Jump to content

GOODKIND X: Lemmings of Discord


Moosicus

Recommended Posts

“I’m going to get you out of this. My name is Richard. What’s yours?â€

Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you wish to know?â€

“Well, if I’m going to take you out of here, I need to know what to call you. I can’t call you ‘woman.’â€

She surveyed him silently for a moment. “I am Du Chaillu.â€

“Do I call you Du? Or Chaillu? Or Du Chaillu?â€

Puzzlement wrinkled her brow. “Du Chaillu. That is my name.â€

<This stirring dialogue goes on for a while, Richard takes out the sword to free her from the collar.>

Nooooo, you can't just cut out the dialogue! It's fascinating! I mean, seriously: "I am Du Chaillu.†“Do I call you Du? Or Chaillu? Or Du Chaillu?†Puzzlement wrinkled her brow [it did mine too]. “Du Chaillu. That is my name.â€

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If centipedes are indeed evil for their "collective" of limbs I wonder where Goodkind draws the line. Are 6 limbed ants evil? What about 8 limbed spiders? There have to be some other considerations in play here.

Clearly the communistic lifestyle of an any colony would exclude ants from Goodkind's Good Animal List. Spiders are a more difficult topic altogether. Although they have multiple legs like a centipede they clearly do not have as many legs. The centipede, because of its gross overabundance of appendages must coordinate its movement. Coordination, cooperation is inherently a rejection of Objectivism, and thus a centipede is evil. Now, a spider has only 8 legs, so its need for coordination is less than that of a centipede. That is a point in favor of spiders.

However, can we truly say that spiders "embrace life" as is required if you are to be a true objectivist? As far as I know, except for a few species, all spiders do is sit around all day in their web waiting for prey to come to them. This is a particularly lazy way of hunting, much similar to the way a welfare whore waits for her check from the government instead of embracing life and venturing out and taking part in the glorious institution of capitalism.

If we were talking about almost any other author, the ambiguous nature of spiders might force us to place the creature in a neutral category. But since in Goodkind's world, there are no shades of gray; you are either evil incarnate or good.

As things stand now, I am forced to say that the spider must also be classified as Evil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We also know that vipers are evil. Otherwise Sisters of the Dark wouldn't get compared to them.

I think we can assume that all snakes are evil. They are limbless like a quadruple amputee that lies lazily around doing nothing but wickedly devouring other people's resources without lifting a finger for capitalism. A snake will never build a skyscraper or invent a lightbulb.

I would assume, however, that Objectivists are fine with cold-blooded lizards, as they are ruled by cold-blooded reason instead of fuzzy emotions and thus make excellent sociopathic CEOs to idolize.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moose, just thought of a great QOTD! When Kahlan and her posse kill Kahlan's brother Harold in Faith of the Fallen.

It's even funnier that when Galea is sacked they forget a friend of theirs is in there... a possible representation of Goodkind's work.

Kahlan's eyes blazed with savagery as she faced Richard. Richard was a big man, but he seemed small in comparison to the fury of his wife. He said to her, "What of Galea?"

The morally corrupt nation, whose lunatic queen had turned to the path of self destruction and evil was now left to suffer the consequences of its own actions. The Imperial Order's savagery would teach the people of Galea the cost of refusal to the D'haran Order...why could they not have seen Richard's cause was right.

A small child gazed at Richard, eyes wide. "But, Lord Rahl...wasn't there a friend of yours in Galea? Does she not deserve saving?"

Richard considered this for a moment. But for someone good to be in Galea would mean such a morally corrupt nation of evil and hatred would have a spark of good within and thus might not deserve complete destruction. No, that was impossible for Richard had no considered it. Therefore, this blight on his moral clarity meant that this was a child that was not a child: A servant of the Imperial Order.

Richard's foot snapped up into the child's head, shattering his skull and hurling his brains out of the window. The boy's mother fell to her knees, weeping with joy, for she knew Richard's savage slaying was a testament to the goodness of life her son had profaned.

"But," Sister Verna began, "We did forget Jebra in Galea."

Silence rang out in the hall for a moment. Then Richard laughed. Kahlan laughed. And all the men laughed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MinDonner winning that copy of PHANTOM was ironic, to say the least! :P

You can imagine my surprise when I opened up the winning email, only to realize who had won the prize! Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways. . . :D

Patrick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moose, just thought of a great QOTD! When Kahlan and her posse kill Kahlan's brother Harold in Faith of the Fallen.

