RotCG - Book Two, Chapter Three - NO SPOILERS

[Lee, High Priest of Shadow]

Discussion thread for Book two, chapter three. Please use spoiler tags

[Eugenio]

Back to mass info, all the time!

>And to begin some mysterious insights from Ereko and the Lost Boys! Ereko calls Kyle the 'Soldier of Light' and a few chapters ago we learned that the House of Light has a Soldier card... So Kyle is part of a House! I would like to believe he is worthy and it is not the sword influencing this. Ereko also reveals that Coots, Badlands and Stalker are from Assail and bring a dangerous secret with them; what would that be??

>>Although we know Ereko is the last of his kind, one of the true founding races of the earth, we now know who is responsible for wiping his race out: Kallor. Over in BotF we meet Kallor, who was an aide to Brood against the Malazans, and things turned very sour. Now another part of Kallor's history to hate him for!

>Toc the Elder is with the Seti and must concede to their war thirst, ruining a gambit that would have best been saved for a later time (more to come on that).

>Cowl and Skinner had entered the Warren of Light, Thyr, and Skinner took out 4 Liossan soldiers with his bare hands. Don't know what they were planning on being there, or on what they would achieve: unprotected power?

>>Another note on these Liossan soldiers who are literal soldiers of light, will they have future dealings with Kyle the now named 'Soldier of Light'?

>COLTAINE REBORN!! Loved his tragic story over in BotF, and I am happy to see he is here with his people, however divided they are at the moment. Rillish being offered military command of the Wiccans, it felt right and goes to show an element of the story never conveyed. We see (what I believe is the first time) an officer of the Malazans renounce his title over time and it isn't just an immediate turn. He has grown into this character that knows what he needs to do to survive and feels the weight of turning away from his past. Really liked this.

>The Heng battle, and Toc's card in the hole, the militia of Heng, betray Storo, Hurl and the defenders! Fantastic portrayal of the loss of the Outer Round. Loved this whole sequence. Who and what is Ahl?

>>Ghelel is shown heading to Heng but do we care? Her story started great, but I have lost interest. At least it is more entertaining than the Otatoral Mine stuff, which we haven't seen in 2 chapters!!

[Scott]

I'm surprised this only has two comments. So much happened. I have to say I wish these chapters weren't all so F'ing long. By the time I get to the end and go do the TOR re-read I've moved away from points I had at the start of the chapters.

So the scene that captured me the most was Kyle's dream.

Who is Resuthenal? I'm thinking Lady Envy but it could be anybody.

Kyle wished to follow the two; he certainly knew that he ought not remain. The things the two spoke of were complete mysteries to him, but he feared being left behind , becoming lost in this strange dream. If only he could have seen the man from the front – he would know then for certain that he dreamed of the patron of his tribe, the Wind King himself. Now dead, killed by Cowl. He struggled to will himself to follow the two receding figures.

I thought from earlier Osseric was going to be the wind king but Cowl killed him?

Kyle glanced back to the heap, the ‘house’. He was startled to see yet another figure now standing beside it – this one tall and slim as well , but by his silhouette quite ragged and carrying a longsword at his back.

This has to be Edgewalker and his origins. This "house" Azath or the birth of high house shadow? Both?

[Eugenio]

Hey Scott, yeah these chapters were wayyyyy too long. My post was more of a fact spew than any real discussion.

You believed the wind God/magus was Osseric? Didn't think that when reading. Just thought it was a new God/ascendant we haven't met yet. Been a few books since I read it. What made you think that?

Edgewalker.... I was thinking that figure was Draconus. Draconus seemed to have something against other ascendants and their disregard for the laws of nature, so just thought it was our first interaction with his growing hatred.

I think not too long from finishing the Malazan Empire books I will reread the whole Malazan series to try to see if I catch anything I missed on the first go around

[Scott]

Eugenio wrote: "You believed the wind God/magus was Osseric? Didn't think that when reading."

"If only he could have seen the man from the front – he would know then for certain that he dreamed of the patron of his tribe, the Wind King himself. Now dead, killed by Cowl."

"Dramatic personae: Liossercal Ascendant, titled ‘Son of Light,’ also known as Osserc, Osric"

"Liossercal clasped his hands behind his back, accepted Anomandaris’s invitation."

Putting all three quotes together that's why I think Osric was the wind god and question when/if Cowl killed him.

Eugenio wrote: "Edgewalker.... I was thinking that figure was Draconus. Draconus seemed to have something against other ascendants and their disregard for the laws of nature, so just thought it was our first interaction with his growing hatred.."

"another figure now standing beside it – this one tall and slim as well , but by his silhouette quite ragged and carrying a longsword at his back."

Ragged with a long sword is how Edgewalker has always been described in other books such as Bone Hunters and Night of Knives. Draconus has never had those characteristics. Edgewalker is an elemental force who has been around for a long time. I'd love to know more of his story and hope he becomes more of a central figure at some point but I feel he's going to be one of those fringe characters shrouded in mystery.


Thanks for the reply I liked reading your summary.

[Eugenio]

Scott, edgewalker makes a lot more sense, as well as connecting to the shattering of Shadow (didn't think the shattering of the house could have been connected to that until now...)

I was just thinking of a character that had a long sword and would have been watching Anomander, and immediately though of Draconus. There is hints at their history within BotF but not enough for me at all. I was grasping at that, and that distracted me from Edgewalker

[Scott]

I totally get it. I see the Cripple god in almost everything. Which leads me to this great quote I meant to post from this chapter and forgot to.

"Broad, feral smiles had been spreading on the crippled lips of the three Ahls for some time now."

Now that has to be a Crippled God reference. I liked the way ICE setup the three Ahls.

[Eugenio]

The 3 Ahls.... I will not reveal anything.

Now, I do not think they are connected to the Crippled God actually. The Li Heng storyline does seem disconnected from Crippled God influence, with the CG brought up in Kyle's story instead.

Like I said, will try not to say too much, and with being on the mobile app, spoiler tags can't be viewed so I would miss half the conversation.

[Scott]

Thanks for keeping it a secret.

BTW Kyle is the worst name in the series. I mean what type of Malazan World name is that? It would be like naming a fictional cohort of Genghis Khan, Scott.

[Lee, High Priest of Shadow]

Because it was completely random and out of character, I wonder if they know a Kyle and wanted to add him to the book, but again completely out of character for all other names.

[Eugenio]

Unless we are all pronouncing it wrong??

It could be spelled Kyle but is pronounced Klee (silent y) making it a unique Malazan name??

Yeah, just taking a stab at it but also find it distracting