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

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

Couldn't it just be simple faith in her husband? Don't you think she could believe in him enough to know he WOULD end up being king?

Of course, the gods' intervention is a much easier explanation that Attolia having faith and trusting someone else ;)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

An easy explanation? Me? I thought I made everything hard. :)

I think she had faith in him and trusted him completely. She wanted him to be king, certainly for their countries' sake, and for her sake, too, and I suppose for his as well, knowing he'd never be happy as a figurehead.

I guess what I'm not sure of is why, knowing how much he hated being king, she would be so sure he WOULD be king. Unless she knew somehow that it was meant to be. He knew it was meant to be after he got the answer from the oracle at the temple. He knew he had been given a "prize" he didn't want. I think she knew that, too, and it's the scene with the coin that makes me think that.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

I think perhaps in terms of Gen's becoming King, everyone seemed to recognise that in the end he'd have no choice. Gen couldn't help Attolia from behind the scenes and pretend to be a puppet forever.

In terms of the Gods being at work, I definitely get the sense that there's more going on, but I'm not sure how to sum it all up. All the allusions that are made to the gods, and the scene with Gen at the end not wanting to offend them, by talking about how he doesn't want the prize he's been given (but is, at the same time terrified they'll take it away) - I don't see how there can be those small glimpses that we get without more going on.

But they don't seem annoyed at Gen for not wanting their 'prize', which is interesting. :)

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

I think the gods must have realized a long time ago that if they were going to get annoyed at him, they would be annoyed all the time. So it's better to smile and nod and be amused...because ultimately, he's going to have to do what they want anyway.

[caseylev.livejournal.com]

I think Gen does want the prize, he's terrified they'll take it away, it's just more than he can handle. Well, no, it's more than he expected at first so he has to take it in little doses, and the gods know, at least, they he'll be happy with it in the end, once he gets used to it a little more. So they have no reason to be offended, only Gen thinks that they do because for some time he's bound to be dissatisfied with them. What's time to an immortal being?

[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.

[mandasarah.livejournal.com]

What's the line? "He obeys you." "The trick is commanding him to do something he was already going to do." That's not right, but it's the gist of it.

And then it's either Gen or the Magus (unless I'm losing my mind, which is a distinct possibility) who says something like, "If the Gods (and this is the bit I forgot) then it's because they know me so well."

The Gods have told Gen to be king. Because a) they knew he was going to anyway and b) they know him well enough to know that he can. And they use subtle things to remind him (the coin, the oracle) because Gen is a subtle guy.


You know what I want MWT to write? A whole book of myths from the Gen-verse. That would be teh pretty.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

And they use subtle things to remind him (the coin, the oracle) because Gen is a subtle guy.

True. They gave gentle reminders instead of hitting him over the head with an amphora. :) Maybe knowing how much he hated being king they were trying to ease him into it.

A book of myths would be cool. But I'd prefer more Gen.

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