Warded/Painted Man (#1) - Brett [April 23, 2022]

[Choko]

Caroline, welcome!:)

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "Haha! Maybe not chop it off, but make him not being able to use like that for a longer period... He would be better at his job then:)))

My heart went to her on her trip with Rojer though... That ..."

Thanks for the head's up on the shorts, Choko. Will thread them in now. :)

Welcome Caroline!

[Monika]

Starting chapter 25. Lots of things happened meantime. Leesha grown up to be Herb Gatherer, Rojer is slowly by slowly becoming a Jongleur and Arlen... Hmmm I would say he's becoming not a warrior but weapon himself.

[Monika]

Ok... Book finished. Good read. I'm curious what will happen in next one.

[Choko]

Monica, you got done fast too:))) It is a harsh world, but the book does suck you in, doesn't it. I can't wait to find out what happens next too... When are we reading the next book, by the way?

[Nirkatze]

I don't want to rush people, but I'd be down for starting book 2 next week. Audio is faster than physical reading. :)

Picking back up again! Part 2 of the Audio. I'm really enjoying the adaptation!

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[An eternal question--love or life? And is it really love, if the person can't accept what drives your life? I feel for Arlen, but I don't feel for the girl. She's never accepted Arlen for who he is--and it's not a good idea to go into a relationship expecting to change someone. Though I suppose that could go for Arlen too--changing the girl into someone who could accept his lifestyle. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[There are a few bits I remember from this series, mostly the bad parts. And this is one of them. The parts in Krasia make a lot more sense on reread than on the first, and so does all the time jumping. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27 (view spoiler)[And this is the other big bit I remember, one that made me mad. Too much rape in these books. I do like Leesha and Rojer's sibling-like relationship though. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

And finished! (view spoiler)[The first time I read these books, I was gunning for Leesha & Arlen--partially because I was so unhappy with what happened to Leesha that I wanted her to have something she wanted in her life. But the second time around, I see the signs of a potentially unhealthy relationship. Leesha is different from Marya--but their paths are still too divergent for anything long-term, and in the end it would be the same problem. Calling v. love. Leesha is interested in applying her knowledge of science to Arlen's fight, but at her heart she wants to put down roots. She wants to settle in a village and make a home and a life as a herb gatherer. She'd like to meet someone she loves and start a family.

Arlen, on the other hand, will never be able to settle down until he has wiped demons from the earth. He cannot compromise. Any rest, or hope of family, is can only exist in a world where folks are truly free. Then there's the problem that he is starting to see himself as inhuman and tainted by demon. Which I think is ridiculous as Leesha does and that he needs a good Wheel of Time style spanking to shake such foolishness out of his head. Whatever he does to himself physically--what matters is how he thinks and the actions he takes. If he ever decides he needs to start killing people and eating them, then he'll have a problem.

Furthermore, Leesha and Arlen really know nothing about each other, and the stress of the world they live in isn't really going to give them the opportunity to see beyond the masks they don. Leesha has Arlen on a pedestal for saving her. Arlen is a little starstruck by being around a woman for the first time in four years, and someone who doesn't shy away from him. Not a good place to start things.

And poor Rojer left on the sidelines. Though I did find it funny that Rojer immediately started sleeping with random folks wherever he called on his jongleur travels, just like his master did. And he must've been like 14 when he started... so of course he thinks he has a chance with Leesha. Nope. Not even Friendzoned. He's "Little Brother"-zoned.

I am very much looking forward to Arlen bringing the wards to the world next though. (hide spoiler)]

@Choko--just clicked through all your spoilers! Totally agree--I feel so bad for all the characters! (view spoiler)[Poor Rojer loosing his master--twice!! Arlen being betrayed, Leesha loosing her innocence.

And the Krasians! Such and interesting culture. And it totally makes you want to punch each and every one of the guys in the nose. Or the stones.

