My recent reread of Mordant's Need (spoilers)
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 12:02 pm
I have decided to make this a separate thread hoping to bring out new discussions.
First, I wasn't to say some reading this will consider some of my review harsh. I will defend my harshness by stating very clearly SRD is my favorite author ever. I would not even spend my time writing this up for any author out there. To me harshness comes out because I appreciate the work and writing so much it brings out emotions that vast majority of authors cannot even touch.
So without further ado some comments and questions.
I really enjoyed my recent read of MN. It has been at least twenty years since my last read. I believe that this is my third read of MN. This is time I enjoyed and devoured the writing and appreciated it more then my past reads.
Things I enjoyed:
The scope of the Cares and the leaders of each of those Cares. I appreciated the different personalities.
I especially appreciated getting to know the Tor. We get to know him pretty well since he is pretty involved in the story and the fate of the kingdom.
I loved the intrigue and the manipulations of Eremis and Gilbur. It was interesting to see their plans develop.
On the same token it was interesting to see King Joyse's gambits and strategies develop. I think SRD did a masterful job of interweaving the game of hopboard into how the plot unraveled and seeing the different sides take their "moves".
Talking about hopboard...I really loved the back and forth questioning between Terisa and the King and how they were trying to assess each other as if playing hopboard.
I appreciated the emotions brought about by reading Castellan Lebbick, Saddith, Artagel, Nyle Terisa and Geraden. I got really involved in each character arc and each character develop.
Some disappointments:
I would have liked to see Terisa develop a little more in the beginning of the story. She is thrown into alien world and all these pieces moving around her - I am not sure it was clear to me why she chose action instead of just sitting in her room. I know she appreciated Geraden and was drawn to his loyalty. But I would have preferred a little more character development and internal dialogue displaying a progression from meek woman to woman taking action. I know there was some of that going on...just saying I would have preferred more.
I think the placing of Terisa practicing translations is in odd placement in books. The books show Terisa practicing translations at least three quarters into the book series. I think it would have been more interesting for Geraden or possibly a Master having her practice in the first book. In fact I think that could have been used to shown some character development earlier in the series.
I would have liked Geraden to develop a little more of his skills before his battle with Gilbur. I think that battle scene would have been a little more dramatic if Geraden had felt more skilled in his talents.
Probably my biggest disappointment was we do not get to know how (in detail) Adept Havelock disposes of Vagel. Vagel is supposed to be one of the best Imagers ever and we get a throw away sentence describing how Vagel meets his end? Huh? I do not get that decision at all. In fact we really never get to know Vagel hardly at all - then in one sentence he is gone? Shrug....could have much much better conclusion to those character arcs in my opinion.
Yes I know I am being overly harsh and there are VERY compelling reasons why the book progressed as it did. So that is why I stated the whole Adept Havelock/Vagel conclusion was the most disappointing.
Question:
ok this a sincere question and for recently reading the book I should have found the answer myself. But I really don't understand something even after thinking about it for awhile:
Why does Eremis both want to kill Terisa through Gart and at the same time gain her confidence. I mean I guess I kind of get it. If you cannot kill someone that may turn against you - see if you can con them to your side. But Eremis is trying to kill her early in series before he even knows if she has any talents at all? Why? Because she is hopboard piece unknown and he can't afford his board tilted? Please someone enlighten me with your thoughts and opinions?
First, I wasn't to say some reading this will consider some of my review harsh. I will defend my harshness by stating very clearly SRD is my favorite author ever. I would not even spend my time writing this up for any author out there. To me harshness comes out because I appreciate the work and writing so much it brings out emotions that vast majority of authors cannot even touch.
So without further ado some comments and questions.
I really enjoyed my recent read of MN. It has been at least twenty years since my last read. I believe that this is my third read of MN. This is time I enjoyed and devoured the writing and appreciated it more then my past reads.
Things I enjoyed:
The scope of the Cares and the leaders of each of those Cares. I appreciated the different personalities.
I especially appreciated getting to know the Tor. We get to know him pretty well since he is pretty involved in the story and the fate of the kingdom.
I loved the intrigue and the manipulations of Eremis and Gilbur. It was interesting to see their plans develop.
On the same token it was interesting to see King Joyse's gambits and strategies develop. I think SRD did a masterful job of interweaving the game of hopboard into how the plot unraveled and seeing the different sides take their "moves".
Talking about hopboard...I really loved the back and forth questioning between Terisa and the King and how they were trying to assess each other as if playing hopboard.
I appreciated the emotions brought about by reading Castellan Lebbick, Saddith, Artagel, Nyle Terisa and Geraden. I got really involved in each character arc and each character develop.
Some disappointments:
I would have liked to see Terisa develop a little more in the beginning of the story. She is thrown into alien world and all these pieces moving around her - I am not sure it was clear to me why she chose action instead of just sitting in her room. I know she appreciated Geraden and was drawn to his loyalty. But I would have preferred a little more character development and internal dialogue displaying a progression from meek woman to woman taking action. I know there was some of that going on...just saying I would have preferred more.
I think the placing of Terisa practicing translations is in odd placement in books. The books show Terisa practicing translations at least three quarters into the book series. I think it would have been more interesting for Geraden or possibly a Master having her practice in the first book. In fact I think that could have been used to shown some character development earlier in the series.
I would have liked Geraden to develop a little more of his skills before his battle with Gilbur. I think that battle scene would have been a little more dramatic if Geraden had felt more skilled in his talents.
Probably my biggest disappointment was we do not get to know how (in detail) Adept Havelock disposes of Vagel. Vagel is supposed to be one of the best Imagers ever and we get a throw away sentence describing how Vagel meets his end? Huh? I do not get that decision at all. In fact we really never get to know Vagel hardly at all - then in one sentence he is gone? Shrug....could have much much better conclusion to those character arcs in my opinion.
Yes I know I am being overly harsh and there are VERY compelling reasons why the book progressed as it did. So that is why I stated the whole Adept Havelock/Vagel conclusion was the most disappointing.
Question:
ok this a sincere question and for recently reading the book I should have found the answer myself. But I really don't understand something even after thinking about it for awhile:
Why does Eremis both want to kill Terisa through Gart and at the same time gain her confidence. I mean I guess I kind of get it. If you cannot kill someone that may turn against you - see if you can con them to your side. But Eremis is trying to kill her early in series before he even knows if she has any talents at all? Why? Because she is hopboard piece unknown and he can't afford his board tilted? Please someone enlighten me with your thoughts and opinions?