3. Topics

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Topics - profgrape

Pages: 1 [2] 3
16
The Great Ordeal / [TGO SPOILERS] [TUC Spoilers!] The Yimaleti Mountains(MG Teaser #2)
« on: February 03, 2017, 06:16:38 pm »


The wily MG strikes again!

TTT Glossary offers scant details, only saying that "[t]he Yimaleti Mountains are an extensive mountain range located in the extreme northwest of Eärwa."  Golgotterath is in the shadow of the Yimaleti And Wert's first entry on the history of Earwa indicates that the High Mansion of Nihrimsul was in the Yimaleti, albeit far to the east.

The first idea that popped into my mind was whether there was something significant beyond the Yimaleti mountains?  When asked about happening in Eanna, RSB responded with the following:

Quote
Ancient maps are surrounded by terra incognita. A globally mapped fantasy world, I think, misses out on the power ignorance affords worldbuilding. I have to keep my cards close to my chest on this one, sorry!

Could what's beyond the mountains be one of the cards that RSB has to keep close to his chest?

17
The Great Ordeal / [TGO SPOILERS] Koringhus' hundred stones?
« on: October 12, 2016, 05:29:38 pm »
I'm stuck.

I can't but help think there's some greater meaning in Koringhus' hundred, and later, ninety-nine, stones.  The connection to the Hundred and ninety-nine Sons, the fact that Mimara knows he collected them -- it just seems to add up to something.

The problem is, I can't really think of anything.  So I'm wondering if anyone on TSA has any ideas about this?


18
General Earwa / History of Earwa from Wert
« on: June 02, 2016, 10:50:20 pm »
Wert (aka Adam Whitehead) is doing a history of Earwa feature on his blog.  See below:

Quote from: Werthead on June 09, 2017, 11:15:06 pm
PDF VERSION!

A History of Eärwa Part 1: The Fall of the Ark & the Cûno-Inchoroi Wars
A History of Eärwa Part 2: The Age of Man
A History of Eärwa Part 3: The Apocalypse
A History of Eärwa Part 4: The Modern Age
A History of Eärwa Part 5: The Holy War
A History of Earwa Part 6: The Unification Wars
A History of Earwa Part 7: The Great Ordeal

Interesting where he placed Siol...

EDIT: Siol and other mansion locations came from the man himself.
EDIT: All links
EDIT: For PDF link.

19
TGO ARC Discussion / [TGO SPOILERS] Meppa is...
« on: June 01, 2016, 03:28:07 pm »
... not Moenghus, not Cnaiur or some soul mash-up of the two.  He was, as he states, a survivor of the sorcerous battle in Shimeh and took the name of the cant that led to his family's death.

Madness has convinced me that he is "the boy" from the end of TTT.  And if so, it seems pretty likely that he's also a tool of the Consult.  Perhaps unwittingly, but a tool just the same.

Given that he seems to be alive after the confrontation in Fanayal's tent, it seems likely that Kellhus has a use for him.  But what is it/

My crackpot is that Kellhus will somehow use him as a tool against the no-God.  Maybe he'll mind-fuck Meppa into a emotional tornado, line him up in front of the Sarcophagus and let him unleash the Water?

20
The Great Ordeal / [TGO SPOILERS] Prologue + Chapter 1 excerpt
« on: May 17, 2016, 01:31:22 am »
Thoughts from the Prologue and Chapter 1 excerpt posted at https://grimdarkmagazine.com/blogs/news/104286406-excerpt-from-r-scott-bakkers-the-great-ordeal.

1. Kellhus' recollection of the Outside seems to confirm Meppa's claims regarding the Gods, that they are nothing more than demons. 

2. Kellhus also confirms that he wars against the Gods themselves.  It was clear before that the Gods warred against him.  But not necessarily the other way around.

3. It's strongly implied that everyone is "damned".  Or at least that damnation is actually Man's purpose in a system constructed by the Gods.  I wonder, now, if the Thousandfold Thought was in fact recognizing this meta-system.

4. The living shall not haunt the dead.  I took this to mean that the living have no business interfering with the "damnation system."

5. The Consult's plans seem pretty sensible given the alternative.

Literally the first chapter and the mind-fucks have begun.  TGO cannot arrive soon enough!

21
The Great Ordeal / [TGO SPOILERS] Pat's early observations
« on: May 04, 2016, 09:27:01 pm »
These are Pat's observations posted to Westros during his ARC read of TGO.  Adding them here so folks can talk amongst themselves...

4/30/16 10:08 PM
Quote
There is a 27-page "What has gone before" section, which I really needed given the years between books.

