If it weren't written by Melville, this probably couldn't get published in today's market. Publishers demand "show don't tell," and the first half of this book is more expository than narrative. The language is stilted and the length isn't marketable. The relationships between the main characters--the captain, Claggart, and Billy--are a bit odd. The captain seems so fond of Billy that I almost expected Budd to turn out to be the captain's son. The "resolution" is haphazard. There were some very nice turns of phrases in this book, and the concepts of envy and law & order are certainly worth exploring. But on the whole it seemed like a good concept to be built upon rather than a finished product.