what Big Questions would you like to see answered in TUC?

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Cüréthañ

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« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2014, 03:34:13 am »
I don't think he meant that she's the most important person in recorded history; only that she's very important to the plot of the first trilogy. More specifically, you could argue that she's the most important person Kellhus encounters on his journey to Shimeh (not that I necessarily agree). Anything beyond that is far fetched, IMO.

Indeed. I recall Bakker as saying she could be seen as the most important character in PoN, not the history of Earwa. :D
But my main thrust was to point out the ways in which Bakker's themes of gender can already be interpreted counter to the perceptions of those who see his patriarchal worldbuilding as some kind of unconscious misogynist wish fulfillment.
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Bolivar

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« Reply #16 on: August 13, 2014, 04:31:23 pm »
The big ones - what is going to happen at Golgotterath? What's Kellhus' endgame? Is he divine? Who are the Dunyain?

I also want to know if Cnaiur is still alive, what exactly is the inverse fire, what about it would make Titirga so shook?

Francis Buck

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« Reply #17 on: August 13, 2014, 05:44:43 pm »
I'm very interested in the origins of the Nonmen and how they relate to regular humans. I'm interested in the origins of Earwa in general, really. The lack of any creation myths in Inrithism and even the other big religions (Fanimry, Zeumi, Scylvendi) is ridiculously suspicious considering the nature of religion in the series.

In that vein, I'm most interested in learning more about the higher metaphysics of the Bakkerverse, namely the Hundred, Damnation, and stuff like the Psukhe, Inverse Fire, Judging Eye, etc.


Triskele

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« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2014, 04:02:36 am »
I'm sort of a broken record on this, but I'm invested in the idea that there's something much bigger going on with the Cishaurim and the Psukhe although at the same time I'm hardly sure that I'll be proven right about this.  It just seems like they were fascinating if enigmatic in the first series then to be wiped out for the next phase and then to be reintroduced via one very enigmatic character in book 5.  Hoping it's something.

Cüréthañ

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« Reply #19 on: August 14, 2014, 11:27:12 am »
So it is with all speculation - always suspicious of our suspicions.

Was chatting on the quorum about something like this the other day. 

I feel like the metaphysics of the afterlife and magic all proceed from a relatively small set of (unknown) principles - but as readers we only get small examples of quite specific and specialized circumstances derived from those ideas.
A couple of paragraphs here and there interpreted through our own preconceptions eventually begins to resonate with other remembered instances and when the way they relate clicks, then comes that weird sense of revelation.  It's like reverse engineering from things you only get brief looks at from certain angles.

With a thing like the Psukhe, there's a clear relation to sorcery and less clear but still obvious relation to the question of the afterlife, thaumaturgy and religion.  So in the sense of looking for common factors in the quest to understand the basic principles, it's definitely important and I genuinely expect Meppa to provide some good 'revelations' and major plot twists.

Perhaps the layers of revelation will accrete to a level in TUC where the basics are clear, but I kinda doubt that.  As long as it amps it up on the same level as TTT I will be more than happy.
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Wilshire

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« Reply #20 on: August 18, 2014, 08:01:18 pm »
Reminds of the the maths used to describe the orbits of celestial bodies around the Earth, when everyone knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. Very complex and convoluted, simplified when the frame shifted and the Earth was no longer the center.

Something similar is going to happen here, basic assumptions will be replace, or revealed enough to be puzzled out, so that when we you step back and consider it as a whole it makes sense.
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Cüréthañ

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« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2014, 03:42:37 am »
Heh, agree generally - but a bit trickier perhaps, as we're dealing with analogies and metaphors of action drawn from philosophical propositions.
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Wilshire

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« Reply #22 on: August 19, 2014, 01:51:29 pm »
Thats the best I could do. I can only go so far into the philosophical realm
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mrganondorf

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« Reply #23 on: August 19, 2014, 04:36:51 pm »
My questions:

What is Kellhus' big mistake (foreshadowed by the unseen kicked skull at the end of TTT)?

Who is Aurax?  I think Bakker's been using Aurang as a front to hoard secrets about Aurax.  Aurax's story could be the lens for understanding the Inchoroi in general.

What's going on in Eanna/5th tribe?

What are the origin myths?  This has been so hidden from the reader, it's got to be something good!

Who destroyed Ishual?  Female Dunyains?

What the hell is Seswatha hiding from everyone?

Triskele

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« Reply #24 on: August 24, 2014, 10:23:48 pm »
Here's just a laundry list, some of which have been mentioned.  This is more a list of "what I'd like to see" rather than what I think we're guaranteed to get...some of this stuff we may never get:

-Meppa's story

-who destroyed Ishual

-whether Ishual has any connection to a Nonman mansion and if it matters

-a much bigger look at what remains of Nonman society than we've seen so far (this I am confident we'll get in the next book and I am excited)

-what is going on with Achamian's dreams...to what extent Seswatha or Kellhus is involved

-who is truly damned and why and whatnot (this is an area that while I expect to get something I worry we may not get everything)

-more on Fane and how the Psukhe was discovered and whether it was "divine" or more something mechanical that he just lucked into

-finally learning who/what the No-God is, finally

-If the Consult is planning anything different than the last time or if the plan this time is simply "raise No-God again, don't get shot by Heron Spear"

-more on Titirga and what was up with his different mark and regaining his sight

-what happens when a metagnostic Dunyain is taught the Daimos?

-more on whether Kellhus actually has already walked in the Outside

-what the Hell is up with Kelmomas...he obviously has a big role to play, but it's not very clear to me what

-a closer look at the inside of the Ark and the Consult's day-to-day operations

-did Inri really heal people and ascend?

-has Moenghus been playing a deeper game all along?

-is there more to the story of Moe's exile from Ishual?

-are the Dunyain all gone?  have there been any more Dunyain in the story already like Saccarees?

mrganondorf

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« Reply #25 on: August 29, 2014, 09:27:24 pm »
ooohh oohhh, i also want an explanation for kellhus' conversation with the sky at the end of TTT

Wilshire

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« Reply #26 on: September 05, 2014, 04:43:31 pm »
I think a lot of the damnation questions will be left open for discussion. As long as we are given enough connections to rule out some possibilities I'll be pretty happy. Knowing almost nothing for certain is just painful.
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