Favourite bits and big shocks

[aliantha]

Maybe SRD changed the rules.

Do you suppose that what's "possessing" Joan in the real world is Lord Foul himself? If he could get his nasty carious eyes through a bonfire, could he maybe get some thoughts through to Joan's mind?

<ali sits back and waits for somebody to shoot this theory down, knowing that it's not a very good one>

If it ain't LF and it can't be a Raver, then...what's going on here???

[srtrout]

The biggest shock for me was that old SRD continued on in a style completely confluent with the first two chronicles. It's a great story, and takes the characters into new dilemmas, with some new and interesting characters. Still, the flavor and the character of the writing is very similar to the first two Chronicles (but not similar to much of his other writing in Mordant, the Gap, and his short stories, especially not to his mysteries)

However, as I expressed some time ago here, I was worried that SRD has changed over 2 decades enough that we wouldn't appreciate whatever it was he would do the Land. He's written two other lengthy series plus some stories and mysteries, and obviously has been through some stressful personal stuff.

Some of the dark moments of The Gap series were really horrific: women disemboweling themselves for entertainment, etc. I was simply worried that there might be little beauty left in the Land upon the return.

So, first of all I'm suprised that the narrative is so relatively seamless with the first two series.

Secondly, I was surprised at the many tie-ins to the first series, conclusions to events alluded to in those series. Did he write about Cail and the merewives initially 20 years ago with plans then to have the consequences depicted in this series? There are several other examples.

There are also many sections in the book where characters have an opportunity to summarize events of the past. In some cases, like explaining the history of The Collossus of the Fall, they give details we weren't privy to before. The Haruchai, the Ramen, Esmer, and others essentially fill in a lot of gaps for us. (It would be interesting to review the many entries on this site over the last few years and see how many questions are answered by this book!)

I'm still worried. I don't know who that guy is that looks like old TC on a horse! (Not as worried as I am about tomorrow's election!)

Senor trout

[Mistweave]

I've just finished and off the top of my head the things that made me go mmm, or wow, are...

The image of Revelstone and Mount Thunder built out of Legos by Jeremiah. This actually creeped me out a little.

The logic that led the Haruchai to become the Masters and how it fits their character so well even though the flaw is obvious to me. Not to mention how well they had succeded.

The fall of Kevin's Watch.

Linden losing her health sense.

Covenant talking through Anele

[Satansheart Soulcrusher]

LONG POST ALERT

Do you suppose that what's "possessing" Joan in the real world is Lord Foul himself? If he could get his nasty carious eyes through a bonfire, could he maybe get some thoughts through to Joan's mind?

[misquote="Lord Foul"]"I have whispered a few words of counsel and awaited the outcome"[/misquote]

Who knows?

I've gotta say, I was VERY pleased that SRD continued the story in such a way that you wouldn't know there was a 20-year gap since WGW.

With regards to "biggest shocks" I'd have to say my biggest one was right at the end. However it seems just a little too convenient that suddenly, from out of nowhere, the two people that Linden wants to see more than anything else turn up on her doorstep simultaneously, hounded by Demondim. The other major shock for me (there were lots of surprises, but nothing that shocked me per-se, except maybe Jeremiah's Lego versions of Revelstone and Mt. Thunder as Mistweave said) was the fall of Kevin's Watch. One of the most important landmarks in the Land, it has stood for millennia, unmovable, then some swirling bubble of time just floats past and crumbles it to rubble and splinters. For me it was almost as bad as when the Sunbane began to violate the sacred ground of Andelain.

Esmer is an enigmatic character, he seems to be constantly torn between good and evil. This is in contrast to the Elohim - they are neither good nor evil, or they are so complex that they transcend such simple definitions. Esmer appears to be locked in a permanent conflict with himself, so that every time he helps someone, he is compelled to betray them almost immediately. This appears to cause him pain and a certain amount of guilt is evident too.

