The First Law- But a Second Reread (or Third, or Fourth or Fi.....) spoilers for First Law books

[Argonath Diver]

Man, the trouble with re-reads like this are that am always either far behind or far ahead. I've already chugged through most of the first novel.

The introductory chapters were as fun as I remembered them. I remember my first adventure through these books. I thought I had very cleverly guessed the characters' fates, and I couldn't have been more wrong. 

Joe doesn't spend much time on scenery, does he? I have absolutely no idea what Adua looks like. Occasionally, the vaguest aspects of a room are described. On a related note, I told myself I wouldn't look at a map until I'd gotten a decent idea of geography from the text. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist - at least not in the first half of The Blade Itself. His dialogue, action, and inner monologues keep pages turning, though. On a minor note, I really enjoy how often he types out an interjection in just the right spots. Instead of "Logan cursed, and ..." we get "Ugh." Logan said. Can't wait for the sex scene grunts later on!

Is it next week yet? I want to complain about Malachus Quai soon!

[A True Kaniggit]

26 minutes ago, Argonath Diver said:

Man, the trouble with re-reads like this are that am always either far behind or far ahead. I've already chugged through most of the first novel.

Start reading different novels during the reread to distract yourself. Then only read the chapters under discussion a couple days before.

That's my system anyways.

[HexMachina]

9 hours ago, Argonath Diver said:

Man, the trouble with re-reads like this are that am always either far behind or far ahead. I've already chugged through most of the first novel.

The introductory chapters were as fun as I remembered them. I remember my first adventure through these books. I thought I had very cleverly guessed the characters' fates, and I couldn't have been more wrong. 

Joe doesn't spend much time on scenery, does he? I have absolutely no idea what Adua looks like. Occasionally, the vaguest aspects of a room are described. On a related note, I told myself I wouldn't look at a map until I'd gotten a decent idea of geography from the text. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist - at least not in the first half of The Blade Itself. His dialogue, action, and inner monologues keep pages turning, though. On a minor note, I really enjoy how often he types out an interjection in just the right spots. Instead of "Logan cursed, and ..." we get "Ugh." Logan said. Can't wait for the sex scene grunts later on!

Is it next week yet? I want to complain about Malachus Quai soon!

I actually thought the scenery descriptions of the Agriont were nice and built a pretty solid picture in my mind, without being too wordy. Same with the High Places, although I don’t know where the hell that is beyond north of the North

[Yohn]

14 hours ago, red snow said:

Glokta has to pee sitting down. Does this mean he was castrated? Or just messed up in that department.

Castration is removal of the testicles. So that wouldn't in itself mean he'd have to pee sitting down. Could be that he's had his penis removed only or castrated and lost his John Thomas.

[red snow]

1 hour ago, Yohn said:

Castration is removal of the testicles. So that wouldn't in itself mean he'd have to pee sitting down. Could be that he's had his penis removed only or castrated and lost his John Thomas.

Is there a word for the full works? Some eunuchs had that done. And then there's varys who had it done for reasons of witchcraft

 

2 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

I actually thought the scenery descriptions of the Agriont were nice and built a pretty solid picture in my mind, without being too wordy. Same with the High Places, although I don’t know where the hell that is beyond north of the North

The jogging scene felt very intentional as a device for describing the city 

I like how all the soldiers Jezal is playing cards with all have roles later in the series. I'm fairly sure some of them play key roles in "heroes" . I don't feel as though Joe had meticulous plans for these characters from the offset but he's very good at scouring previous books for characters he could use instead of just creating new ones. It does add depth to the world later in the series. I think it also explains why he did a reread before starting the new trilogy and why he wanted a draft of the entire new series prior to finishing book one. Helps him use characters to their best affect and can use them as "extras" prior to their key involvement.

 

[SeanF]

1 hour ago, red snow said:

Is there a word for the full works? Some eunuchs had that done. And then there's varys who had it done for reasons of witchcraft

 

The jogging scene felt very intentional as a device for describing the city 

I like how all the soldiers Jezal is playing cards with all have roles later in the series. I'm fairly sure some of them play key roles in "heroes" . I don't feel as though Joe had meticulous plans for these characters from the offset but he's very good at scouring previous books for characters he could use instead of just creating new ones. It does add depth to the world later in the series. I think it also explains why he did a reread before starting the new trilogy and why he wanted a draft of the entire new series prior to finishing book one. Helps him use characters to their best affect and can use them as "extras" prior to their key involvement.

 

I think "emasculation" is the word used for removal of the penis as well as testicles.  Contrary to popular belief, a eunuch who possesses a penis is still capable of an erection, although he is of course sterile.  Glokta's inner monologues do imply that his penis was removed.  His loss of control of his bowels suggest something nasty was done in the nether region as well.  Eunuchs who have had the penis removed tend to wet themselves, so they would put stoppers in to prevent this.

 

[HexMachina]

7 hours ago, red snow said:

Is there a word for the full works? Some eunuchs had that done. And then there's varys who had it done for reasons of witchcraft

 

The jogging scene felt very intentional as a device for describing the city 

I like how all the soldiers Jezal is playing cards with all have roles later in the series. I'm fairly sure some of them play key roles in "heroes" . I don't feel as though Joe had meticulous plans for these characters from the offset but he's very good at scouring previous books for characters he could use instead of just creating new ones. It does add depth to the world later in the series. I think it also explains why he did a reread before starting the new trilogy and why he wanted a draft of the entire new series prior to finishing book one. Helps him use characters to their best affect and can use them as "extras" prior to their key involvement.

