BattleAxe First Read: Chapter Thirty-Four: GhostTree Clan

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Chapter Thirty-Three (Part III) | Table of Contents | Chapter Thirty-Five (Part I)

SCSF: A good day, everyone, and welcome back to BattleAxe! Last time, Axis had a confrontation with Azhure, Raum and GoldFeather, which went surprisingly well. For the reader post:

On the previous part, Chessy notes that Azhure probably has the pain in her ribs because of how hard she is pushing herself, though she ought to feel it in her legs, too. That is indeed a somewhat more plausible explanation than her ribs paining her again after the pain had already subsided, which I think is what Douglass meant to go for.

It’s Like We’re Smart But We’re Not: 55

She further notes that Raum should not have “hidden reserves of strength” if he was hurt with iron spikes. Come to think of it, Raum has not been shown to hurt at all or to be weakened from his experiences… so are we sure that he was not healed by the Song of Recreation, too? I also get the distinct impression that Douglass forgot about it.

PPP: 336

She also notes that GoldFeather should not be asking Axis if Artor asks for Raum’s death when she already knows the answer. Indeed, she should know that the BattleAxe, of all people, would know that very well; he needs to act on Artor’s will, after all.

Ill Logic: 200 (ooh, nice!)

Finally, she notes that Raum can, of course, be indebted to Axis in this situation.

Epistler notes that the Avar would probably not protect Azhure, given that they are supposed to be pacifistic. I also wonder how big a group Azhure thinks will be waiting for her…

She further notes that GoldFeather not looking at Axis’s face closely is plot convenience, which it is, so…

This Is What the Mystery: 25

I then discovered that “may Artor hold you in the palm of your hand” was actually spoken in chapter 21, when Timozel becomes Faraday’s Champion, so my complaint about that does not hold water. I will still keep the point, though, since we get no sense for when this phrase is to be used.

Further, Epistler points out that Raum should have fallen much more severely to break his ankle like he does.

It’s Like We’re Smart But We’re Not: 56

Let me also follow Kerlois’ lead and rename this to Did Not Do the Research; that sounds much nicer. And I should do this, since Axis was indeed quite angry last chapter:

Axis Is Angry: 14

With that, let me go on to the next chapter!

Chapter Thirty-Four: GhostTree Clan

I see the Avar also have names with camel case. Interesting. We open with Azhure, who, “within ten paces of stepping into the Avarinheim”, feels as though she is in another world. Her whole life she has been taught that forests are “places of fear, dark and impenetrable shadows” where “wraiths who would suck you dry of your blood” live. So the people of Smyrton believe that there are vampire wraiths in the forests? I do wonder if that might be influenced by the Skraelings…

Her first impression of the Avarinheim, as she slowly walks on, is of “space, light and music”, though. Why would Azhure have let her opinion of the Avarinheim be influenced so much by what she learned? She knows that what she was told about the Avar is nonsense, so why would she believe this any more? I also think that she would have asked GoldFeather about this by now, so it just does not fit well. So we get some further descriptions. There are “ancient evergreen trees” around her, whose branches only begin at “fifteen or twenty paces” up. The effect of this is to “draw the eye upward” to the canopy, where light filters down “through the interlacing green leaves and vines”.

This all seems a bit off to me, so let me look. There certainly are evergreen trees with leaves, so I will grant Douglass that. The height of the branches is plausible, though I cannot help but wonder how large these trees are supposed to be. As for vines in the canopy, I am quite familiar with that from tropical forests, which this is explicitly not. Come to that, if there is a canopy, it should be quite sparse to allow so much light through. In short, I am reasonably sure that the forest has been shaped as it is by the Avar using magic.

We get some further description: the floor of the forest is covered in “shrubs and bushes”, which are “low and colourful”. Since there are no low branches or “high undergrowth”, the Avarinheim is filled with “space and fragrance, cool light and soothing music” (thank you for the tourist’s brochure), instead of the “unnatural and evil atmosphere” that the Seneschal says it has.

So did Azhure actually believe this just now, or is Douglass stepping out of her perspective to lecture us on how Wrong the Seneschal is about the Avarinheim? Given that we have just had this, I am quite sure it is at least in part the second.

Maria Monk Redux: 70

We Understand Already: 20

I am also not wholly sure how this is supposed to disprove the Seneschal’s claim. Sure, they are wrong on how the Avarinheim feels like, but how does this disprove that the Avarinheim is “evil and unnatural”? As I noted, this bit of forest, at least, has been shaped by the Avar using magic, so it would certainly qualify as “unnatural”, and, since magic is supposed to be evil, I can certainly understand an “evil” atmosphere. Further, what is to stop the Seneschal from claiming something like “the Shadowsward looks this alluring now since the Forbidden wanted to lure more people in”? This is really not as convincing as Douglass thinks it is.

