Author's Notes
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Chapters 9 - 17
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Chapter 9
Okay, the jokes about verbally mistaking Mikal for Michael and vice-versa are cheap, but inevitable. Michael was a character long before I considered how true angels would fit into this series, and I didn't really start looking at angel names until I was ready to write this book. Michael figured prominently as he is forefront in Judeo-Christian-Islamic theology, and is indeed one of the few angels named in their respective holy books. Tons of angels are named, described, written about, etc, in other works, but as far as the primary texts for the religions, there's only a handful. When the time came to include him, however, I obviously couldn't spell his name the same as our familiar Michael Semnriak, and I really hate changing character names once they're set in my head. So "Michael" became "Mikal" as I worked out naming differences prevalent in angels and demons. (Demons are more inclined to use a "kh" in their name, as you'll see later, while angels use a simple "k" and neither particularly uses a "ch".) I threw in the bit about Michael's family tradition just for the fun of it - people do the same thing in our world all the time.
In the commentary for Book2, I pointed out the occasional use of capitalization when referring to Satan in the third person ("Himself" rather than "himself"). Kaelus is one of the few characters you'll see use this distinction. Birch is another.
The Epiphany is obviously a major piece of Lokkan history. The word means "manifestation" or "appearance" and has pretty heavy significance in the Christian religion especially (in case you're not familiar with it). The official Epiphany in Lokka did have the full sanction of the Heavenly Hosts, despite what Marc says, but there were elements that did not, some of which will be explored in the next trilogy. The histories are somewhat mixed on the topic, though, which accounts for Marc's misunderstanding.
Note the complete inverse properties of the Binding compared to the Merging. Both are similar in function, but the Barrier was put in place to restrict the open-ended Merging, to keep immortals in and have no effect on mortals. The Binding, however, though similar to the Merging, was by itself designed specifically to affect mortals, not immortals. It's not being affected by a third-party power (like the Barrier's effect on the Merging), that's how it's supposed to work. That should tell you a lot about how angels view mortals.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I introduce the concept of shaishisii gradually, with a brief explanation here and then periodically re-touch on the concept to examine some of the implications and how it's used in immortal life. By the time you get to the end of this book, its use in the final confrontation should feel natural. If you think through the concept, there's not much difference between it and the old adage "Might makes right," which is a pretty disturbing concept to be ruling Heaven. The events in this book will spur a reconsideration of shaishisii that will be explored in the next trilogy.
In the commentary for Book2, I pointed out the occasional use of capitalization when referring to Satan in the third person ("Himself" rather than "himself"). Kaelus is one of the few characters you'll see use this distinction. Birch is another.
The Epiphany is obviously a major piece of Lokkan history. The word means "manifestation" or "appearance" and has pretty heavy significance in the Christian religion especially (in case you're not familiar with it). The official Epiphany in Lokka did have the full sanction of the Heavenly Hosts, despite what Marc says, but there were elements that did not, some of which will be explored in the next trilogy. The histories are somewhat mixed on the topic, though, which accounts for Marc's misunderstanding.
Note the complete inverse properties of the Binding compared to the Merging. Both are similar in function, but the Barrier was put in place to restrict the open-ended Merging, to keep immortals in and have no effect on mortals. The Binding, however, though similar to the Merging, was by itself designed specifically to affect mortals, not immortals. It's not being affected by a third-party power (like the Barrier's effect on the Merging), that's how it's supposed to work. That should tell you a lot about how angels view mortals.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I introduce the concept of shaishisii gradually, with a brief explanation here and then periodically re-touch on the concept to examine some of the implications and how it's used in immortal life. By the time you get to the end of this book, its use in the final confrontation should feel natural. If you think through the concept, there's not much difference between it and the old adage "Might makes right," which is a pretty disturbing concept to be ruling Heaven. The events in this book will spur a reconsideration of shaishisii that will be explored in the next trilogy.
Chapter 10
Satan's Gambit - the namesake of the book. This scene, while a little slow, had to be here to explain the concept, since I can't count on every reader to go through the appendix describing Dividha and the concepts/tactics of the game. Each of the books in the Pandemonium War is named after something from this game and can therefore give you a hint as to what's going on, whether it's something as obvious as "Hunting The Three" in the literal sense or the more metaphorical sense as a wild goose chase (both of which were applicable in Book1). Despite Brican's expounding on strategy, Moreen pulls the ultimate Gambit on him.
You might note that Creationism vs. Evolution is not an issue in Lokka. I thought I'd settle that debate here before it ever started at least, since the angels themselves who witnessed the entirety of mortal history watched Evolution happen. Note, however, it doesn't preclude the existence and/or involvement of God. I think it's too bad more people in our world (particularly my own country) don't look at it that way, but that's just my take on the issue.
Nuse's observation about Alicia's sudden affliction isn't too terribly subtle, but I'm still not ready to come out and say what's going on with her, mainly because none of the people who've noticed anything have any business thinking specifically of what it is. I try to stay true to the persona and thoughts of whoever's perspective the chapter/section is following, and if they wouldn't think about X, then X has no business being there. More than once that's why you see a scene jump from one person's perspective to someone else's across a section or chapter break, so I can bring in a particular concept or idea from the person that wouldn't have occurred to whomever we were following before the jump.