In fact--we really haven't met ANYONE (besides our main 3 characters, and Bruna) who is a good person. Or a culture that isn't messed up. Tibbet's Brook looks the other way at everything from coreling attacks to incest. Miln and Angiers encourage bullies and have way too much invested in their arbitrary power structures. Krasians have a serious superiority complex. Cutter's Field is full of hypocrites. Everywhere is broken. But just maybe, as our three MCs pass through, they will make things a little better bit by bit. (hide spoiler)]

So, next book? Next book? When? When? *sits up like a puppy*

[Choko]

Next week Mon or Thursday is good with me:))))

[Nirkatze]

Say Thurs? Any others have thoughts too?

[lorii (Loriidae)]

I am good with Thursday although I willl probably start a few days before as I have a BR for Ruin on May 10.

[Nirkatze]

That's two! Good to go. :)

Also, apparently this series is being developed for TV. No platform attached yet though. Of course, I don't bet on anything until the pilot has aired...
(https://winteriscoming.net/2022/04/29...)

[Monika]

'The Desert Spear' on top of my TBR pile now :) and I have few nice piles of books here :))

[Caroline]

So I'm in Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[ I could remember the story line with One Arm (only the beginning, though) - I think it's sad, that Keerin is taking the credit for chopping off the creature's arm. And the song seemed as if it was while rescuing Arlen. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Caroline wrote: "So I'm in Chapter 11 [spoilers removed]"

Keenan's a jerk! (view spoiler)[Then again, it seems like most folks in the books so far are horrible. I don't remember if Keenan eventually gets his comeuppance, but I'm hoping for it. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Working my way through the short stories--The Great Bazaar & Brayan's Gold. Both stories take place during The Warded Man.

Brayan's Gold takes place during Chapter 16, in 324 AR while (view spoiler)[Arlen is a messenger's apprentice (hide spoiler)], and The Great Bazaar takes place near the end of the three years time skip between the end of Part 2 (Chapter 16 325 AR) and the start of Part 3 (Chapter 17 328 AR).

Brayan's Gold (view spoiler)[was a fun little jaunt--it was cool to see Arlen younger, still fired up and ready to fight corelings, and getting his first successful kill. The surrounding characters are still completely lacking in any gems of humanity--all drunken, greedy, cowardly etc--but again Arlen's presence brings out the best in folk. A satisfying little bit. (hide spoiler)]

Will do Great Bazaar later. Excited to start Desert Spear Thurs!

[Choko]

Haha:) I told you the shorts were perfect to read between the two parts of the Graphic Audio production:))) They are fun little deleted scenes, the way I look at it. But they give quite a bit of information, especially The Great Bazaar...

[Caroline]

Choko wrote: "Also, just ended the first part with Lisha, Elena and Jared and Steve, Ernie and Bruna. I am not so much angry with Jared for his lying, or the mother, Elena, for cheating, although I find her in ..."

I agree with everything you're saying there!

[Caroline]

Choko wrote: "By the way, I think if you choose to read or listen the two short stories, this is the time to do it, because they both happen in the seven years we don't see them. I finished both of them and they are the story of the first messenger run for Arlen and a later run to the desert people... They are more like cut scenes, than really standing on their own."

Thanks, Choko, for putting them into a chronological context. Might pause for them now. Just got to Part 3 (?) - Krasia.

[Nirkatze]

I'm working on the second of the two shorts right now too Caroline!

The Great Bazaar (view spoiler)[I feel like Arlen was fairly stupid not listening to the voice here--he didn't even think that if he got into a clash with the demons, he would've put the precious pottery in danger too. A short sleep among the wards and trying in the morning would've solved that easy. Haste makes waste.

The rest of the story was OK--the ending especially gave an insight into Abban's twisty mind. But the book didn't lose anything by its being cut either. (hide spoiler)]

I also read the two deleted scenes in the The Great Bazaar book. The first one, "Arlen" is an alternate opening that basically just shows Arlen as a young boy wishing he had the freedom of the night. The other is a cut scene where Leesha ends up forced to help her old friend (and now enemy) Brianne. "Arlen" definitely needed to be cut--Brett wrote it as a writing prompt for a (college?) class, and it has a very different voice and tone than the rest of the book. The other scene could have stayed, but the book is fine without it. I liked it best of the three cut scenes though.

