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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
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Besshalar
Learned Scribe
Finland
166 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Feb 2007 : 13:47:15
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| I like the way the motives of the characters are shown all the time and how so many of them are so sure that their way is the only right one. Although I have to say that this all starts to look suspiciously like a realmspace shattering event. |
The large print giveth , and the small print taketh away.
-Tom Waits |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 03:16:30
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First off, as a book about drow, I like the idea that there are so many plots and counter plots going on that its hard to track everything. Its the impression I have of drow, and even good drow seem to not be able to fully get rid of this trait.
While the obvious crux of this is the conflict between Lolth and Eilistraee, with Vhearaun in there to do what he can to advance himself, I'm really wondering what is up with Selvetarm's follower. I liked the "conversion" job that he did on the driders, using rather twisted but almost logical arguements.
Kudos to Lisa for following up on a few bits of Realmslore little mentioned or expounded upon. The reference to Lolth taking up Moander's name is the first reference I've seen since Demihuman Deities, and the comment about a deep gnome trading post established by Blingdenstone was welcome as a reference to their participation (albeit briefly) in the Silver Marches.
Q'arlynd is interesting, and I think that he may end up walking Halisstra's path, but more slowly and in a more reasoned manner, so as to have a truer, deeper understanding of what he has done. Or I could be wrong and he could be just like her and unable to "pull the trigger." Still, so far I like him better than his sister, and I enjoy the relationship between him and his "slave."
And I do hope Flinderspeld shows up again. I kind of liked his, "slightly nieve but not hopelessly so" outlook on Q'arlynd and his personality. |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 22:48:03
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Well the plot of the book has really opened right up here, with the meeting of House Jaerle etc. The thought of this is quite disturbing. I loved how all the attitudes and mistrust of the drow were depicted here. Lisa seems to be really at home with writing about these and writing of the Underdark 
One scene I really found very well done in this section was when Thaleste was attacked by the carrion crawler. Before this, I never thought too much of carrion crawlers and passed them off as dosile creatures, but this really changed my mind of them. The stand-out moment was when it attacked and killed Thaleste and the transition between the pain of her death and then being in Ellistrae's domain. Fantastic!  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 22:51:14
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I agree with KnightErrantJR.. Q'arlynd just gets more and more interesting with each section I read about him. I love the relationship between him and Flinderspeld. I can't help but have a soft spot for Svirfneblin...must be from the Blingdenstone seige days back in RAS's Dark Elf books.
Cavatina is an interesting character too. I'd like to read more about these Knights.
The scene where she finds the Vhaeraun worshipper in a cocoon is quite disturbing too how she tried to get him to turn and save him, but ultimately suffocated him and killed him  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 22:54:33
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Another great Q'arlynd and Flinderspeld scene was when Q'arlynd joined the faith of Ellistrae and lets Flinderspeld go free. I almost had a lump in my throat. I had to chuckle though when Flinderspelt was so puzzled by these events and Q'arlynd gives in and says something like "oh ok, so i've got an ulterior motive"  What a great pair of characters!
I thought the scene where the dwarf was speaking to the stone. It was amusing how the stone wasn't fully aware of what things actually were, and interpreted a drow with a braid of hear as "a leg growing out the back of his head" |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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TobyKikami
Learned Scribe
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 23:42:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
The scene where she finds the Vhaeraun worshipper in a cocoon is quite disturbing too how she tried to get him to turn and save him, but ultimately suffocated him and killed him
And it doesn't seem as though Cavatina was trying particularly hard, either. She describes it outright as "going through the motions," whereupon she snuffs him with a clear conscience. Her behavior is somewhat understandable, given what's implied happened to her mother - but yes, it's quite disturbing. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 02 Mar 2007 : 01:54:28
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| The book drops plenty of hints, indeed, that Cavatina isn't the clean, saintly warrior of Eilistraee that one may at first expect her to be. And honestly, I found that refreshing--I like it when books explore the less likable sides of their heroes. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Uzzy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
618 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2007 : 19:04:10
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I have to agree wholeheartedly with the above comments. Some great characters are emerging. Cavatine reminds me of an old character a friend of mine played, the rather harsh Eilistraeen warrior. Q'arlynd is just great, and I too hope that it's not the last of Flinderspeld we see. Fun duo these two make. Some great scenes too, although for me the scene right at the end of Chapter Seven gets the nod for most disturbing. The fight scenes are tightly paced too. So far an excellent book! Lisa to to be commended. 
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 14:34:24
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| I like how Q'arlynd is so sly he sometimes outsmarts himself. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 16:35:26
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quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom
I like how Q'arlynd is so sly he sometimes outsmarts himself.
You know, that's a good way of putting how he ends up in some of the situations he ended up in. I like that. |
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Sacrifice of the Widow: Chapters 4 - 7