The prologue takes place in Momemn and begins right where TWLW left off, right after Maithanet's murder. Though the Fanim are at the gates, Esmenet goes batshit crazy and can only focus on trying to find Kelmomas.

In the first chapter, we see the soldiers of the Great Ordeal now forced to eat Sranc in order to survive. And it appears that Kellhus must now break Proyas to send him on a different path.

And the second chapter chronicles the last leg of Sorweel, Serwa, and her brother's journey to Ishterebinth.

I never read extracts, so I'm not sure about this. But I flipped through the pages and the first Achamian doesn't show up until page 140. This might be the chapter from which the first extract posted so long ago was taken. . .

Too early to say just how good the book will be. In style, tone, and pacing, it is more akin to TWLW than TJE.

5/1/16 2:39 AM
Quote

Read an extra 60 pages before calling it a night. Shit has started to happen.

Shit is good! ;)

Patrick

5/01/16 10:21 PM
Quote
Well, there's been one thus far. And it was good!

Had a crazy day at work, so I've only read a single chapter, the first Achamian chapter. And if Scott provides the entire second portion of the chapter for that extract, you guys will be exposed to the second "fuck me" moment of the novel.

There's also some fucked up shit going on between Kellhus and Proyas. I'm also curious as to what Kelmomas' agenda truly is. . .

Now 170 pages into it and I'm hoping to read a few chapters tonight. My main concern is that, given that this was meant to be a single novel, the ending will be arbitrary and won't offer anything in terms of resolution. Which would suck big time. My hope is that it took so long for TGO to be released because chapters were reshuffled and rewritten in order to give it a true ending, and certain storylines will be brought to a close in TUC.

Otherwise, if TGO ends with nothing really happening, it would be a major disappointment. Especially since we'll have to wait for at least a year before TUC is published.

Still, so far, so good! :)

Patrick

5/02/16 1:51 AM
Quote

Another two chapters in, one focusing on the events taking place in Momemn and the other focusing on what is happening in Ishterebinth. Good stuff all around, especially in Ishterebinth.

Flipped through the pages to see what's coming and there are a lot of Ishterebinth chapters coming up. Of the next three, one will focus on Achamian and Mimara in Ishuäl, the other one on Ishterebinth, and the third one will be the first that has to do with the Dagliash storyline.

Now 212 pages into the book and I'm totally into it! :)

Patrick

5/02/16 4:13 AM
Quote

The ARC is 504 pages long while the finished copy consist of 512 pages. There's a 3-page character index and glossary.

As far as pace is concerned, it's more akin to TWLW.

By the way, I sent Scott the interview questions. . . :)

Patrick

5/02/16 7:10 PM
Quote

As far as I know, this is the official cover. When it's not, the publisher usually mentions that the cover art is not final on the advance reading copies.

Read another 2 chapters and I'm beyond the halfway point of the book. Good stuff, lots of revelations, which makes this a compelling read thus far.

There is a fascinating never-before-seen POV that offers a perspective. Serwa also has occasionl POV sections, which if I remember correctly is new. Lots of shit going down, especially in the Ishterebinth chapters. It appears that Bakker has a lot in store for Sorweel. Revelations about Ishuäl, the Nonmen, the No-God, etc.

Onward to the first Dagliash chapter. :)

Regarding the Ishuäl chapters, it appears that there are only two within the pages of TGO. . .

Patrick

5/03/16 2:21 AM
Quote
Okay, 333 pages into the book and I'm calling it a night.

My biggest concern has just been proven true. Chapters and storylines were not reshuffled and/or rewritten to help TGO stand well on its own. Indeed, it appears that the novel is indeed "part 1" of what was meant to be TUC.

The shit has hit the fan in the  Ishterebinth chapters, but this was the last chapter focusing on the NonMen storyline. And, of course, it ends in a cliffhanger. I hope that the other plotlines won't end in cliffhangers as well, for that would be frustrating.

There are 5 chapters left. Two focusing on the Great Ordeal, one on Momemn, and two focusing on Achamian and Mimara.

So it looks as though there won't be much in terms of resolution when we reach the last page. Which sucks.

The upside is that everything is setting the stage for what should be a great finale! :)

No sign of the Consult yet, though. . . :(

5/03/16 7:24 PM
Quote
Death came swirling down.

Yeah! My favorite sentence of the series is back! :P When death comes swirling down, you know the jig is up!

Almost done with the battle of Dagliash and it's the best battle sequence since TTT. And it's not even the last battle! It's seen through multiple POVs and is quite awesome!

