[Dragaera] Just got ahold of Dzur

[Steve Rapaport]

(And read it at one sitting.  Too short!)

But now that I'm skimming through the last 2 weeks' spoilers on the list, a
couple of late answers:
(spoilers)












Jose: I think Teldra's influence on Vlad makes an early appearance on Page
22, when he asks an improper question to another assassin:

   "I assume, at some point, you were offered the job?"

   He looked directly at me.  At the same time, I felt an odd little twinge
from somewhere in the back of my head, as if there were a voice whispering
just too softly for me to hear. I decided now wasn't the time to think about
that twinge, and what it implied.

   "Sorry," I told [him]. "Improper question".


=====
Now I'm going to have to go back and re-read this thing a few times to see
if I get more satisfied about:

* Why is simply giving South Adrilankha up to whatever faction not an option
for Cawti or Vlad?  Neither of them wants it.  How is Vlad saving Cawti
somehow by helping?  I expect I'll catch this on the second time through.

But more questions are bugging me:

* Why does Vlad want to blame stuff on Verra?  Aside from some memories
coming back, I didn't see any reason to believe that she was responsible for
(or even interested in) any of the books' events.

* The strained dynamic between Vlad and Daymar makes even less sense than
ever.  They learn from each other each time they meet, and Vlad has long
since accepted Daymar's literal thinking, yet he can't stop jibing at
Daymar.  Even Daymar has begun to notice it.
 And Vlad seems more mature than he was, and less intimidated by powerful
folk, so why hasn't he relaxed a bit around Daymar yet, and perhaps started
to even be civil when he's the one asking for favors?

* For all the talk about Dzur being more complex than they seem, Telnan
seems pretty simple and not all that interesting. Aside from being rather
more geeky and cheerful than Vlad expects, he doesn't have a lot to say
except "Mmmm.  Donuts".

All of these add up to something in my mind -- it's getting harder for SKZB
to keep plot and dialogue going without giving away  too much information.
If Vlad were actually civil with Daymar, he'd actually learn something, so
he can't be.  If Telnan had any kind of curiosity or character, we'd learn
too much about Sethra through him.  If Vlad actually spoke to Verra instead
of threatening her, she might give him some info too.  Likewise if Vlad
asked questions to Sethra instead of sparring with her verbally.

Maybe the device is wearing thin for me.  In past books it always made sense
- Vlad was too stressed, or too intimidated and had to represent,  or there
was something just coming up -- but by now he's more mature, has some power
and knows the people, and is well aware that every piece of information
could save his life -- and yet he still wastes his time trying NOT to learn
stuff.

Wow, this turned into a rant and I didn't mean it to.  Want the next book
SOON.


-- 
\Steve