Lucas was a voracious reader, absorbing novels, biographies, and popoular science books. The word voracious probably means that he was a rapid reader, read a lot of books, read a lot of science fiction or was a rapid but careless reader?
he was really smart and good at his work but his mind wandered due to boredom. Voracious- 1 : having a huge appetite : ravenous 2 : excessively eager : insatiable <a voracious reader>
Allay- 1: to subdue or reduce in intensity or severity :