FR Part 2 - Chapter 7 - An Aftertaste of Victory

[Vain]

OK - I cry foul !! How did I get landed with the most boring chapter???

Mid-way between a really great battle and Salva Gildenborne, this chapter seems to take a breather whilst allowing Linden to go about and do a bit of healing, witness a recalcitrant Bhapa who doesn't want to take of the mantra of head Manethrall, and of course there's the coolness of Esmer who whisks up all the corpses and burns them.

The chapter does have one or two interesting bits that may come back and be more important later.

Firstly there's Liand (I still don't trust him) whipping out his orcrest and bestowing the gift of their birthright to all who would listen (sorry but I got to thinking about Obama when I was reading this - all puffery but no substance) Stave had it right when he said:

Corruption delights in the ruin of such innocence

Here's the bit that I actually liked - Linden wondered to herself that maybe she actually got something right for once.....

The sandgorgons (they're the coolest) can now communicate with each other and with the haruchai through mind to mind comms - this after they ate samadhi Sheol a long time before - they had become sentient beings and wanted more - go figure !

Linden had to answer this:

They seek your acknowledgement that they have fulfilled your desire

She dismisses it and then get's told:

You are not the ur-lord. you did not defeat or compel Nom....In gratitude for the quality of mind which they now posses, they answered your summons - They will not do so again

Don't know about you guys but I'd want to be able to have these guys around at a moments notice

Anyway, samadhi Sheol seems to be messing with their heads and they seem to want some power and figure they'll get it in doriender corishev - and Linden is cool with this - even though they tell her that if she gets in their way, they will kick her ass.

Something tells me that in the last two books, something will certainly come of this and the sandgorgons won't be allies - I have no idea what's going to be needed to sort them out considering there's a whole heap of them (only a few from a far larger group) came to Linden's aid

Anyway, I can't say much more aboutt his chapter - it wasn't very interesting

[lurch]

Well Vain, I'll be the first to admit that this chapter is a bit long in tooth and seems to have a rather thick consistency to it; a gravey with abit too much corn starch in it. But it is called ' An Aftertaste...and like a good cuban cigar , a long aftertaste can double the pleasure. Here is what I got out of it.

" An Aftertaste of Victory", a chapter that to me, is an interesting, fascinating appeal to the senses...or...Making Sense Of It All.. As the author ends the first paragraph, " Her depleted spirit she focused on the needs directly in front of her.": Where the mind is focused.

Fascinating comparison the author involves us in..Linden mulling over the Harrows " deal".." I am able to convey you to your son" while she gives freely her EarthPower in healing the mauled and savaged WoodHelevennin. The author ends this opening segment by taking us and Linden all the way back to the Hollow. Her sense of her failure there ,,deepens. She is brought back to awareness by springwine bread and then apple and fig. A biblical reference there conveying loss of innocence....?

Then Linden sees the twisted sense of a Masters mangled Wounds as Authority over the Woodhelvennin. Her fatigue dulls her sense of seeing so that she stumbles amongst the dead Cavewights. It is in here where the author first appeals to our sense of smell. Notice the multi directional thrust of " sense" in this paragraph, " Fortunately Pahni's sight was keener; less bewildered by the ramifications of slaughter...the auther is refering to two visions there. "Racing ahead, she dropped to her knees amid the stench and confusion of the dead. "...There is this whole play of our senses and the mind's dealing with what the senses communicate to the brain. Fantastic Surrealism crafted here by the author...The exterior reality trying to be " processed" by the interior reality of the mind. The Insanity that this conflicted state brings one to, is all around Linden,, and its finality is in the death of Whrany and the Woodhelvennin.. Mahrtiir's blinding wound as a frontal lobotomy strikes me as metaphorical magnificence

Yet the author marches on without missing a beat,, to going forward..creating a future. " But everything that was possible for her, she did, and more." . Back to Staves little parable about exceeding ones self..Yet the conflicted faces her again . Two lines; Please don't die....Don't hate me for not letting you die ,,along with Bhapa's oath of fidelity to which.." She had no answer. She could bear neither his gratitude nor his sorrow." , then the next step,," Amanibhavam" she replied.." Poultices. Bandages. Stop the bleeding"....She had no answer, except an answer that rose above the conflicted..came from her natural talent..an answer that addressed the situation directly in front of her, now. Mahrtiir ends up with a future.

