Words to the Wise 3: Sirrenvaag Part 1 (with spoilers!)

[Kath]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Words-Wise-Go...

I've got to recommend this. Last November I was invited to choose a book for the monthly reads and I chose Book 1 in this Saga - Awakening. We ended up with a band of very keen fans who then went on to read Book 2 - Towards Darker Climes. I started a thread for it here and we had a good chat (with some hidden spoiler bits).

When the gang have had a chance to read it, I thought we might do it again with Book 3. Wowww! It's THAT good!

[Jud]

OH MY GIDDY AUNT!

[Kath]

Bleddy astonishing eh?

[Jud]

I genuinely did not see that coming! Although when I think back on it it should have been obvious the whole way through this book.

Can I mention spoilers here?? I really want to

[Kath]

I think we can put spoilers if we hide them - I really want to as well!

(view spoiler)[ I was staggered when I found there were 2 sets of creatures and realised the ones I thought were pursuing W at the beginning weren't! Rayner was a relevation too but he evidently was someone W blamed and held guilty for something immense. So much I want to say that I don't know where to begin! (hide spoiler)]

[Philip (sarah)]

Testing spoiler:(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[Philip (sarah)]

How did I manage to get the symbol right but my words have disappeared?,I must go and search for the code:@)!!!

[Kath]

Come on Jud, what did you think of it?

[Jud]

Oh, I thought I had posted here already!

IT WAS AMAZING

[Jud]

(view spoiler)[ I did not see it coming that Raynor would be Litithius! And now I'm wondering if the Wanderer could be mistaken? I did pick up that the mountain The Lighthouse Keeper's wife painted was the mountain that the Wanderer was running up in the first book. (hide spoiler)]
I can't wait to read it again, I genuinely don't know how to start writing a review for this. I think I will read it a second time before I attempt to write a review, or I might write a quick one for now and update it later

[Kath]

(view spoiler)[I was seriously impressed by the language used about the houses in Sirrenvaag. The fact that Cornelius used medical terminology - osseus, sarcoid, for example. It brought it home to me how much they were 'human remains'. Terms like 'the pulp of the floor' are so descriptive. Damn, he's good! (hide spoiler)]

[Jud]

I know.. yeuch! I loved a bit way at the start of the book where instead of saying "bad smell" it was written "an uncannily familiar stench that I was reluctant to reintroduce to my olfactory sense". I think that was the point where I sighed and lost myself in the story and the writing style.

[Kath]

Good, isn't he?

[Philip (sarah)]

Still struggling with the spoiler code!
I shivered at the descriptions of the village and when he described the texture of the wall and floor coverings, Wow!
Purgatory keeps coming to mind as I read these books and I don't know if it's a flashback to my early teachings and fears or if it's more related to 'a waiting for your fate to be decided in view of past deeds analogy.' Fascinating!

[Kath]

Are you familiar with Simeon from the New Testament? (view spoiler)[He is the origin of the Nunc Dimitis "Now, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen that saving power of thine..." The Lighthouse Keeper so reminded me of this. He had been told by The Bleeding Man that he would remain alive until he could tell his story to one of the 4. Simeon was told that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.
I mentioned this to Cornelius. He wasn't even aware he had done this but thinks he will have heard this in his childhood. (hide spoiler)]

[Philip (sarah)]

Yes of course.I didn't make the connection though.You have now given me even more reason to read the series again (any excuse).
I recently looked again at Dante's Divine Comedy in light of various questions thrown up in Cornelius's books.The allegorical nature of the text fascinates me and again I start making comparisons with the ferry crossing,the mountains,woods,hunger(as opposed to gluttony) the two creatures etc.

[Kath]

He's a clever beggar isn't he? Sarah, at the right of the message box here, there's a thing in brackets that says (some html is ok) click on that and one of the things it shows you how to do is a spoiler.

[Kath]

Cornelius, are you reading me? Over.
(view spoiler)[I found it very poignant when the Carrion from the Sirrenvaagians were driven out and all went through the portal, all except one. It was like the little boy in the Pied Piper. There are echoes of your work here and there in literature but I'll bet you aren't aware of them. I'm not suggesting that you have snipped bits from here and there. There are some deep universal themes and being left out is one that goes to the heart. This was the creature that ended up in Rickard's cellar and then dead in the forest. I know The Wanderer was racked with guilt when he heard all this. It affected me deeply too. This isn't a question, is it? (Well, that bit was, obviously!) What I mean to ask is, are you aware of touching on deep universal truths? Do you think to yourself, I'll do loneliness and exclusion in this book or is it just that the story takes these things in its huge (7-league boots) stide? (hide spoiler)]
Do you know, I really wondered to myself when waiting over a year for this book, whether I had built your talent up in my mind and just made myself think it was going to be good. It's surpassed my hopes and expectations.

(No pressure for Part 2 then!)

[Jud]

It broke my heart too Ignite, it upset me that it was now dead if it was still alive somewhere I don't think it would have been such a poignant moment.

[Cornelius]

I'm reading you loud and clear, Kath... kshh (that was my toy walkie talkie).

