Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Disappointing story painfully written

I am a fan of the Valdemar books. Although they are not great literature, they are generally good stories. I looked forward to Skif's story, as I found him an interesting character, particularly when he was a Herald Trainee. This book was a huge disappointment. Alberich has started to speak like Yoda, the dialect was painful and painfully inconsistent. The plot was thin and predictable. I found myself putting the book down in disgust, or skipping pages that were just too awful. In the end, Skif is offered instant herald status for acting as a decoy. Hello? Lots of herald-trainees have done risky and noble deeds, and never a one went to instant Herald. The repeated references to Herald Myste were contrived and painful. I finished the book, but it was rather like a train wreck - it's horrible, you don't want to see it, but you can't help looking. Skip this one.