Chock Full o' Spoilery Stuff

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

I return to Sounis after months of absence to find chapters! That we can read! O frabjous day!

And, having no willpower, I immediately dived into them, and am now opening a thread where those spoilerly inclined can discuss and analyze and speculate and do all the other fun spoilery stuff, because I haven't even finished reading them and already I have comments.

Let the festivities commence!

Comments

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

She has a broken nose. Now he does, too. Clearly, Eddis and Sophos/Sounis are made for each other!

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

HOMG MY FIRST REACTION TOO

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Only a little bit of Eugenides? No nononono! I want *lots* of Eugenides!

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

Comfort yourself with the knowledge that he is sitting there in the room with Sophos while Sophos tells his story.

One degree of separation!

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Poor Agape. Wonder what happens?

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

I was hoping Sounis died before marrying her

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

Sophos's sisters are awesome.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Very true. I would love see a scene between them and Eugenides.

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

Also Sophos imitating Eugenides when he's alone is the most adorable thing ever.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. Bless

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Gen sounds so grown up and mature!

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

Heaven forbid!

Names and meanings

[liereicarine.livejournal.com]

A lot of things to discuss. :)

I wonder what the names are supposed to mean. Mwt definitely takes time to choose names, like the way she chose Helen and Irene, so I went to google Hyacinth and Eurydice. I couldn't find anything on Ina though. Ahead comes very speculative rambling...

1) Legend has it the origin of hyacinth, the highly fragrant, bell-shaped flower, can be traced back to a young Greek boy named Hyakinthos. As the story goes, two gods – Apollo the sun god, and Zephyr the god of the west wind – adored Hyakinthos and competed for his attention. One day, while Apollo was teaching Hyakinthos the art of throwing a discus, Zephyr, in a jealous rage, blew the discus back, killing Hyakinthos with a strike to the head. Apollo named the flower that grew from Hyakinthos’s blood hyacinth.

Symbolizing sport or play in the language of flowers, hyacinth represent constancy, while blue hyacinth expresses sincerity.

In that light, it's ironic that Hyacinth had 'no martial skills'.

2) According to Wiki, Eurydice was one of the daughters of Apollo. She's better known as the wife of Orpheus, who played his lyre to save her from the dead. He eventually failed to save her when he turned his head to look at her before they were in the upper world.

Given that Eurydice, Ina and Sophos' mother were hiding in an ice house, I wonder if it's possible that mwt will flip this tale on its head and Eurydice will survive. Or perhaps her name refers to this particular fire from which Sophos has failed to save her, and she truly perishes. :|

3) I also noticed was that both of the names are associated with Apollo! Wonder if this implies Sophos, who is common to both Eurydice and Hyacinth, is like Apollo.

From wiki:
He was the god of healing and medicine, and of music and poetry. He was the leader of the Muses. He also was a god of prophecy, and his oracle at Delphi was very important. He also was a god of revenge and justice. During the 5th century BC, Apollo became also known as the god of the sun, becoming one with the god Helios, and getting the name Phoebus.

I somehow picture Sounis as very yellow, just like Attolia is red and gold. I can't remember if there are official national colours, but maybe this has to do with Sophos becoming Sounis. And the name Sounis sounds like it could have been derived from the word 'sun'. Thoughts?

4) Last thing that bothered me: Terve's scenario seems incredibly accurate. Maybe he was actually some really smart dude who was trying to prepare Sophos for danger that he knew was going to happen in advance? :/

Re: Names and meanings

[longlegs21.livejournal.com]

I think you are really, really on to something with the Sophos-Apollo connection.

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

Okay, two things.

1) Sophos is with the magus. Does that mean he and Eddis have already met up? (I realize this is pure speculation. Just wondering.)

2) After Eugenides says "I'm sorry" to Sophos, the magus says that it's because now they can only be king and king, not simply friends. Before I read the magus's explanation, I thought it also had to do with Gen knowing how much Sophos would have to give up as a result of his kingship.