Ok, am I aware? In all honesty, not all of the time. I shan't be vainglorious here and pretend that I sit next to a burning candle with a bag of crisps contemplating these universal truths, but I do feel that they're universal truths only because we've made them so. Without humanity these truths wouldn't exist; we are the truths, and therefore their role in the saga is, for me, simply a natural occurrence. A wise old sage with strange shoes once said: "To live is to lean into shadow every so often and ignite the silence therein". So far The Wanderer has leaned enough to give himself a silly walk.

[Kath]

Oh how pleased I am that there is an ignite in there!
I know what you're saying. It's just that lots (absolutely ooodles) of authors write about humanity and don't hit the mark, whereas you can speak of (view spoiler)[a left out and lost creature which is monstrous and blind and subsists on blood (hide spoiler)] and you touch hearts with it.

[Cornelius]

I'm not sure I can sufficiently explain why that might indeed be the case, Kath; nevertheless I'm glad it is. I'd love to say that I'm assisted by the power of crisps, but that would be ludicrous... wouldn't it?

[Jud]

and crayons?

[Kath]

Well here's a question then - (view spoiler)[When the Carrion and later the Litithians go through the portals, are they going to Median? (hide spoiler)]

Are you going to say "Can you say 'Patience'?"

[Cornelius]

Ignite wrote: "Well here's a question then - [spoilers removed]

Are you going to say "Can you say 'Patience'?""

Hahaha... excellent, Kath, that made me laugh. As for the answer, how about Jud and Sarah, do they want to know as well? What if they don't want to know? What if I answer and they bombard me with hate mail? What if I answer and The Wanderer appears before me and slugs me in the kisser?

[Jud]

I'm bombard you with hate mail anyway until you get part 2 out.

I don't know if I want to know.

I want to know but then I don't want to know in case it ruins part of the next book for me or even the book after that...

Is there another book after part 2? I can't remember if it was meant to be a trilogy or just a series of 10 books or so...

[Cornelius]

Oh I don't doubt it for one moment, Judster. Ok, in that case I'll PM Kath privately and tell her if she really wants to know, but I'll let her answer me here first. As for books beyond part 2; yes, the Saga will reach the dizzy heights of Book 6 or possibly 7 before The Wanderer hangs up his hat.

[Jud]

No doubt I'll be reading book 7 to my grandkids

[Jud]

And yes, that is a slight on the time it takes you to publish a book and not on me expecting book 7 to be a delightful bedtime story for wee bairns.

[Cornelius]

Right, just for that I'm going to extend the Saga to twenty books. At this rate I'll be writing it from the beyond.

[Kath]

Well, if you want to know.... I want to know!

[Kath]

Well. Now I know. Or don't! Thank you Cornelius.
(Or not!)

[Cornelius]

Well I'm glad that helped (or didn't). You're welcome (probably).

[Kath]

I'm now going to ask whether anyone else (view spoiler)[felt that the scene in which the Litithians came through the skylight and the black shadow invaded The Wanderer's body felt like a rape scene? It did to me. It was horrifying - each time, and I've read it 3 or 4 times - I felt that he was being penetrated against his will and, as with rape, the intent was to steal something from him - in his case his Carrion. That was so powerful, that scene. It almost left me gasping and strangely, it made me feel very proud of The Wanderer for protecting it. Daft bat, aren't I? (hide spoiler)] or is it just me?

I'll get me coat.

[Kath]

Nobody then? Not even the author?

[Jud]

I think I really need to reread it before I can really comment but yes, that bit did have me horrified and left me feeling violated

[Cornelius]

Ignite wrote: "Nobody then? Not even the author?"

Oh, me? Sorry, Kath, I've been preoccupied these past few hours with a pretty flower I saw in the garden. Strange for this time of year, I know, but I was totally captivated there for a while. It's ok, though, I went out and stamped on it.

Anyway, the scene to which you referred. I can certainly understand how it might be deemed as such, but I intended it as more a dark reconnaissance than anything else. There's definitely a penetrative theme present, however. It's open to interpretation as always.

[Kath]

Trust me to get the odd interpretation eh?

[Cornelius]

Trust me to write the odd books.

[Kath]

What a shower we are. :)

[John (JMW)]

Just finished reading this, fantastic addition to the saga, I really can not wait until the next one. Just left a review on Amazon too.

JMW

[Jud]

Oh! I Think I have to read these again now

[Kath]

It's pretty damned good isn't it? It made me re-evaluate some of the things I'd thought I knew from the first 2 books. Dead clever, that!

[Cornelius]

John W wrote: "Just finished reading this, fantastic addition to the saga, I really can not wait until the next one. Just left a review on Amazon too.

JMW"

Thanks for the review, John, I'm glad you liked it. It took me a while to publish it, but I got there eventually.

[Patti (baconater)]

Hi Cornelius!

Lovely to see you!

Though of you the other day while I was shopping. My local 'ex-pat' supermarket got in a huge shipment of imported crisps. Yes, they were dead expensive. Yes, I stocked up anyway. ;)

[Cornelius]

Hi, Patti.

That sounds like a superb supermarket. You made a fine decision in stocking up because their supply will diminish within a day or two. Why? Because people love crisps... crisps are great!