Gaston de Foix

Jacqueline Carey's the Sundering duology. Also, Tolkein's Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers. There may be a subsequent volume too, can't remember

I liked the story, although Jim's writing has veered more and more sentimental these days. And I appreciate the gesture since we have been waiting patiently for Peace Talks since May 2014. Any serious discussion will have to await publication, but there is one minor question - why are Harry and Maggie still living in the Carpenter house?

Milton's Satan and Neil Gaiman's Beowulf disagree with you. As to why do it: well, it's a homage to the power and glory of the old, just as Banewreaker and the First Law series are (in different ways). But I think the point I was making was ambiguous. I don't think you have to the fully embrace the Carey "evil be thou my good" in order to question the choices of the Valar in the story. It isn't just a matter of perspective (or imagined perspective). You can focus on Tolkein-given facts. It's fair to take as a given that the Valar didn't understand Melkor's nature. But some Valar like Ulmo tried to help the Noldor and men, but were only partly successful. It's fair to ask why the Valar as a group didn't intervene before, if only to protect men who had not committed any transgressions. And if you really want a metafictional interpretation I think it's because Tolkein's vision is essentially tragic, and one of the most important subtexts of the Silmarillion is parental hostility and abandonment. Me too. I picked it up because Martin recommended it on his Not-a-Blog. It's brilliant, and moving. Now I can't distinguish between Manwe and /Haomane or Orome/Oronin in my head.

Out of curiosity, has anyone read the Banewreaker series? Thoughts? The argument could be made that the perspective on events in the Silmarillion are to a great extent Valarist propaganda. The facts are that the Valar consistently mishandled Melkor and prevented him from wreaking great harm to the Noldor. They then abandoned the Noldor to fight a doomed battle against him, wearing down his resources, while failing to permit any Noldor to even seek succour. Even when they finally intervened, they were sloppy enough to leave a threat like Sauron around.

I would add to this list Galadriel, Earendil and Elwing who are probably the three best leaders the Elves had. Earendil in particular is Morgoth's greatest foe both for his decision to enlist the aid of the Valar (which, come on, the elves really ought to have attempted earlier) and because he defeats Ancalagon the Black in the final battle. My favorite part of the Silmarillion has always been the contest between Finrod Felagund and Sauron. Finrod is the Ned Stark of the Silmarillion (with Beren as Jon Snow). Question: It is stated at outset of the Silmarillion by the herald of Manwe that nothing the elves do can defeat Morgoth. And yet despite dissension, rivalry and incompetent leadership the Elves come oh-so-close to taking him. How does one reconcile the two?

It's a bit weird that the UKSC and the US Supreme Court have decided a case with such close resemblance to each other isn't it? https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-111_j4el.pdf

I don't necessarily disagree, but my point was about Johnson's leadership prospects in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. And as a British transplant to the U.S., I would just warn you about the danger of "it could never happen here"

A minor dissent: he dropped out when his political advisers told him he was finished after Gove knifed him. Gove demonstrated exquisite political misjudgment in trying to knife Boris, and Boris demonstrated extremely poor judgment in assuming he wouldn't have won a leadership contest post-knifing. If he had stayed in, he would have won the leadership contest because, as Wert says, lots of Tories think he can win elections, and he was the beneficiary of enormous sympathy because of Gove's conduct. British politics is in this weird space where all the leading politicians are characterized not by their abilities but their relative weakness. Thus do the Maybot and Bojo weirdly complement each other: one colourless and dutiful without any ideas of her own the other full of zany ideas but lacking judgment and the ability to execute.

Shocking. Really shocking. FWIW, I actually think the real problem is that he has no idea how to get where the second books ends to where he wants the third book to end (if he knows that much). Question that follows: When PR posts a photo of the Doors of Stone manuscript, what is that? Just a cover page and blank pages underneath?

I agree with you. I don't believe I said that we should overlook or excuse the fact he behaved monstrously. I think four things: 1. He was almost universally condemned for his behavior and his remarks. The fact is that his behavior was debating in the New York Review of Books and in a major biography (before the Metoo movement started) and many obituaries is evidence of how reviled his behavior was, and how much they affected his reputation. 2. I think Naipaul was an abusive, neglectful even monstrous husband. But he didn't "destroy" his wife. She died of cancer, and his own statements that he killed or "destroyed" her are not true. 3. I think you are right that the Me too movement is teaching us how abhorrent it is that men like Naipaul, Polanski and Allen have gotten free passes. I think there should be social condemnation. I also think the women in question, both of them, should have spoken out, left him, and in the case of his mistress filed a criminal complaint. I want to teach my daughters to be strong, not weak in the face of this kind of behavior. But I also think the crimes were, for each man, different. And the real lesson from the Rob Porters and Naipauls' of the world is not that this is special treatment accorded to male artists or celebrities (although there is some of that), but that there is special treatment accorded to men, part by women and in part by other men. That has to stop. 4. I worry that the most insidious of these cruelties is not in fact being capable of being socially restrained in the world we live in. After all, his emotional neglect, infidelity, public cruelty, abandoning partners for someone younger etc. is increasingly common and accepted. I'm not sure MeToo has a cure for that.

All historical fiction can be divided into two camps. That written by Hilary Mantel, and that written by someone else. Read Wolf Hall, and feel free to name your first born after me...

Excellent news. I watched the movie last night and I felt that it had almost too many stars (Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Ian McKellan as the voice of Iorek Byrison). By spending so much money, they really needed a killing at the Box Office to justify a sequel. If they can do this to the standard of the Beeb's adaption of Jonathan Strange, it will be excellent. Back to Rothfuss ---> has anyone here read the Slow Regard of Silent Things or Jo Walton's summary/analysis? I found part 1 of her posting, but not the rest on Tor's website. I am curious if everyone agrees that Auri is a shaper, and if so on what basis.