| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 17:57:14
Well met
This is a Book Club thread for The Gossamer Plain (Book 1 of The Empyrean Odyssey), by Thomas M. Reid. Please discuss chapters 10 - 14 herein: |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 02 Jun 2007 : 01:44:19
Nice to know I was missed  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 02 Jun 2007 : 01:42:29
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
One of the things I thought was kind of fun about following Vhok as a main character is that, just as what happened with the Azers, they meet someone, and agree to work with them, and then they realize, "hey, we could just do X ourselves now instead of helping with Y." Instead of feeling honor bound like a "heroic" character would, they can just kill whoever is the biggest impediment and move on from there.
Yes, exactly. That part of the book had me laughing out loud. 
quote:
I noticed that Thomas does a good job of something that might be kind of subtle. If Vhok and Zassian were cutting down "good" people left and right while Aliisza was dealing with the consequeses of her actions against the "little people," it might make it harder to follow Vhok as a main character. As it is, with their opponents being more alien, it doesn't distract you from wanting, at least out of curiosity, for them to get where they are going. If they were slaugtering the folk of Sundabar while all of this was going on, it would be fairly easy to say, "why should I care about these guys, Aliisza is having to face up to stuff that isn't half as bad as what they are doing."
I agree that I like that we get evil as something bad because its petty and selfish, not because its opposing the protagonist of the story. Its especially effective when coupled with familial relationships as Thomas did with the woman and her husband and the servant girl and her father.
Great points, all. And I'm happy that you've finally chimed in with your comments--I had been wondering where you were.  |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 02 Jun 2007 : 01:05:13
One of the things I thought was kind of fun about following Vhok as a main character is that, just as what happened with the Azers, they meet someone, and agree to work with them, and then they realize, "hey, we could just do X ourselves now instead of helping with Y." Instead of feeling honor bound like a "heroic" character would, they can just kill whoever is the biggest impediment and move on from there.
I noticed that Thomas does a good job of something that might be kind of subtle. If Vhok and Zassian were cutting down "good" people left and right while Aliisza was dealing with the consequeses of her actions against the "little people," it might make it harder to follow Vhok as a main character. As it is, with their opponents being more alien, it doesn't distract you from wanting, at least out of curiosity, for them to get where they are going. If they were slaugtering the folk of Sundabar while all of this was going on, it would be fairly easy to say, "why should I care about these guys, Aliisza is having to face up to stuff that isn't half as bad as what they are doing."
I agree that I like that we get evil as something bad because its petty and selfish, not because its opposing the protagonist of the story. Its especially effective when coupled with familial relationships as Thomas did with the woman and her husband and the servant girl and her father. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 17 May 2007 : 18:47:46
quote:
Originally posted by Braveheart
I had to laugh out loud as the dwarves showed up. Vhok certainly is paranoid when it comes to dwarves...
I laughed at how Vhok and Zasian agreed to help the dwarves...but then ended up doing the exact opposite. |
| Braveheart |
Posted - 16 May 2007 : 12:14:47
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Even Vhok's scenes are picking up a bit. We went from a lot of "random encounters" on the Plane of Fire to treachery involving the half-dragon, a daring escape, and some scenes where the supposedly powerful companions get yanked around a bit by azer and efreeti. Nice.
I had to laugh out loud as the dwarves showed up. Vhok certainly is paranoid when it comes to dwarves... |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 16 May 2007 : 04:21:34
quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom
Regarding Alizsa, at first I found it a bit hard to swallow that a demonic being could be turned over to good. But then again, Alizsa is half-human. And an angel could be plausibly pushed into the Dark Side if he were trapped in one of the hells. But I think the angel's innate goodness would come through eventually. Perhaps in the end Alizsa will choose evil.
Agreed. I generally believe that it's easier to fall from goodness than to be redeemed from evil because being good takes more effort.
Oooh, just wait until you read the last few chapters... |
| RodOdom |
Posted - 16 May 2007 : 03:31:07
Regarding Alizsa, at first I found it a bit hard to swallow that a demonic being could be turned over to good. But then again, Alizsa is half-human. And an angel could be plausibly pushed into the Dark Side if he were trapped in one of the hells. But I think the angel's innate goodness would come through eventually. Perhaps in the end Alizsa will choose evil. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 15 May 2007 : 01:06:36
I know I keep saying this, but I'm really enjoying Aliizsa's scenes. This may sound corny, but the revisited memory with the tavern girl who "made good out of bad" and was inspired to become a healer after what Aliizsa inflicted on her made me all misty-eyed. I also find the scenes to be largely effective without being overwrought--for example, the passages about the old woman struggling to split logs by herself say a lot without saying much at all. I also enjoy these scenes because they give a glimpse of how innocent people are affected when those "nameless, unimportant guards" get killed. Actions have consequences.
Even Vhok's scenes are picking up a bit. We went from a lot of "random encounters" on the Plane of Fire to treachery involving the half-dragon, a daring escape, and some scenes where the supposedly powerful companions get yanked around a bit by azer and efreeti. Nice. |
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