Birch's name. No, his parents didn't name him after a tree. I don't make a big deal out of it, but it comes up peripherally once or twice in the series. It'll be explained later, I promise. I didn't originally have much of a reason for calling him Birch, but it made for a nice point to make with this memory of the Voice, specifically the accusation of Satan being Evil (as in Evil itself, personified, the literal embodiment of the concept - not just a descriptive term). The final piece of this scene is something you've seen before in previous books, where Satan causes Birch to forget their conversations. Mikal has already mentioned that he used a lesser form of shaishisii to influence mortals to ignore his presence. What you see here is Satan doing essentially the same thing, overpowering Birch's will and causing him to forget. Obviously, though, Birch didn't forget, he just forgot that he knew, which is a subtle but very different thing.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
By the time you get to the end of the book, if you come back and think on the conversation over the game of Dividha, you can see how the strategies tie in. Birch's chapter quotes along the way make occasional mention of a "hero" and specifically the word being applied to him. He really is the Hero, the one playing to win at all times, no matter what. Satan uses him to setup his own Gambit, playing to lose the Barrier War in order to glean some long-term gain out of it. In the end, this tactic doesn't stop at the end of this book, and should probably inform how you watch Satan's influence throughout the Pandemonium War series.
You might note that Creationism vs. Evolution is not an issue in Lokka. I thought I'd settle that debate here before it ever started at least, since the angels themselves who witnessed the entirety of mortal history watched Evolution happen. Note, however, it doesn't preclude the existence and/or involvement of God. I think it's too bad more people in our world (particularly my own country) don't look at it that way, but that's just my take on the issue.
Nuse's observation about Alicia's sudden affliction isn't too terribly subtle, but I'm still not ready to come out and say what's going on with her, mainly because none of the people who've noticed anything have any business thinking specifically of what it is. I try to stay true to the persona and thoughts of whoever's perspective the chapter/section is following, and if they wouldn't think about X, then X has no business being there. More than once that's why you see a scene jump from one person's perspective to someone else's across a section or chapter break, so I can bring in a particular concept or idea from the person that wouldn't have occurred to whomever we were following before the jump.
Birch's name. No, his parents didn't name him after a tree. I don't make a big deal out of it, but it comes up peripherally once or twice in the series. It'll be explained later, I promise. I didn't originally have much of a reason for calling him Birch, but it made for a nice point to make with this memory of the Voice, specifically the accusation of Satan being Evil (as in Evil itself, personified, the literal embodiment of the concept - not just a descriptive term). The final piece of this scene is something you've seen before in previous books, where Satan causes Birch to forget their conversations. Mikal has already mentioned that he used a lesser form of shaishisii to influence mortals to ignore his presence. What you see here is Satan doing essentially the same thing, overpowering Birch's will and causing him to forget. Obviously, though, Birch didn't forget, he just forgot that he knew, which is a subtle but very different thing.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
By the time you get to the end of the book, if you come back and think on the conversation over the game of Dividha, you can see how the strategies tie in. Birch's chapter quotes along the way make occasional mention of a "hero" and specifically the word being applied to him. He really is the Hero, the one playing to win at all times, no matter what. Satan uses him to setup his own Gambit, playing to lose the Barrier War in order to glean some long-term gain out of it. In the end, this tactic doesn't stop at the end of this book, and should probably inform how you watch Satan's influence throughout the Pandemonium War series.
Chapter 11
I'm not really sure why Danner insisted on taking the buggy with him, except as a means for transporting the explosive from Faldergash, I suppose. That was the reason he gave me, anyway, when I asked. Whatever the reason, it makes for some fun much later on. It wasn't a big deal to include, so I let him keep it. Boys and their toys.
Regarding Danner's reaction to Guilian pairing off with a human woman: I imagine that a lot of people had very similar reactions (and probably too many still do) when different races began to integrate and mix in the U.S. and probably just about everywhere, to one degree or another, throughout history. (Xenophobia is an unfortunately natural reaction that takes time and familiarity to overcome.) Racial exogamy is practically unheard of in Lokka, so even to someone as open-minded as Danner, it's still going to feel odd at first brush. Given his culture, I think we can forgive him that.
Of course right after that is Danner's eavesdropping on Garnet and Garet, and based on his reaction to the conversation, he just doesn't get it. I blame him not having a mother of his own, or really anyone to fill that role. There's possibly a bit of latent sexism here on his part as well, which leads me to realize Danner really just doesn't come out too well in this section of the book and needs to get out of his own head more often.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I'm still not sure if Danner will ever make it to the elven lands in future books. There's nothing planned for it and no immediate need, but I can think of a couple things I have planned for the elves (which may or may not happen off-screen) that Danner might get himself involved in. I guess we'll see what happens. If he does go, you can bet he and Maran will be hip deep together in whatever's wrong.
Selti often makes semi-random appearances while certain conversations are going on, and there are certain triggers that cause him to react in certain ways. Knowing his true nature, when you see these conversations come up, it's easy to see where he appears in the conversation and what's said that triggers the reaction. Usually it's a mention of Abdiel, but there are a couple others.
Regarding Danner's reaction to Guilian pairing off with a human woman: I imagine that a lot of people had very similar reactions (and probably too many still do) when different races began to integrate and mix in the U.S. and probably just about everywhere, to one degree or another, throughout history. (Xenophobia is an unfortunately natural reaction that takes time and familiarity to overcome.) Racial exogamy is practically unheard of in Lokka, so even to someone as open-minded as Danner, it's still going to feel odd at first brush. Given his culture, I think we can forgive him that.
