The Spider's War (The Dagger and the Coin #5)

by Daniel Abraham

As it happened, she was not.

Spoiler!

“Ever wonder why that is?” Yardem’s earrings jingled as his ears flicked. “I have some theories, sir.” “Do you? Well. Keep ’em to yourself.” “Was my plan.”

The banter between these two was pitch-perfect.

They’re just making up stories and getting everyone to act like they’re true. No real stone to build on anywhere.”

That's why this tale is also somewhat allegorical.

“No, sir,” Halvill said. “He’s brought his mother.”

Lol. How many more times do you get to milk that?

And because of it, things that had once been impossible were now within reach.

Yeah, like inflation.

“Things are different since the bankers took over.”

Author error? He's as new to this situation as she is, isn't he?

Men of a certain age can only understand the world they were boys in.

To paraphrase Max Planck, progress is made one funeral at a time.

Love, I believe, is a small thing that feels large. I find the feelings might overwhelm, but the action is between a handful of people. War, by comparison, seems to me so large and happens so differently to so many people that capturing it in a tale leaves me with the sense that I’ve simplified it so much that it no longer resembles the thing it depicts.

This Lady Kalliam to get me past the guards.

Er, one of those priests is going to be her son, right?

But what had to be done, would be.

So does she know what the plan is?

I can tell you this because I know you won’t laugh. I think there might be something wrong with me.”

«I'm the bad guy.» «Duh.»

an inexperienced war leader had overreached and left himself as vulnerable as a naked man in a dogfight.

Ouch! There's a nasty metaphor.

He’d been played for the greatest idiot in history, and he’d brought Antea to the edge of collapse by it. The thing that had been moving in his belly came to life, lifting up into his heart, his throat, his brain. It was relief.

Yeah, and it's still likely to kill you. Either that, or you're going to have to climb on the dragon's back and fly off, never to be seen again.

There were only two ways this story could go. The world would either remember him as the greatest dupe in history, or it would tell the story of what a terrible mistake it had been to cross Geder Palliako.

Yeah, I think there might be a third. Or maybe both of those together, plus more.

Bring them all here. To me.” “Prince Geder.…” “Am I the chosen of the goddess?” “You are.” “I know how to fix this. Bring them here, and I will. Do you believe me?”

Clever!

Because there’s no room for dissent in the grave.

I wonder if you could open a small vein in a bound priest, then wave the magic sword over them and force all the spiders out.

Lonesome, self-indulgent, convinced that he’s a monstrosity and also the only hope for the world.

Inys or Geder?

“We only understand other people by imagining what we would do in their position. What we would have to feel to do what they have done. If we can’t put ourselves into that place, then we can only guess.”

And thus the Fundamental Attribution Error.

KHINIR KICGNAM BAT.

Wait… what were the those other three words, earlier? Where were they? Where the dragon was found? Or at the hidden palace in the south island, where the poison sword was found?

Thoughtfulness and kindness and love, I contend, are so much the way we expect the world to be that they become invisible as air. We only see war and violence and hatred as something happening, I suggest, because they stand out as aberrations.

“Seems more likely to me that violence and strife catch the attention because ignoring them leads you down a short road.

What happens, do you think, when you trade money for money?”

You discover macroeconomics.