It's even funnier that when Galea is sacked they forget a friend of theirs is in there... a possible representation of Goodkind's work.

Kahlan's eyes blazed with savagery as she faced Richard. Richard was a big man, but he seemed small in comparison to the fury of his wife. He said to her, "What of Galea?"

The morally corrupt nation, whose lunatic queen had turned to the path of self destruction and evil was now left to suffer the consequences of its own actions. The Imperial Order's savagery would teach the people of Galea the cost of refusal to the D'haran Order...why could they not have seen Richard's cause was right.

A small child gazed at Richard, eyes wide. "But, Lord Rahl...wasn't there a friend of yours in Galea? Does she not deserve saving?"

Richard considered this for a moment. But for someone good to be in Galea would mean such a morally corrupt nation of evil and hatred would have a spark of good within and thus might not deserve complete destruction. No, that was impossible for Richard had no considered it. Therefore, this blight on his moral clarity meant that this was a child that was not a child: A servant of the Imperial Order.

Richard's foot snapped up into the child's head, shattering his skull and hurling his brains out of the window. The boy's mother fell to her knees, weeping with joy, for she knew Richard's savage slaying was a testament to the goodness of life her son had profaned.

"But," Sister Verna began, "We did forget Jebra in Galea."

Silence reigned for a moment. Then Richard laughed. Kahlan laughed. And all the men laughed.

This is beautiful. My only minor quibble is that, from what I gather from reading the QotD, silence has a tendency to ring in the books. So perhaps silence should have rung out in the hall for a moment? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raptors have to be included in the Animals of Truth - Richard's gaze acts like one on enough occasions, and they symbolise all that is good in the world (solitary hunters, not relying on co-operation etc) - and they eat lemmings, who we all know are spreaders of discord.

I don't think the jackals, chickens, centipedes and lemmings will all be eating each other, though - being the bad guys, they will co-operate and live in harmony, and thus must be destroyed!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QOTD: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick:

Ok, whats with thte pahillic symbols - men holding their "spears" upright between their legs and micking Richard for not wanting to get it on with an audience of other men?

Also - they were indoors... HOW THE BLOODY HELL do you hold a spear vertical indoors? particularly of you are in a pseudo medieval fantasy setting where celings are frequently quite low... grrrrr :tantrum:

As for Richard hoplding his Rage in... TG must be the only writere to glamorise and praise the loss of reason invlived in getting mad and killing anyone who you don't agree with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raptors have to be included in the Animals of Truth - Richard's gaze acts like one on enough occasions, and they symbolise all that is good in the world (solitary hunters, not relying on co-operation etc) - and they eat lemmings, who we all know are spreaders of discord.

I don't think the jackals, chickens, centipedes and lemmings will all be eating each other, though - being the bad guys, they will co-operate and live in harmony, and thus must be destroyed!

So I think I missed wherever it was revealed that lemmings were evil as well.

I mean, I can see that since they pretty blindly follow, that would be anathema to objectivists, but are they actually vilified in the books?

Lightsnake, I feel honored that you would actually change your prose just to satisfy me :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I think I missed wherever it was revealed that lemmings were evil as well.

I mean, I can see that since they pretty blindly follow, that would be anathema to objectivists, but are they actually vilified in the books?

According to mystar, we here on this board are the Lemmings of discord.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also - they were indoors... HOW THE BLOODY HELL do you hold a spear vertical indoors? particularly of you are in a pseudo medieval fantasy setting where celings are frequently quite low... grrrrr :tantrum:

'The ceiling was at least three stories high'

Presumably to allow for spear holding.

My first and only defence of TG (PBUH). I feel sullied.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to mystar, we here on this board are the Lemmings of discord.

Ah yes, Lemmings well known for their suicidal tendancy of hurling themselves off cliffs.

Anybody who has read the works of TG should be well aquainted with the feeling of wanting to hurl :sick:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also - they were indoors... HOW THE BLOODY HELL do you hold a spear vertical indoors? particularly of you are in a pseudo medieval fantasy setting where celings are frequently quite low... grrrrr :tantrum:

Simple. In this small room, "The ceiling was at least three stories high"..... :lol:

Has anyone seen "Who wants to be a Superhero"? In the 1st episode they showed some of the auditions. One woman declared that in order to distract her opponents she flashes them. At which point she dropped her top for Stan Lee. All I could think was that she read too much TG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good morning and welcome once again to the Terry Goodkind Quote of the Day. Today is part II of Richard’s daring rescue of Du Chaillu from the lands of the Majendie.