Of course right after that is Danner's eavesdropping on Garnet and Garet, and based on his reaction to the conversation, he just doesn't get it. I blame him not having a mother of his own, or really anyone to fill that role. There's possibly a bit of latent sexism here on his part as well, which leads me to realize Danner really just doesn't come out too well in this section of the book and needs to get out of his own head more often.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I'm still not sure if Danner will ever make it to the elven lands in future books. There's nothing planned for it and no immediate need, but I can think of a couple things I have planned for the elves (which may or may not happen off-screen) that Danner might get himself involved in. I guess we'll see what happens. If he does go, you can bet he and Maran will be hip deep together in whatever's wrong.
Selti often makes semi-random appearances while certain conversations are going on, and there are certain triggers that cause him to react in certain ways. Knowing his true nature, when you see these conversations come up, it's easy to see where he appears in the conversation and what's said that triggers the reaction. Usually it's a mention of Abdiel, but there are a couple others.
Chapter 12
I've mentioned many times how much I like Garet as a father, so I won't belabor the point here. I'll just say he's got a great family, and writing every single one of them was fun in its own way. More on them later. I will say about Anolla, I'll be honest, I like women with stronger features. Not mannish, just strong, and I like the personality to match. I also have a preference for a more natural look. I'm immensely fortunate to have an absolutely beautiful wife, and she looks wonderful whether she's dressed for work, a night out, or going for a run. She has a very honest look, and I've always been attracted to women like that. If you see a bias toward that view on women in my books, as opposed to those who go for a heavier approach with makeup and other enhancements, that's why. I don't think Anolla would ever win a beauty pageant (in our world at least), but she'd be that girl you pass that every man alive stops to take a second look at, even if he doesn't know why.
Kala took me a while to get right. I knew she'd have to be a warrior woman, or she'd have no place in the story, nor fit the role I had in mind for her. She had to be serious and tough, but also distinctly feminine in a subtle manner. She still didn't feel right, though, and it was then I realized she needed something extra to set her apart. Her ability to kythe just sort of appeared on the page before I'd really thought it through, and suddenly she was complete. Part of her role in this book is to help complete Trames, but then part of his role is to help complete her as well.
Trames is just plain fun to write (and hopefully to read as well), and I really tried not to overdo it with him. He's heavily influenced by Winnie the Pooh (especially as seen in the "Tao of Pooh") and therefore has threads of Taoism running through him. His name even means "Path" as a reference to "the path" or "the way". His love of honey and singsong simplicity are pure Pooh (my apologies to "Cottleston Pie" for inspiring the kishiberry song), but as many of the characters will note, his nonsensicality makes a disturbing amount of sense at times. You'll continue to see Trames as the series progresses, and every time you learn more about him, he'll make a little more sense while making less sense himself.
Perklet's presence in their family was originally a throw-away idea from Book2 during a conversation between Garet and Garnet following Gerard's death. I put it in there to get to a comment about saints and martyrs, not really thinking much about it. In the end, though, his relationship with them ended up meaning a great deal to them and to me.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Kala was an interesting character choice who was necessitated by two things, both of which are Garnet. First, I was never really interested in having him develop a love interest at Aunt Delia's. I'd already done that with Janice and Deeta, and the setup for Garnet's feelings goes back to the first book, when he's "just not that into" Moonshine, who you never even get to meet. If Garnet was going to have a girlfriend and eventual wife, it wasn't going to come from there. The second factor is my plan for Garnet's future, which does involve a family. Garnet's character development is heavily influenced by his father and their relationship, which you saw progress in some ways as the book developed, and his ultimate fate is tied in with father-son dynamics that go back to Book1 when they don't even see each other.
There are a few indications about something fishy going on with Trames, and you might have some suspicions (especially if the name "Fizban the Fabulous" means anything to you). I'll state clearly here, just in case, to end all rumors: Trames is NOT God. I'm not trying to pull anything there. He's a human, and there's plenty going on with him, but not that.
Kala took me a while to get right. I knew she'd have to be a warrior woman, or she'd have no place in the story, nor fit the role I had in mind for her. She had to be serious and tough, but also distinctly feminine in a subtle manner. She still didn't feel right, though, and it was then I realized she needed something extra to set her apart. Her ability to kythe just sort of appeared on the page before I'd really thought it through, and suddenly she was complete. Part of her role in this book is to help complete Trames, but then part of his role is to help complete her as well.
Trames is just plain fun to write (and hopefully to read as well), and I really tried not to overdo it with him. He's heavily influenced by Winnie the Pooh (especially as seen in the "Tao of Pooh") and therefore has threads of Taoism running through him. His name even means "Path" as a reference to "the path" or "the way". His love of honey and singsong simplicity are pure Pooh (my apologies to "Cottleston Pie" for inspiring the kishiberry song), but as many of the characters will note, his nonsensicality makes a disturbing amount of sense at times. You'll continue to see Trames as the series progresses, and every time you learn more about him, he'll make a little more sense while making less sense himself.
