faulkner

i just finished 'the sound and the fury' and i'm forced to admit that it didn't make much of an impression. i realize he's supposed to be the preeminent american author of the first half of the 20th century, but i was generally bored with the plot and completely underwhelmed by the writing. the stream-of-consciousness style feels as if it is used for its own sake rather than because it is an effective way of conveying the story. i think joyce uses this style much more naturally and poetically, and faulkner feels like a poor imitation. too often it seems he is trying only to obscure his content, rather than enhance it.

am i missing something? can someone shed some light on this book for me? i'll certainly give him another try eventually, but i'm disappointed by my first experience.