[styromgalleries.livejournal.com]

2) I thought something similar. I thought Gen was sorry just because he knows how much Sophos hates the thought of being king.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I AM SO GLAD YOU GUYS CAN READ AND DISCUSS AT LEAST PART OF IT WITH ME. Not spoiling has been REALLY HARD.

MWT certainly has no qualms about giving her characters very visible physical handicaps, eh? First Gen's hand, now Sophos's face... poor Sophos :'(

(Checkers called me on spoiling without warning before because I said Sophos=Sounis. I didn't think of this as a spoiler because, first, it basically says it already in the reviews that we have of the book, and he IS the heir to Sounis, and combine that with the cover and title I took it as pretty much a given before ever actually reading it. And then it is revealed within the first eight pages of the book--I mean, seriously, tiny spoiler, no? I am sorry to have slipped up about it, though.)

Random things:
Eugenides looked up at Sophos. :-)
Magus's bath--looks like we've (almost) found it, there at the end of the prologue :-)
Somewhat more spoilerish (and therefore whited out):
Took me a minute to get used to the idea of a boy named Hyacinth. (The name makes me think of Wives and Daughters, which doesn't help.)
What was Sophos doing during QoA? Failing to manage his own petty problems. Aw Sopohs... you'll have problems enough soon, and not the petty kind.

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

The name makes me think of Wives and Daughters, which doesn't help.
I had that reaction as well, which made me dislike him almost instantly (since Hyacinth in W&D is such a...so and so).

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Nothing spoilery from me, as I can't figure out how to access the chapters!

So I just wanted to say WELCOME BACK LESLIE -- it's very nice to see your icon there again!

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Philia. : ) I hope all is well with you and your family.

[twelfthfantasy.livejournal.com]

Hi all,

I briefly introduced myself in the Happy-Birthday-Sounis post, but I am still primarily a lurker.

I have a question though. Doesn't anyone else think that Eugenides actually did recognize Sophos or at least the Magus after the pea hit him? I mean, he didn't react, but that doesn't mean anything. He is the master of deceiving others. Now, I'm not sure why he didn't at least acknowledge them, but I'm sure he had his reasons. The most obvious is that he saw that Sophos and the Magus were traveling incognito and did not want to blow their cover, but perhaps there is more. And perhaps I am reading too much into this.

-C

[(Anonymous)]

Here, Philia.

http://software.newsstand.com/bookrdr/live/Reader.swf?a=M5pPR5utW77huE%2BGrkkbnjP66yLE%2BUMcduZxEy0ZUPuZykG9SthICmHRw6UZXNPlPy0rPfXf5Y08Hz1MJNitHw%3D%3D

Hope this works.

I have no coherent thoughts at the moment except SQUEE!

~Feir Dearig

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

So NOW you all know why Sophos's upper lip looks funny on the cover. Or at least that's the guess I'm making about the artist's intent, because it makes a lot more sense than a mustache.

[tearoha.livejournal.com]

Yes, I got to there and realised who the ragged young man must have been. What a barbaric way to disguise someone (I'm guessing that's what the slaver means by telling Sophos that he'll be out in plain view, not hidden). *huggles Sophos*

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

Is the map in the beginning of the book? I can't seem to find it...

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

It doesn't seem to be there :( Some people sound like they've seen it, but I can't find it using the arrows OR the search box (I searched "Map"...didn't do me any good)

huh?

[(Anonymous)]

I read only the letter from MWT on the first page and I could not compel myself to go on (yet). Only a little bit of Gen?!?! The idea is thoroughly horrible to imagine and as much as I love Sophos I love Gen infinite times more! I hope that there is enough Gen in this book to satisfy! I'm worried now...

Re: huh?

[sun-bird-498.livejournal.com]

In my panic I forgot to log in! ^^

[inkasrain.livejournal.com]

This is unbearable!!! I was going to read them when they were only two chapters, but I can't read five chapters from a computer screen, this needs to be held and read on real paper with real pages to turn. I read the Prologue, that will have to hold me for at least a little while... we'll see if it does!!