Perklet's presence in their family was originally a throw-away idea from Book2 during a conversation between Garet and Garnet following Gerard's death. I put it in there to get to a comment about saints and martyrs, not really thinking much about it. In the end, though, his relationship with them ended up meaning a great deal to them and to me.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Kala was an interesting character choice who was necessitated by two things, both of which are Garnet. First, I was never really interested in having him develop a love interest at Aunt Delia's. I'd already done that with Janice and Deeta, and the setup for Garnet's feelings goes back to the first book, when he's "just not that into" Moonshine, who you never even get to meet. If Garnet was going to have a girlfriend and eventual wife, it wasn't going to come from there. The second factor is my plan for Garnet's future, which does involve a family. Garnet's character development is heavily influenced by his father and their relationship, which you saw progress in some ways as the book developed, and his ultimate fate is tied in with father-son dynamics that go back to Book1 when they don't even see each other.
There are a few indications about something fishy going on with Trames, and you might have some suspicions (especially if the name "Fizban the Fabulous" means anything to you). I'll state clearly here, just in case, to end all rumors: Trames is NOT God. I'm not trying to pull anything there. He's a human, and there's plenty going on with him, but not that.
Chapter 13
"Flasch had seen plenty of women who looked prettier, but not more attractive somehow." I see/say this a lot, and not everyone understands what I mean right away. (Maybe I just explain it poorly.) Flasch is finally discovering a distinction between seeing someone who is pretty and actually being attracted to them on something more than a skin-deep level. Anolla is not as pretty as Deeta, but something about her - her honest appearance, for starters - is attractive to Flasch on a deeper level beyond just what she looks like. I think we've all been guilty of the former at some point in our lives, and it's something we just all have to grow out of if we expect to be happy in life.
I really try not to inject my own religious beliefs too much into these characters and the story in general (because you probably don't really care), but I thought I'd at least point out that Flasch's views on prayer are fairly close to my own. I get very little satisfaction from formulaic prayers, but I do take some comfort in them. My own prayers are often fairly rambling things, and I've been known to stray off-topic quite frequently. Like Flasch, I also rarely pray when anyone else is around (or at least awake), unless I'm actually in church and taking advantage of an appropriate lull in the service. I know many people have the opposite experience from me, but I think a surprising number probably feel the same way. Just something to think about, if you haven't before.
"God doesn't love him like I do. He's not his mother." Those two sentences pretty much sum up Alessa's character as a parent. She is intensely, even fiercely loving and devoted to her family, which you can see in how much effort she puts into her household as well as how worried the rest of the family is about upsetting her. The doubts and fears she expresses to Garet are for him alone - she would never show anything except love and support for her children.
The "no one" term in Hoil's thoughts doesn't get an explanation here, because I hope I don't really need to. If you've read Book2 anytime recently, or just have a good memory, hopefully the whole "no one" thing was pretty well drilled into you and you'll remember it. If not, well, the explanation really had no business in Hoil's thoughts, so therefore had no business on these pages.
It's worth pointing out here that the paladins are not a standing army and aren't trained in the sorts of drills and formations that go with a professional military force. They typically operate in units of six (or small multiples of six) and a group this large is almost unprecedented, with the obvious exceptions that took place during and immediately before the Barrier War. The chaos Hoil observes in the paladin encampment is a reflection of this lack of coherence, as opposed to the elves and denarae soldiers.
"...emptiness is one of the most useful things in the world." A very Trames thing to say, and very much a Tao of Pooh concept. (Seriously, read the book. It's good.) As I said, I like writing Trames. He's fun.
A quick note about Shadow Company training. Kala is very knowledgeable about the book-learning side of tactics and training, but has zero field experience, so her perspective on things is different than a lot of other characters. One thing she does especially pick up on is the intensity with which Shadow Company practices their techniques. It's a simple rule that any professional athlete or soldier (among others) will recognize: you perform the way you practice. Minor errors get drilled into your performance, and even a broader atmosphere of "oh, it's okay" permeates the unit and can lead to sloppiness at the worst possible time because people aren't used to the pressure of performing at their peak.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Alessa's character had to be made strong and poignant, and I had almost no space in which to do it. She's only really in these two chapters, plus her brief appearance at the end, and a lot of the emotional power there is because of how she comes across here. You see her not just in her rare appearances on-screen, but in how her husband and children refer to her. She's in Garet's heart as he talks to his children. She's in Garnet's pain in approaching her. Pound for pound, she packs as much emotional influence into other people as any other character in the story.
I really try not to inject my own religious beliefs too much into these characters and the story in general (because you probably don't really care), but I thought I'd at least point out that Flasch's views on prayer are fairly close to my own. I get very little satisfaction from formulaic prayers, but I do take some comfort in them. My own prayers are often fairly rambling things, and I've been known to stray off-topic quite frequently. Like Flasch, I also rarely pray when anyone else is around (or at least awake), unless I'm actually in church and taking advantage of an appropriate lull in the service. I know many people have the opposite experience from me, but I think a surprising number probably feel the same way. Just something to think about, if you haven't before.
"God doesn't love him like I do. He's not his mother." Those two sentences pretty much sum up Alessa's character as a parent. She is intensely, even fiercely loving and devoted to her family, which you can see in how much effort she puts into her household as well as how worried the rest of the family is about upsetting her. The doubts and fears she expresses to Garet are for him alone - she would never show anything except love and support for her children.
The "no one" term in Hoil's thoughts doesn't get an explanation here, because I hope I don't really need to. If you've read Book2 anytime recently, or just have a good memory, hopefully the whole "no one" thing was pretty well drilled into you and you'll remember it. If not, well, the explanation really had no business in Hoil's thoughts, so therefore had no business on these pages.