The reason for that is that it is just an observation that the Seneschal were wrong, that they just happened to be wrong about what the Avarinheim is like. Azhure observing that this is the forest she expected from the Avar or that the Seneschal’s talk of the Shadowsward obviously does not fit the Avar would be much better. After all, the conception of the Avar and that of the Avarinheim are bound together, and the Avarinheim is probably called “evil and unnatural” because the Avar are supposed to be “evil and unnatural”. That is also why pointing at a forest that has been clearly altered by the Avar and saying that that “proves” the Seneschal is wrong is especially silly.

FYRP: 127 (+2)

Also… why is it not a problem when the Avar shape the Avarinheim to their wishes, but wrong when the Acharites plough their fields? It is much the same thing, after all, and ploughing is not destructive if done right, so what is the difference? True, some of the difference is because the Acharites are ploughing the site of the Greater Avarinheim, while the Avar do not do something similar… but still, Raum did complain about ploughing in general. What makes it wrong for the people of Avonsdale to cultivate their land, for example, but not for the Avar? The only reason I can find is “because they are Acharites”, which is the same reasoning that we are supposed to disapprove of!

FYRP: 128

So Azhure walks a bit further into the forest, “drawn by its beauty” (because of course it is the beauty of the Avarinheim that draws her rather than curiosity or anything else). It takes her “some minutes” before she understands what the music she is hearing is. Looking at the rest of the chapter, there is no time for her to wait here so long.

PPP: 336

It turns out to be the “crystal sounds of the Nordra” along with a “dozen different birdsongs”. Azhure smiles in wonder, and think that the Acharites “barely [know] the beauty of birdsong as most species of birds [have] retreated before the axe”. “The songs of the sparrows and ravens of everyday life in Achar” cannot compare with what she hears now.

I do like what Douglass is going for, but before I get to that, I have to complain some more. First, I do hope that Douglass mean “songbirds” instead of just “birds”, since this makes it sound like there only lived passerines in the Greater Avarinheim.

PPP: 337

I further doubt that “most” species of birds retreated. This was the extent of the Greater Avarinheim, after all:

Are we supposed to believe most of the passerine species lived in the Greater Avarinheim (and in whatever other forests were lost)? Passerines do not just live in forests! They can live in all kinds of habitats, and since the greater part of Grancendor was left untouched, they would have been left untouched, too! Some species would even flourish on the open plains that were left behind, like larks, for a quite obvious example (and yes, they do live in open areas, Douglass). If this story contains such inaccuracies, how am I supposed to take what it is saying seriously?

Did Not Do the Research: 56

IYES: 16

Going on… saying that the birds “have retreated” is roughly correct, but it would better fit with an ongoing process of habitat loss for them, not thousand years after the fact (like Douglass constantly does). Also, even if the Avarinheim were to grow again and the birds were to spread with it, the Acharites would still not hear these birds, because they would not enter the forest because they think it is evil! How do you keep grazing the point of something you wrote yourself, Douglass?

FYRP: 130 (+2)

IYES: 17 (since this is not an environmental issue)

For something else… which forests other than the Greater Avarinheim are supposed to have been destroyed? Which ones would anyone even bother to destroy? The Greater Avarinheim makes sense, since the Avar live there, but forests on, say, the west coast of Ichtar, where there might well be no Avar at all? Would anyone have bothered to cut down such a forest? Come to think of it, the only other forest we hear about being possibly cut down is the Silent Woman Woods, which would probably have been in the Greater Avarinheim and would at least be associated with the Avar, so it stands to reason it would have been attacked.

It makes little sense that the rest of the forests would be destroyed, though. During and after the Wars of the Axe, it would be well known that most forests did not contain Avar, so there would be no point in trying to destroy them. In the present day, we have seen with Axis and co. and now Azhure that it is believed that forests are full of scary creatures, and that it is believed that they do not form a danger unless you go in (as Smyrton shows). Why would people risk the certainty of having to fight vampire wraiths just to prevent the very unlikely scenario of them attacking unprovoked? It just does not add up.

Further, Achar seems to have a low enough population that everyone can easily avoid forests if they want to! This is supposed to be a fairly basic piece of worldbuilding, but it makes no sense!

