| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 02 Sep 2006 : 17:54:10
Well met
This is a Book Club thread for Lies of Light, book 2 of The Watercourse Trilogy, by Philip Athans. Please discuss chapters 45-55 herein: |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dennis |
Posted - 12 Jan 2011 : 18:43:20
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Phyrea is a seriously messed up young lady. I wonder if we will find out why all of the ghosts circle around Berrywilde, and what it is about her family that engenders all of these restless spirits. Obviously she had some other problems before she encountered the ghosts.
Halina really is a tragic character in all of this, and the really sad thing is that I think that if Willem had really let himself be in love with her, and pushed aside his mother and stood on his own, he may have actually become a better person. While I don't think he is anywhere near as talented as Ivar, I also don't think he is as incompetant as he as convinced himself, and its just his self loathing that causes his flaws and mistakes to surface.
Kudos to Athans for his Cyricist wedding ceremony, which is actually a truly disturbing rite to read about. Reading about it from Willem's point of view really hit home that this is a twisted, bizarre ceremony that a normal person would be terrified to even think of. A lot of times we just gloss over an evil temple or rite as "oh, yeah, he worships an evil god," but this really drove home the depths of creepiness that you should feel when thinking about what Cyric would consider a wedding ceremony.
So, the Canal proceeds, Thayan Enclave style? With Willem in charge? Again, he throws himself into the incompetant category, mainly because he feels inadaquate compared to Ivar and his initial grand vision.
Ivar is starting to really get on my nerves. While I understand the whole "Phyrea has to know what she wants" thing, he isn't fighting for his canal, he isn't fighting for Phyrea, and for all of his "exalting exceptionalism" mindset, he waits for oppourtunity to fall into his lap instead of actually making his destiny, trusting that someone will recognize his genius and let him work at one of his plans again. In his own way, Ivar is starting to feel as pathetic as Willem.
Insythrillax is mounting attacks on Chondathans just north of the dig site, eh? And blaming the nagas. This could be an interesting turn, but to what end? Rymut is now behind the canal, so why keep attacks up, unless its to drive out the "foreign" interests?
At first the ghosts piqued my curiosity. But soon they appeared annoying already. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 21:56:18
I'd go so far as to say I'm hoping the antagonists end up winning, or at least not truly "losing". |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 21:25:28
In a lot of ways the "villains" (its really hard to give people traditional roles in this series, in all honesty) are the ones really driving this story. As much as I do want to see what happenes to the main characters, a lot of what keeps me interested is seeing what the truly nasty guys are willing to do and how it will further mess up the lives of the protagonists.
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| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 20:15:08
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Kudos to Athans for his Cyricist wedding ceremony, which is actually a truly disturbing rite to read about. Reading about it from Willem's point of view really hit home that this is a twisted, bizarre ceremony that a normal person would be terrified to even think of. A lot of times we just gloss over an evil temple or rite as "oh, yeah, he worships an evil god," but this really drove home the depths of creepiness that you should feel when thinking about what Cyric would consider a wedding ceremony.
I agree--that scene was creepy in a good way. Again, I find myself enjoying the scenes with the villains a LOT more than the scenes with the "protagonists".
quote:
Ivar is starting to really get on my nerves. While I understand the whole "Phyrea has to know what she wants" thing, he isn't fighting for his canal, he isn't fighting for Phyrea, and for all of his "exalting exceptionalism" mindset, he waits for oppourtunity to fall into his lap instead of actually making his destiny, trusting that someone will recognize his genius and let him work at one of his plans again.
Ha! Good point. So much for taking control of one's own life. Ivar isn't being very proactive, is he? If he is so confident in having a "destiny" and not willing to fight for himself, then how is he so different from all those other people he so disdains who rely on other people for their happiness? Seems awfully "faithful" for someone who doesn't rely on the gods for what he needs.
And as for Phyrea. Ah, Phyrea...am I a bad person for wishing the little craphead would one day just take the advice her ghostly advisors so kindly dispense on her, and cut herself "just a little too far"? |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 08 Oct 2006 : 01:56:14
Phyrea is a seriously messed up young lady. I wonder if we will find out why all of the ghosts circle around Berrywilde, and what it is about her family that engenders all of these restless spirits. Obviously she had some other problems before she encountered the ghosts.
Halina really is a tragic character in all of this, and the really sad thing is that I think that if Willem had really let himself be in love with her, and pushed aside his mother and stood on his own, he may have actually become a better person. While I don't think he is anywhere near as talented as Ivar, I also don't think he is as incompetant as he as convinced himself, and its just his self loathing that causes his flaws and mistakes to surface.
Kudos to Athans for his Cyricist wedding ceremony, which is actually a truly disturbing rite to read about. Reading about it from Willem's point of view really hit home that this is a twisted, bizarre ceremony that a normal person would be terrified to even think of. A lot of times we just gloss over an evil temple or rite as "oh, yeah, he worships an evil god," but this really drove home the depths of creepiness that you should feel when thinking about what Cyric would consider a wedding ceremony.
So, the Canal proceeds, Thayan Enclave style? With Willem in charge? Again, he throws himself into the incompetant category, mainly because he feels inadaquate compared to Ivar and his initial grand vision.
Ivar is starting to really get on my nerves. While I understand the whole "Phyrea has to know what she wants" thing, he isn't fighting for his canal, he isn't fighting for Phyrea, and for all of his "exalting exceptionalism" mindset, he waits for oppourtunity to fall into his lap instead of actually making his destiny, trusting that someone will recognize his genius and let him work at one of his plans again. In his own way, Ivar is starting to feel as pathetic as Willem.
Insythrillax is mounting attacks on Chondathans just north of the dig site, eh? And blaming the nagas. This could be an interesting turn, but to what end? Rymut is now behind the canal, so why keep attacks up, unless its to drive out the "foreign" interests? |
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