What bugged me even more than Sameth's trying to wiggle out of his role was all his poutiness about his parents not having enough time for him. I know I should try to be a little sympathetic, he *likes* his folks and it's natural he should value the limited time they have to do family stuff together, and just as natural to be disappointed when they can't be together, but oh geeze did I ever want to slap him. YOU'RE SEVENTEEN, NOT SEVEN. They're not running off because they don't WANT to be around you -- they'd love nothing more than to get more family time, but there's that whole little matter of them being the only ones who have the magical gifts necessary to protect the entire kingdom. PERSPECTIVE, BOY. Get some, man up, and be quiet!

And unsurprisingly, I do not have enough words for how much I adore the library and the Disreputable Dog