(M68'12) (for real) The Sword of Truth, Brian D. Anderson
Talk World Reading Circle
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1mirrani
I found the book to be interesting. A little bit of one thing, a little bit of another... mythology and fiction in a fictional world ... I enjoyed reading it and I might even look into getting more in the series. There are a /lot/ of the little typos that are annoying. "Lee eyes widened" and such things like that. At times it was a little bit of Enterprise (bonding between husband and wife) and a little bit Lord of the Rings, with the fellowship of different types learning to get along again after a separation of the species.
"He was not my father, and you know it," said Gewey.
"Yes, he was," said Lee. "He loved you, and that's all you should care about. What difference should it make that you were not of his blood? It wasn't blood that bound him to you. It was love, and trust me when I say, that means a lot more."
Gewey felt ashamed. "I'm sorry," he offered meekly.
I was pleased to see this about family. It's a good definition of what family is, explaining why even people with no genetic togetherness are actually bound to each other.
I think it was around chapter 3 that we end up listening to a lot of stories about how things came to be the way they are now. Regarding the characters, I mean.. how they got to be where they are... why they are doing what they're doing and so on. I wasn't looking forward to it as I started it, but it is actually well written so it's not offputting at all.
"You do know where we are, don't you?" Gewey asked, breaking the silence.
Lee scowled. "Would you rather guide us? he replied irritably.
I'm not sure how I feel about this character's development. He seems fatherly at times, but then he gets overly irritable and snappish. I know people have their moods, but I wasn't fond of these changes.
"You see, Gewey? The man's a freak of nature. Who else could get all that done before breakfast?"
There was more to this but I had to question that in a time of horse and rider... I mean, would the civilization use the term "freak of nature?"
Millet was not amused; his own experience with jawas tea still lingered in his memory. "I don't think it's a good idea to drug the boy," he said sourly. "If we are attacked, it won't do to have to carry him."
"You're right, of course," Lee acknowledged, and turned to Kaylia.
"In the future, please let the boy remain conscious."
I thought this exchange was cute, but written a little oddly. Granted I left some of it out at the beginning, so as not to expose too much of the book, but still..
"The vow of the Sacred Word, my young friend, is what only the most faithful swear before their pilgrimage," Lee explained. "They don't speak unless spoken to, their eyes must be lowered in submission, and they must keep their heads covered at all times. They eat alone, they sleep alone, and must meditate for three hours a day. They maintain chastity and humility throughout their pilgrimage and for one year after. Should they fail, they are required to present themselves to the High Priestess of their temple for penance. This usually means locking themselves in a small room for the remainder of their lives. Most go insane."
"that sounds tough," said Gewey. "Why do they do it?"
"To prove their faith," he replied. "Why else?"
The last line there, I found very powerful. You have to have the rest to enjoy it in its whole, but still...
The woman crinkled her nose in thought. "Can't really tell," she said. "Been out sick until this morning. Dreadful sick. Feeling better now, though. Ready for the celebration." An old man pushed his way behind the counter and whispered into her ear. "Yes I am, you old goat," she said crossly. "I was just about to show them to their room, wasn't I?" she asked, turning toward Gewey and Dina.
"Yes, you were," Gewey said, clearly amused by the banter.
Is it "banter" if we only get to hear one side of it?
"My friends go with me or I don't go at all," Gewey stated with resolve. "That means all of them, and I don't care if it takes us a year to get there."
True friendship like this should have deeper feelings behind it. I didn't think there was enough power behind the lines above as there should be... that or there wasn't enough development of the bond of the characters earlier in the book, up to this point.
After this there is a lot of teasing of people, joking among friends and "This is not funny" keeps getting thrown around by Gewey, which became annoying. Lighthearted banter is fine, joking and teasing and fun among characters is enjoyable. Repetition is not.
But dealing with women is much more difficult than running a farm.
Yes. I must agree with this. Wholeheartedly.
But when you're young, you never feel love just a little.
I also agree with this. This whole scene, including the line one above this... it's all very well written, a little out of place with the story in the end, back to that fatherly character again, but it's a good exchange.
"Even as a man, it's like walking through the forest deaf and blind."
This is part of the above as well.
"As for the rest of you, I assume you don't want to be spotted by unfriendly eyes, so please tell me if there is anything you need and I will see that you have it."
"A lifetime supply or orange juice," Gewey blurted, before he could stop himself.
I had to chuckle at this.
"I'm armed," Kaylia assured him. "As is Dina." Gewey tried not to think about where they had hidden their knives.
The two women are in beautiful dresses now... you do the math.
"Don't try to understand the fair sex, my lord," laughed Harlondo. "It will only cause you grief. Just accept that they know more than you, and try to keep up as best you can."
Again, I must agree, even if this is repeating a few times in this book.
