I'm on my first listen-thru on the audio book. The first amazing thing  I heard was Meppa changed his face. Esmi for a second thing he is a skin spy before the water hits.
This has huge implications, because that means the cisharim could change their faces this whole time and would explain why the Consult wanted them destroy by the first holy war.

I've only read the books once, over five years ago (TGO aside), but I think the reason the Consult wanted to destroy the Cishaurim was explained. Moenghus was the first person able to identify skin spies. When he began unmasking them, the Consult, ignorant of the existence of the Dunyain, assumed that it was the Cishaurim who had the power to see through them. That's why they wanted to destroy them.

Quote from: Hogman on August 15, 2016, 08:14:54 am

The question states that you should choose an answer at random. It doesn't state that each option should have an equal probability of being chosen. So you can make any of the options the correct answer by suitably defining the probability of each option being chosen. For example, I could make 60% the correct answer by assigning the  following probability distribution to my choice: (A) 40/3% (B) 40/3% (C) 60% (D) 40/3%. 

Yeah I saw this online, but I dont like it (and/or dont get it). Ignoring the choices themselves, it's implied that the probability is 25%. Randomly selecting one of four answers is always 25% unless stated otherwise, because that's how probability works. Assigning whatever values you want doesn't make sense. Flipping a coin give you a 50-50 shot every time. Assigning heads a 75% chance to land up doesn't change the reality that its still 50%.

I agree that one should assume each option has an equal probability unless stated otherwise, although I don't think "that's how probability works" is the best choice of words. I'd rather say "that's the convention". Often probability questions do make it explicit ("if a fair coin is tossed...", "if a fair die is rolled..." etc). In my opinion it's fair game to take advantage of a lack of explicitness in a "trick" question like this.

Here's another

A bat and ball cost a dollar and ten cents. The bat costs a dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

Note: I find this one a bit bogus in how it uses a vague word for a non specific amount right next to a very specific amount. It's like saying 'there were a lot of sheep, 100 of them'.

Which bit of this is vague?

Perhaps "the man who exposed them for what they really are" ... is Drusas Achamian??? 

Quote from: Hogman on July 15, 2016, 12:25:07 pm

I can summarise the plot in The Name of the Wind quite easily, without spoilers. It goes as follows:
1. Kvothe gets into some trouble
2. Fortunately, Kvothe is an expert in [insert], and he overcomes the problem
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2

Haha, I take it from this that you didn't like the book. Care to expand on why?

Kvothe is really not an expert at anything except thinking for most of the books, and that fails him most of the time. Granted, as the hero of the story, he does live ... but nearly dying several times and either failing miserably or suffering (often extreme) collateral damage doesn't qualify him as an 'expert' imo.

I'm fairly certain almost every book could be summarised by:
1. Heroes get into trouble
2. Fortunately, they overcome the problem
3. Repeat.

So, while I'm not disputing your criticism, you'll have to be more specific if you want to have a conversation about it .

You are correct in your deduction that I didn't like it!

It was a few years ago when I read it, but if I remember correctly he was an expert musician, an expert actor/orator, an expert at whatever lab work he was doing (can't remember what exactly), and without going into too much detail he was unusually gifted at a certain type of magic. It just ground me down in the end. You might say the same of Kellhus, but then I think there's a credible explanation for Kellhus's talents, whereas Kvothe is just an ordinary human boy as far as I can tell.
Of course, if I had liked the book I would have forgiven these flaws, and I'd be on the other side of the argument. 

Question: Just send me the bloody book.

Question: How many roads must Kelmomas walk down before you can call him a man?