Blurb Blargh

Trying to write a blurb for this novel appears to be harder than writing the novel itself. Too many times I've been asked the questions "What are you writing?" and "What is the story about?" without being able to give a straight answer. Having a blurb would allow me not only that answer, but it would help potential readers decide whether they want to invest the time needed to read the prologue and chapter I've posted here, and eventually the rest of the novel. That is the basic purpose of a blurb, after all.

There is a plan. All the major characters and events of this story are outlined. Most of the minor characters and events are there too in in one form or another. I know how the story ends. Writing a blurb should be easy. The problem I'm having is I don't know how to hook the reader in a few short-but-vague sentences, without giving away too much of the story. What I'm left with are rather bland fragments that do nothing to show what makes this particular story interesting and unique (now I might be overselling it).

Maybe I'm over thinking this. Maybe I shouldn't worry so much about giving away some of the smallest details. I'm generally not a blurb reader myself. When I pick up an unknown book at a book store I can never make it through the blurb. I'd rather read the first few lines of the book and if that is interesting, I'll buy the book without really knowing much more beyond those first few lines, and the genre the book is in. What about you?

What I think this calls for, is a concentrated effort of blurb reading and writing.