Cardboard Worldbuilding: 77 (+5)

IYES: 22 (+5)

Circling back to the preposterous claim that forests contain most of the passerines… I think that might have something to do with the notion that forests are “more important” than other ecosystems, which I have the idea was somewhat prevalent when these books were written. Douglass applies that to a ridiculous degree, so the Avarinheim looks great, it has most of the passerines of Achar and they are better than those found elsewhere and its preservation is the only environmental concern we have had so far. Yes, we heard about the peat, but Douglass does not even seem to realise that that is a problem. Come to think of it, that might explain the nonsense about the plains of Tare and Arcness being “lifeless”; the destruction of forests leaves never-healing wastelands, because the forest is just so important.

Godmode Engaged: 9

The large problem with this, aside from the ridiculous extent to which Douglass carries it, is that forests are not more valuable than other ecosystems. Sure, they might be more important, but that is not the same as being more valuable. Believing that forests are, in fact, more valuable than bogs and plains will end up hurting the latter, too, as this series will show.

IYES: 32 (+10)

Moving further… no, it would not just be “sparrows and ravens” even if most of the passerines lived in the forest. Passerines have a massive variety, so some more than just corvids and sparrows would be left behind.

Did Not Do the Research: 57

I am happy that she does recognise ravens as passerines. What does bother me is that she only mentions passerines, when numerous other birds make “sounds”, too. Even if there were no passerines in Achar at all, one could still hear birds. I suppose that would undercut her saying how much “better” the Avarinheim is, though.

IYES: 34

Finally, I dislike that the sparrows and ravens are implicitly presented as “less” than the birds of the Avarinheim. Sure, their song might not be as complex or varied or noticeable as that of the Avarinheim birds, but it does not have anything to do with their value, and thinking that it does will only lead to them getting hurt. (Also, Azhure/Douglass, what are you on about with ravens not having great song? They are capable of very much and can even “talk”!)

Did Not Do the Research: 58

IYES: 35

Going to what I did like about this… well, it is a nice way , to show how this is a whole new world for Azhure and to show the supposed lack of songbirds in Achar. Oh, all of this, from the beginning of the chapter, has been a single paragraph, which takes up most of the page.

PPP: 338

Azhure reminds herself that Raum is still “[fighting] for his life” outside the forest and that she needs to bring Shra to her father. She thinks that she might return to help GoldFeather and Raum out once that is done, and so she walks “briskly down the path”. I did not know she was on a path, though I guess it makes sense. Within a few steps, a man, who has been crouching in some “purple flowering winterberry bushes to Azhure’s right” jumps out and grabs Shra from Azhure’s arms. He is as “muscular and swarthy” as Raum, but he has grey streaks in his “dark brown hair”. All of this is related to us in a single, quite awkward sentence.

PPP: 339

So, that is a bit of a jumpscare! This is quite clearly the father, though, so Shra, at least, is back home again. For the rest, the man’s description is fine, though I think that Douglass had best not use “swarthy” here, given its negative connotations.

FYRP: 131

As for him hiding in the bushes… I can see it, especially since Azhure would be unfamiliar with hiding places here. What I do have to complain about is the name of these bushes (which I guess comes from omniscient?). This is a winterberry, after all:

It is manifestly not what Douglass is describing here, so we need some indication that she did not make a mistake. That is not to mention that the winterberry is called that since it has berries in the winter. This plant does not, though it clearly is winter, so why is it called “winterberry”, then?

A Better Commando Name: 41

This is also the only time we will hear about the winterberries, so it would have been just as easy not to name them.

Anyway, Azhure is shocked and steps back. The man is standing some “four of five paces” away, clutching Shra to his chest “protectively” and “ready to fight if need be”. Little wonder. We get some further description: He is wearing a “similar tunic” made of wool, which is coloured “dark red” and has a pattern of “interlaced tree branches” at the hem. Beneath it, he is wearing “serviceable brown leggings” (?), which are “bound with leather thongs” and “ankle-high leather boots”. Shra cries out “with delight” when she sees him and then snuggles against him as close as she can. Cute.

For complaints… I think “similar tunic” means that this man’s tunic is similar to Raum’s? Also, Shra would have seen the man before Azhure gave her description.

PPP: 340

Azhure spreads her hands to look “as non-threatening as possible” (Axis, take note). The man does not know what is going on, after all, and from his perspective, she is “one of the hated Acharites” who has come into the Avarinheim, carrying his daughter. “No wonder he looked so tense.” Yes, thank you for the analysis, Azhure.

