Costis & Eugenides

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Indiana girls, MWT is signing books in Dayton on Thursday. Sounds like a road trip!

Here is a new question for you. What do you think Eugenides thought of Costis? I got the impression that he really liked him, and admired him for his loyalty, ethics, and dependability. But, Gen was bound to be angry at the way Costis humiliated him in front of everyone in Attolia who knew Costis had punched him. That was one time in the book I wished I had more insight into Eugenides' feelings rather than seeing everything through Costis' eyes. And what was with him writing the notes for Costis?

Did Eugenides have everything planned ahead of time with Costis, or did he lose his temper and provoke Costis, then use Costis' actions to suit his plans?

Comments

[sunbeamchica.livejournal.com]

Here is a new question for you. What do you think Eugenides thought of Costis? I got the impression that he really liked him, and admired him for his loyalty, ethics, and dependability. But, Gen was bound to be angry at the way Costis humiliated him in front of everyone in Attolia who knew Costis had punched him. That was one time in the book I wished I had more insight into Eugenides' feelings rather than seeing everything through Costis' eyes. And what was with him writing the notes for Costis?

Did Eugenides have everything planned ahead of time with Costis, or did he lose his temper and provoke Costis, then use Costis' actions to suit his plans?

I agree with your impressions of what Eugenides thought of Costis. He's a likeable character--even though he punched the king in his face! It's also interesting to see how Costis's view of Eugenides changes throughout the book. First Costis sees him as a buffoon who is unfit to rule and slowly begins to have respect for him and what he's going through. Anyway, back to your question...I don't think Eugenides planned everything ahead of time with Costis, but certainly used Costis' actions to his advantage. I think his main goal was to overthrow the Baron what-cha-ma-doodle's house and to decrease the Queen's guard by half and Costis was a helpful tool in the process. (Sorry I can't remember the Baron's name, just that his son is Dite). What does everyone else think?

from,
Jessica

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

Erondites :)

[sunbeamchica.livejournal.com]

hehehe, thanks...I have a bad memory with names!

from,
Jessica

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

"But, Gen was bound to be angry at the way Costis humiliated him in front of everyone in Attolia who knew Costis had punched him."

At the end of KoA, when Gen is fighting Costis, Costis says he provoked the match because his (Costis') honor was compromised. Gen replies "That isn't your honor, Costis. That's the public perception of your honor. It has nothing to do with anything important, except perhaps for manipulating fools who mistake honor for its bright, shiny trappings. You can always change the perception of fools."

I don't think Gen holds it agains Costis for knocking him down. In fact, Gen admits that he deliberately provoked Costis to do it.

Sorry for time lag - I just found this site after re-reading the series and suffering Gen withdrawal. And I am very much a novice at chatrooms, so it takes me a long time to work my way through them.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I think you are right, Gen seemed to be able to focus on the reactions he wanted to provoke in others and use their reactions to his benefit. And he did say he provoked Costis intentionally.

suffering Gen withdrawal

I know that feeling. Peggy_2, did you know that MWT answered 27 questions for us and told us lots more about Gen and the books? They were posted here for awhile but Megan asked us to take the thread down after a month. If you'd like, I can email them to you.

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

he did say he provoked Costis intentionally

And in the Thief, Gen mentions how a good thief never makes a sound unintentionally. Costis comments on how Gen howled and writhed on the ground after being hit (or something to that effect; I don't have the book with me). That passage tells you it was all very very deliberate - start to finish! - on Gen's part. A fine bit of acting!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I guess what made me wonder about that was how it reminded me of the time in Thief when Gen made a random comment to Ambiades and ended up in the stream with his head ringing. He made a fuss about his wrist being broken. MWT said Gen provokes people to see how they jump.

Part of me wondered if Gen lost his temper and provoked Costis then lied and said he did it deliberately. But I think you are probably right and he was acting out a well-thought-out plan.

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

If you'd like, I can email them to you.

I would LOVE that.

*leaves oreo ice cream (in a cooler) at the alter*

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ok, it should be on its way.

I can use ice cream today. It's 100 right now.

Answers to the 27 questions

[turtlerock.livejournal.com]

Do you perchance still have the answers to the 27 questions and, if so, could you please email them to me? I am in severe Gen withdrawal as well...

Re: Answers to the 27 questions

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

How extremely clever of you to have found this old, buried post. I'll be happy to send the answers to you. I love reading over them every now and then and remembering how exciting it was when Megan appeared in Sounis and chatted with us.

Do you have the Earrings story from Disney Adventures magazine? I can send that, too. Email me at checkers65477@yahoo.com and I'll email them back to you.

Re: Answers to the 27 questions

[zedmeister.livejournal.com]

Two and a half years later... Could I bother you for the answers, too?

My email is the_zedmeister@yahoo.com :)

[zarz29.livejournal.com]

I've also just found this thread, having only recently been introduced to the series. If anyone still has those answers, I'd love to see them as well!

heather_sda@yahoo.com

[cecilia-burney.livejournal.com]

I know these 27 Questions are from an age and a book ago, but I very much want to read the MWT answers! oregonfamily@frontier.com please :) I just found TaT in January, and then with burning questions found Sounis and all you lovely people last week. I have binged on your comments, questions, discussion, and banter ever since!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Actually, this was just after KoA, so it's from two books ago! In MWT time, that's *years*. :-)

Wow, I'm very impressed that you managed to find this thread, buried in years of comments and posts. I've just emailed a document to you; I just ask that you don't pass it along to anyone else, per Megan's request. Enjoy!