Another Teaser!!!

[inkasrain.livejournal.com]

Greenwillow Books has posted another snippet from Conspiracy of Kings! Check it out here.

I wrote to my father, as politely as I knew how, to say that my sword work was improved and that I was sick of poetry (sick of Malatesta’s at least). With a marriage to the queen’s cousin Agape planned, there would soon be a much more appropriate heir to replace me, and could I please come back to the mainland? I prayed to the household gods to save me from one more day on Letnos. Within a day of sending the letter, like an idiot in an old wives’ tale, I got what I asked for.

So many questions! When does this take place, both in the story and the overall QT timeline? Why is this in first person (FIRST PERSON SOPHOS, YAY!!) when the previous snippet was in third person? And, uh, how long until March, again??

Comments

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I would guess it's near the beginning. Because then he's captured. *guessing*

*SO EXCITED*

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

As for why it's in third person, maybe he's telling his story to someone.

[mycenaeth.livejournal.com]

Sounis engaged to Agape???

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

I know! When I read that, I was like, "Whaaaaaat!" Haha.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Me too! I actually said, "WHAT?"

[smills47.livejournal.com]

With a marriage to the queen’s cousin Agape planned, there would soon be a much more appropriate heir to replace me

If this is Sophos speaking, would it not indicate that Sounis has given up on Eddis and now has in the works an alliance with Attolia? Am I missing something?

[smills47.livejournal.com]

Ho -- I see that mycenaeth just had the same thought.

[kulai-raito.livejournal.com]

Agape is Eddis cousin, not Attolia's cousin. So I guess Sounis has given up on Helen and is going to the closest relative.

Yay, good thing to dwell on after a midterm.

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

I'll have to go back and look, but I believe that somewhere in the end of Queen of Attolia the possibility of matching Agape with Sounis is broached. If so, this isn't coming out of nowhere.

[inkasrain.livejournal.com]

I remember that too; I think it's actually Gen's idea. "Poor Agape" indeed!

[smills47.livejournal.com]

Right you are of course. I think I was conflating her with Heiro; chalk it up to early-onset Alzheimers. In any case, the poor girl doesn't deserve it!

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

WHAT? Agape? What?

It's possible that the he in the earlier snippet was not in fact Sophos.

I can't possibly wait until March. Pah.

[katewaits.livejournal.com]

Wow! I wasn't expecting this and it's really making an otherwise nada day verra special. Squee!

So many questions. Poor Agape, betrothed to Sounis ... I guess. And, I agree, what's up with the POV changes? Intriguing ....

I seriously can't wait for this book to come out. Where's my time machine?

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

Agape? Sounis?

*bwuh*

(Besides, Agape falls in love with Costis... (http://community.livejournal.com/queensthief_fic/1712.html#cutid1))

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Clearly this is all our fault for taking up knitting uni and not writing the rest of DOOMFIC.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaha...love the limerick icon!

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

You know, it's not completely unheard of for authors to use multiple points of view...

[helle-d.livejournal.com]

No, but it isn't something this series has done so far in the same book (except for the storytelling). That said, MWT has used a different technique each time.

[katewaits.livejournal.com]

That said, MWT has used a different technique each time.

I've been wondering if she'll do something new or if we'll go back to one of the ones she's already used. Definitely intriguing.

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

It seems that Sophos is talking about Sounis getting married to Agape, which would make the more suitable heir the child Agape and Sounis would have together. I suppose this is why he thinks he should be able to come home, because he no longer as important.

I also have a questions. Why is Letnos so bad? What's happened there?

This sounds like an introduction. It's possible that only this part is in first-person POV, and the rest of the book is in third.

I've also read books where each chapter begins with a first-person snipit, while the rest of the chapter is in third.

I agree with Phila. It is a certainly possible the story shifts between first and third person POV.

Yah! Only five more months to go!

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

I'm under the impression that it is no fault of Letnos' that it's so bad; it's simply the fact that it isn't home. Sophos is homesick. Speaking as someone who cried every night of film acting away-camp, I can sympathize. Poor guy. :-(

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Ahh... Homesickness. Just like Gen and Costis.

I guess I've never actually had that feeling when away from home, so that didn't occur to me at first; but you are probably right, TLE. Maybe, I'm just not a very sentimental person. Hmmm... I never had trouble settling in to a place I was visiting.

You cried every night? Ahh...

*pats TLE on back*

Oh, and first chat at HH is tomorrow night. I hope to see you there. That is, if I can get on myself.

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Ha, Malatesta. Don Pasquale, anyone?

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, clever...

Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The young man Ernesto is in love with the lovely but penniless Norina and has refused to marry a "more suitable" woman chosen for him by his rich uncle Don Pasquale. The old man accordingly plans to wed and produce his own heirs, cutting Ernesto off from his inheritance. Pasquale's physician, Dr. Malatesta, suggests his sister, Sofronia, a convent girl, as the bride, all the while scheming to dupe the old man into allowing Ernesto's marriage to Norina. The Don happily accepts the proposal. Malatesta has Norina disguise herself as Sofronia and sign a fake marriage contract before a false notary. At this point Norina transforms from the shy convent girl into a complete shrew, turning Pasquale's life upside down, hiring hordes of new servants and spending money left and right. She makes life so miserable for the old man that he is actually relieved when he discovers that he has been duped, and that he has not really married Norina. He repudiates his desire for marriage and consents to the union of his nephew with Norina.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Someone needs to repost/find those clues Megan gave us ages ago such as the mendacious garnets and the Magus has a bath so we can see if they relate to any of these snippets we're getting.