We Understand Already: 21

Azhure says she means no harm “as reassuringly as she [can]”, though she is scared by the man. What if he decides she is a threat, after all? The man narrows his eyes even more (not that we heard about that before now)—

PPP: 341

—and takes a step backward. Azhure notes movement and sees a “slim, dark-haired woman” steps out from behind a tree. She is noted to be “much shorter” than Azhure, and she is wearing a “long pale yellow robe”, which is patterned with “leaping deer like Raum’s robe”. Never mind that Azhure does not know his name yet…

PPP: 342

So leaping deer as a pattern marks a Bane? That is a nice touch, really, and it makes sense for them. Well done, Douglass! Well, this woman is “obviously wary” of Azhure, but she still “exude[s] power and confidence” and walks over to the man. She puts a “small and delicate hand” on his shoulder and calls him “Grindle”. That is doable (like “kindle” or “swindle”?). She says she thinks it is “all right”, since Shra seems well and is not afraid of Azhure. And they could probably take her on if she does give trouble.

She looks at Azhure and introduces herself as “Barsarbe, Bane of the Avar people”. She inclines her head “gracefully”, but she clearly wants an explanation for what Azhure was doing here with Shra. Azhure is more scared of Barsarbe than Grindle, but she tries to sound “as confident and relaxed” as her anyway. She greets her and introduces herself as Azhure from Smyrton. Barsarbe nods and says that GoldFeather has mentioned her. That is good to hear. Azhure is relieved and says that she has talked to GoldFeather many times “over the years”. She asks Barsarbe to listen to her, speaking more urgently as she wonders what they are doing here, “passing pleasantries”. Well, you are trying to convince them that you are to be trusted; I think that counts for something.

So Azhure explains that Shra and Raum were caught some days ago, she freed them a few hours ago, but Axis, who has just arrived with the Axe-Wielders, caught them just before the trees. At this point, when Azhure says “the Avar man”, Barsarbe tells her he is called Raum (finally!). Azhure goes on that Raum told her to take Shra and go into the Avarinheim, while he turned to fight Axis. Grindle says that Raum must be dead by now, while “preparing to run and help”. I admire his courage, but I do hope he would leave Shra behind.

Also, we already know that Raum will not be killed during the confrontation, so the impact of this is somewhat lost, as is Azhure’s worrying. We already had this tension with Raum himself present, and I would like to learn more about Barsarbe and Grindle, so can we please go on? Douglass thinks we cannot, as Barsarbe tells Grindle to let Azhure finish. Azhure looks at them with worry and asks herself if they will “be able to help Raum”. I do not know, since I did not read the last chapter, apparently.

She explains that Raum fell and somehow broke his ankle, so he could not escape Axis. But GoldFeather was there and is now talking to Axis. Well, thank you for this recap, that only told us exactly what we already knew.

We Understand Already: 22

Grindle is convinced that Raum and GoldFeather are dead, then. Azhure “plead[s]” that Axis treated Raum and Shra well, and she thinks he would have “liked to save them”. He also had Shra freed from the cell, so he might be “persuaded by argument”, as we just saw. She is also not sure why she is “defending Axis”. Um, you are not defending Axis per se, you are trying to convince Barsarbe and Grindle that Raum and GoldFeather would probably not be dead. That is not the same thing.

Ill Logic: 201

Barsarbe says that she might be right and GoldFeather “will know” how to deal with Axis (because she has known BattleAxes before?). At the moment, they can do nothing. Grindle says that they can do their best to save Raum. After all, how can they “lose another Bane”? Did they recently lose one, then? Further, Grindle says, Raum is his brother. That means Shra is Raum’s cousin niece, then, since apparently they just had to be relatives of each other. It worked just as well when I did not know they were related, so I do not see why this is necessary.

Barsarbe grips Grindle tighter. She says she will not “condone violence”, not even to save Raum, as it is not the “Avar way”. I think Grindle would not need that exposition, Barsarbe, not to mention that he has not said that he wants to use violence. This could have been worked in much more naturally.

PPP: 341

She says that, if Grindle runs to Raum and “add[s] [his] anger to the scene”, Raum probably will die. So, Grindle being there will not save Raum and they need to trust in GoldFeather. Yes, that is true enough. Just then, Barsarbe turns to look down the path in the direction of the Forbidden Valley. Azhure can hear nothing. Soon, Grindle says that it is GoldFeather and Raum (nice!). He puts Shra in Barsarbe’s arms and runs off. Barsarbe passes Shra to Azhure (and of course, Shra stays a perfect doll) and runs after Grindle, pulling up her robe so she can run better. So… why is she wearing a robe when the others are wearing tunics?

Azhure apparently goes after them, and finds all four “around the first bend”. Um, I got the idea that they were just within the trees and there was no bend mentioned, but I guess they were deeper in, then?

