Faint Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Regarding the rapid progression in Reva's character, I agree it was done much too quickly. I think the two biggest weaknesses in the book are: (1) the events detailed for the characters besides Vaelin would have played much better as occurring over several years, as opposed to several months, and most likely over a couple of books in far greater detail; and (2) Vaelin's story was pretty threadbare and needed a much better arc. As to the latter, when it comes down to it, all Vaelin did in the latest book was head North and then, almost immediately afterwards, head back South to fight a quick battle. That was pretty much the entirety of his story, with a few pit stops along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 There has been some speculation regarding Lady Veliss being Janus' spy/whore whom Vaelin let go in book 1. I am pretty sure she is the spy. Vaelin does recognize her. He was looking for Reva using the Song when they started their march to Cumbrael. He had a vision of Reva talking to a woman who seemed familiar to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaston de Foix Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 There has been some speculation regarding Lady Veliss being Janus' spy/whore whom Vaelin let go in book 1. I am pretty sure she is the spy. Vaelin does recognize her. He was looking for Reva using the Song when they started their march to Cumbrael. He had a vision of Reva talking to a woman who seemed familiar to him. Yes this seems incontestable. What is less understandable is why the blood song fell silent when Vaelin declined to kill her - her support proved invaluable to Reva in defying the Volarians. Also if Alpiran Emperors possess a trace of precognition or blood song and choose their successor after identifying a similar quality in them- where exactly is this manifested in either Seliesen or his wife (the new imperial heir)? There's little evidence so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Yes this seems incontestable. What is less understandable is why the blood song fell silent when Vaelin declined to kill her - her support proved invaluable to Reva in defying the Volarians. Also if Alpiran Emperors possess a trace of precognition or blood song and choose their successor after identifying a similar quality in them- where exactly is this manifested in either Seliesen or his wife (the new imperial heir)? There's little evidence so far. Entirely possible that with her alive and helping the Volarian General, he was a lot more successful than he might have otherwise been and therefore more people died. She seemed to have some sway over him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaston de Foix Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Entirely possible that with her alive and helping the Volarian General, he was a lot more successful than he might have otherwise been and therefore more people died. She seemed to have some sway over him. wait, I read the book really fast - was Lady Vellis a traitor to Lord Mustor/the Realm? Can you give me a page reference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Entirely possible that with her alive and helping the Volarian General, he was a lot more successful than he might have otherwise been and therefore more people died. She seemed to have some sway over him. ? Unless I've missed something, this does not apply to either Veliss or the Hope's wife. Who/what are referring to Mex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 ? Unless I've missed something, this does not apply to either Veliss or the Hope's wife. Who/what are referring to Mex? Definitely remembered wrong then. Thought there was a bit about how smart the General's wife was and how much control she had. Obviously not. I read the book fast too and must have read too much into their relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faint Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Something someone here might be able to answer that I was wondering about: Was the general as old as his wife or was only she granted agelessness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Something someone here might be able to answer that I was wondering about: Was the general as old as his wife or was only she granted agelessness? Both were granted agelessness. There was some talks about how many campaigns he has led. Some of them were from 70 years or more back and was dismissed by the realm folks (can not remember who were discussing this). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faint Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Does anyone else feel that Anthony Ryan is writing a six novel series that only has three novels? I just feel there is so much that needs expanding on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Definitely remembered wrong then. Thought there was a bit about how smart the General's wife was and how much control she had. Obviously not. I read the book fast too and must have read too much into their relationship. You are right about the general's wife. But I thought you were referring to either Veliss or the Hope's wife (Lady Emeren). Gaston was referring to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaston de Foix Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Something someone here might be able to answer that I was wondering about: Was the general as old as his wife or was only she granted agelessness? I think he too had been granted agelessness. There was something about a campaign he led 150 years ago or something similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudguard Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Definitely remembered wrong then. Thought there was a bit about how smart the General's wife was and how much control she had. Obviously not. I read the book fast too and must have read too much into their relationship. I think the confusion is that Gaston was discussing Lady Veliss/the whore from book 1, and you confused Gaston's reference to Vaelin not killing her in book 1 as a reference to not killing the general's wife in book 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faint Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I think the confusion is that Gaston was discussing Lady Veliss/the whore from book 1, and you confused Gaston's reference to Vaelin not killing her in book 1 as a reference to not killing the general's wife in book 2. And, really, it was not Vaelin that decided not to kill the general's wife, it was Lyrna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaston de Foix Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Does anyone else feel that Anthony Ryan is writing a six novel series that only has three novels? I just feel there is so much that needs expanding on. A perceptive comment, Faint, I agree. If I compare Tower Lord to say, a Dresden Files novel, I think one of the missing things is also a sense of calm/reflection in the eye of the storm on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Does anyone else feel that Anthony Ryan is writing a six novel series that only has three novels? I just feel there is so much that needs expanding on. Based on how much he has managed to accomplish in the two books, I am sure he will be able to fisnish the story in one more book. But he does leave a lot of Easter eggs that you need to spot to put together the total story. I hope he writes more. May be a second trilogy. Naz was spot on with his comparison/contrast of Ryan with Sanderson in the other thread. Ryan is telling an apparently simple story in a generic fantasy setting. But his ability as a writer/ story teller is so far above Snderson. Ryan does not need the fluff that most fantasy writers seem to require and avoids infodump by dropping subtle hints to fill out the back story. B.S. creates amazing settings, intricate magic systems etc. But man his writing is clunky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 You are right about the general's wife. But I thought you were referring to either Veliss or the Hope's wife (Lady Emeren). Gaston was referring to them. Uh, I'm stupid. I'm already forgetting things. I for some reason confused Lady Veliss and the general's wife as you said. That's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickster Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Uh, I'm stupid. I'm already forgetting things. I for some reason confused Lady Veliss and the general's wife as you said. That's all. Allow me to flaunt my knowledge you simpleton, the General's wife is named Fornella :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 So I read the books. They were okay. I admit I enjoyed the first one because I'm a sucker for training montages, and that's pretty much half of the first book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Allow me to flaunt my knowledge you simpleton, the General's wife is named Fornella :P :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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