered. The author began the story with gusto then became mired in the most boring trivia, going on ad nauseum for over a hundred pages where nothing more happened than Doors slept / tried to find food / got lost / found his way again and had some terrible visions. The inaccuracies with the storyline were a glaring embarrassment. One could have forgiven those errors if the story had been rivetting enough to hold a reader's attention. The only saving grace, I really liked the dust cover. Please Mr. Saberhagen do your homework before you attempt another novel. It makes for excellent bedtime reading ... for an insomniac.