It's worth pointing out here that the paladins are not a standing army and aren't trained in the sorts of drills and formations that go with a professional military force. They typically operate in units of six (or small multiples of six) and a group this large is almost unprecedented, with the obvious exceptions that took place during and immediately before the Barrier War. The chaos Hoil observes in the paladin encampment is a reflection of this lack of coherence, as opposed to the elves and denarae soldiers.
"...emptiness is one of the most useful things in the world." A very Trames thing to say, and very much a Tao of Pooh concept. (Seriously, read the book. It's good.) As I said, I like writing Trames. He's fun.
A quick note about Shadow Company training. Kala is very knowledgeable about the book-learning side of tactics and training, but has zero field experience, so her perspective on things is different than a lot of other characters. One thing she does especially pick up on is the intensity with which Shadow Company practices their techniques. It's a simple rule that any professional athlete or soldier (among others) will recognize: you perform the way you practice. Minor errors get drilled into your performance, and even a broader atmosphere of "oh, it's okay" permeates the unit and can lead to sloppiness at the worst possible time because people aren't used to the pressure of performing at their peak.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Alessa's character had to be made strong and poignant, and I had almost no space in which to do it. She's only really in these two chapters, plus her brief appearance at the end, and a lot of the emotional power there is because of how she comes across here. You see her not just in her rare appearances on-screen, but in how her husband and children refer to her. She's in Garet's heart as he talks to his children. She's in Garnet's pain in approaching her. Pound for pound, she packs as much emotional influence into other people as any other character in the story.
Chapter 14
Every now and then, I feel the need to explicitly remind you that every conversation Birch has with the Voice (Satan), he is forced to forget the second they're done talking. There's little, if anything, to tell you when this conversation took place compared to the others you witness, which is of course deliberate. It gives me some freedom in writing them however and whenever I want, which is sort of a cheap trick to pull, but it's a freedom I needed across the entire series so I can introduce new ideas at-will without screwing up something that came before.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if there was such a thing as a fire faerie either when Trames had Garnet catch one. I can't tell what that batty old man is going to do from one page to the next.
You may have noticed that one of the texts that shows up in the chapter quotes every now and then is "The Warrior Mythos" by Garnet. He's been gathering material for that book since he started training under Gerard and Bobby, he just doesn't know it yet. In the next trilogy, he'll probably start actively trying to record the information so he can turn it into the actual text. It will fit in nicely with what I have planned for him, alive or dead.
Garnet and Kala are intended to end up together. I think this one's about as obvious as Danner and Alicia were, and I'm really not trying to hide it from anyone except them. Garnet needed someone outside the norm for their little group, and he would never have been truly happy with a little housewife barefoot in the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, his mother is the consummate housewife and she's a saint, but a woman like her just wouldn't be right for him. Having him find and develop a relationship of sorts with someone on-screen, as opposed to between books or something, lets me have fun at his expense as the others take immense delight in poking and prodding him.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
No spoilers here. It's a pretty straight-forward chapter.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if there was such a thing as a fire faerie either when Trames had Garnet catch one. I can't tell what that batty old man is going to do from one page to the next.
You may have noticed that one of the texts that shows up in the chapter quotes every now and then is "The Warrior Mythos" by Garnet. He's been gathering material for that book since he started training under Gerard and Bobby, he just doesn't know it yet. In the next trilogy, he'll probably start actively trying to record the information so he can turn it into the actual text. It will fit in nicely with what I have planned for him, alive or dead.
Garnet and Kala are intended to end up together. I think this one's about as obvious as Danner and Alicia were, and I'm really not trying to hide it from anyone except them. Garnet needed someone outside the norm for their little group, and he would never have been truly happy with a little housewife barefoot in the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, his mother is the consummate housewife and she's a saint, but a woman like her just wouldn't be right for him. Having him find and develop a relationship of sorts with someone on-screen, as opposed to between books or something, lets me have fun at his expense as the others take immense delight in poking and prodding him.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
No spoilers here. It's a pretty straight-forward chapter.
Chapter 15
"Each was of master-caliber in their own right..." I'm sometimes not sure if you, the reader, buy this, or if you've even questioned it. If you base their level of expertise solely on how long they've been practicing with the Prism, there's no way they could be considered "master-caliber" of anything. The idea, and I'm never sure it comes across clearly enough, is that they already knew how to fight and were quite skilled, and their training has enhanced that. Even more so training with Gerard and Garnet since becoming full paladins. I'm not saying they'd earn a Heron-marked blade in Robert Jordan's world, but then only a handful of people should (and at worst, they're probably not far off from that, anyway).
"Why dress yourself up and wear makeup and jewels?" I don't have anything against women, or men for that matter, dressing up, wearing makeup and jewels, etc. It's more the over-reliance and/or over-emphasis on the external that I think become unhealthy (which is a pretty subjective line). Flasch is doing a poor job managing his thoughts here because it's still a new concept to him he's fumbling his way through.
"Woman Logic." Okay, I'll try to explain the origins of this idea and hope it makes sense and doesn't tick off my female readers, especially since it's actually a dig at the male-centric perspective of the world. This first came up in college, and I was informed that my original terminology might be considered offensive by some women who didn't already know me better. The underlying concept behind what Danner is saying is that what we consider "logic" is a term based on a patriarchal history and therefore established under the way men have traditionally (stereotypically) thought. Whether it's nature or nurture, men and women typically have different ways of thinking. Call it global vs. linear thinking, emotional vs. rational logic, or just woman logic vs. man logic. I've seen references to each of those online, thought I'll admit I haven't done enough research into each one to know exactly how well they match up with what Danner is saying here. Anyway, it's not an important point by any stretch, it's just one of those leftover thoughts from when I was about Danner's age and I've been looking for a good place to include it for years now. If it seems like a somewhat immature way of looking at it, well, it is - Danner's at that age where he's still prone to that sort of thing.
