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Oct. 2nd, 2008 11:40 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
loquaciousquark.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
queensthiefHey everyone! I don't think anyone remembers me, but I joined almost two years ago and have been pretty much lurking since then. And, uh, now I'm back? :)
So I was recently rereading King and The Thief, and I kept noticing all these little details that I'd missed the firstfour six several times through. Here's a list of my questions and observations.
from The Thief (page numbers from the copy with the statue of Hephestia and Gen looking over his shoulder):
1. When the magus accuses Gen of stealing the food and asks if he's eaten well, Gen replies, "Not lately." Why is this so supposedly indicative of his guilt? I would have thought, if anything, it would clear him, since he hasn't eaten. (pg 97)
2. After Gen rifles through the bones at the end of the maze and finds the seal ring with the dolphin on it, why does he get so defensive when the magus tries to take it? Is there something special about the ring that I'm missing, or does he just not want the magus to take anything else from him? (page 140)
3. This one's just something I noticed in retrospect and thought was so cool. This passage is when the magus and Sophos join Gen in prison.
and from The King of Attolia (hardcover version):
1. Why does Gen get so upset during the Klimun myth? (pp 273-285)
2. And one more quick observation--when Gen's on the balcony and Costis says, "You can trust me with your life, My King." is that the first time anyone but Attolia's called him that? How fitting that it should be Costis. :)
So that's everything I have at the moment. Your thoughts? :D
So I was recently rereading King and The Thief, and I kept noticing all these little details that I'd missed the first
from The Thief (page numbers from the copy with the statue of Hephestia and Gen looking over his shoulder):
1. When the magus accuses Gen of stealing the food and asks if he's eaten well, Gen replies, "Not lately." Why is this so supposedly indicative of his guilt? I would have thought, if anything, it would clear him, since he hasn't eaten. (pg 97)
2. After Gen rifles through the bones at the end of the maze and finds the seal ring with the dolphin on it, why does he get so defensive when the magus tries to take it? Is there something special about the ring that I'm missing, or does he just not want the magus to take anything else from him? (page 140)
3. This one's just something I noticed in retrospect and thought was so cool. This passage is when the magus and Sophos join Gen in prison.
"I didn't dare shake my head, but I desperately didn't want the magus to try to wrap me in his cloak. I didn't want his cloak. I didn't want him to put his hand beneath my head and lift it to slide Sophos's fancy folded cloak underneath, which is what he did first. When he didn't notice the bump under my hair at the base of my skull, I gave up protesting. The pain washed back over me, and I sank into it."I've read this I don't know how many times, and I'd always thought that the bump at the base of his skull was just some wound where he'd been hit and the magus bumping it caused the pain to wash over him. It was only on this last reading that I realized that he's actually talking about Hamiathes's gift! Probably everyone noticed this but me, but I was so excited when I realized I just couldn't help sharing. :) (pg 173)
and from The King of Attolia (hardcover version):
1. Why does Gen get so upset during the Klimun myth? (pp 273-285)
2. And one more quick observation--when Gen's on the balcony and Costis says, "You can trust me with your life, My King." is that the first time anyone but Attolia's called him that? How fitting that it should be Costis. :)
So that's everything I have at the moment. Your thoughts? :D
no subject
Date: 10/2/08 05:36 pm (UTC)My gosh.
For your questions: (The Thief)
1) He's so flippant, and also there's the undertone that he's saying he hasn't been given enough food, that the Magus' preconceptions seem borne out. I think.
2) [curious what others think about this...didn't have a different theory]
KoA
1) I assume it's because Gen, knowing the Gods are real, just has to be careful, and he's uncomfortable with this. Also, hearing a preaching story is just not what he had in mind. It does seem like it's leading up to a bad end, doesn't it?
2) Wow, great insight!
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Date: 10/3/08 03:31 am (UTC)and re 1) sounds good to me! :D
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Date: 10/2/08 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 10/2/08 06:50 pm (UTC)2. Good question. He took only that out of all the things he found in the pool in the temple. Maybe he knew it was the dolphin ring from the Aquila family of Eagle of the Ninth? :)
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Date: 10/2/08 07:13 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 10/3/08 03:33 am (UTC)2) :( I have to confess, I've never heard of this book. A-apparently I should go check it out?
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Date: 10/3/08 12:16 pm (UTC)the emerald dolphin ring actual links a family through several generations and much of england's early history, starting with the Roman invasions and going through the viking raids and William's arrival. They are quick reads, and excellent.
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Date: 10/3/08 02:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 10/8/08 03:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 10/2/08 08:59 pm (UTC)2)The deal is to steal Hamiathes' gift for the Magus, nothing else. This was something he stole on his own.
3) Um, yep. The Gift.
KoA:
1)The parallels make him nervous -- he knows he resembles the King in the story and is afraid the King is going to blow it and incur the wrath of the gods.
2)Interesting. I guess it's true that the attendants tend to call him "Your Majesty." You'd think the lack of declared loyalty would make their treachery really obvious.
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Date: 10/3/08 03:36 am (UTC)1) And the wrath of the gods would be a pretty real thing for him, too. Thanks for clearing that up for me. :)
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Date: 10/2/08 10:10 pm (UTC)as in, the last time he ate well was when he helped himself to the food in the saddlebag?
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Date: 10/2/08 11:11 pm (UTC)2) No proof for this at all - just spewing out random thoughts. Could it be an Eddisian ring? like something from his or Eddis's family? (edit: or Medean? there's a lot of references to emeralds when describing Nauther-dork, though I don't have a clue what a Mede would be doing in that temple)
3) I didn't notice that either... he gets hit on the head so often in the books (that's something that I always noticed about Will from Pirates of the Caribbean, too) that I stopped registering specific incidents. That's so cool!
1) I agree with Philia.
2) I think it might be - interesting! ('but not with my wine, obviously' Love Gen!)
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Date: 10/3/08 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 10/3/08 05:02 am (UTC)Sorry, I have strong feelings that the next book should take place in Mede.
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Date: 10/3/08 12:13 am (UTC)I got the bump on the head bit the second time through The Thief, but I always wondered about that dolphin ring. I like Philia's idea on that one. It would be cool if it showed up later, if she does another book, as a nod to careful readers like us. (c:
I never noticed if that was the first time anyone called Eugenidies "my King". You're right -- it is really fitting that it's Costis first. And I love that whole scene. It's my favorite.
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Date: 10/3/08 05:05 am (UTC)2) Quite possibly it's because a) the Magus is Not the Boss of Him, and b) after who knows how long in prison without even so much as his real name, this thing is HIS, GALDANGIT!
3) ... I will admit that I got this the moment that he pulled out the stone the first time that I read the book. But then I'm the kind who obsesses over small details. "Wait, for once he didn't hit his head! Why is there a lump there?" "...Oh, that must have been the lump!"
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Date: 10/3/08 08:48 pm (UTC)3. It took me about three years to spot it, so my last five years of reading have been ''hah! I know that now!'
KoA
2. I never thought of that! You're brilliant. :D
Klimun myth
Date: 10/5/08 11:29 pm (UTC)