PPP: 342

Well, Grindle is carrying Raum now and walks toward Azhure. Raum is not in a good state: his face is a “mask of agony”, his neck is covered in blood and he can barely hold on to Grindle’s shoulders. His foot hangs “limply”, and bone is visible through the bloody skin of his ankle. Azhure lets Grindle go by and her throat tightens when she realises “the extent of the break to Raum’s ankle”. She knows it is “close to being fatal” because it will undoubtedly get infected. Um, would that be true? Yes, I guess that it could have been infected in the meantime, but I am sure that the Avar will have something to treat it with and they will be reasonably quick, too. It is not like this wound is already festering. Further, Raum was in quite good condition before Axis caught him, so I think his chance of survival is quite decent. So I do not quite know why Azhure is thinking this.

Did Not Do the Research: 59

Barsarbe, who is supporting an exhausted GoldFeather (I guess that is because she carried Raum just now?), goes past Azhure and tells her to follow. Azhure hurries forward and puts an arm around GoldFeather’s waist to help Barsarbe out. Then they walk deeper into the Avarinheim for “about an hour”. That is longer than I expected. Grindle disappears ahead after a few minutes, and Azhure is amazed that he can go so fast while carrying Raum. A while later, GoldFeather has recovered enough to wave Barsarbe and Azhure back. While she still walks “a little unsteadily”, she wants no further support.

As GoldFeather recovers further, Azhure asks how she managed to let Axis let her and Raum go. Nice, more recaps. GoldFeather shrugs and says she does not wholly know. She then “shiver[s] in memory”. She says that that his hand tightened on the hilt and she was sure that Raum would die, but then he asked her if the Icarii sing. She told him they did and he seemed “almost frightened” and then let her take Raum. Hmm, we only saw his hand “tighten” on the hilt after she told him about the Icarii. You forgot what you just wrote, did you not, Douglass?

PPP: 343

GoldFeather finds him a “very strange BattleAxe”, which I agree with from her perspective. She says she must speak with Raum more when he is better, as he might be able to explain further. Once again, we already know exactly what is going on, and there is not enough focus on that not everyone does know that… so I cannot exactly be invested in this.

This Is What the Mystery: 26

Azhure puts in that Axis has “compassion” for a BattleAxe. …Did you even witness the same events we saw you do?? She explains: when Axis came into Smyrton, he was so furious at Hagen’s treatment of Raum and Shra that “he attacked Hagen, gave Shra to [Azhure] to tend, and had his lieutenant Belial personally supervise two Axe-Wielders who cleaned Raum’s cell and made him comfortable”. And he could not have had those two Axe-Wielders stay on duty, because that would hurt the plot, I guess.

Let me look at these arguments… nearly killing Hagen when he was in no way a threat to Raum and Shra at that moment is not “compassionate” in any way, giving Shra to Azhure nearly got Shra killed, which he could have known if he had bothered to think on it… though I guess it did come from compassion, and letting Belial do that does not count much for him, since I am quite sure Belial wanted to do it anyway. I also see this conveniently omits this:

“Belial, will you get the keys to the lock off these craven deformities that think to call themselves men?” Axis said tightly. “I do not trust myself to get too close to them.”

The guard holding the keys voided in sheer terror when Belial snatched the keys from his hand.

But I guess we are just supposed to take Azhure’s word for it on his “compassion” and we should all marvel over how great Axis is for this. Too bad I am not fooled, then.

GoldFeather latches onto Belial’s name and asks if he was the man Azhure attacked. Azhure gets uncomfortable and says yes. Barsarbe and GoldFeather then stare at Azhure for a moment, frowning. Azhure looks even more uncomfortable as “her guilt [rises]”. This is decently done, I think. GoldFeather looks at Barsarbe and says there is “much to speak of here”, and perhaps they can wait until they have reached Barsarbe’s camp and have cared for Raum. Whatever Azhure did, Barsarbe should remember that she saved Raum and Shra. I truly do like GoldFeather for this and for the way she got Raum out!

Barsarbe keeps frowning, but does look away from Azhure. Azhure remembers Barsarbe’s earlier remark and realises that “obviously the Avar abhor[] physical violence”. (But only physical violence; as we saw earlier, mental violence is clearly fine.) Azhure wonders “frantically” what they will think when they find out she “caused Hagen’s death” and if they will tell her to leave the Avarinheim.

(I have decided to use <this format> for further editing notes, so as not to interrupt myself constantly. In this case, we are missing a question mark.)

PPP: 344

They keep walking for some minutes. GoldFeather is well aware of “Azhure’s increasing distress”. Finally she puts a hand on Azhure’s arm, and tells her that the Avar are “a peaceable people”, but they will be grateful for her rescuing Raum and Shra, too. If doing violence was necessary to save them, they “will take that into account”. Good to know. Azhure relaxes. She says she only wanted to help and did not think that she would… GoldFeather then smiles to reassure Azhure and tells her to be quiet since she knows “how badly [she has] wanted to help”. Yes, that will truly help calm Azhure.