I've heard from several people they did something like the running-with-a-heavy-ball training Shadow Company does. I did this a few times in college ROTC, and it was fun - we just did it around the gym, though, not across terrain. This sounds a bit more challenging, and even more fun.
Birch's doubts about how his beliefs measure up against the Prism is valid - I'm not sure how some of his thoughts stack up against the Orange Facet either. It's a sophisticated point that probably deserves more debate and consideration than it receives here, where there's no room or occasion for it. Regardless, it makes for a good transition away from Mikal's comment so you're left wondering about what he said for the time being. Shiny object!
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Michael references the denarae as an experiment here. You've seen the full explanation later, when Danner has it out with Mikal, but you should probably know this is something I'll be revisiting and exploring in the future. This will come back as a major focus in the next trilogy.
Note how Birch refers to the demonic āyus within him at this point. "...the demonic presence inside Birch..." It's not a part of him, it's something inside him, much the way Kaelus was/is inhabiting him as a separate entity. It's a major shift in his thinking when that changes, and a necessary step for him for the final confrontation.
"Why dress yourself up and wear makeup and jewels?" I don't have anything against women, or men for that matter, dressing up, wearing makeup and jewels, etc. It's more the over-reliance and/or over-emphasis on the external that I think become unhealthy (which is a pretty subjective line). Flasch is doing a poor job managing his thoughts here because it's still a new concept to him he's fumbling his way through.
"Woman Logic." Okay, I'll try to explain the origins of this idea and hope it makes sense and doesn't tick off my female readers, especially since it's actually a dig at the male-centric perspective of the world. This first came up in college, and I was informed that my original terminology might be considered offensive by some women who didn't already know me better. The underlying concept behind what Danner is saying is that what we consider "logic" is a term based on a patriarchal history and therefore established under the way men have traditionally (stereotypically) thought. Whether it's nature or nurture, men and women typically have different ways of thinking. Call it global vs. linear thinking, emotional vs. rational logic, or just woman logic vs. man logic. I've seen references to each of those online, thought I'll admit I haven't done enough research into each one to know exactly how well they match up with what Danner is saying here. Anyway, it's not an important point by any stretch, it's just one of those leftover thoughts from when I was about Danner's age and I've been looking for a good place to include it for years now. If it seems like a somewhat immature way of looking at it, well, it is - Danner's at that age where he's still prone to that sort of thing.
I've heard from several people they did something like the running-with-a-heavy-ball training Shadow Company does. I did this a few times in college ROTC, and it was fun - we just did it around the gym, though, not across terrain. This sounds a bit more challenging, and even more fun.
Birch's doubts about how his beliefs measure up against the Prism is valid - I'm not sure how some of his thoughts stack up against the Orange Facet either. It's a sophisticated point that probably deserves more debate and consideration than it receives here, where there's no room or occasion for it. Regardless, it makes for a good transition away from Mikal's comment so you're left wondering about what he said for the time being. Shiny object!
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Michael references the denarae as an experiment here. You've seen the full explanation later, when Danner has it out with Mikal, but you should probably know this is something I'll be revisiting and exploring in the future. This will come back as a major focus in the next trilogy.
Note how Birch refers to the demonic āyus within him at this point. "...the demonic presence inside Birch..." It's not a part of him, it's something inside him, much the way Kaelus was/is inhabiting him as a separate entity. It's a major shift in his thinking when that changes, and a necessary step for him for the final confrontation.
Chapter 16
As of this commentary, my boys aren't anywhere near grown and I've already had to practice Garet's skill of maintaining his bearing in front of his children. Those of you who are parents have probably had the same thing, where you have to maintain the upset/mad/disapproving/etc façade even after your kid says something ridiculously sweet or cute (or funny, which is the hardest to resist).
The bridge scene still doesn't sit quite right with me. It's accomplishing two purposes (three if you count providing evidence of the history and culture of Lokka), and I'm not sure it does either sufficiently well. It furthers Flasch's "simple beauty" education a few steps, and it helps ease some of the racial tensions. Beginning with Siran's bow to the dwarf, things begin to lighten up between the races until the tensions are no longer a driving consideration - which brings Trames's prediction about Garnet not needing to do much into a new light, because he's right.
Deeta's last-ditch effort to keep Flasch sometimes feels a little rushed, but hopefully I've left enough little bits here and there that you can tell Flasch has been subconsciously distancing himself from Deeta, and she knows it. There's an echo as well in Deeta's opening monologue of the arguments Alicia was having with herself in Book1 after spurning Danner. Both are actually commentaries about the woman speaking as they struggle to see (or perhaps to avoid?) some truth about themselves. I don't want her to be unlikable, she's just desperate to be loved and valued, and thus far she only knows one way to do that. Flasch comes off a little hard, but as Deeta notes, it's easy to forget that he really can be a serious and firm young man when he's not otherwise acting the fool, and she put him in a pretty rough spot by telling him in public. Maybe he could/should have shown a little more compassion, but he's still kind of trying to figure things out in his head, and this is a serious kind of betrayal on her part. He's hurt, but I think he does an okay job of handling it, given the circumstances. Unfortunately for her, based on her decision, Deeta doesn't know about denarae kything, or she'd have realized how ill-conceived her plan was. Remember that not everyone living around Shadow Company knows about kything. Deeta's not an idiot, but she's not clever enough to have picked up on the telepathy going on around her, which is still kept on a strictly need-to-know basis. The breakup between them would have happened eventually anyway, it just would have taken longer and Flasch at least would have been miserable in the meantime (and probably Deeta, even if she didn't realize it) and might have found himself "trapped" by an actual pregnancy in the future.
