Transformation [Jun 4, 2019]

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Transformation

[Daniel]

Thank You Scott!

[RuinEleint]

I have actually started this and made quite a bit of progress but haven't had time to update yet.

Will post later with details.

[RuinEleint]

4 chapters done. So far I really like it.

(view spoiler)[ I like the back and forth whether the prince is intelligent or not. So far, I think he certainly has a degree of short term political savvy, but I don't know how that will translate in the long term (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Sorry Arkadeb! :(
I've been travelling and didn't get to start this on time. At what chapter are you now so I see how much I have to catch up.
Or did you finish it already?

[RuinEleint]

16 chapters done. So far I love this book.

(view spoiler)[ I am really enjoying Seyonne's evolving relationship with the prince and with how he tried to balance the conflict between duty, hatred, trauma and loyalty. This is great character work! (hide spoiler)]

[RuinEleint]

Finished it, utterly loved it.

Superb character arcs and evolutions. Really loved how Seyonne's past (view spoiler)[ was gradually revealed, and how he finally threw off his shackles, both real and metaphorical, to reclaim his rightful place (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

I am really sorry Arkadeb. :(
I got so caught up this week that I couldn't even start this.
I'll read it this week though and if you are still on the thread maybe you'd like to chat with me about it.

[Choko]

I will be with you, Laura... I am running behind too...

[Daniel]

I just started today. Sorry for my tardiness. Will post every few chapters or so.

[Daniel]

Finally read a couple of chapters last night. I can already tell this will be epic and probably character driven. Cannot remeber any of the names at the moment but (view spoiler)[the bratty spoiled prince is almost assuredly going to be changed by his new slave, who seems to have some kind of blocked magical power. will get much further in today. (hide spoiler)]
I can also tell this is very much my kind of book! Thanks to whoever who originally asked for the BR!

[RuinEleint]

Daniel wrote: "Finally read a couple of chapters last night. I can already tell this will be epic and probably character driven. Cannot remeber any of the names at the moment but [spoilers removed]
I can also tel..."

I loved the feel of the book immediately. Something about the writing just appeals.

[Daniel]

Arkadeb wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Finally read a couple of chapters last night. I can already tell this will be epic and probably character driven. Cannot remeber any of the names at the moment but [spoilers removed]..."


The first person narrative style draws you in immediately. You connect with the narrator and since you aren’t moving from POV to POV it is very easy to know exactly what is happening(assuming the author is good...lol)!

I agree this is quite well done.

[Daniel]

Chapter 8
This is really good. The story ,moves nicely with the backstory just starting to be filled in. Lots of character development. (view spoiler)[the impotence problem Seyonne helps Aleksander with is short but sweet. You can see how the budding bromance might start. Of course emperor to slave is a very very wide divide in social standing...say from positive to negative infinity! (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

As promised I finished all my open reads today and will start this tomorrow morning. Will try and hit Chapter 12 by tomorrow so I can open those spoilers, and those you might post today Daniel. Or your today that is, my tomorrow.

[Daniel]

I am just starting chapter 12...will post once or twice more.

[Laura]

Ok D. :)
Will be back here with posts in a few hours too.

[Daniel]

Chapter 13 (view spoiler)[So we finally meet the super demon and I forgot his name and too lazy to go look!...the relationship between Seyonne and Alek is getting good. Lydia looks to be interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Up to Ch 3... I despise Prince Alexander!!! He has this natural malice that oozes from his black soul! If the author is going to try to redeem him, as we go on, he will have to work really hard, because at the moment I hate his guts!

[Laura]

I'm joining the hate club! That man is so absolutely despicable. I would have branded his sorry arse with not one but 10 of those pokers. The big ones mind you!!

This book is sooo goood! It grabbed me from the very first page and I am so pissed because I had to set it down!! No time to read and I'm irritated cause I want to read this one!!!

I reached Chapter 4 before I had to close it and I swear I kept throwing it longing glances while finishing my chores! Tomorrow first free minute - this book!! And I'll probably throw a tantrum if my reading gets interrupted again.

I love the first person narrative and the story is heartbreaking. Perhaps due to the fact that it is told in such a deceptively simple manner.
The writing style is a delight and ...
ok. Please don't hesitate to tell me to shut it if I get too hyped! It's just that OMG! I love this already!

Do I hear any chuckling somewhere? Ah yeah! That must be Daniel because he told me so!! I admit it D. You were right! :))

[Daniel]

Lmao....yeah this is very well written. The narrative style is such a treat with only one POV

[Daniel]

You guys might find that first glances are potentially deceiving!

[Choko]

Up to Ch 9... That kid... Slavery should never and should have never exist! This is such an unnatural state for a human being, it seems to have left only destroyed souls in its wake... It is beyond evil and immoral...

[Choko]

They destroy people's lives just from boredom... The musician...

[Choko]

I love Lydia! She is awesome and I love that she has as much of a temper as Alexander. This is getting so intense, I have to go to bed, but I can't put it down! How the hell are they going to fix all of this mess? Those demons scare the hell out of me!!!

[Daniel]

Choko wrote: "I love Lydia! She is awesome and I love that she has as much of a temper as Alexander. This is getting so intense, I have to go to bed, but I can't put it down! How the hell are they going to fix a..."

Crimes against children should consign someone to the ninth circle of hell. I guess slavery should be the eight circle?? The interplay and the character development in this book between Seyonne and Aleksander is remarkably well done.
Chapter 25
(view spoiler)[ So we come full circle. Seyonne saved Aleksander innumerable times and at the end of this chapter Aleksander is willing to die to save Seyonne!! Berg is masterful in her characterizations, and the Transformation of first Aleksander, and now we can assume, Seyonne, were very organic and not forced at all. Well done!! (hide spoiler)]

[RuinEleint]

Lol I love that you guys are so into it.

