Read-A-Long Questions

[Linda]

Why do you think the women in the cot disliked Maerad so much?

If you were Maerad, would you have gone with Cadvan?

What did you think of the description of scrying? would you have agreed to it?

((These aren't great but they're what I did for the other one))

[Chris]

It's quite clear that the women saw Maerad as an outsider, and were especially suspicious and fearful of her latent magical abilities. Fear about otherness is always a spur to dislike and bullying.

There must have been something about Cadvan (another outsider) that, despite the risks, persuaded her that leaving the cote was a better option than staying.

Scrying: she would have had no real idea of what it involved and implied, but aren't we all interested in some self-awareness that somebody else can encourage? After all, why do so many people go to counsellors and psychotherapists?

[Becky]

The women were certainly jealous of Maerad, she wasn't hassled by the men, and Gilman himself got involved once.

I defiantly would have gone!! There is an magnificent quote in the first few pages that totally sums up why anyone would have fled the cot if they were able: "her soul starved within her, its wings wasting with the despair of disuse."

As for scying, I personally wouldn't do it, but I understand why Mearad agreed...she had nothing to loose by allowing Cadvan to access her memories and unlock some of her past. He had already proved himself to her by helping her escape, and she obviously trusted him, but I think she should have been less eager to let another see herself as what she really was before she actually knew herself.

[Becky]

4. Would have went with Cadvan or stayed in Innail to learn Barding? - I would have done what felt right. I would have loved to have stayed in Innail and learnt from the bards there, but ultimately I think it would have felt a bit wrong from Maerad's point of view.

5. What do you think of the policy of Innail? Compared with today. - It's a good policy, and one that means that they won't fall into the same trap as Afinil. And yet, its sad that they even need this policy in the first place.

6. Would you have liked to learn with Dernhil and Indik? - with Dernhil and Indik.....I WANT TO LEARN FROM THOSE TWO!!!! My two favourite things (reading and riding) and then throw in the chance to learn how to sword fight.....when can I start!!!

7. Would you be excited or a little afraid if you met an Elidhu? - I would probably have been slightly apprehensive, but also slightly nervous as to why they chose to reveal themselves right at that point.

8. Would you reject or accept it if you were told you were the Fated One? - I'd have to look at all the evidence before I made up my mind. I think Maerad had the right idea for this: go to Norloch and find out for good, then if I am, I am, and if not, then oh well.

9. Would you be afraid of your power if you realized you had taken down a Kulag or Wight? - Yes. Because all I would be able to think about is "power corrupts" and "absolute power corrupts absolutely."

10. Would you have liked to stay in Rachida? - Not forever, maybe for a few weeks or something but ultimately I would have longed to see the sea again and mountains etc.

11. Would you have followed you heart or listen to Cadvan's reasoning if you heard screams from another camp? Would you have checked it out no matter what? - I don't know what I would have done, I would like to think that I would have the strength of will to help out anyone no matter what, but ultimately, I think I may have sided with Cadvan.

12. Would you have tried to run away from the wight or stand and fight it until you couldn't any more? - Again, I don't know. I'd like to think I would have stayed and fought, but.....I don't know.

13. Would you have trusted Maerad and Cadvan if you were Hem? And vice versa? - If I had had the same background as Hem I would have found it very hard to trust anyone, let alone two people roaming through the Valverras. And I think the same would be said for Cadvan. There are very few places Cadvan doesn't see the darkness in people I think.

[Becky]

they were good questions :)

[Becky]

It was like that at my last school too, apparently it was weird to read at break and lunch....but fighting and gossiping and bitching was ok! thetas why I love uni, likeminded people who actually don't care what you do in your spare time and are mature! .....well i say mature....

[Becky]

i moved around a lot when i was child so i was always a bit of a loner so reading was the perfect way to pass the time!

[Becky]

yeah Kids can be vicious! they will pick up on the tiniest things and rip you apart because of them. I moved from the south of England up to the North and my accent was slightly different and oh my god you would have thought i was from mars!

[Becky]

just 20 miles? you must have quite close to the border to begin with then....(sorry if this is wrong my american geography is shocking cos im english)

[Becky]

ah ok, that i can deal with

[Becky]

ok now im confused

[Becky]

ah ok, you can just about see england from Swansea (in wales) on a good day

[Becky]

from an english point of view there are some distinctive differences but thats only the stereotypes which we are exposed to in films etc

[Becky]

ah cool, anyway im gonna depart from all conversation as it is midnight here and i have a nine o'clock lecture tomorrow

[Becky]

yeah definatly, i found out the american stereotype of english boarding schools when i read a book about 5 teens in an english boarding school written by an american and all the characters were english...i'm afraid to say i laughed a lot

[Becky]

Orphans of chaos, its really good. its part of a series
Orphans of Chaos

[Becky]

it sounds just a wee bit like that film Wild Child except without the prince and royal stuff

[Becky]

a good example is an american character in Chris Ryan's Alpha Force series, one of the very few non-fantasy books i read, another is the american characters in the Chance Twin Series, again non-fantasy. i also read meg cabot's books (not the Princess Diaries) which kind of lets me see what americans think of themselves. but generally when english writers have an american character they tend to have a slight god complex and take every opportunity in slating the english, but thats just the books i read, im sure others have different opinions.

[Becky]

i tried reading it but got bored, but i love her book avalon high and the mediator series, very good

[Becky]

its so good!!! i read it all the time, my record was 6 times last year!

[Becky]

theres a film of it?? why? what did they change?

[Becky]

well that makes no sense what so ever! you wool think the hint was in the KING ARTHUR not queen alice or something....oh well

[Becky]

but then you still have the legend of King Arthur to contend with, its like making robin hood a girl and Joan of arch becoming john of arch (I think that is the correct spelling but im never sure)

[Becky]

i do wonder if cadvan would have trusted maerad as much in the beginning if she was a bloke, and also if Enkir would have decided it was the older or younger of two who was the chosen one

[Becky]

hehehe! oh the images!!!

[Becky]

Its been a while since we have done this, and I have a question that I wanted to ask people:

What did you think of the ending? Of Cadvan's revelation to Maerad? And of Enkir's actions right at the end?

[Becky]

the first one, about his past

[Becky]

It made me think more of Dernhill too, I mean he watched Cadvan kill someone and still stood by him afterwards

[Becky]

Such a shame he died!! And a shame we didn't get to know his brother better as well.

[Becky]

yeah! that would be brilliant mainly because i still don;t understand how he fell in love so quickly with Maerad

[Becky]

which then made him kill himself? hmmm, still doesn't quite add up to me