TBE: Part 2: Chapter 18 – Chapter 30

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Interesting stuff with Kip and the colors giving his Grandfather and Grinwoody a pass. Kind of disappointing, but smart on his part. Kip is slowly growing on me.

I'm so glad that Teia told the truth to the white. If she had just gone alone with the plan of the broken eye, because that was annoying me.

[Bill]

So a bit of speculation. I just thought of this since Kip realized that Andross was no longer a Wight and the dream of Gavin's first freeing. The dagger/musket that Gunner now has must have been used by the prism who began the freeings. It makes sense that a ritual that began as a way to absorb color from a drafter and revert them from a Wight like Andross twisted over time to become what it is in their present world. In the beginning they probably didn't kill the drafter with a regular knife.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Interesting idea. Seems feasible.

[Sky]

- Was impressed to see how Kip handle the spectrum meeting and Andross. I was not expecting this. I expected Andross have Kip thrown in jail. "I am a Guile."
- Was frustrated that Teia was only going to tell half truths to Ironfist and the White. Was hoping for just once in books like these people would just come clean and save everyone a lot of unnecessary plot twists. In the end she did - I was pleasantly surprised. Kip is still holding back with the full truth of the Red and the Blinding Knife, but unlike his reticence to share before, this actually makes some strategic sense.
- Finally drafting and sex are hinted at. I think I remember Alex mentioning a perverted twitter conversation with Mr. Weeks about the possibilities.
- I didn't think of Gunner selling Gavin to the Color Prince. But now that it's mentioned, I am surprised it hasn't crossed Gunner's mind either. Or maybe it has. Never know with Gunner. His constant misspeaking is pretty funny.
- We see the first few mentions of black luxin. One of Gavin's dreams ends with him drafting black luxin for the first time, and Liv is given black luxin by the Color Prince to use in summoning the superviolet god. The Order of the Broken Eye appears, warning a misstep with black luxin can drain all magic from the world. Black luxin is living obsidian.
- Orlaham (the galley slave) is pretty funny.

I liked this section. I had a fear at the beginning of the book that the most of the book would be about Kip and Gavin escaping. Now Kip is back and by the end of chapter 30 Gavin is on the brink of escaping. Interested to see if/when his color will return, and what role he will play if he returns unable to draft.

Bill, I like your theory. A lot of pages are given to discussing the freeing, and Gavin's feeling of disgust at having to perform the duties. There has to be another reason for it to be in the book besides a reason for the color prince to rebel, and your theory ties it to the mystery of the knife nicely.

[Suzanne]

I agree about Teia actually telling what was going on - SUCH a relief to me because that plotline was making me mad with the secrets.

I liked Gavin's discussion with Oroholom (sorry can't check spelling right now). Both Gavin and Kip have now had conversations with basicall
y 'prophets' that hint at potential and greater things to come.

[Sky]

It's been 3 books and he is still sorta fat, after eating a proper diet and getting tons of exercise. Long overdue, yet yeah a weirdly quick shift, especially his mental attitude.

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Thank god for his change..

[Sky]

for reals

[terpkristin]

It's amazing what starvation and being left behind more or less for dead will do....

[Suzanne]

The freeing chapter was the place in the book I got hooked again - I thought it was quite powerful.