And finally we have the resolution to the fire faerie escapade. Lest you doubt, yes they do truly exist. If Trames is crazy, at least he's not crazy on that point. His points about being true to yourself (and again, nothing against makeup per se - Deeta just overdoes it and uses it as a sort of mask) echo the gem of Shakespearean wisdom, "This above all: To thine own self be true." I've seen plenty of people in relationships sacrificing who they are for the sake of the other person, and I've been that person (I just didn't know it at the time). It's not healthy. Okay, back to the fire faerie. As he explains the nature of the faerie, he's touching on the idea of hidden dimensions in our universe, similar to what theoretical physicists call Calabi Yau space. Basically the fire faerie can disappear into the folds of space and exist in spatial dimensions invisible to our eyes. (Damn you, science, for explaining away the magic!) A little bit of inspiration for the fire faerie came from a tiny little light creature in an old Star Wars universe movie ("The Ewok Adventure") I loved as a kid. The fact that she glows, dances, and was found on the ground are pretty much the only similarities between them, though.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Oh, you can bet that Garnet's future children will stow away on some adventure or another. It runs in the family.
Trames's explanation about the fire faerie won't be the last time dimensional space come up in this series, and in fact in the next trilogy it's brought up directly as a topic instead of alluding to it as Trames does. I like to have plausible explanations for as much of what happens in my books as possible, since it helps tie everything together when there's a rationale to the magic rather than relying on deux ex magicka.
The bridge scene still doesn't sit quite right with me. It's accomplishing two purposes (three if you count providing evidence of the history and culture of Lokka), and I'm not sure it does either sufficiently well. It furthers Flasch's "simple beauty" education a few steps, and it helps ease some of the racial tensions. Beginning with Siran's bow to the dwarf, things begin to lighten up between the races until the tensions are no longer a driving consideration - which brings Trames's prediction about Garnet not needing to do much into a new light, because he's right.
Deeta's last-ditch effort to keep Flasch sometimes feels a little rushed, but hopefully I've left enough little bits here and there that you can tell Flasch has been subconsciously distancing himself from Deeta, and she knows it. There's an echo as well in Deeta's opening monologue of the arguments Alicia was having with herself in Book1 after spurning Danner. Both are actually commentaries about the woman speaking as they struggle to see (or perhaps to avoid?) some truth about themselves. I don't want her to be unlikable, she's just desperate to be loved and valued, and thus far she only knows one way to do that. Flasch comes off a little hard, but as Deeta notes, it's easy to forget that he really can be a serious and firm young man when he's not otherwise acting the fool, and she put him in a pretty rough spot by telling him in public. Maybe he could/should have shown a little more compassion, but he's still kind of trying to figure things out in his head, and this is a serious kind of betrayal on her part. He's hurt, but I think he does an okay job of handling it, given the circumstances. Unfortunately for her, based on her decision, Deeta doesn't know about denarae kything, or she'd have realized how ill-conceived her plan was. Remember that not everyone living around Shadow Company knows about kything. Deeta's not an idiot, but she's not clever enough to have picked up on the telepathy going on around her, which is still kept on a strictly need-to-know basis. The breakup between them would have happened eventually anyway, it just would have taken longer and Flasch at least would have been miserable in the meantime (and probably Deeta, even if she didn't realize it) and might have found himself "trapped" by an actual pregnancy in the future.
And finally we have the resolution to the fire faerie escapade. Lest you doubt, yes they do truly exist. If Trames is crazy, at least he's not crazy on that point. His points about being true to yourself (and again, nothing against makeup per se - Deeta just overdoes it and uses it as a sort of mask) echo the gem of Shakespearean wisdom, "This above all: To thine own self be true." I've seen plenty of people in relationships sacrificing who they are for the sake of the other person, and I've been that person (I just didn't know it at the time). It's not healthy. Okay, back to the fire faerie. As he explains the nature of the faerie, he's touching on the idea of hidden dimensions in our universe, similar to what theoretical physicists call Calabi Yau space. Basically the fire faerie can disappear into the folds of space and exist in spatial dimensions invisible to our eyes. (Damn you, science, for explaining away the magic!) A little bit of inspiration for the fire faerie came from a tiny little light creature in an old Star Wars universe movie ("The Ewok Adventure") I loved as a kid. The fact that she glows, dances, and was found on the ground are pretty much the only similarities between them, though.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
Oh, you can bet that Garnet's future children will stow away on some adventure or another. It runs in the family.
Trames's explanation about the fire faerie won't be the last time dimensional space come up in this series, and in fact in the next trilogy it's brought up directly as a topic instead of alluding to it as Trames does. I like to have plausible explanations for as much of what happens in my books as possible, since it helps tie everything together when there's a rationale to the magic rather than relying on deux ex magicka.
