the wheel turns
Oct. 26th, 2005 09:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alenxa_classicSo I'm reading Knife of Dreams, originally half out of RAFO and half out of habit, and now, after eleven chapters, out of true interest and curiosity. The prologue is actually shorter than the one for CoT (gasp); and if, as I suspect, it sets up the rest of the book thematically, I'll be very pleased. RJ does appear to be developing a touch of Dirty Old Man Syndrome, but he's keeping it to a low snicker with occasional raised eyebrows. His latest take-a-drink moment appears to be people playing with other people's hair, which has come up twice in action and once in resisting action. Of course, there's also been the usual collection of folded arms, stamped feet, sniffs, smooth faces, and whatnot. (No fat wash-leather purses yet, but the book is young yet.) That doesn't surprise me in the least.
Some things that have surprised me:
--I'm really enjoying this book. It's sad that that surprises me, but there it is. I was up till 12:30 reading last night, and picked it up again this morning over breakfast the same as I did yesterday. I refuse to take it to work, as it would probably end up breaking some camel's back as well as my backpack.
--Generally, chapter titles don't fill me with dread. Knowing RJ's tendency to put zingers in simply-named chapters, though, the dread she is a-building. It's sort of a disadvantage to be able to imagine all the awful things that some of these titles can mean, but I'm counting on either having changed my mind completely or not even thinking about it all when I actually get there.
--I'm actually getting shippy over Mat and Tuon. I think this is just my tendency toward shippiness coming out, possibly influenced by Sawyer/Ana-Lucia on Lost. I've also lost my connection with Perrin/Faile, which is sad considering how strong that connection was on my most recent reading of TDR. Rand, I've never much given a fig (or a mouse) about; IMHO, if they have any concern for their lives, all three women should just run.
--In just eleven-ish chapters, RJ has: introduced one explained bit of evil and one unexplained bit of weird; exposed dissension just about everywhere (we have yet to get to all the character groups, but I imagine it'll hold for the rest too); given us a start or two about loyalties; and resolved a major mystery and set a clear path for the atttending plot, which with all its component puzzle pieces locking into place may add up to a drink-everything-in-sight moment or series thereof.
I'm actually starting to think I may need to go back and read WH and/or CoT over again, just to be able to remember something, anything about them. Maybe it'll be like reading OotP again post-HBP and I'll like them better because I know there's a purpose to them. At the very least I'd like to have some idea how the various party accretions went down, and who the frell the last 300-odd names in my list belong to…..
Some things that have surprised me:
--I'm really enjoying this book. It's sad that that surprises me, but there it is. I was up till 12:30 reading last night, and picked it up again this morning over breakfast the same as I did yesterday. I refuse to take it to work, as it would probably end up breaking some camel's back as well as my backpack.
--Generally, chapter titles don't fill me with dread. Knowing RJ's tendency to put zingers in simply-named chapters, though, the dread she is a-building. It's sort of a disadvantage to be able to imagine all the awful things that some of these titles can mean, but I'm counting on either having changed my mind completely or not even thinking about it all when I actually get there.
--I'm actually getting shippy over Mat and Tuon. I think this is just my tendency toward shippiness coming out, possibly influenced by Sawyer/Ana-Lucia on Lost. I've also lost my connection with Perrin/Faile, which is sad considering how strong that connection was on my most recent reading of TDR. Rand, I've never much given a fig (or a mouse) about; IMHO, if they have any concern for their lives, all three women should just run.
--In just eleven-ish chapters, RJ has: introduced one explained bit of evil and one unexplained bit of weird; exposed dissension just about everywhere (we have yet to get to all the character groups, but I imagine it'll hold for the rest too); given us a start or two about loyalties; and resolved a major mystery and set a clear path for the atttending plot, which with all its component puzzle pieces locking into place may add up to a drink-everything-in-sight moment or series thereof.
I'm actually starting to think I may need to go back and read WH and/or CoT over again, just to be able to remember something, anything about them. Maybe it'll be like reading OotP again post-HBP and I'll like them better because I know there's a purpose to them. At the very least I'd like to have some idea how the various party accretions went down, and who the frell the last 300-odd names in my list belong to…..
