Questions About The Red Knight (The Traitor Son Cycle, #1)

by Miles Cameron (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Red Knight, please sign up.

Answered Questions (16)

So I've read 50 pages of this novel and so far they've spoken Latin and referred to figures in the bible. Will it become more clear how this fantasy place is connected to the world that we live in?

Brian Colton This is what I know having finished the series- no spoilers but overall theme related: The author works very hard and succeeds, in my opinion, in show…moreThis is what I know having finished the series- no spoilers but overall theme related: The author works very hard and succeeds, in my opinion, in showing the intermix of Medieval religious faith, chivalry and fantasy magic into something believable. However, it is only to a certain degree, which maybe where it gets a little confusing. This is how he connects to our world. The faith of people in the middle ages is not unlike the faith of people I see today. Many of the things that cannot be explained are explained via God and His Plan for us in the series and in life. The Paladin Knights (St Thomas Order) in this series, to me, are my favorite warriors. There is something about obedience and self sacrifice, humility, etc., of those that are faith bound, that is admirable. The world built here is grounded in fantasy and historic realism but additionally, the author captures the religious faith of the Middle Ages and to a degree our religious experience today very well. We have to look beyond the surface, though, for those connections.(less)

flag

There were some things I really liked about this book, but I thought that it introduced and focused on FAR TOO MANY characters and its storytelling was too meandering. Does Cameron focus the scope of his storytelling more in the second (or even third) book?

Brian Colton So, I learn and absorb information through spatial awareness or geography if you will. Complex story lines that interweave with well developed charact…moreSo, I learn and absorb information through spatial awareness or geography if you will. Complex story lines that interweave with well developed characters is something we are also seeing more and more in media (game of thrones ex.) and Miles Cameron does very good work in this regard. However, since we are more visual creatures today than ever before and my own personal best way of learning is based on plot placement, I found the map online and referred to it regularly: http://christiancameronauthor.com/ind... The author in each subheading tells the reader where he has moved on the map and the character involved mostly in that particular section. It is really quite brilliant because the author never skips a beat, it is us who need to catch up. Miles Cameron is a brilliant strategist in regards to medieval warfare and he keeps his eye as an author on all these seemingly unrelated characters all at once in the same way a general commands his forces on the field of battle. Once I understood this is his way, it was so new and refreshing, I delved deep into the reading. I am now a huge, slobbering fan reading all his books and reading them several times - lots of things to miss along the way. I must say that MAG is one of my favorite characters. She appears to be a simple seamstress beyond her years, but boy does she surprise with her POWER!!! That is the life connection she brings- I have never underestimated the strong older and wiser women in my life and I am a better man because of it. (less)

flag

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Brian Colton

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

I'm only about 200 pages into the book right now but there have been a few references to the smell of soap burning. At first I read over it but it came up again so I thought I should figure this out. I was unsuccessful in finding an answer from a google search and none of my co-workers or friends seem to know. So, can anyone describe the smell of soap burning?

Brian Colton This is a guess: Lye is a main ingredient in soap, the way soap was made for hundreds of years. Lye is made from ashes. It has an acidic burning chara…moreThis is a guess: Lye is a main ingredient in soap, the way soap was made for hundreds of years. Lye is made from ashes. It has an acidic burning characteristic as potassium or sodium hydroxide. I can only think of it as a way to describe the making of the soap itself in its purist form, whatever that may smell like. On a deeper symbolic level, it may refer to a sense of cleansing reaching the olfactory nerve that comes through a spiritual vision and or manifestation of power, Green through the Wild or White through the Sun.(less)

flag

does this book really have such big battles as everyone says it has?