<GoldFeather refers to Azhure as a “girl” here, which I find a little strange, since Azhure is twenty-seven.>

Azhure is quite for a moment. Then she brings up that she cannot go home and asks if she can sty with the Avar. GoldFeather refers the question to Barsarbe, who says, “her voice terse”, that they will need to ask the clan. Yes, I cannot imagine that having an Acharite live with them is something lightly accepted, even if Azhure cannot go back.

Shortly after that, they arrive at the camp! It lies in a “small glade” near the Nordra and consists of “two circular leather tents stretched over lightweight curved wooden supports”. There is a “stone hearth” with a small fire in the middle, with a pot simmering on it. Grindle has put Raum down next to the fire and “two women and a number of children” hover around them, who all look relieved when Barsarbe and GoldFeather appear. The children keep back, unsure about Azhure, but the women keep at Raum’s side. Grindle stands behind them, still looking angry.

Barsarbe goes to act. She pushes away the younger woman and inspects Raum’s wounds. She then asks the older woman, “Fleat”, to give her some splints. She does so and Barsarbe asks one of the children, a fourteen-year-old boy by name of “Helm” for some fresh water if he can heat it. Then she asks “Skali”, a thirteen-year-old girl, to give her her “basket of herbs”. Well, that is a reasonably good introduction. Helm and Skali run off and Barsarbe begins to “wipe some of the blood away” from Raum’s neck to inspect the sword cut. Um, I think that blood would have clotted by now, unless the wound is still bleeding considerably, in which case Raum should be in worse condition than he is.

Did Not Do the Research: 60

Well, he is “only barely conscious” now, apparently, which I am not exactly surprised at, given this and his treatment in Smyrton. Barsarbe asks Grindle to hold Raum while she cleans and sets the ankle. Grindle kneels and asks if Barsarbe can save him. She gives him a reassuring smile and says she will do her best. The wound has “not been left to fester”, at least, and she has “saved worse than this”. What was that about this wound being fatal due to infection again, Azhure? Azhure? Are you actually narrating this? Apparently not.

<Comma splice. For something positive, this implies that Barsarbe is not from this clan, which turns out to be true.>

PPP: 345

GoldFeather now waves the younger woman over. She is dressed in clothing like Grindle and has a “small infant strapped to her breast”. She is quite relieved to see Shra and takes her over from Azhure. Azhure says that Shra is well, because of course Shra is almost never affected by anything at all.

<Azhure speaks in the same paragraph as the woman.>

PPP: 346

GoldFeather says that the woman, “Pease”, is Shra’s mother and Grindle is her father. She then gets Pease’s attention, Pease looks up, and Azhure describes her. She thinks Pease looks “too small and frail” to hold both the infant and Shra, but she seems to have no trouble, and Azhure thinks that “although the Avar women [are] much shorter and more fine-boned than their menfolk their frail appearance hid[es] considerably strength”. Comma, please.

PPP: 347

Um, Azhure, you have seen all of three Avar women so far. You cannot draw sweeping conclusions about how they differ from the Avar men (and we have not even heard about what Fleat looks like!). I also wonder why she even notes this… My best guess is that Douglass wants to be feminist, by showing that these women can certainly hold their own with the men, no matter that they are smaller. That is fine, but not inserting “jokes” about how promiscuous Nors women are would also go quite a long way toward making this more feminist.

GoldFeather now introduces Azhure, saying that she has helped return Shra and Raum to the Clan (with capital letter). She and Azhure are exhausted, so could Pease please find them a place to sit and maybe some tea? We get this: “Of course,” Pease looked apologetic.

PPP: 348

Just then, Grindle carries Raum inside one of the tents, followed by Barsarbe and Fleat. Pease invites them to come sit by the fire. So they do, Pease puts Shra down, and she pours them tea from the pot. Azhure smiles in thanks as Pease gives her a cup of tea “in a wooden mug skilfully carved with a pattern of leaves along its rim”. Pease sits cross-legged next to them, the infant in her lap and Shra curled up close next to her. The youngest of the other children, who has nothing to do, hangs back for a bit until Pease motions for her to come to the fire.

Pease then “incline[s] her upper body gracefully” (let me add “grace” to Douglass’s list of overused words, along with “nibble”) in Azhure’s direction. That is called “bowing”, Douglass. Yes, I get that she has the infant in her lap, but she is still bowing.

