[Wilshire]

Emotions are gender defined? Give some examples, I'm not following.

There are emotions that are culturally tied to either men or women, giving it a gender. For example, love and jealousy are traditionally considered female, while arrogance/machoism (no clue as to how to write that) are considered male.

Certainly I understand that in those broad terms. I thought you were pointing to something specific or explicit within TSA, so nevermind.

I'd say that Bakker knew that from the beginning he knew where this series was going. That quote wasn't incidental to what we learn in TGO. Let me ask you, what would be more philosophical than a "thought" becoming the mover/God of a world?

I gottcha. Makes sense.

[BeardFisher-King]

I've just gotta add: when I came to the first instance of "There is a head on a pole behind you" in TGO, that may have been the biggest "Wtf?!" reaction I've had in all my years of reading fiction. I still find it chilling.....because it's BEHIND you...

[Wilshire]

If only we knew what it was. Frustrating.

[BeardFisher-King]

If I might elaborate  my fascination with this image...

First, heads don't belong on poles (Pikes, no problem... . Even having been steeped in a grimdark broth for six volumes, this matter-of-fact statement really packs a punch. Especially as it's delivered in the second-person case. This draws the reader into the predicament.

Consider the peculiar space a reader of fantasy fiction occupies. He shares in the various POVs created by the author. He struggles to keep a grip on both the narrative and the structure of the fictional world. And then....WHAM! He is IN the story! There is a fucking HEAD on a fucking POLE! And it's right there BEHIND him!

I hope that resonates with other Bakker fans out there. IMHO, there are lots of similar moments that are equally gobsmacking. But this one really grabbed me.

[Wilshire]

There's were lots of punch-in-the-gut moments of me throughout the series, but especially in TGO. Lets hope TUC carries that through -> we'll be a beat up group by the time its over.

[H]

There's were lots of punch-in-the-gut moments of me throughout the series, but especially in TGO. Lets hope TUC carries that through -> we'll be a beat up group by the time its over.

I've only had one of those moments in the whole series, which is definitely an incitement of just have messed up I am.

I think how he wrote the Head on a Pole part is also important, drawing you in with the breaking of the 4th wall.

[Monkhound]

There's were lots of punch-in-the-gut moments of me throughout the series, but especially in TGO. Lets hope TUC carries that through -> we'll be a beat up group by the time its over.

I concur: We've been through a lot, but TGO was overwhelming, compared to earlier parts. And apart from the Korringhus Revelation scene at the end, the Head on a Pole passage is the one I reread most.

[mrganondorf]

There's were lots of punch-in-the-gut moments of me throughout the series, but especially in TGO. Lets hope TUC carries that through -> we'll be a beat up group by the time its over.

I concur: We've been through a lot, but TGO was overwhelming, compared to earlier parts. And apart from the Korringhus Revelation scene at the end, the Head on a Pole passage is the one I reread most.

HEAD ON A POLE GAVE ME THE JIMJAMS SOMETHING AWFUL

THE STYLE FOR TGO IS CONTINUOUS WITH TUC, SO LOOK FORWARD TO MORE MOMENTS LIKE THIS