another review of ACoK

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

This one comes from sartorias, who herself writes a pretty mean political fantasy novel. Discussions of characterization and character evolution abound, as well as spoilers. You can read it here.

Comments

[doreenahk.livejournal.com]

Review via Oyceter:

http://oyceter.livejournal.com/900606.html#cutid1

[ricardienne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this link (also the Sherwood Smith review): very interesting things to think about. It's so easy for me to cynically appreciate the "realpolitik" in good political fantasy without questioning enough the premises behind my own appreciation, if that makes sense (see also: our thread on Medes and (esp.) the heated parts of it).

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I think I pretty much agree with her. I was a bit disappointed in CoK. I really enjoyed the first part, but I was expecting some plot and character twists and a clever solution to Sounis's problems, not unsubtle violence. To me, Sophos becomes a murderer, IOW, more like the man he killed. [ducks and covers]

I like the idea that the next book may be from the POV of a Mede. That would be interesting, though I'd also want to see more Gen.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

By killing one man Sophos saved...dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? He avoided a civil war that would have torn his country to pieces, or seen it ruled by the Medes for years to come.

And the man he killed, though not an immediate threat, had him kidnapped, nearly killed his mother and sisters, caused him to be beaten and enslaved, and orchestrated a takeover by a hostile country.

I wish he could have found a different solution, but he couldn't. I have a feeling he'll be haunted by what he's done for a long time.

[reader-marie.livejournal.com]

As much trouble as I have with killing in general, I think I agree with you on this one.

Especially your last point, that it will haunt him: I think that's the part that makes all four of our beloved rulers human, not ruthless monsters. Despite Eddis' words about different standards, I believe all of them feel remorse and regret for even necessary actions. Hard choices are certainly part of their lot as rulers (and as human beings, really), but when they acknowledge that their choices are difficult and their decisions not always admirable--well, I'd rather have that than, say, the old Sounis (to whom Sophos is explicitly compared in this regard).

I'm not sure I'm being entirely coherent tonight, but I've attempted...

[agh-4.livejournal.com]

Here here! Well said.

About Eddis' words:

I don't think what she said was strictly to reassure Sophos -- she'd dealt and was dealing with the same feelings about what she must do as queen -- and I think it reinforces the idea that they "feel remorse and regret for even necessary actions." It's one of the burdens they have to carry. It's their job. I loved this little speech because it captures how sometimes there's no right answer in life.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I don't like what he did, either, but the point was that he couldn't find another way. I'm very much against killing for any reason, so Sophos shooting that guy definitely bothered me. But the point was that he could see no other way. Do you avoid killing at all costs, and risk your country (and possibly other countries) being overrun by foreign invaders, or taken over by some power-hungry baron, in which case there would certainly be more deaths? There isn't really an easy answer, and I thought that was kind of the point of the book.