Interesting. I picked up the second of the Service books at a library sale a few years ago, rather enjoyed the first couple of chapters, thought I should locate a copy of the first in order that it should make more sense, and never quite got round to doing so.

Interesting dream, that.

which zigzags back to wondering whether magical talent / sensitivity in novels and stories usually is ethnically tied:

Hmm... it does tend to be. At best, it... well, it somehow fits. Seems appropriate. Makes sense.

At worst... it's mock ethnic kitsch, and annoying as Hades on a pogo stick. Except Hades on a pogo stick wouldn't be annoying, he would be rather funny. Sorry, my simile generator is broken the now.

Nonetheless, the sentence that still resolves at the end of this contemplation is: I totally resent my genetic inability to sing golems into being.

It would be nice to be able to do that sort of thing, I suppose. Hmm, for some reason I didn't realise and/or remember that the process of making a golem required singing.

It's a good thing I like my brain.

Indeed.