TL: Part 3

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Part 3

Please keep all discussion and speculation to the events of the chapters of Part 3.

No spoiler tags required. Though it would be highly appreciated if you Uncheck Add to my Update Feed to avoid accidentally spoiling this for your good read friends.

Please do not discuss events from later chapters/books. Referring back to events from a previous section/book is fine.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

I kept forgetting to post about this section. Not that it seems to matter, seems everyone else is too busy reading it to discuss it. I'll have to wait for David.

So less in the way reveals, but there are a few interesting developments.

1) Vaelin has the son of the man he killed in his final trial in his army.

2) Riva's Uncle's mistress/advisor was the whore/spy that Vaelin spared in the first book.

I like everyone's stories even more now, especially Frentis. He's becoming a hero, but his killing of the King is going bite him eventually, and I'm not looking forward to it.

I'm glad that Lyrna is keeping it together despite everything. I wonder if she's going to get healed somehow. She seems to be perfectly regal despite it all.

I like Riva a lot and the siege chapter made for a good ending to this section.

Oh and now I'm confused about the raping Fief Lord asshole. He's siding with the invaders after all. Did he meet with the ally women or was that the the noble Lyrna noticed at court who died?

Interesting bit about Riva's bow. I wonder if there is going to be more to it coming into her possession or if it's just a bit of flavor/deus ex machina.

Also with weapons, it looks like the minstrel from Vaelin's wolves somehow ended up with Riva's father's sword. Though he doesn't know it, and the poor guy has lost his wife and gone off the deep end.

On to section 4!

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

I thought the "allies" were the name of the entities that possessed people. Not just the head evil.

I really liked this book. I think a lot of people don't like the change in format. I dunno. I'm with you.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Yeah. I'm also glad the whole series isn't a flashback.

[David Sven]

I think the multiple POVs really expands the scope of the story. The first person POV was good for a coming of age/process of discovery story - but now Vaelin is badass I don't need just his POV. We can watch him be badass while exploring other POVs.

I had totally forgotten about the prostitute from the first book.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

But you just read it. Never forget the prostitutes!

[Jake]

I'm pretty sure the ally is one dude, like the devil, and all the bodysnatchers report to him. Everytime they are driven from their bodies they are terrified because he punishes their failure. The woman calls the ally him a lot.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

OK, so maybe the bodysnatchers as you call them aren't called the "allies" but that's what I've been referring to when I used that name, and why I put it in quotes.

We don't really have a name for them, but I thought their boss was "the one who waits"

[David Sven]

Rob wrote: "We don't really have a name for them, but I thought their boss was "the one who waits" "

Yes - and also the ally.


Rob wrote: "But you just read it. Never forget the prostitutes!"

I'll try and do better from now on :)

[Conor]

I'm definitely liking the change in POV layout. The different POV's allow a broader view of events. There's no way all of the important stuff in this book could have been covered with 1 POV. The change in narrative structure halfway through the series evinces Ryan hadn't really planned this out very well but I still think he's handled the change brilliantly and I like the way he's using the 'Vernier's account' sections to make the transition run more smoothly.

Vaelin's story is coming into it's own. He's not using the Blood Song as a cheap plot device so much and his thoughts on the burdens of command were really cool. Reva is still a cool and interesting character but her fighting abilities are getting ridiculous. There's some cool action going on with the siege but it's still kind of 'sanitized' with Reva not having to make any difficult decisions so far ( i.e. letting everyone into the city). Frentis is off his leash and it is awesome. His story was dark, brutal and bloody and it stole the show in this part imo. I'm a bit disappointed with how Lyrna's story is going. I loved Lyrna in Blood Song when she was manipulative, ruthless and ambitious. In this one she's a generic fantasy princess having adventures (meeting the 'Mahlessa'), going on arduous journeys (trek across the Lonak wastes) and making unlikely friends (her friendship with Davoka is pretty much exactly Elayne-Aviendha in WoT... except they've not both slept with Vaelin. Yet). The bit where she was sold into slavery was the worst. The whole 'protagonist sold into slavery quickly escapes using their bravery and cunning and by inspiring their fellow prisoners' bit has been beaten to death in fantasy. The ending to it was actually awesome though. The thief/beast charmer was a great character. In a few pages Ryan managed to make him more deep and sympathetic than most characters in a whole book. I really liked how the mouse plan failed and then the thief used the shark instead. I have a suspicion that he might be somehow still controlling the shark (it's following Lyrna and friends I think).

So Veliss is that prostitute who Vaelin didn't kill in Blood Song? I'm a bit disappointed actually, I thought such an interesting character as Veliss (brilliant ruler and skilled swordfighter with a mysterious past) would have a more complex backstory. I actually remember thinking it was really stupid of Vaelin to not kill her since she had information that could have condemned Vaelin's entire family to death as 'heretics' and she had already proved she was willing to sell that info. I'm glad Vaelin didn't kill her now though, Veliss is awesome.

[Sky]

Great section, not too many reveals.

I too am liking this as much if not more than blood song. While blood song was great for its fast paced action, the multiple POVs in TL allow for a grander story to be told. I am loving the larger view of intrigues/wars/etc...

I was disappointed about Veliss as well. I thought there was more too her. Also the description of her I remember from BS, as plump etc is not really jiving with how she is described in TL.

So it seems Reva will be the witch the Volarian general keeps railing against, so far she was exhibited no gift, it will be interesting to see how she develops...if she is just very smart/cunning, or will display any of the dark, and how she will come to grasp with her world father views on the gifted

One aspect I enjoy from the series is seeing everyones religion/long held beliefs/faiths being shown as false, and how they come to grips with it.

[Sky]

Okay, so about the witch thing... is it just me, or do people in this world just lack imagination about what to call women with power?

"Hmmm, that's a powerful woman there, but she doesn't seem to be royalty of any kind. How should we refer to such a woman?"

"Does she exchange money for sex?"

"No, doesn't seem to."

"Witch."

"Are you sure? I mean, she's really good with a sword, almost like she's been training with it for 3 months or so. The bow too. I feel like there must be a better-"

"Nope, she's a witch."

"Really? She isn't doing anything magical or even anything that we, as soldiers, don't see every single day. How do you know she's a witch."

"Weighs the same as a duck."

"She weighs the... what?"

"She swam over here didn't she? Floats in water? I mean, we could try to build a bridge out of her, but we're in the middle of a war here, man."

"..."

"Besides, you're obviously either a slave or completely incompetent, so stop asking questions and go stand in front of some arrows. Oh, and burn her! Burn the witch!"

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Dork.

[Sky]

You sound like my fiance, Rob. Sky v1, I think that was awesome :)

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Sky wrote: "You sound like my fiance, Rob. Sky v1, I think that was awesome :)"

Oh, it was. But my point still stands.

[Sky]

Rob wrote: "Oh, it was. But my point still stands."

I believe the correct response is actually... *deep breath*... NEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRDDDDDD!!!

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Way too much typing...

[Sky]

The key is to just hold down E, R, and D for a second or so each.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

On a tablet that just pops up a sub menu.