Although his sword sat in its scabbard, he was already drawing its magic. Rage surged into him. He summoned it ever onward, letting his barriers fall before its advance.

He was entering a silent world all his own. A world of grim committal to what he was.

Bringer of death. <cue the music, dum-dum-DUMMMMM!!!>

Sister Verna paled when she saw him pulling Du Chaillu after, becoming even paler when she saw his demeanor.

Without a word to her, Richard snatched his bow off the side of his saddle. He grunted with the effort of swiftly stretching the bowstring to the bow. He yanked two steel-bladed arrows from the quiver hanging from Bonnie’s saddle. His chest heaved with wrath.

The crowd had all turned toward him. Puzzled faces bobbed up as men behind jumped to get a view. The women in black all looked up in his direction. The Queen Mother watched.

Sister Verna’s face was by now bright red. <Didn’t it just pale a minute ago?> “Richard! What do you think…!â€

Richard shoved her back. “Be quiet.â€

Bow and arrows in hand, he leapt up onto his saddle. The mumbling fell silent.

Richard directed himself to the Queen Mother. “I have spoken with the spirits!†<Liar>

The back of the Queen Mother’s hand started sliding up the pole, toward the bell’s rope. That was all the sign he needed. She had been offered a chance. <Really? When?> The irrevocable commitment had been made.

He loosed the magic within himself.

In one swift motion, Richard nocked an arrow. He drew string to cheek. He called the target. The arrow was away.

The air hissed with the sound of the arrow’s flight. The crowed gasped. Before the arrow reached the target, while the air still sizzled with its sound <I thought it was hissing?> Richard had the second arrow nocked and on target.

With a twanging thunk, the first arrow made a solid hit, dead-on where he intended it. The Queen Mother let out a clipped cry of surprise and pain. Penetrating the space between the two bones in her wrist, the arrow pinned her arm to the pole, preventing her hand from reaching the bell’s rope. Her other hand started over toward the rope. <Some people never learn.>

The second arrow sat rock solid in the invisible notch in the air, on target, waiting. “Move toward the bell, and the next arrow goes through your right eye!â€

The gaggle of women in black fell to their knees, wailing. The Queen Mother became still. Blood trickled down her arm.

Inside, storms of anger thundered though him. Outside, he was stone. “You will hear what the spirits have commanded!â€

Slowly, the Queen Mother let her fee hand drop to her side. “Speak their words, then.â€

Richard still held the bowstring to his cheek, and had no intention of letting it relax. Though the arrow was aimed at one, his ire was directed at all.

Magic burned through him at full fury. The force of rage pounded through his veins. In the past, it had always been focused on an enemy, someone specific. This was different. It was open-ended rage, rage at all those present, at everyone involved in human sacrifice. This was nonspecific wrath.

That made it worse. It drew more magic.

Richard didn’t know if it was the all-encompassing threat that drew more magic, or if it was because of all the practicing he had done with Sister Verna, enabling him to focus, but whatever the reason, he was calling forth more magic from the sword than he ever had before, more than he had known was there. The magic seethed with frightening power. The very air vibrated with it. <In case you missed it, Richard’s pissed.>

The men about stepped back. The wailing women fell into a hush. The Queen Mother’s face was white against the black of her dress. A thousand people stood in silent terror of one.

“The spirits wish no more sacrifices! It does not prove your devotion to them, only that you can kill! From now on, you must show your respect of the spirits by showing respect for the lives of the Baka Ban Mana. If you do not, the spirits will vent their wrath by destroying you! Take their threat to heart, or they will bring starvation and death to the Majendie!â€

He spoke to the men as they pressed forward. “I any of you makes a move against me or these two women, the Queen Mother dies.†They all glanced to one another, seeking courage. “You may think to kill me,†he told them, the target not wavering in the slightest, “but you cannot before the Queen Mother dies. You saw the shot I made. My hand is guided by magic. I do not miss.â€

The men backed away.