[Nirkatze]

Anyone started book two yet? I'm trying to decide whether to jump into that right now or if I should wait for more folks...

[Felina]

I'm starting this one today. I had a few other reads I needed to get done first. It looks like everybody is really enjoying it so I'm excited to jump in.

[Felina]

Okay, forgive me as I’m doing this as an audiobook so the spelling of these names are going to be pretty bad.

Somebody please tell me that Leesha’s Mom, Garrett and Steve all get eaten by demons in like 3 seconds or I’m going to start punching some walls!

[Felina]

BTW, so far this book is awesome and I don’t even think that much has happened yet. That’s a good sign.

[Nirkatze]

Happy to have you with us Felina! Are you doing the graphic audio version or one-narrator version?

One keystone of Brett's storytelling... the really annoying people rarely get eaten, but instead grudgingly end up growing so you sometimes hate them a little less. Just a little.

And still want to punch them in the nose. NOSE.

[Felina]

The the one narrator. He’s good though!

That’s rough. I want some good comeuppance!

Also, sorry fellas, but that is not how periods work at all let alone your first one.

[Choko]

Felina, you are reading the first book, right? I am so glad you are with us:)))

[Felina]

Yes, the first right now. I’m about half way through. I’ve had this one forever.

[Choko]

Awesome!

[Felina]

I just finished chapter 16 and (view spoiler)[ I kinda think Arlen is a turd. He has all these people that care for him deeply and love him and I don’t find much to like about him at all. He’s so sullen and moody. He leaves fully intending to not come back and doesn’t see fit to even say goodbye to anybody. That’s a dick move. (hide spoiler)]

[Felina]

@Nirkatze regarding your chapter 16 spoiler. (view spoiler)[ I feel like going into a relationship without a common purpose and expecting the other to adapt to your wishes is a hallmark of the young and/or the immature. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Felina, I felt the same way about his actions, but I just assume that it came with his immaturity... I think he is so obsessed with fighting the demons, that he forgets to actually live a life, the way regular folks do... He is broken in his own way...

[Gokul]

Felina wrote: "The the one narrator. He’s good though!

That’s rough. I want some good comeuppance!

Also, sorry fellas, but that is not how periods work at all let alone your first one."

Colin Mace, He's the one who narrates Bloodsworn Saga. He got a deep/gravelly voice, which is fantastic!

[lorii (Loriidae)]

I really enjoy Colin Mace as a narrator. I didn't realise he did this, I will try the second as audio. Thanks

[Gokul]

👍

[Felina]

I may be low level obsessed with this book. I went ahead and got the next two.

[Choko]

Felina, haha! Awesome! Once you are done we can start the next one:)

[Felina]

I’ll be done tonight.

[Felina]

Ahhhh *runs through the thread* I freaking loved this book. I have the second and third. I’m forcing myself to wait until tomorrow to start the second one so I can get some sleep.

[Felina]

I only had a few things I didn’t like but that only made this a 6 star read instead of a 7 star read. (view spoiler)[ Insta-love. I don’t really like it and this book is filled with it. But Arlen and Leesha was the worst. She just got gang raped and then a bro shows up who looks nuts and is kinda a jerk and then 20 minutes later she wants to bang in the mud. Huh? Like, what?

Why didn’t Leesha’s mom get torn apart by demons? I mean, the demons eat their own? 😉 Get it?

I’m wondering if Arlen claims he isn’t Muad’Dib I wonder if his demon tainted baby might be? Guess I’ll have to read on. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Yeah, that thing with Leesha was absolutely unlikely! Just very implausible, no matter that this is a Fantasy world. People are people, and particularly with the way she grew up, this was the most unbelievable part of the whole book...

[Nirkatze]

I really felt uncomfortable with the whole "relationship" between those two.

But I am game on for book two ASAP!

[Nirkatze]

I started book two--I don't know if anyone else has yet? Again, I'm loving the Graphic Audio--awesome accents and vocal talent!! I'm especially loving Inevera's rolling r's. The one annoyance is that they never announce chapters. So it's a good thing I have the physical copy to refer to!