 

The introduction to Jezal and his friends just seems to scream youthful naivety and suggest that an unpleasant future lies ahead. Maybe that's just the benefit of hindsight but I got that sense reading the chapter.

And Jezal being an awful person too of course. Somehow he is more loathsome than Glokta on first impression. Probably because Glokta is entertaining at least

[red snow]

6 hours ago, SeanF said:

I think "emasculation" is the word used for removal of the penis as well as testicles.  Contrary to popular belief, a eunuch who possesses a penis is still capable of an erection, although he is of course sterile.  Glokta's inner monologues do imply that his penis was removed.  His loss of control of his bowels suggest something nasty was done in the nether region as well.  Eunuchs who have had the penis removed tend to wet themselves, so they would put stoppers in to prevent this.

 

It's a shame emasculated is used so casually now that it's meaning has been so watered down.

Glokta does surprisingly well given all his injuries but i guess it's partly stubborn force of will. I just read a chapter where he was saying he'd be better off without his left leg but he refused to become half a man. Which sort of suggests he still has enough pride in himself to feel whole (or at least more than half a man)

[SeanF]

44 minutes ago, red snow said:

It's a shame emasculated is used so casually now that it's meaning has been so watered down.

Glokta does surprisingly well given all his injuries but i guess it's partly stubborn force of will. I just read a chapter where he was saying he'd be better off without his left leg but he refused to become half a man. Which sort of suggests he still has enough pride in himself to feel whole (or at least more than half a man)

Glokta's torture was prolonged, deliberate, and finely-calculated.  It was not the work of some brutal underling, but rather done by someone who knew quite a lot about him, and wished to destroy him psychologically.  

But, like Varys, he resolved to survive, in order to spite his captor.

[red snow]

14 minutes ago, SeanF said:

Glokta's torture was prolonged, deliberate, and finely-calculated.  It was not the work of some brutal underling, but rather done by someone who knew quite a lot about him, and wished to destroy him psychologically.  

But, like Varys, he resolved to survive, in order to spite his captor.

I guess when you have nothing left to lose spite can be a motivator. I'm really hoping he has got to be a father figure for ardee's child - i think that could bring some genuine joy in his life.

[BigFatCoward]

I started today, and fell asleep on page 2. Not a critique. I had a comfy seat on the train and was really sleepy. 

[red snow]

6 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

I started today, and fell asleep on page 2. Not a critique. I had a comfy seat on the train and was really sleepy. 

You have to be realistic about things. Comfy seat and tiredness does not go well with reading

[A True Kaniggit]

6 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

I started today, and fell asleep on page 2. Not a critique. I had a comfy seat on the train and was really sleepy. 

I find books can make great pillows at times.

[Yohn]

13 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

The introduction to Jezal and his friends just seems to scream privileged arrogance  and suggest that an unpleasant future lies ahead.

I've corrected that for you.

[HexMachina]

4 hours ago, Yohn said:

I've corrected that for you.

That too, but I stand by ‘innocent’ and naive too. Sure they are awful people and not innocent in the strict sense of things, but relative to what else’s we see going on

privileged arrogance is absolutely correct too though. I mean one line isn’t something like “it could have been all the money he had for the month. Jezal looked forward to taking it from him.” (Paraphrased, the kobo app is a bitch to quote from)

[SkynJay]

On 2/5/2019 at 4:16 AM, BigFatCoward said:

He talks to them before his duel with fenris the feared, and they were something to do with him being necessary for the journey to find the seed (can't remember the specifics though). 

The spirits were the ones actually holding the 'seed' for safe keeping.

[BigFatCoward]

Stupid efficient NHS, i went to hospital on Saturday morning expecting to be waiting a couple of hours and planned to put a good honest stint into the first book.  I was in and out in an hour.  Ridiculous.

[red snow]

22 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

Stupid efficient NHS, i went to hospital on Saturday morning expecting to be waiting a couple of hours and planned to put a good honest stint into the first book.  I was in and out in an hour.  Ridiculous.

Fate is really against you regarding this reread.

Finally hit the first dogman chapter. I'm paying more attention to his thoughts regarding logen now given what we discover at the end of the trilogy.

It's also odd how I'm not seeing glokta as a villain this time - clearly his future actions are changing my opinion on him 

[BigFatCoward]

52 minutes ago, red snow said:

Fate is really against you regarding this reread.

Finally hit the first dogman chapter. I'm paying more attention to his thoughts regarding logen now given what we discover at the end of the trilogy.

It's also odd how I'm not seeing glokta as a villain this time - clearly his future actions are changing my opinion on him 

Due to the earlier discussion about the extent of his injuries i've been paying more attention than usual to how he was treated, maybe this has led to a far more sympathetic reading than previously. 

Also, never picked up before how low down the scale Glokta was, he had only met the Arch Lektor once previously, in my head he had always been fairly senior, now i realise he was 'middle management' at best.

[red snow]

48 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

Due to the earlier discussion about the extent of his injuries i've been paying more attention than usual to how he was treated, maybe this has led to a far more sympathetic reading than previously. 

Also, never picked up before how low down the scale Glokta was, he had only met the Arch Lektor once previously, in my head he had always been fairly senior, now i realise he was 'middle management' at best.

I think that's a good point especially eith all the people he thought were friends and then abandoned him. I suspect a lot of isolation is self inflicted but it also seems nobility are a vain and shallow lot who probably don't want to be around a ruined man as it reminds them of how they could run foul.

I guess glokta has a meteoric rise throughout the trilogy usually thanks to people thinking he's expendable for jobs that should fail and he somehow does a better job than expected.