"You can tell a person's value by their friends," Selena remarked. "You, my son, have great value from what I can see."
I liked this line. And it's near to the very end, which isn't much of an ending, but this is meant to be part of a series, so maybe it's left this way on purpose, to make you want to read more... still I think there could have been a little more conclusion to /this/ story.
"He was not my father, and you know it," said Gewey.
"Yes, he was," said Lee. "He loved you, and that's all you should care about. What difference should it make that you were not of his blood? It wasn't blood that bound him to you. It was love, and trust me when I say, that means a lot more."
Gewey felt ashamed. "I'm sorry," he offered meekly.
I was pleased to see this about family. It's a good definition of what family is, explaining why even people with no genetic togetherness are actually bound to each other.
I think it was around chapter 3 that we end up listening to a lot of stories about how things came to be the way they are now. Regarding the characters, I mean.. how they got to be where they are... why they are doing what they're doing and so on. I wasn't looking forward to it as I started it, but it is actually well written so it's not offputting at all.
"You do know where we are, don't you?" Gewey asked, breaking the silence.
Lee scowled. "Would you rather guide us? he replied irritably.
I'm not sure how I feel about this character's development. He seems fatherly at times, but then he gets overly irritable and snappish. I know people have their moods, but I wasn't fond of these changes.
"You see, Gewey? The man's a freak of nature. Who else could get all that done before breakfast?"
There was more to this but I had to question that in a time of horse and rider... I mean, would the civilization use the term "freak of nature?"
Millet was not amused; his own experience with jawas tea still lingered in his memory. "I don't think it's a good idea to drug the boy," he said sourly. "If we are attacked, it won't do to have to carry him."
"You're right, of course," Lee acknowledged, and turned to Kaylia.
"In the future, please let the boy remain conscious."
I thought this exchange was cute, but written a little oddly. Granted I left some of it out at the beginning, so as not to expose too much of the book, but still..
"The vow of the Sacred Word, my young friend, is what only the most faithful swear before their pilgrimage," Lee explained. "They don't speak unless spoken to, their eyes must be lowered in submission, and they must keep their heads covered at all times. They eat alone, they sleep alone, and must meditate for three hours a day. They maintain chastity and humility throughout their pilgrimage and for one year after. Should they fail, they are required to present themselves to the High Priestess of their temple for penance. This usually means locking themselves in a small room for the remainder of their lives. Most go insane."
"that sounds tough," said Gewey. "Why do they do it?"
"To prove their faith," he replied. "Why else?"
The last line there, I found very powerful. You have to have the rest to enjoy it in its whole, but still...
The woman crinkled her nose in thought. "Can't really tell," she said. "Been out sick until this morning. Dreadful sick. Feeling better now, though. Ready for the celebration." An old man pushed his way behind the counter and whispered into her ear. "Yes I am, you old goat," she said crossly. "I was just about to show them to their room, wasn't I?" she asked, turning toward Gewey and Dina.
"Yes, you were," Gewey said, clearly amused by the banter.
Is it "banter" if we only get to hear one side of it?
"My friends go with me or I don't go at all," Gewey stated with resolve. "That means all of them, and I don't care if it takes us a year to get there."
True friendship like this should have deeper feelings behind it. I didn't think there was enough power behind the lines above as there should be... that or there wasn't enough development of the bond of the characters earlier in the book, up to this point.
After this there is a lot of teasing of people, joking among friends and "This is not funny" keeps getting thrown around by Gewey, which became annoying. Lighthearted banter is fine, joking and teasing and fun among characters is enjoyable. Repetition is not.
But dealing with women is much more difficult than running a farm.
Yes. I must agree with this. Wholeheartedly.
But when you're young, you never feel love just a little.
I also agree with this. This whole scene, including the line one above this... it's all very well written, a little out of place with the story in the end, back to that fatherly character again, but it's a good exchange.
"Even as a man, it's like walking through the forest deaf and blind."
This is part of the above as well.
"As for the rest of you, I assume you don't want to be spotted by unfriendly eyes, so please tell me if there is anything you need and I will see that you have it."
"A lifetime supply or orange juice," Gewey blurted, before he could stop himself.
I had to chuckle at this.
"I'm armed," Kaylia assured him. "As is Dina." Gewey tried not to think about where they had hidden their knives.
The two women are in beautiful dresses now... you do the math.
"Don't try to understand the fair sex, my lord," laughed Harlondo. "It will only cause you grief. Just accept that they know more than you, and try to keep up as best you can."
Again, I must agree, even if this is repeating a few times in this book.
"You can tell a person's value by their friends," Selena remarked. "You, my son, have great value from what I can see."
I liked this line. And it's near to the very end, which isn't much of an ending, but this is meant to be part of a series, so maybe it's left this way on purpose, to make you want to read more... still I think there could have been a little more conclusion to /this/ story.