“Let him be!†the Queen Mother called out. “Hear what he has to say!â€

“I have told you what the spirits have said! You will obey!â€

She was silent a moment. “We will consult the spirits ourselves.â€

“You would insult them? You would be admitting you do not heed their words, buy your own worldly wishes!â€

“But we must…â€

“I’m not here to bargain on their behalf! The spirits have ordered I give the sacrificial knife to this woman, so she may carry it back to her people, to show them that the Majendie will no longer hunt them.

“The spirits will warn you of their anger by taking the seed you plant, and only when you send representatives to the Baka Ban Mana and tell them you agree to the wishes of the spirits will you be able to plant your crops. If you do not follow the spirits’ wishes, you will all starve to death!

“We are leaving now. I will have your word that we will be granted safe leave of your land, or you will die right now.â€

“We must consider…â€

“I grant you until the count of three to give me your decision! One, two, three!" The Queen Mother gasped. The women in black gasped. The crowd gasped. <HOLY SHIT!!!BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!> “What have you decided!â€

The Queen Mother held her fee hand up, imploring he hold his arrow. “You may go! You have the word of the Queen Mother that you may leave our land unharmed!â€

“A wise decision.â€

Her hand closed into a fist, one finger pointing toward them. “But this is a violation of our agreement with the wisewomen. The accord is at an end. You must leave our land at once. You are banished.â€

“So be it,†Richard said. “But keep to your word, or you will reap the grim rewards of any imprudent action.â€

He released the tension from the bow. Standing in his stirrups, he pulled the sacred knife from his belt and held it up high for all to see.

“This woman will take this back to her people, and tell them of the words of the spirits. As to their part, the Baka Ban Mana may no longer make war on the Majendie. You may no longer make war on them. You will be two people at peace! Neither may harm the other! Heed the words of the spirits, or bear the consequences!â€

His voice dropped to a fierce whisper, yet the wrath of the magic carried the words to the farthest corners of the square, and in the stillness, every ear could hear them. “Heed my orders, or suffer what I will bring upon you. I will lay waste to you.â€

Magic lay over the square like fog in a valley, ethereal yet real, a palpable manifestation of his outrage that touched everyone present, and all trembled at that touch.

<Snip, they get on their horses and start to ride out.>

The magic hungered for blood, raged for it. Richard wished someone would try to stop him. No one did.

~Terry Goodkind, Stone of Tears

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to mystar, we here on this board are the Lemmings of discord.

That is so awesome. It's far more poetic than most imagery in TG's work, actually. I've always wanted to be a lemming of discord. Well, not really, since I didn't know about the possibility of being a lemming of discord until recently. But now that I know I can be one, I'm extremely proud to be just that.

Discordant Lemmings, Unite! Or something?

Holy crap! Not only do people laugh together, they gasp together! No wonder TG is considered brilliant. His work is pure parmesan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh my lord. Every new thing from TG that I see is scarier than the last:

Question: Terry, when you wrote FotF, and the conversion / transformation of Nicci, her search for the answer to the riddle of Richard. I was reminded of the story of the conversion Saul of Tarsus. (Sp) Saul went around killing and torturing Christians for their beliefs; Nicci went around killing and torturing people who wanted to life their lives. I was wondering if there was any conscious thought on your part regarding these two.

Answer: I’ve never heard of Saul of Tarsus before. <snip rest of answer of how the conversion wasn't quick>

Are you kidding me? One of the most famous and influential people in Christianity and this "genius" has never heard of him? Its like he wants to claim that he has never read any book other than Ann Rands. That way no one can claim he stole his ideas from anyone else.

Question: Annerinas: Will you, Mr. TG, actually ever go write a non-fiction book exploring fully your ideals and philosophy, getting it out of your system. So that it's not being presented in the next book at the expense of the actual story?

Answer. Translation: Will you please change that way you think and write, stop using your mind, stop being an individual and instead start writing books like every other hackneyed Tolkien clone on the fantasy shelves. Answer: NO

:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With a twanging thunk

:lol: couldn't read the rest too well, this wee bit just reminded me of an Eddie Izzard scetch involving Twanging a coffin into a tree... :rofl: I'm in pain...

hmm, wonder how an Izzard Parody would look.

(wanders off to attempt to combine TG and EI)

(wanders back in search of durgs to aid in said attempt)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...