Again, the author returns to the stink and stench of the battle scene along with the "implications of Linden's inadequacy." Metaphor as real and reality as metaphor, gives flavor to the taste of this chapter about sense and non sense. Linden's dizzy spells, the Land going inside out...This is Very real. If you don't believe me.....ask Menolly about my upside down photographs. The Surreal is " felt", can be actual.

The Blind Rage SandGorgons announce, No Mas!..Once is more than enough. Lets not make it a habit,,other wise,,the innocent may become victims Such is the real sense of Blind Rage. There are other ways in coping with conflict...other ways that are a lot healthier and productive. As the author interjects..." She needed Thomas Convenant to make her whole"..Yea,, rite in the middle of the Sandgorgon scene.." She needed TC....." TC made the big sacrifice,,has figuratively risen above All of the conflict,,achieved the Surreal,,and Linden needs to know how he did it. Yes, the extreme of the Gorgon paralleled with the extreme choice and action by TC..beauty. What she doesn't get is..its really How She Is Doing It, going forward, Now.

Esmer shows back up after the gorgons leave to their dark wants. Not a word from the Surreal Esmer,, just action. Stench is brought back to our senses. Fascinating Surreal juxtaposition here, no combatant objects to the funeral pyre set by Esmer, matter of fact Farewells are expressed by man and Beast..but the stench still rises and is swept away by the breeze,,and Esmer ,,"wrapped the acrid reek of burning flesh and blood around him and vanished again." Recall the conflicted scene in part one of this book ,where Linden is beset in wonderous beauty of snow and Ice with the Illusionistic TC and Jerry. Try to compare that scene and this scene with its stench, blood and guts, and death,,followed immediately by the wonders of healing EarthPower, Amanibhavam, springwine, hurtloam, etc. The characters in this chapter seem to transcend their wounds as quick as ,, ,like Linden and the Author transcend from the stark conflicted contrasts of these two scenes to a beauty..a magnificence,. Liands little speech to the Woodhelvennim..says it all..and Linden gets it.." ..the Land is a place of marvels, beyond imagining and i have been enabled to partake in its mysteries..But it is not a gentle gift....All of your SENSES were opened as they have not been opened before....For many generations you have been deprived of the deepest truth of who and what and where you are..." . As with Theomach's defining the 7 wurds, I have never seen the tenants of Surrealism so artfully articulated.. ..Yet, Linden is ashamed. Liands speech surpasses Linden. Her shame completes the biblical reference made earlier as the fig leaf completed Eve's expulsion from Eden.This chapter, in all its darkness, stench, taste, transcends to magnificence. Again, kinda like a Trinidad Funadores with 8 years aging on it.

So, again, a step back , gives a perspective to, what was all this about? A costly battle that erupted out of nowhere, a naive Linden is beset by events and situation ,out of her control , that quickly spirals into insanity and waste. The Surreal Perspective of the modern human condition,, perceives much of life , much the same way. So yes, I am possibly prejudiced in my view of this chapter, this book, Donaldson's art as expressed in TCoTC...but I am not the only one captivated by it. To some degree, all of us have been made dizzy by the authors prodding to go beyond ourselves in grasping this series,,to some degree, all of us have transcended the dark gut wrenching and the opposite extreme, serene beauty; we all, conscious or not , have transcended to a sense of the " magnificence" of Donaldson's work here. Reality and metaphor have become one and the same...the Surreal.

[iQuestor]

Hi Vain, thanks for the dissection -- short, but sweet. it was kind of anti-climactic after Sons, arguably the most action packed chapter in the chrons.


I do think Linden will severely regret releasing the Sand gorgons from their debt. They now have a taste for suzerainity, and edged with raver bits -- that cant be good -- I could see Foul building on that rather easily; Linden also suggested to them to go to Doreinder Corashev -- a place with dire implications -- isn't that where Troy lost his sight in TIW?

[Vraith]

Questions: (sorry if the info is somewhere, but this site is so big, I can barely find anything)
How often/what days do you start new chapters?
How/who decides who the initial poster is (in case I might want to do it sometime? Not right away, I'm still locating and wading through the parts you've already done...loads of really interesting stuff, all of you, and pre-thanks for any help you can give me.

[Vraith]

Oh, and I meant to mention, I GI'd SRD about this sandgorgon thing, alas my question wasn't separable from my speculations, so I got a private reply (which was basically a RAFO answer)

[thewormoftheworld'send]

Hi Vain, thanks for the dissection -- short, but sweet. it was kind of anti-climactic after Sons, arguably the most action packed chapter in the chrons.