I totally despised the Prince as well.

(view spoiler)[ But the slow but sure character arc Berg draws - this is a master at work. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Just the balls of the author, to start by giving us such an unlikeable, hateful character in his full evil detail, and then try to redeem him in our eyes - that is awesome! I am not sure I would have ever attempted it, since she really put a ton of intricate nuances to represent his dislikability! Even Glokta's character had more redeeming qualities from the start, because he had a reason to be the way he was. Alexander is this way because he was rich, spoiled and bored!

[Daniel]

Who is Glokta?

[Laura]

Glokta is a badass character from Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. A torturer with a dissability who despite being very precise with a scalpel won all the readers of this series into his corner.

[Laura]

No time to read at all today. (*sigh*) So I'll be back here tomorrow to chat.

[Daniel]

Thank You Miss L, thought I had serious memory deficits!

[Choko]

Ooo, I am sorry! I kind of assumed everyone here has read that series... So sorry!

I am up to Ch 25 and I am with Alex (view spoiler)[ That friend of his, who married the Queen, betrayed him! And what the hell are they thinking making a deal with the demons? They are supposed to fight them! I don't trust those folks at all... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I also wonder, when his friend came to the healing house to talk, (view spoiler)[ and he wanted to steer the flames, the friend stopped him not because he didn't want to look upon his slave marks, but because he didn't want for Seyonne to look into his eyes - maybe he is demon tainted!? (hide spoiler)]

[Veronica]

I just started this yesterday so I'm not too far into it (still in chapter five) but I'm already hooked into the story. Aleksander is so unlikeable in his casual cruelty but I gather from the first lines of the book that there's a character arc in store for him. I'm looking forward to reading about it.

[Janny]

Great to see you all enjoying this book so much - Berg has long been one of my favorite authors.

Note FYI: she had to change her byline for her most recent title (just out) - She's become Cate Glass for that one: An Illusion of Thieves.

It is not connected to her Rai Kirah series, but if you enjoy this trilogy, you can't go wrong with her later titles, as well.

[Choko]

Janny, thank you! So good to see you again!!!! Miss you and your books, but am waiting for the group to catch up with where I left off, so I can join in the read again!

This book is very unexpected. I really like it!

[Laura]

Hi Janny!! Great to see you here!! Thank you for stopping by!

I love this book too. :)

[Laura]

I have messaged Mrs Berg and asked her if she'd like to drop by for a Q&A.

[Daniel]

Well that would be interesting.

[⚘ Itz Lia the Bibliophile ⚘]

That would be interesting

[Choko]

I just finished... It was very good! I am glad we are reading the series!!!

[Veronica]

I'm still lagging behind, just finished chapter 11. (view spoiler)[Aleksander has shown moments of being something other than a temper prone bully but I still hate how he kicked poor Seyonne senseless that one time and then had him take 50 lashes over the dagger incident. The fact that Seyonne's opinion of him is starting to bother him enough to make even slight changes to his behavior is something I'm watching very closely.(view spoiler)[ Very much enjoying this so far and Lady Lydia just arrived so I'm looking forward to her verbal sparring with Aleksander too. :-) (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Veronica]

Choko wrote: "Up to Ch 9... That kid... Slavery should never and should have never exist! This is such an unnatural state for a human being, it seems to have left only destroyed souls in its wake... It is beyond..."

That was so sad. :-(

[Laura]

Just wanted to let you all know that Mrs. Berg agreed to drop by here and chat with us!! :)
She seems to be a lovely lady and I for one am looking forward to chatting with her.

For that, I'll ask the mods for a Carol Berg Folder and a Q&A thread.
But....

When are we reading the next 2 books in this series? And I assume we all want to go on with it here. :D

For what date should we schedule the Lighthouse duology? We had planned on starting that one in the third week of June. Should we change the date or stick with it?

[Laura]

Arkadeb wrote: "4 chapters done. So far I really like it.

[spoilers removed]"

I was thinking the same. :)

[Laura]

Daniel wrote: "Finally read a couple of chapters last night. I can already tell this will be epic and probably character driven. Cannot remeber any of the names at the moment but [spoilers removed]
I can also tel..."

I'm glad you liked it D! :)

[Laura]

Daniel wrote: "Chapter 8
This is really good. The story ,moves nicely with the backstory just starting to be filled in. Lots of character development. [spoilers removed]"

At this point I see no (view spoiler)[bromance here. I just hate that prince!! With a passion. He is so vile and ... gah!
The beating he gave Seyonne was so cruel and horrible and for what?! No sane reason.
I would roast him on a spit if I could for that alone!
True, he has a few kind moments now and then but he's still a major SOB in my book!! (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Choko wrote: "Up to Ch 9... That kid... Slavery should never and should have never exist! This is such an unnatural state for a human being, it seems to have left only destroyed souls in its wake... It is beyond..."

That was heartbreaking!! :((

[Veronica]

That's so awesome that Ms Berg has agreed to answer questions from us. Thanks for setting that up, Laura.

I'm through chapter 16 and the you-know-what is really hitting the fan now. (view spoiler)[The Khelid have pulled off their plan to have Aleksander accused of his uncle's murder. And he's sown so much hate among his fellow nobles that I don't expect he'll get any support from that quarter. (hide spoiler)] I'm glued to the story. Have to see how this turns out.