The Lions of Al-Rassan

So I finished reading Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan today -- I'd originally bought it a year and change ago and read the first few chapters before getting distracted and putting it aside -- and, well. I wasn't actually all that impressed. Except for a few things. (This is clearly the reason why I'm now writing Narnia Golden Age assassination attempt fic. I KNOW; it was supposed to be the Prince Caspian assassination-execution fic.)

( I don't think there are actually spoilers, but you know, for length, and possible spoilers, and also babbling, because I take opportunities to talk about one thing and then talk about five other ones at the same time. )

Other books I have read/reread lately (this is code for, if you want me to talk about them, ask):

Dies the Fire, S.M. Stirling (reread)
The Protector's War, S.M. Stirling (reread)
A Meeting at Corvallis, S.M. Stirling (reread)
The Sunrise Lands, S.M. Stirling
Conrad's Fate, Diana Wynne Jones
The Pinhoe Egg, Diana Wynne Jones
The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
Charmed Life, Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
Witch Week, Diana Wynne Jones (reread) (and you wondered where all the Narnia/Chrestomanci talk was coming from. Oh, I'm so tempted to write Peter/Christopher)
Dogsbody, Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
Dark Lord of Derkholm, Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
Year of the Griffin, Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
City of Bones, Cassandra Clare
City of Ashes, Cassandra Clare
Empire of Ivory, Naomi Novik
The Terror, Dan Simmons (reread)
Apocalypse 2012, Lawrence Joseph

I suppose I should start on the next highly recommended book I've had for the past year and haven't read, China Mieville's Perdido Street Station. (This came recommended by my AP English teacher, so, uh, I should probably read it.)