"Poor Agape" I swear it was a tentative idea of Gen's in QoA for her to marry Sounis.

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Agape/Sounis??

Philia, can I borrow that, "I disapprove" icon of yours? with the rabbit?

I think he's somewhere around twice her age by this point! I was under the impression she's Gen's age, meaning 18 or 19 by now, and Sounis was mid-thirties. Ok, Attolia/Gen I can deal with, but this? No. Although it's possible Sounis will die before any wedding bells ring. Sorry, Sounis fans.

I greatly enjoy the idea that this is Sophos telling Gen his story. I always liked the scenes where Gen was telling stories in TT, and find myself stopping to reread the part where Sophos says, "you sound different when you're telling a story". It would make me happy for Sophos to tell Gen one.

Next, as I said above, I feel terrible for Sophos. Poor guy, sent off to learn to be a king, when all he really wants is to eat apricots with his sisters...

HAVE YOU ALL NOTICED THAT THESE TEASERS ARE PROOF THAT SOMEWHERE THERE IS A REAL BOOK CALLED CONSPIRACY OF KINGS AND SOMEDAY WE WILL ALL BE ABLE TO READ IT?!?! THIS IS AWESOME!!

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

I KNOW!

It's proof that the day will come when this book will appear in my hands as a tangible object that I can actually read. I now have proof that I'm not just delusional. This is reality. My prayers ARE being answered.

*is being cheesy*

I nearly faint when I think about opening it for the first time.

*faints*

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

That's not my icon. I don't have any icons except this one that my daughter made me , because I am an Icon Idiot.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

The "I Disapprove" rabbit icon belongs to SuperCheck ;-)

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Oh, whoops. Sorry. Well then; Checkers?

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

And the icon was originally fromemmaco! It's funny how things get passed around.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

You mean, "last seen happily married to Tiegirl in Dillsburg, PA." Not lost at all. And not homesick.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Yes, I snagged it from emmaco! Here it is!

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's the one. Thanks!

YOU SEE THAT SOUNIS. THAT RABBIT IS SNEERING AT YOU.

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

I can't breathe! Augh! FIVE MONTHS! WAAA! (Now I really can't wait!)

Gen, Helen, Agape

[smills47.livejournal.com]

Found the passage where Gen describes how they're related -- it's on p. 182 of QoA (Eos pb). He says the MoW and Helen's father were brothers, and Helen's mother and Agape's mother were sisters. Also, Gen's grandfather and Agape's were half-brothers, so he and Agape would be (half?)second cousins. Phew.

This is also where Gen suggests to the Magus that he might try to get Sounis to marry Agape, and the Magus opines that Sounis is "not entirely irredeemable."

Now I'm curious whether/how Sounis will be involved in the kingly conspiracy.

Re: Gen, Helen, Agape

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Now I'm curious whether/how Sounis will be involved in the kingly conspiracy.

So am I alone in thinking that he's doomed?

Hee hee, Bob the dinosaur.

Re: Gen, Helen, Agape

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

So am I alone in thinking that he's doomed?

I think I'm with you on that one. The most likely way for Sophos to end up a king is if something gets the current Sounis out of the way!

Re: Gen, Helen, Agape

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Maybe the first teaser wasn't Sophos with the peashooter in Attolia, but some unknown assassin in Sounis with a rifle. Or crossbow, to aim more accurately. About to bump off Sounis.

Although I do kind of think by the "stop nagging" that it WAS Sophos.

[(Anonymous)]

Aaaauuuggghhh... my brain is literally about to explode with excitement.
But then I'd never read the book.
~toastisyummy

Question~ random but its been bothering me!!

[(Anonymous)]

okay so random question but i was thinking about KOA and at the end Gen says he has two grandfathers except one of his was Eddis. Is he talking about the Queen or the Country?

If anyone knows for sure can you please let me know? Its just kinda been bothering me, lol.

thanks

Elle

Re: Question~ random but its been bothering me!!

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

One grandfather was the King of Eddis, also the grandfather of his cousin Eddis (now the Queen, formerly known as Helen) and the father of his father, MoW.

(Welcome!)

Re: Question~ random but its been bothering me!!

[(Anonymous)]

OOo! Thanks!!! okay so one of his grandfathers was Eddis and then other (from his mother's side) was the Queen's theif? Which one was Gen closer to?

Re: Question~ random but its been bothering me!!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

My impression is that Gen was lots closer to his grandfather on his mom's side; the Thief. He hardly mentions his grandfather on the Minister of War's side (King of Eddis) at all. He mentions aunts and uncles who insult him and I always assumed they were on his father's side, too.

And welcome!

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

The old Christmas presents (the four clues) are here (http://community.livejournal.com/sounis/204285.html#cutid1). Unfortunately, none of them seem to have much to do with Sophos or this excerpt.

Yes!

[(Anonymous)]

Agape and Sounis! I am so happy! Not that I really like Sounis, I just hate Agape and Heiro. Now that they deserve it, but... Anyhow Agape is the youngest, prettist, smartest, nicest sister in her family. Ugh! And as for Sounis, he will so get killed. I like Sophos but the part I am totally looking forward to is of course, Gen's awesomeness. He better have a pretty big role in the book!