If book 1 was Arlen's book, it looks like this is Jardir's. A lot of interesting Krasian insight.

Part 1 (view spoiler)[The Krasian culture is really uncomfortable. What they do to women is a nightmare. The way they think in absolutes is terrifying. And they are so arrogant! Like Arlen tells them--a person's worth should be more than just whether or not they can heft a spear. Not that the North is that much better.

Still, it was interesting seeing the backstory to Jardir's actions, and Abban's. It's like we're getting multiple slices of the same time frames. It makes me think a little of Daniel Abraham's new trilogy, Kithamar, that we read the first book for. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[I still think Arlen's insistence that he's not human is bull. Does he feel like clawing any living being he comes across into pulp? Does he fee like feasting on raw flesh? Does he have to keep himself from going on a murdering rampage? No? Well, then, I guess he's human. It isn't what things ARE that makes them evil, it's what they DO. *sigh* (hide spoiler)]

[Monika]

I did started and have to say Jardir had rather 'interesting' childhood...

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Desert Spear
Chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ I shouldn’t be disappointed, the title is afterall the Desert Spear, but at 20% without seeing any of the characters from the first book, I am not engaged. I am not feeeling anything for Jardir I guess we are supposed to feel sorry for him with the trials he endured from a young boy, but his treatment of Arlen makes him more villain than hero. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Eight (view spoiler)[ recap of book #one from a different POV - I know what happened… let’s just move on…. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Loriidae wrote: "Desert Spear
Chapter 6 [spoilers removed]

Chapter Eight [spoilers removed]"

I felt much the same when I was reading it through for the first time. There's a lot of characters who are much more comfortable just hating, who we end up getting the backstories of... and I didn't NOT hate them any more, but it was worse, because I kind of started to understand them, and I STILL didn't really like them. But they were more interesting afterwards.

On the reread, since I already know this is going to happen, I find it easier to stomach and enjoy as characterization and worldbuilding, however uncomfortable.

Hang in there--our favorites come back soon. You're almost there.

[Nirkatze]

Desert Spear Chapter 14 Probably my most hated chapter in the whole series. (view spoiler)[Again with rape. This series has so many bad relationships and weaponized sex. I am looking forward to Rena's dad being eviscerated and castrated. And I don't care if a demon does it or not. Just someone do it please.

But what's almost as bad as Rena's da is how this type of attitude is just accepted. No one would believe her. Those who have been raped before just tell her to sit back and bear it. It's her turn. And apparently that's how people actually used to think in medieval ages. Like, women would be burned at the stake for accusing a man of rape. Still a lot wrong with the world, but at least it's not that anymore. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Desert Spear Chapter 15 I love this conversation (view spoiler)[between Leesha & Rojer. First off, the revelation of Leesha's needles brings some power back to her. She sacrificed one principle to uphold another. Two, I like moral conversations where both sides have valid points--and neither wins. I like how this conversation explores both Rojer and Leesha's philosophies and also deepens their relationship. And I like the local Tender dude too. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19-21 Finally! (view spoiler)[Never been so happy to see someone murdered.

Again, the attitude of the town seriously pisses me off. Blaming Rena for everything? Asshats.

And Jeph and Rena's sisters not any better. “Not my place to make that decision for you two. I’ll hold my peace.” Oh hell yes it is your place. The reputation of two people willing to let someone else be raped and murdered is not something you should uphold at the cost of another's life. Asshat. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Finished the book! I'm still really enjoying it, though I hate how horrible the people in the world are to each other in general, and to women in particular.

Is anyone else still reading?

[Choko]

I am still reading it... I am sorry for dragging behind...

[lorii (Loriidae)]

I got to 75% of The Desert Spear at the beginning of May and (view spoiler)[ was pretty disillusioned with it, I didn't like the whole retelling from Jardir's POV and then the incest etc. I got to the point where Jardir is demanding Leesha in marriage. I probably won't pick it back up as I haven't touched it for three weeks. I think I have decided that it is too grim-dark for me. (hide spoiler)]