I do think Linden will severely regret releasing the Sand gorgons from their debt. They now have a taste for suzerainity, and edged with raver bits -- that cant be good -- I could see Foul building on that rather easily; Linden also suggested to them to go to Doreinder Corashev -- a place with dire implications -- isn't that where Troy lost his sight in TIW?

Yes.

[lurch]

Questions: (sorry if the info is somewhere, but this site is so big, I can barely find anything)
How often/what days do you start new chapters?
How/who decides who the initial poster is (in case I might want to do it sometime? Not right away, I'm still locating and wading through the parts you've already done...loads of really interesting stuff, all of you, and pre-thanks for any help you can give me.

jeff,,go one step back..clik on sticky about " signing up" .....

[Vraith]

Damn, I'm just stupid sometimes. So easy. Everythings assigned..guess I'll wait till the next book. Look forward to reading what y'all have to say, though. Thanks.

[lurch]

Damn, I'm just stupid sometimes. So easy. Everythings assigned..guess I'll wait till the next book. Look forward to reading what y'all have to say, though. Thanks.

Jeff,,you are free to post your own perspective on each chapter. Jump rite in!

[wayfriend]

Why is it an "Aftertaste" of Victory? I presume because it tastes bitter. Still, I think that the allusion to tasting is a bit odd.

I thought it was interesting that Hyn the Ranyhyn was selecting Woodhelvenen whom Linden should treat. This is actually pretty interesting when you consider that the Ranyhyn can see into the future. This may be another example of the "invisible hand" of the Ranyhyn, using their prescience to control the fate of the Land. In this case, by steering Linden to whom they consider a priority for saving.

Exhausted, Linden says to Stave, "I'm not Linden. I'm not her anymore. Somebody else took my place under Melenkurion Skyweir."

Obviously this isn't literally true. (Or is it?) But it's worth mentioning as it underscores yet again Linden's horrible transformation throughout this book.

She needed Thomas Covenant to make her whole..

Again, a comment revealed during utter exhaustion.

One can point to this as proof that Linden is not self-sufficient, but is a whiney wanna-be who can't really cope or move on from an old relationship.

Or one can point to this as an affirmation of a love which included so much sharing that, when sundered, leaves the participants maimed.

Spoiler

It certainly points towards motivation for subsequent actions. And hints, again, that the action has already been figured out and decided on.

It's unfortunate that Linden is so exhausted that she deals with the Sandgorgons so off-handedly. (At one point she remarks about them, "There's nothing left for them here. We can always get more corpses.")

The Sandgorgons "cling to Corruption" and desire "sovereignty". That can't be good!

To be fair, there are some positive aspects to this meeting. Covenant commanded Nom to leave the Brathair alone. Perhaps this comment extends to other peoples; that surely was Covenant's intent, if not his word.

And Linden also orders them to tackle the skurj. This might have a positive outcome.

Finally, perhaps Doriendor Corishev is truly barren. It might actually be a safe place for the Sandgorgons. Does anybody wonder what or whom they were in the Land sovereigning over until Linden called them?!?!

I do think Linden will severely regret releasing the Sand gorgons from their debt.

I don't think she had much choice about that. They did fulfill Linden's desire, after all. In that respect, she dealt honorably.

One other note. If Foul can be rehabilitated, why not a fragment of a Raver? Perhaps there will be goodness in the end.

Words.

the ache of his saft ribs

saft: I could not come up with a definition for this one. Anyone?

he knelt before the tall bayard that had answered in Whrany's place.

bayard: a bay (that is, reddish brown) horse, or a mock-heroic name for any horse, or even a magical legendary horse in a medieval chivalric romance.

It is a theriac for the bane

theriac: an antidote to poison.

In regard to Liand's "puffery", as Vain puts it.

First of all, there's no puffery here. Liand is putting his money where his mouth is, and granting healthsense to anyone who steps up and asks.

But more importantly, this is a significant milestone in Liand's coming into power. So far, Kevin's Dirt can be dispelled by Glimmermere, Haruchai constitution, Linden, and now Liand -- he's in the company of the mighty. He's learned how to use the orcrest in several ways now. Pretty much on his own. Given the tools, Liand is approaching in stature more and more the Lords of old.

Before we're done, Liand will be someone to be reckoned with. One of the all time greats of the Land, in any age. That's my feeling.

[wayfriend]

BTW, I forgot to say that I was unusually touched by the scene wherein Mahrtiir tries to make Bhapa a Manethrall, and he Bhapa refused to accept.