Instruct: Classify an Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: Well below Niven & Pournelle average

This is not a good book. I was tempted to stop reading it. On the positive side:+ N & P do know how to tell a story.+ There are some interesting elements in this fantasy world, like the social organization of the city and the magic system.On the negative side:- The plot is too disconnected to grab your interest.- The characters are rather shallow.The ending is part ingenious (fighting the elemental), part nonsensical (burning the contract).