PPP: 349

She asks Azhure to “forgive her rudeness” in not greeting her immediately, and then goes to the greetings. She welcomes her to the camp of the “Clan of the GhostTree”, may she always find shade and “may [her] feet always tread the paths of the Sacred Grove”. Um, Azhure has only just come here; why are you greeting her like she is Avar already? Further, I do wonder why they are called the GhostTree clan… but I think that can wait until later.

Ill Logic: 202

Azhure is not quite sure what to say to this, so she settles for thanking Pease, and saying that she is “very pleased” she is here and grateful for the welcome. Pease… completely ignores this and says that Azhure must be “confused by all these people”, so she launches into an explanation. Grindle is “Clan leader” of the clan, and Fleat is “his senior wife”. Her children are the older ones: “Helm, Skali and Hogni”. So the girl who is here now is Hogni. Excluding Barsarbe, I can put the names of the family in two groups:

Helm, Fleat, Pease, Grindle : Skali, Hogni, Shra, Raum

And Raum and Grindle and Helm and Hogni are siblings. The problem should be obvious.

A Better Commando Name: 42

Well, five years ago, Grindle asked Pease to become “second wife” to the clan, and Shra and the infant are her own children. Their clan is further honoured that Raum and Barsarbe “occasionally travel with [them]”. Azhure has trouble understanding that both Fleat and Pease are married to Grindle and she voices her incredulity. Pease frowns and asks if that is not usual among Azhure’s people, too.

At this point, GoldFeather breaks in before can answer and “possibly insult Pease with some ill-considered words”. She tells Pease that, as with the Icarii, it is custom among the “Plains Dwellers” to only take one wife or husband at a time. She then explains to Azhure that among the Avar, “children are valued above all else”. Ah yes, that is why tens of thousands of children have died unnecessarily during the Bane testing. Sure, I guess they could be valued outside of that, but it sounds more than a little hollow. So, if a woman does not get the honour of being someone’s first wife, she “will gladly become a second wife”. Grindle is as honoured that Pease agreed to join his Clan as she was to be asked, she says.

That is decent enough, though I wonder what the difference between “first wife” and “second wife” is supposed to be, then. The infant whimpers and Pease breastfeeds them. She looks at Azhure and asks how many children she has. Azhure says she has none, as she is not married. Now Pease “look[s] aghast”, and she asks “at your age?”, which makes Azhure feel like “a grey-haired old crone”. Oh, there is more Mists of Avalon influence; Bradley talked about how old people were at a ridiculously young age, too. Azhure is nearly twenty-eight, after all; that is hardly too old to have children, much less an age at which someone is a “grey-haired old crone”!

Pease says that Fleat had all her children before she was twenty-three, and she herself is only nineteen. So I guess Fleat is about 33 to 34 now, if we assume that Hogni is ten. In that case, her first child should have been born when she was eighteen. In Pease’s case… she would have been seventeen, probably. I am… not really comfortable with that.

Just then, a cry comes from the tent where “Barsarbe work[s] on Raum’s leg”. His ankle was broken, though.

PPP: 350

Then they hear “bone crunch” (yikes), and they pale. GoldFeather pats Azhure on the knee, saying that Barsarbe is “skilled at healing”, and if anyone can save Raum’s life, it is her. I would rather be more concerned with how well he can walk after this, but to each their own. Azhure “nod[s] tightly”, and the chapter just ends there.

Well, that was not really bad, thankfully. We get to see some Avar, at least, and Azhure is quite tolerable. Next time, we are back with Axis, as he finally learns some things we knew long ago. Until then!

Comments

[chessybell_90]

Given how frightingly easy it is to disappear in a forest, the people of Smyrton aren't too far off.

... Where is the undergrowth? The mystery vines haven't been poisoned off, so it's not like the trees are suppressing them, so there ought to be a lot of it. Okay, yes, the Avar could be keepig it down with controlled burns, but you'd think that would come up, no?

And yeah, the forest being not what Azhure was expecting doesn't prove the Seneschel wrong by itself.

Birds I know I have seen in my neighbourhood: house sparrows, either chipping or savanah sparrows, crows, lots of magpies, pigeons, californa gulls, assorted other gulls, ravens, tennasee warblers, brown creepers, flickers, down woodpeckers, the occasional hairy woodpecker, grackles, dark-eyed juncos, chickadees, starlings, an unidentified raptor, and of course overflying canada geese. And I live in an urban prairie!

Wait, so there's undergrowth now?

If Grindle is Shra's father and Raum's brother wouldn't that make Raum and Shra uncle and niece?

Azhure, it's an ankle. It can be amputated, and if you know enough to go 'Aah! Infection!' you should know that. Why aren't you worried he'll lose his leg?

