Books like A Sorcerer & A Gentleman

This is a decent, well-written book, but I found it hard to get into. The mannered language, while unusually authentic in its period feel, makes for somewhat slower reading, and it takes a while to find out what is going on plot-wise. This is perhaps due to being a sequel, which I didn't realize when I started reading it. I think my main complaint was that I found the characters unsympathetic; it is rather like Dumas, where you have to admire or enjoy the protagonists for their cleverness or swashbuckling rather than their morals, virtues, or personalities.