As far as the chapter breakdown is concerned:

- Momemn: Prologue and 4 chapters

- The Great Ordeal: 5 chapters

- Ishterebinth: 4 chapters

- Achamian and Mimara: 4 chapters

Still have about 20 pages to go (the battle of Dagliash chapter is 49 pages long), but even though the Great Ordeal storyline probably won't offer any kind of resolution either, it sure looks as though it will end with a bang! There is another chapter coming up before the end, though. . .

It will be interesting to see how the 3 remaining arcs (Momemn, the Great Ordeal, and Achamian/Mimara) will be brought to a close. Because a lack of resolution doesn't necessarily mean a lack of excitement. I just hope it won't be cliffhangers for each plotline, as that would just plain suck.

About 132 pages to go. . . :)

5/04/16 5:25 PM
Quote

Okay, just finished the book. . .

Now I need some time to let it all sink in before I can write a review.

As expected, this is only part 1 of 2, so it offers little in terms of resolution. Only the Great Ordeal storyline has what can be considered some kind of ending. Even if that ending marks a new beginning.

I thought that the Ishterebinth storyline ended in a cliffhanger, but the Momemn arc ends in an even bigger one. A number of important characters are presumed dead (spread across all the arcs), though I figure this won't be the case. But you never know.

The Achamian/Mimara storyline is more of a "to be continued" kind of thing.

So yeah, exactly what I was fearing. A lot of good set-up material, but everything will have to wait for TUC. Which, unfortunately, will put off a chunk of Bakker's readership. Especially given the fact that we have been waiting so long for the continuation of this tale.

And yet, there's nevertheless a lot of good stuff within the pages of TGO. The Ishterebinth arc was quite interesting and I'm looking forward to see where it will take us. The Dagliash plotline offers us an excellent battle and an unexpected ending. The Momemn arc, though it is the one that progresses the least, ends with a big "fuck me" moment.

Speaking of "fuck me" moments, the Achamian/Mimara storyline offers two important ones, the biggest of which coming near the end of the book. It catches you like an uppercut and knocks you down on your ass.

And for all that it doesn't really stand well on its own, TGO sets the stage for what should be an amazing grand finale in TUC. I can't wait to find out what happens next! :)

I just wish we didn't have to wait at least a year to sink our teeth into that one. . . :(

Patrick


22
The Thousandfold Thought / Cnaiur's view of beliefs and perspectives
« on: November 02, 2015, 06:15:24 pm »
I stumbled across the following passage during my current re-read of TTT.  It's from Cnaiur's perspective:

Quote
Unlike the Inrithi, he did not stand with within the circle of the Dunyain's deceit.  Where they saw things from within, he saw them from without.  He saw more.  It was strange the way beliefs could have an inside and an outside, that what looked like hope or truth or love from within could be a scythe or a hammer, things wielded for other ends, when seen from without.

This is awesome for so many reasons: the fact that RSB uses the words "inside" and "outside"; the fact that it's about belief and perspective, two of the series' most prevalent themes; that it's coming from Cnaiur of all people.  I suspect that it says as much about Earwan metaphysics as we're ever going to learn.




23
General Earwa / The Inverse Fire and Seswatha's Dreams
« on: May 01, 2015, 11:01:17 pm »
While re-reading part of TJE to find a reference for another post, I came across an interesting line from Akka where he explains to Mimara why Seswatha left the Mandata his dreams:

Quote
"...by suffering the First Apocalypse over and over, we had no choice but to war against the possibility of the Second."

Akka boils down the Dreams to a way to keep the troops in line.  A vision of something so terrible that you'd stop at nothing to prevent it.   Much like Inverse Fire.

It's an interesting irony that mortal enemies like the Consult and Mandate use such similar "mechanisms of control". 


24
The White-Luck Warrior / Elju for Consult Erratics
« on: November 25, 2014, 12:25:13 am »
When Sorweel is watching the Ten-Yoke Legion through Eskeles' scrying spell, he notes that a number of Nonmen Erratics "policed the column's flanks," and later observes that "scarcely a hundred of them accompanied the host."

If Erratics need elju to keep them tethered to the present, then who is filling this role for the Nonmen in the Legion?  I know that Mek's elju was a Sranc.  But I just can't believe that this is common by any stretch. 

We also know that from Scott himself that "[a] few hundred serve Golgotterath."  Which sounds like need a whole lot of elju.


25
General Earwa / *If* Khellus is sending the NC dreams...
« on: November 17, 2014, 06:28:29 pm »
I know this has been discussed (and possibly debunked) before -- apologies in advance forBut I wanted to revisit the idea that Khellus is behind Akka's NC dreams. 

In the TUC Ishual excerpt, Mimara specifically comments on the timing of the dreams.  And I wholeheartedly agree with lockesnow's comment here that RSB isn't going to throw out a statement like this unless it's important.

