The Not a Book Club Club discussion
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The Obelisk Gate
The Broken Earth
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TOG: Section 1: 1 - 5
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So this kicks off with Essun from where the previous book left off, Nassun at the point where the previous book started and Schaffa at the point where Syen's story ended.I love the structure. We're again dealing with inter-related characters spread over timezones.
Schaffa has always appalled me, and he continues to do so here. His commentary about Syen killing Corundum was especially disturbing. You have to wonder at how Guardians are raised/trained that they can think like this.
A few centuries' worth of treating people like the Guardians do would explain Schaffa's attitude, I suppose. And I like this book's structure better than the previous one's, with 3 different people as protagonists instead of just Damaya-Syenite-Essun in 3 timelines. Interesting that Essun's part is still told in second person, and I have no idea who is telling it (I remember initially thinking that it was Hoa, but apparently that was not the case).
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I was really curious what form this book would take after the "gimmick" of the first book was revealed. I think she made good/interesting choices. Personally I loved the format of the first book, and thought she pulled it off brilliantly, but that could lead to this book being less appealing to me. So far it's good, but a little slow for me to get back into. I probably should have refreshed myself on the last book.
I'm most interested in Essun and Nassun so far, but the insight into the Guardians has been cool.
I agree Lindsay, that Schaffa has always been an awful character. Did we know they had some kind of magical powers too in the last book? I don't recall that, but my memory isn't great. It's interesting (frightening) that they can apparently feed on people, and that if they feed on Calms, it kills them, but they can feed on Earth Magic people (I forget the name they use/prefer). Like a parasite.
That's a good point about the Second Person narrator Teanka. I thought it might have been Hoa as well. I'll be curious to see if we find that out in either this book or the next. I feel like she has to reveal it eventually though.
Yes, we knew the Guardians had some special magic from the first.If you remember they killed Innon (Alabaster and Syenite's lover) by turning his orogenic powers back on himself. We also knew that the Guardians could negate orogene powers when in proximity.
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Yes, he hasn't done that before.
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Rob wrote: "OK, cool. I'm not completely losing my mind at least."There's also this in the previous book:
>A Guardian’s connections with his assigned orogenes can help to stave off the worst, but Timay had allowed hers to erode. Foolish.
I'm pretty sure they've always been doing it on orogenes (they're probably making a lot more than 'connections') but since Schaffa seems to have forgotten a few pertinent aspects of what Guardians are he's probably lost some aspects of his habitual procedural memory too which in turn leads to accidental killing.
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Yes thanks Shining - interesting. Shaffa is pretty chilling and wow - I had no idea guardians were so powerful. It sounds like his connection with Essen has totally disappeared, and given the "foolish" above - that is scarier than I realized.I'm listening to this and the conversational style fits SO well with the audio format.
I'm very curious what the Obelisks will do. It sounds as if reaching into the air is bad/dangerous - and I wonder if that lore was passed down because people didn't want the Origins contacting the obelisks (gah hope i have the right name - the floating things).
Suzanne wrote: "It sounds like his connection with Essen has totally disappeared.."That's probably why Schaffa wants to forge new a new one with Eitz
Yes, that makes more sense then just some generic 'oh I should help this kid," especially given his actions with the rest of the family.
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