Community Read-along: A Conspiracy of Kings section 1

[an-english-girl.livejournal.com]

Welcome back to the community read-along of all the books (so far!). This week, we’re starting A Conspiracy of Kings, reading from the start of the Prologue “The king of Attolia was passing....” to the end of Chapter 12 “...You came in. And you laughed.” Thirteen chapters sounds like a lot, but some of them are actually very short, so please keep reading and don’t panic!

These discussions are spoiler-free for the new short stories The Wine Shop and The Knife Dance, as well as for the ARC Thick As Thieves. If you have any comments on these in relation to ACoK, please write them down or tell them to the cat, so you’ll remember them to share with everyone else in Less Than A Month’s Time!!! :D

Obviously, there will be spoilers for the four extant books, so if you’re very very new to this fandom, I echo the Queen of Attolia: Go Away – and finish reading all four books!


So, so, so. This book contains some of the most uneven chapter lengths Megan’s ever published, so for discussing, I have divided the narrative into 6 parts:

1. Reunion (Prologue)
2. Life – and death – at the villa (Chapters 1 & 2)
3. An unexpected escape (Chapters 3 & 4)
4. Life and learning (Chapters 5 & 6)
5. An unexpected rescue (Chapters 7 to 9)
6. Flight to Attolia (Chapters 10 to 12)

For each of these, (in imitation of pendrecarc) I have added a few rather random thoughts and questions in separate comments below. As you’re reading through and want to comment, pick the thread that matches your section and reply. Quotes, comments, suggestions, elaborations, arguments -- all welcome!

Enjoy! And don’t delay! Next week is section 2 of ACoK led by ibmiller, while May 16th gets nearer every day!

Comments

An unexpected rescue

[an-english-girl.livejournal.com]

In many senses!

Firstly, Sophos faces the hardest choice of his life. Are there certain echoes of Eddis' very long pause before she lets Gen go to steal the Queen of Attolia here? More so because with the example of the Mephians discussed among the field-hands in the previous chapter, we know his "stay safely put" option isn't really an option, just as Eddis knows she can't stay put on the Sacred Mountain?

Choice made, and the next Plan by Sophos. This time, crunch time, it really works -- given a dozen or more adjustments, reverses, wild strokes of luck and so on! Sophos combines both his mind and his physical strength – “I hit him with the accumulated force of a thousand thousand shovelfuls of dirt.” A couple of points spring to mind: Why does Sylvie the maid go along with Sophos’ deception when she has seen at least part way through it?
And when Baron Hanaktos recognises Sophos, is it as Sophos or because he looks so like Sounis?

Re: An unexpected rescue

[manderelee.livejournal.com]

"I hit him with the accumulated force of a thousand thousand shovelfuls of dirt."

This is such an iconic moment for me the first time I read ACoK. One of the most unforgettable lines in the entire series!

Because Sylvie is hip and cool! Just kidding. Well, she probably thinks that Sophos is earnest in his need for help, and would not intentionally hurt Berrone.

Oh, I thought Baron Hanaktos recognizes Sophos, and becomes incensed that he was there the entire time in his land, and he never knew!