In his debut novel, Tim Westover welcomes readers to Auraria.

Based on an actual Georgian ghost town, it is inhabited by moon maidens, a water guardian, a piano-playing poltergeist named Mr. Bad Thing, headless highwaymen, a giant terrapin who enjoys pontificating about the beginning of the world, and gold-obsessed people whose eccentric ways of life make them seem more like residents of Wonderland than the real world.

Into this extraordinary environment comes James Holtzclaw, a man of strict logic and business practice, sent by his employer to buy up plots of land so his company can build a first-class resort on the property.

At first, his practical mind does not allow him to buy into the magic of Auraria, even when many of its inhuman inhabitants — such as Princess Trahlyta who governs the lakes and streams — begin to encroach on his dealings.

However, when he discovers his boss wants to flood the entire town with a man-made lake, Holtzclaw starts to question his course of action. Is progress really worth the price of washing away all of Auraria, or will it be the loss of something even more valuable than profits or gold?

The story, which takes place in the early 19th century (so I assume since the Georgia gold rush happened between the 1820s to 1840s, though the novel itself never tells the reader), is full of wonderful concepts.

The plot itself is enjoyable. While there is familiarity with the “old-fashioned town threatened by modern industry” storyline, there are a few moments that make Westover’s take unique.

Unfortunately, this is the wrong plot to integrate with the fantasy elements — the two never really seem to mesh together enough to create real tension.

That may be the only major issue I have with this novel. For a whimsical town’s imminent destruction, there is no sense of urgency or tension. There are a few factors that contribute to this, particularly the novel’s leisurely pacing.

Though the book isn’t long, it takes a while to get into, and from there continues to be bogged down by Holtzclaw’s constant calculations, business dealings and expansive segments of explanation.

While this languid pacing reflects the calm and serenity of Auraria, and how the town itself seems to have an effect on time, it also makes it difficult to invest any emotion or excitement in the events.

It also does not help that “Auraria’s” protagonist, Holtzclaw, seems to be virtually void of emotion throughout. As a man of logic and order, it would make sense at the beginning of the story for him to be distant and stoic, but this does not change much as he comes to know Auraria’s odd citizens and encounters its more ghostly aspects.

There are almost no distinctive character traits about him. And while this may make him the perfect obedient lackey for his boss, it also makes for a bland and unidentifiable leading man.

How can we as readers bond with a character who doesn’t at least embody what makes us essentially human, and not just organic thinking machines?

Yet there are plenty of good things to enjoy about “Auraria,” mainly Westover’s spirited imagination and his detailed research about Georgia’s gold rush history.

There was much effort put into the “landscape” of this book, and Westover can illustrate some lovely moments with his writing. For those who like Georgia-based folklore and history, this is an enlightening read and may encourage you to learn more about the actual accounts that inspired this novel.

It will be interesting to see what other buried secrets of Georgia Westover may deign to write about, and maybe he will dig up some literary gold.

Alison Reeger Cook is a Gainesville resident whose Off the Shelves book review appears every other week in Sunday Life. Know of a good book to review? Email her to tell her about it. Her column appears biweekly and on gainesvilletimes.com/life