Another enigma is Anele. He is possessed by different beings depending on the surface on which he stands. This reminded me a little of the spikes of wrongness that Covenant felt through his boots during the quest for the Staff of Law in the first Chrons, though this may not be related. I'm convinced that the firey magma being that takes over when he stands on bare dirt is either Kastenessen or one of the skurj. I'm also certain that the skurj are the fiery worms that Linden sees devouring the Land in her dream.

There is an interesting parallel between the merewives and Foul - both desire the destruction of the Earth. The Dancers want everything destroyed so it will end their anguish, Foul wants to destroy everything so that he can be free from his prison. Neither however has the power to acheive their ends alone so they must work through others. Both must take the risk that those they manipulate may work against them as well as for them. This is the whole "free will" theme. Foul cannot simply force Linden or Covenant to work his will - they are not puppets, but he can set events in motion that trap them into doing what he wants. The difficulty from his point of view is that they are his sworn enemies and will fight to save the Land. He can only hope that they will be unable to control their power and will inadvertently break the Arch. The merewives have a similar dilemma - Esmer, as described above, is their offspring, but he is also the son of a Haruchai that served Linden and her companions until he exceeded even his own impossible limits.

As for Roger, he's another little enigma in a way. Is he really crazy? Is he mad or is he bad? Is he quite sane and totally evil? If so he's a lot more dangerous than Joan, who is nutty as a fruitcake, even though we have yet to witness any overt action from him in the Land. As for a Raver, well. That would certainly explain his actions. I think he could have a Raver in him in the real world, it's certain that Foul and the Ravers have the ability to influence events in the real world if the right circumstances exist. The ritual where Covenant was sacrificed was one such event, and we can only assume that another such event, or series of events, led to Joan's madness, as manifested in her hunger for Covenant's blood and her constantly beating her own head with her fist. It is therefore not impossible, or even improbable, that Roger has been possessed by a Raver. I suspect however that this is too simple an explanation for his behaviour. I get the feeling that the truth may be far worse...

[tallan]

I don't think it's very likely that Roger's possessed by a Raver as well... We know that Joan is, and SRD just feels a bit more smart than someone who would go "so, this character needs to do bad things... Well, I'll just make her possessed by a Raver. Hm, and this other one... He can be possessed by a Raver too! How clever of me!"

[PitchDude]

Great point, Tallan. We have to remember who we're dealing with here!

Jim

[Satansheart Soulcrusher]

I'm inclined to agree. I think if anything possesses Roger it is more likely to be Foul himself, but then bang goes the "free will" argument. If Foul can work his will through Roger simply by possessing him, why could he not have done the same to TC when he first arrived in the Land in LFB? No, I think Roger's evil is more than just possession.

[ur-bane]

I've been thinking about the Roger issue a bit lately, and I don't think he is possesed at all, either.
I think that Foul has influenced him throughout his growing-up. Brainwashed, if you will. I think throughout his childhood, Foul was influencing him:

"I have whispered a few words of counsel and awaited the outcome."

At first glance, given the circumstance of Foul speaking to Linden in the Land when he says that, one might consider that he is referring to the Land's Earth and its inhabitants. But there could be more to it than that.
We know nothing of Roger and what he went through after Joan took him from Covenant, except a few bits and pieces of Joan's memories while Linden was in the caesure.
It is entirely possible that Foul has forged yet another tool for use against Covenant.

"We are foemen, you and I."

Covenant has beaten him twice already. Foul wants another shot. Given the condition of the Law, and the attacks on Time itself, perhaps Foul wants to prepare the way to that Last Battle with Covenant.

Certainly Roger himself is no threat to the Arch if he is Foul's tool.....but think about the responses he could evoke from Covenant, a father stripped of his son because of a disease he could neither foresee or control.

[Old Darth]

Interesting thoughts for sure as you guys always provide. I have to put Esmer up there as well. His background does not explain his powers and his conflicted nature. Could he be a tool of the Creator to provide the necessary conflict to Linden so that she will undergo the proper experiences needed for the final showdown?

The destruction of Kevin's Watch and the reappearance IllEarth Stone rank up there as surprises as well. The Ranyhyn allowing the Ramen to ride - and their acceptance - was a bit of a shocker too.