But as to the Prologue:
-Eddis is there!
-MAGUS!
-Sophos has a scar!! Not some wimpy, hidden-under-shirt, Eragon-style scar, but a badass facial scar!!
-(Megan sure isn't shy about maiming her characters, huh? ;-))

Ah....

Awwh how Gen's being all *grown up* and responsible?

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

Oh so many people are here and I have to go be king

and EDDIS is here too :]

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

HI! Leslie! YAY, you're back!

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Nope, can only see 2 chapters, here. Probably just as well...

[tearoha.livejournal.com]

TG, access the next three chapters (up to the end of chapter 5) by typing page numbers (from 24 to 63 oh dear I have it memorised) into the search box at the top of the pane, then click on the results that come up to read more.
If it helps :)

TA

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

Did I mention how much I love the *mutually crushing hug* the magus gives Gen? It's been so long!

[styromgalleries.livejournal.com]

ME TOO!!!

When I read that, I just sat in my chair and went "Awwwwww!" *wants to join Gen and the Magus in their hug*

[tearoha.livejournal.com]

And more on names - Malatesta. Mala is the Latin root for 'bad', and according to Wikipedia, 'testa' means 'head'. Maybe Sophos was right when he doubted that his tutor had actually been to Ferria.

[(Anonymous)]

Um... hi! I'm a lurker and have never really used live journal before (except to lurk at this awesome community) but I thought some of you might be interested to know that the first 5 chapters are accessible through the search feature on the book preview. I know that with the arrows it ends after chp. 2, but I was so desperate that I started typing in page numbers and, voila, I could read three more chapters! So, if you are going crazy waiting for CoK like I was, you might want to check it out...

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Well, bless your fuzzy little heart! I never even thought of doing that! (And I was actually desperate enough to type in more numbers, even, so I could read the first three words or so on each page for about ten more pages. How sad is that?)

[ilysia-039.livejournal.com]

SO MUCH EXCITEMENT.

THAT IS ALL.

[qwentoozla]

Ahhh! I was looking forward to the book before, now I really cannot wait! I want more Gen though!

Sophos's sisters and mother can't really be dead though, can they? They could've escaped!

[ballet2nite.livejournal.com]

If you've ever heard the song "Promises to Keep" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the last three lines might remind you of someone lately.

If we pretend long enough
Never giving up
It just might be who we are

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU TA THAT WORKED AWESOME SAUCE!!!

Ok. First of all, something I never did before: *huggles Sophos*
It is so cute that he is so humble about his "fiercesome" (hehehe) fighting (or should I say scrapping) abilities. I love it. So different from Gen's hiding his capabilities, and just as appealing, I think. He really is oblivious to reality, no? Also, exactly who is he talking to, do you think? He refers to Gen in third person, so it seems not Gen. Perhaps Eddis? Attolia? Also, when he was talking about Berrone, did y'all notice that he (can never quote, so will just try to remember) supposes Berrone is beautiful, but never really noticed until his sister told him, because of his affections? I assumed he meant his affection for Helen has blinded him to all other beauty. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.


Also, even though now I am on major tenterhooks (which is what, exactly?), I still will miss Costis...

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

I noticed that too! Major Sophos-huggling moment. If he and Helen don't meet face-to-face later in the book, I'll eat my hat. (I don't have a hat actually.)

We can always do what Left-handed Creativity is doing and pretend Costis is the one in the hallway who tells Gen, "We have to go now, YM." (Either that or it's one of the awesome attendants-who-are-now-good that I also will miss if they don't make any appearances, but not as much as Costis.)

[aspectabund.livejournal.com]

I find it intriguing that Sounis could be dead and Eugenides didn't know. I wonder what that means...

Also, how much further in the future is this from KoA, do we suppose? A few weeks? Months?

[aspectabund.livejournal.com]

HOLY POOP I DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD READ THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS. Will update this with more thoughts in a bit. 8D