Now, there's a difference between Just Plain Bad (a la DaVinci Code), which suffers from overall bad writing, and aiming for substance over style. Style is important, but when your prose is a hairsbreadth from being purple, it distracts.

It could be that I've developed a dislike of fantasy recently because the overwritten voice is what's currently en vogue. Fortunately for me, space opera tends to be straightforward and unpretentious.

(My current favorite line from the WIP: “I can abrogate your contract with a well-aimed shot,” Hikaru said. The next sentence isn't as good, but that's what revision is for.)