Gods in KoA

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

rowana touched on this in the last thread, but I think it deserves a thread of its own.

The gods were very involved in QoA, but seem less so in King. Other than the very surprising and funny "Go to Bed" scene, we don't see them (although I think they were making the coin turn up lilies each time, too). They speak through the Oracle, and Gen is not happy with what he is told.

I have a feeling there was more going on.

At the end of QoA, Irene is determined to continue to rule. By early in KoA, she wants Eugenides to rule. In between there, they married and she has gotten to know him better and see what he is capable of.

Because of her barons she knows she can't hold onto the throne much longer. She never seems worried about what will happen. She's not surprised at the coin showing lilies. She seems certain he WILL rule sooner or later, even though he doesn't want to. I wondered if the gods were at work here, too, although there's no evidence they were.

Did anyone else see subtle signs of the gods at work? Do you think they were annoyed at Eugenides for not wanting their "prize"?

Comments

[anon8.livejournal.com]

What's time to an immortal being?

True. After all, Gen was doing little things like paying attention to the taxes, and he asked about the grain, so even though it looked like he was bored to death by the wheat listing, he really was paying attention.

he has to take it in little doses

He got that bridge built and he must have been thinking about Erondites the whole time. So, it was sort of like he was getting used to it a little bit at a time--he just balked at it being hoisted on him or being forced to exert himself all at once. Gen really likes to do things his way on his own time.

So I think the gods sent little signs to tell him that he can't hide behind the role of figurehead forever, but they didn't do anything big because they knew he'd do it eventually. It's like that passage in QofA where Eddis mentions that the gods don't dictate her actions, but they know her so well that they can pretty much predict what she'll do in the end.

I don't think the gods would have been offended: he's just dust after all, and if he doesn't do as they think he should, it's to his own ruin and that of his people.