The "timing" suggestion led many of us (I can't be the only right, at least) to go over each of both series' dreams with a fine-toothed comb.  And those that did probably came away with the same conclusion as me: PON's Seswatha dreams had little if any correlation to the events of the series, AA's Nau-Cayuti's dreams do. 

Specifically, the Nau-Cayuti dreams tend to act as "that which comes before" for Akka, pushing him to act.  Combine that with the traveller's visit to the Skin Eaters in TJE prologue and Mimara running away to find Akka, the whole thing starts to feel incredibly... Conditioned. 

In true No-God fashion, I have only questions at this point.  Assuming that Khellus is behind the well-timed NC dreams:

1) What is he after?

2) How did Khellus discovered what really happened to NC?  Or is all just an elaborate lie to push Akka toward the answer to 1)?

26
General Earwa / Is Mek still in league with the Consult?
« on: October 30, 2014, 04:36:56 pm »
There's a strong possibility that Mek is no longer working directly with the Consult. 

Imagine you're the Consult. You know  the Celmonan prophecy. Then one of your prominent members (Mek) runs into an Anasurimbor wandering the wilderness in a place where men don't really live. Assuming you learn this information, wouldn't you move every asset you have into the Demua mountains to find this dude? 

The fact that this didn't seem to happen suggests  that Mek didn't pass along that intel. Which could just come down to his being Erratic and therefore, unreliable. But it could also indicate some kind of rift.


27
General Earwa / Why "Consult"?
« on: October 22, 2014, 12:37:43 am »
Of all the obtuse and peculiar names RSB could have chosen for his big bad, why "Consult"? 

The most obvious answer is that they're peddling both the revelations of the IF and their path to salvation.  And also, they hold all of the secrets -- to Earwans and to us readers.

But still, it seems like a strange and therefore deliberate choice, right?  What's the message here?

And because I can't resist, just like in our world, the Consult is mostly interested in coming into an organization and facilitating mass downsizing. :-) 

28
The White-Luck Warrior / The space between the gods
« on: October 16, 2014, 12:39:48 am »
A random thought after re-reading Khellus' meeting with Nin'sariccas:

If in Khellus' description of the Outside, "God... broken into a million warring splinters", the "warring splinters" refer to the Gods,
and the Gods are reflections of Earwan beliefs cast on the Outside,
then one could interpret the Emmisary's assertion that the Nonmen "worship the spaces between the Gods" to mean that they essentially believe in nothing. 

Given this admittedly dubious line of reasoning,  I wonder if the Intact have stayed Intact by finding a way to strip their mind of all belief. 

On a related note, is there any indication that the Nonmen had Gods of their own?



29
General Earwa / Why are the Inchoroi damned?
« on: October 13, 2014, 08:04:05 pm »
In The False Sun, Shaeönanra reflects on how viewing the IF left them "immune to the least remorse".  Once you know you're damned without retribution, consequences don't matter so much.

This got me thinking: why are the Inchoroi damned?

I'd always assumed that the Inchoroi were damned because of their obscene behavior.  But after pondering things, I think I got the causality backwards.  It's far more likely that they first learned of their damnation and then freed of remorse, proceeded to mutate into the rape aliens they are in TSA.

What that "the race of lovers'" crimes were nothing more than "prurient interest" as defined by a conservative ideology?  There are plenty of folks in the US who seem pretty sure of a casual link between homosexuality and damnation -- why not in the Earwa-verse?

30
General Earwa / Belief becoming reality
« on: October 08, 2014, 11:19:11 pm »
After reading an RSB quote about objective reality in TSA, it struck me how close Inrithi beliefs are to what's actually going on in Earwa. 
One of the biggest examples is the belief that sorcerers are condemned, "...their blasphemy is an abomination like no other..." 

This (along with a re-reading of Thorsten's "Metaphysics of Earwa" essays) makes me wonder if the connection between shared beliefs and reality is what makes Earwa special to the Inchoroi -- it's a place where the beliefs of the ensouled can actually  shape the metaphysics of the rest of the universe.  Borrowing from (and almost certainly butchering) Plato, it's as if Earwan belief casts a shadow onto the Outside.

Given that premise, imagine that the ancient Inchoroi discover that:

1) There are a set of objective rules that apply to the universe.

2) These rules are shaped by Earwan beliefs.

3) By those rules, the the Inchoroi are damned.

Based on these discoveries, the Inchoroi set out to find Earwa and eradicate the souls whose shared beliefs had created this reality.  (I'm almost tempted to say that 144,000 was what they believed was the tipping point where this effect starts happening.  But I won't).

I'm probably tying together way too many disparate threads here.  But it was fun to ponder!














Pages: 1 [2] 3