I was a huge fan before these came out. Bought a hardcover copy of the first book as soon as it was available. It was tedious. Every page smelled of self-indulgence.

Lesson learned: Always wait for the reviews. It stays in a prominent position on my bookshelf to remind me of that.

I remember seeing a picture of him, I think it was attached to an interview or maybe on a later books dust jacket, not long after. He was wearing a red velvet smoking jacket surrounded by ornate walnut furniture.

That picture stuck with me. It seemed so pompous and pretentious, exactly the vibe I got from that book. If any of his new books give me the same vibe, I simply don't bother.