Solider of Paradise by Paul Park
73% in and like in a review, it is hard to care at all about any of the characters. They're too distant. And the way withholding some details at the beginning made the story more interesting is ultimately just making the book feel a bit vague/not very rich. Not a rich detailed world. So unfortunately I just don't care about this story. Anyway the prince Abu cares about the 'antinomials' who are being decimated. The antinomials are not too impressive in a lot of ways. Meat eaters and very stupid in most ways. At the same time the "civilized" people are highly unimpressive also. Extreme theocracy, highly dogmatic, highly hierarchial, great inequality. Slavery, racism, etc. Meanwhile thinking it called 'biting' by the antinomials. Their main worthwhile quality seems to be that they're excellent at music. I suppose everyone is awful really, in this book. And there's got to be some people that you really like in a book. I guess Abu and the doctor, but both just barely.

And no ace's up anybody's sleeve. And it doesn't appear the injustice is ever going to be overcome. And again, inadequate setting detail.