Interlude
"...it's part of who you are, and who I love." This is a key aspect of Moreen's and Birch's relationship, and while some might accuse Moreen of being a weak woman for waiting around for one man for so long, I personally view her as inordinately strong. This won't be the last time this idea comes up between them, and in a way, it will ultimately define the final moments of their lives.
I think Flasch and Deeta needed their final moment together, not only for their own relationship, but for the one I'm sure you can see coming between Flasch and Anolla. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to stay close with an ex, and I've pretty much run the spectrum of "really close" to "really terrible". I don't have TOO much planned for Deeta in the future, though I'm pretty sure I know who she ends up with and how. I mentioned previously the idea of changing who you are to fit the other person in the relationship. If you want an absurdly extreme example, go watch "Runaway Bride". Had Deeta not forced things, and had they not broken up when/how they did, it's entirely possible they would have stayed together quite some time before one/both became absolutely miserable. I like Flasch, so I decided to head that off early and find someone better suited for him.
Regarding Birch crossing the Binding: I didn't intentionally plagiarize this visual image from Daniel Jackson first entering the Stargate, but after I recently saw the movie again, now it's all I can picture here. Birch just doesn't get the spinning vortex of intergalactic travel.
Uriel is one of my favorite characters in this series, and for reasons I can't quite explain. The longer you know him, the more complex his character becomes.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I mentioned the "final moments of their lives" above. Yes, I know basically when and how they're going to die, and no, I'm not telling either answer.
I think Flasch and Deeta needed their final moment together, not only for their own relationship, but for the one I'm sure you can see coming between Flasch and Anolla. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to stay close with an ex, and I've pretty much run the spectrum of "really close" to "really terrible". I don't have TOO much planned for Deeta in the future, though I'm pretty sure I know who she ends up with and how. I mentioned previously the idea of changing who you are to fit the other person in the relationship. If you want an absurdly extreme example, go watch "Runaway Bride". Had Deeta not forced things, and had they not broken up when/how they did, it's entirely possible they would have stayed together quite some time before one/both became absolutely miserable. I like Flasch, so I decided to head that off early and find someone better suited for him.
Regarding Birch crossing the Binding: I didn't intentionally plagiarize this visual image from Daniel Jackson first entering the Stargate, but after I recently saw the movie again, now it's all I can picture here. Birch just doesn't get the spinning vortex of intergalactic travel.
Uriel is one of my favorite characters in this series, and for reasons I can't quite explain. The longer you know him, the more complex his character becomes.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
I mentioned the "final moments of their lives" above. Yes, I know basically when and how they're going to die, and no, I'm not telling either answer.
Chapter 17
Originally I had Trames and Kala openly accompany the group into Heaven, but I kept coming back to "why" Garnet (or anyone else for that matter) would actually allow it. Sure, Garnet has an obvious crush on Kala, but he's professional enough not to let that get in his way (and a late addition to the previous Interlude demonstrated that). But by now you should probably know Trames well enough to know he wouldn't let a simple thing like someone telling him "no" to make a difference in his nonsensical plans.
Ultimately, the demon attack on the Lokkan side of the Binding was my way of driving the twins across the Barrier. They're too obedient to their father to openly defy him by crossing under any circumstances but fear for their lives, and the story needed something to jumpstart the action. I still have more to do with their characters and their interactions with the others, and how lame would it have been had they snuck away from home and didn't end up in Heaven somehow?
Remember a while back when the "natural races" of the world were discussed? Mikal now fills you in on why the denarae were left off that list. I don't think I had this idea until I was already into this book, but fortunately it didn't cause any changes to the earlier works. There's not really a need to know earlier, but it's certainly something I wanted to briefly address in this book. It will come up again in later books as well, count on it.
Gerard and Trebor. Yeah, cuz I was going to let go of Gerard's character so easily. Trebor's a great guy and all, but Gerard's so curmudgeonly and harsh that I can't help but enjoy writing his scenes.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
In case you're wondering, Trames knew what was coming and that he and Kala had to get across the Binding. His foreknowledge is never sufficiently explained in this book (intentionally), unless you count his flippant answer of "A little birdie told me." (And since it's Trames, you just might consider it.)
Ultimately, the demon attack on the Lokkan side of the Binding was my way of driving the twins across the Barrier. They're too obedient to their father to openly defy him by crossing under any circumstances but fear for their lives, and the story needed something to jumpstart the action. I still have more to do with their characters and their interactions with the others, and how lame would it have been had they snuck away from home and didn't end up in Heaven somehow?
Remember a while back when the "natural races" of the world were discussed? Mikal now fills you in on why the denarae were left off that list. I don't think I had this idea until I was already into this book, but fortunately it didn't cause any changes to the earlier works. There's not really a need to know earlier, but it's certainly something I wanted to briefly address in this book. It will come up again in later books as well, count on it.
Gerard and Trebor. Yeah, cuz I was going to let go of Gerard's character so easily. Trebor's a great guy and all, but Gerard's so curmudgeonly and harsh that I can't help but enjoy writing his scenes.
Spoiler Section - Only read this if you've finished the book.
In case you're wondering, Trames knew what was coming and that he and Kala had to get across the Binding. His foreknowledge is never sufficiently explained in this book (intentionally), unless you count his flippant answer of "A little birdie told me." (And since it's Trames, you just might consider it.)
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Chapters 9 - 17
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