Second paragraph of third chapter:

The figure on the right was female; tall for a western Quuros, but average for most Doltari, or eastern Quuros. The figure on the left was tall—very tall. He or she towered above the others, at least a half-foot taller than the next tallest person (which was me). The center figure, the one who seemed hunched and old, hobbled forward toward my escort, a Kishna- Farrigan eunuch slave master named Dethic. The stooped figure held out its hand, gloved in black silk.

Another novel by an Astounding Award finalist included in the Hugo packet, but I'm afraid I enjoyed this much less. A very long book about eldritch sorcery and elite conflict; by the end of it I was thoroughly confused about who was really related to who, and exactly how sorcery was supposed to work n this universe. I think it shows promise, but didn't really work for me. You can get it here.