Shadow of the Sun by Barbara Friend ish, readalong week 2
8 April 2013
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Barbara Friend Ish, Readalong week 2, Shadow of the Sun
Okay, I’m totally late as ever!!!! Me, late, with my reputation. Yes, always. So, straight to the point. This is the second week’s readalong of Shadow of the Sun being hosted over at Dab of Darkness. It’s not too late to join in everyone – come on, you know you want to. Plus, don’t read further because there will be spoilers! Questions and answers follow:
1) Ellion has quite a mystery on his hands with yet the third assassination attempt. The assassin is the same dude, and once ‘dead’, he proceeds to disappear once again. What do you make of this elusive, reappearing, dead guy assassin?
Well, I don’t understand it. Clearly a lot of magic is involved but I don’t know how he disappears. Does he get up and walk out when Ellion isn’t looking or does he disappear. It’s a bit of a mystery to be frank. Plus, he’s dead already so how can he bleed – you need to have a pumping heart. All very mysterious.
2) Throughout this section, Ellion and Amien have several exchanges of words. Did you have the urge to ask them politely, yet firmly, to step out back and settle the matter for the duration of the trip?
Well, they got on my nerves a little bit because partly they were acting like they don’t want people to know about their past history but then they’re acting so obvious that I want to shake them. Just have the discussion already. Also, Ellion annoyed me slightly. I get the whole thing with his past where he’s hurt people unintentionally but frankly by withholding his magic now he’s almost allowing people to die just by being in denial.
3) The Tanaan suffered a great loss in the past, calling it The Deluge, believing it to have been brought upon them by a wrathful goddess. Do you believe this Deluge was due to a goddess striking a disobedient people? What could the Tanaan have done to warrant such action?
I don’t believe the Deluge was an act of God. I think it’s something that people don’t understand, like tidal waves and volcanos – look at Pompeii for example, nobody knew what to expect and we all know that happened there.
4) The Tanaan are use to fighting in tourneys, one-on-one, and not in formations with team goals. How do you think they will take to Ellion’s attempts to school them in real combat tactics?
Fighting, working or acting as a team isn’t easy to people who are used to acting alone, particularly if they’re ambitious or used to trying to be the best. The Tanaan are used to tourneys where it’s all about oneupmanship however, I think that all of them have fairly quickly adapted to Ellion taking control of the situation. Clearly, even though he doesn’t want to be a leader it seems to be his natural way. That doesn’t mean to say they are going to be successful. Working in team situations can’t be learnt over night as we are quickly learning. Too many people are running off doing they own thing which we can see isn’t helping.
5) Letitia has been wearing her mother’s diamond on her torc, which turns out was a gift from Amien. He crafted it himself and says it is a tool. What kind of tool do you think it is?
Maybe it’s channelling tool – who knows, it could be whats leading the bad guys to their camp all the time. Alternatively, maybe she’s contacting someone?? What is all the meditating. Sometimes I don’t totally trust Letitia. Not because she’s not innocent but she does go off meditating quite a lot – no matter what’s going on??
6) What is up with the Tuaoh Stone having a strong reaction to Ellion?
I think it’s reacting to his own magical abilities, like maybe it’s attracted to him or drawn to him. Like the voices in his head maybe are related to the stone. Actually, I’m just making everything up because I don’t really know. So, don’t pay to much attention to me. Sometimes I get lucky and through pure dumb plucking at answers hit on something – so who knows!
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch, readalong week 2
5 May 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Readalong week 2, Red Seas Under Red Skies, Scott Lynch
Red Seas Under Red Skies
Just finished reading the second installment of Red Seas Under Red Skies. This week’s reading was pretty impressive – more quotes than you can shake a stick at – ‘bend over and bite your own arse’ is my particular favourite (plus ‘haven’t you ever had a lady tell you to get down and use your tongue!!). What about that wasp fighting scene – it gave me the heebeejeebys – I got stung by a wasp a couple of days ago and it’s still itchy, maybe it’s imagination but I could swear it was worse when I was reading that bit. The readalong is being hosted by the Little Red Reviewer who this week also provided the questions and it’s not too late to join the fun. So, let’s begin.. (oh, beware yee who enter here there be spoilers ahead!)
1. Now that we know a little more about Selendri and Requin, what do you think of them? I worry Locke is suddenly realizing this con might be a bit tougher than he expected.
I think they’re a very professional hard assed pair! Funnily enough I don’t dislike them at all. I mean I don’t love them but I do like the parts they play. Particularly Selendri – she’s a real no holds barred don’t suffer fools type of gal! Locke has certainly found himself in a couple of tricky positions up in the tower and facing a potential shortcut to the ground floor. Luckily, he’s a quick thinker! I was wondering what game exactly he was playing with Selendri – is he trying to schmooze her – I don’t see that working particularly as her and Requin seem very loyal.
2. Isn’t the Artificers’ Crescent just amazing? If you could purchase anything there, what would it be?
A Ginger Scald. Only kidding! Gods, this is a tough one, I think ‘ll have a slightly amended version of the poison that was referred to where you can eat whatever you want but not take any nourishment – okay I want to take the nourishment (obvs) but maybe not the fat! I feel like a kid in a sweet shop. I don’t know what to answer this one with and when I read everyone’s else’s answers I’ll be like (doh) ‘why didn’t I think of that’. I’m going to think on it a bit more… actually, not to appear like a raging lush, but I wouldn’t mind a bottle of that wine that Requin poured that keeps changing flavour and colour, one minute drinking a ruby red and the next a sparkling white, yum!
3. What did you think of Salon Corbeau and the goings on that occur there? A bit crueler than a Camorri crime boss, no?
Oh my god – it’s absolutely awful. I felt exactly like Locke standing on the edge watching in horror, can’t drag my eyes away from the book and basically just thinking ‘wtf’. I had just such mixed feelings about the whole affair. On the one hand these people willingly go there and undergo this abuse, on the other hand we have these nobles who think this is entertainment, then we have Locke and Jean who are pulling these complicated heists, basically throwing money around as though it’s going out of fashion – so you have all these different angles to it. I can see the horror, but then I can’t help say what are these people thinking of putting themselves through this – and lets face it they’re not all desperate. It’s all like different levels of greed and desire or something. Still very uncomfortable to read about and here’s to hoping that Locke and Jean knock it on the head!
4. The Archon might be a megalomaniacal military dictator, but he thinks he’s doing right by Tal Verrar: his ultimate goal seems to be to protect them. What do you think he’s so afraid of?
I think he’s scared of not being remembered. He thinks he’s going to make a difference and probably sees everyone remembering him as the ‘one’ who started to make the difference. He’s clearly got some sort of deep rooted dislike of the Bondsmagi – all will eventually be revealed!!!!
5. And who the heck is trying to kill Locke and Jean every few days? they just almost got poisoned (again!)!
Strangely enough I do remember what’s going on here and I’m finding it difficult to answer without being a spoilery so and so. I tell you what though – these two walk on the wild side. They are constantly being attacked. But it makes for some damn fine reading.
6. Do you really think it’s possibly for a city rat like Locke to fake his way onto a Pirate ship?
This is going to be hilarious. Locke has no sea legs at all and gets sea sickness. Jean is just going to chill and get on with it. But, Locke is going to hate it. He is going to be out of his element but he is the consumate actor and his experience will come through.
So, onto the next chapters – I’m looking forward to getting out to sea!
Thanks for the questions Andrea
