Son of the Dawnstar

The story is definitely what I would call a "slow burn," and you'll just have to trust me when I tell you that the emotional gut punches are much better for it down the line. The problem is that the first few chapters are on a small and slow scale, and I am having trouble using them as a selling point for the entire book. Artistic integrity demands that the story begin in this small setting because this is the story of a character and this is where his life begins. But, I know I can find a way to make it a tad more interesting in order to sell the epic fantasy that comes after that initial slow-burning and small scale opening.