James Barclay

[Drizzt]

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK. YOU'LL RUIN THE MANY SURPRISES AWAITING YOU. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!
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Pagan Music

[Drizzt]

Ok guys and gals, those of us who have read the book, here's somewhere to voice opinions, see what we all thought of various questions and themes and so on...



I really enjoyed the book. It's a lot darker than the first and paced a lot faster too. I truth, the only thing that really didn't sit too well were the deaths of Felice and Herine. Felice's seemed a bit... well, I think I was probably gunning for a bit anyway (HATED her!), I hoped she'd maybe get a face full of the Sirranean powder! Herine's suicide came from nowhere, I never expected someone who'd been so ardent in their stances throughout both books to crumble the way she did.

Favourite part is defintely Iliev calmy informing a group opf Dead that he'll be requiring his papers!!
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Pagan Music

[TheJovialGnome]

I'd be hard pushed to pick a favourite bit, I thought the whole damned thing was fantastic, far and away the best yet!

I'm with you on the Felice thing, I was hoping something slightly nastier would befall her!

As for Herine, I've always admired her and I think she realized she'd made one mistake too many and I'm not too sure she hadn't been smoking some of that wacky baccy and thought she could fly

As always, Dina Kell kicked ass - what a woman
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"Constant Vigilance!"

[James]

I didn't want Felice to go out in any sort of grand manner, don't think she deserved it. A half-accident was somehow fitting - her God could not save her from that.

As for Herine, everything she feared came to haunt her. Not just killing Felice, though that was the start, it was more the slaughter of her citizens by Ascendant power she had ordered. She really did believe in the Conquord and its duty to protect and this to her was a crime deserving death. She lost her mind.

For me, favourite stuff was the whole degeneration of Gorian into a desperate God-complex. I was also pleased with how Roberto developed through his trials in the book. I think his was the most desperate situation (thinking about the death of Adranis of course) and to rise from that and still remain clear-eyed for the most part is the mark of a true leader.

And yes, gotta love Dina Kell. And Kashilli. And the man mountain we call Davarov.

By the way, drizzt, that line of Iliev's was my favourite line of speech in the whole book. Actually, I enjoyed that sequence enormously. THere really is nothing like the Ocenii off the leash.
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

[Lizzy]

Iliev made the book for me. Although I did enjoy Roberto's struggle hugely.

Felice dying accidently was fitting.

I understood Herine losing the plot but it was still a shocker.

The thing about Gorian is there was just absolutely nothing to like about him, totally deluded in the worst way. Therefore a great character to loathe, though Felice still has the trophy for that !
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Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! as said by Jovial

[Will]

Got to give it to you James, best book by miles. Loved the Ocenii, especially Iliev and also the way all the minor countries come in to it. Felice really did need to burn but hitting her head, God I never felt that angry at an accident ever! Really had the old emotions going there.
Favourite part has to be the te invasion of Estorr with everyone dying of that strange funus, disease thing. Never really scared of zombies before but you addressed all the little anomalies that always annoy me, and by the end I was terrified of them.
Jhered may be no Hirad, but I love him all the same!
p.s. not in that way!
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"Rhyming monkeys are rarer!"

[Max Power]

Finally! I've been dying to read this post for the last three weeks!!!

Just finished the book and thought it was great. I wondered how the Felice situation was going to resolve itself, and the accident and subsequent downward spiral of Herine was really well done. I took to Kashilli and the Ocenii - I think because apart from being particularly relentless and brutal, they introduced a hint of humor into proceedings to just lighten the book a little (offering Vasselis the chance to experience a fast landing on the beach for example).

I was always a fan of Dahnishev, and I was sad that he died as well. Perhaps it was even more of a surprise that his death was 'missed' (echoes of Ry Darrick's death in a way for me).

I think overall, though, I enjoyed seeing Roberto's journey, his dealings with Julius, and the way he carried on after Adranis' death. Although ultimately you could argue he only saw the bad in the Ascendancy (can't really blame him though!), I think he is an honourable man, with a strong faith and that kept him going. I suspect he'll make his mother proud!
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If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

[Tk421]

literally just finished reading and Wow. Too many cool scenes and not enough time to list them all. Kashilli staring down a rabid crowd and daring them to start a fight with him, Iliev calmly telling the dead "Gentlemen I'll be needing my papers", Herine's final moments.

all in all I was more than impressed. Now I just want to go back and read it all again.
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"Right so we're going to steal a bomb that can be remote detonated, take it back to our base and then huddle around it? That sounds like a great plan."

[Parmenion]

I loved the way roberto and the priest (julian??) developed as a pair. i think is summed up the book.
They started from 1 wanting to burn the other and both disagreeing all the way through to acceptance of each other opinions and ideas.

thought felices death was fitting, no glory no great speech while she is executed just slapped to death

[James]

Glad everyone's been enjoying it so much.

I'm back regularly online now so any questions or whatever, post them here and I'll answer them ASAP.
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

[squiz]

Just finished the book last night, bit after the event, but ive been busy up until the last few weeks.

Really enjoyed it, The sailing bits were my favourite with illiev and the corsairs, shame there wasntmore of them, but i guess the opporunity wasnt there before the dead took to the seas. I also liked the bit at the beggining with harban and the dead inside the mountain.

I enjoyed the ending, read the last 80 pages in one go as i was hooked ! I thought khuran was going to have more of an influence than he did, just swept away under gorians plague.

What does everyone think of the way the asscendants just left the conquord ? i made sense considering their programme wasnt working out, and roberto hated them. I did half expect them to be executed ! So were they actually steralised when they left to wherever they went as arducius says " Our child rearing days are already over " ?

Final question are there plans for any more books in this series ? I know we have been through this with all the raven books, and the books were writen to be a duo, but this ending seemed to be more open to continuing, with the Asscendants leaving to somewhere, another gorian in the making in Yola, and the rebuilding of the conquord, with lots of empty houses and not many people, and also what happens between the conqourd and tsard, Sirrane and the other states that abbandoned at the beggining.

[Lizzy]

Hello Squiz and welcome. All good questions.

I reckon the way has been left open for a return visit some day too, here's hoping
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Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! as said by Jovial

[Max Power]

Hi Squiz. I agree with Lizzy that there's definitely scope for more. James revisited Raven territory with a short story recently set in Calaius (Demon's Touch), so there's always the possibility of short stories if not another full novel.
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If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

[Selik]

[squiz]

Cheers for the welcomes, i was a member of the old forums so am not a total newbie, but have only just got round to reading shout for the dead, and re registered on this forum to talk about it