For that matter, why are you more worried about the break then the deep puncture wounds?

Okay, is it just me or do the Avar have wildly different names from each other? I swear, it sounds like they have at least two totally separate naming systems!

Ah, it's not just me.

... Uh, how many Avar men die off for this to work? Assuming they have give birth to equal numbers of girls and boys, they don't have enough women for every man to have multiple wives. So either not all men marry and have kids - unlikely - or something causes them to die off before they can get married. (And I'm not thrilled with the lack of space for either sex to be Just Not Interested.)

It's not dangerous for an seventeen to nineteen year old to get pregnant, my issue is that they seem to have a 'quiverfull' mindset which suggests very bad things about their birth spacing and allowances for the mother's health. (And given that most women are fertile well into their thirties, I do have to wonder why Fleat stopped having kids.)

[epistler]

Okay, is it just me or do the Avar have wildly different names from each other? I swear, it sounds like they have at least two totally separate naming systems!

Ah, it's not just me.

Definitely not just you. Douglass clearly knew absolutely nothing about linguistics and didn't put in any effort whatsoever to even try to be consistent.

... Uh, how many Avar men die off for this to work? Assuming they have give birth to equal numbers of girls and boys, they don't have enough women for every man to have multiple wives.

It would make sense if only men were allowed to become Banes, hence all those toddlers (fucking TODDLERS) perishing by the hundreds every year were all boys, but that's not the case.

(And I'm not thrilled with the lack of space for either sex to be Just Not Interested.)

Ah, the good ole days of 90s fantasy when There Was No Gay. Or asexuality either, but then we're a myth, dontyouknow.

It's not dangerous for an seventeen to nineteen year old to get pregnant, my issue is that they seem to have a 'quiverfull' mindset which suggests very bad things about their birth spacing and allowances for the mother's health.

Oh yeah, just how many of these girls are dying in childbirth? My guess would be a LOT.

[chessybell_90]

It's not just death in childbirth, it's also that the body needs recovery time between pregnancies and three kids in no more then five years is pushing it.

Furthermore, the quiverfull movement is the sort of thing where you find questions like 'my wife has heath issues that mean she has a good chance of dying if she gets pregnant, is this a serious enough reason to not have kids?'. Which. Um. Yes. That's not a question people should need to ask.

And people called this book feminist....

[epistler]

It's not just death in childbirth, it's also that the body needs recovery time between pregnancies and three kids in no more then five years is pushing it.

Maybe that's why she stopped having kids - complications from such a reckless rate of reproduction.

Furthermore, the quiverfull movement is the sort of thing where you find questions like 'my wife has heath issues that mean she has a good chance of dying if she gets pregnant, is this a serious enough reason to not have kids?'. Which. Um. Yes. That's not a question people should need to ask.

Fuck those people with a rusty spoon. I will never forget (or forgive) the case of the woman who had VERY SERIOUS mental health issues including postpartum depression, did not want to have more kids, and was repeatedly advised by doctors and mental health professionals - in her husband's presence - not to have any further pregnancies.
So what did the husband do? Forced yet another goddamn pregnancy on her, then left her alone with all six or seven kids including the new baby.
She snapped and killed them all, including the baby.

And people called this book feminist....

Depressingly, by the standards of the time in which it was written and published, this was about as "feminist" as you could expect. It kind of goes hand in hand with the complete non-existence of gay people, because them gays aren't having babies (in the "proper way") and therefore aren't wanted because your only purpose in life is BEBBES.

[chessybell_90]

Depressingly, by the standards of the time in which it was written and published, this was about as "feminist" as you could expect.

And yet Dracula blows them out of the water. Mina not only has agency, she's an active participant in the plot. (She figures out her connection with Dracula goes both ways and volunteers to be spy equipment! Things don't just happen to her!) It also passes the Bechdel test, for what that's worth these days.

[epistler]

And Dracula was written by a man. How ironic.

It also passes the Bechdel test, for what that's worth these days.

ie basically nothing. This crap also passes said test.

[chessybell_90]

Worse, Bram Stoker was a Victorian man. When your supposedly feminist work is being outdone by a Victorian one....

Let's just say 'outdoing the Victorians' should be par for feminism.

[epistler]

I don't think the bar could possibly be set any lower, and yet here we are.

[chessybell_90]

Same.

[epistler]

Even now in the "enlightened" 2020s we're STILL seeing this crap!

[teres]

Given how frightingly easy it is to disappear in a forest, the people of Smyrton aren't too far off.

SCSF: Indeed! And in their case, it would be even likelier, given how little they know about the forest.

... Where is the undergrowth? The mystery vines haven't been poisoned off, so it's not like the trees are suppressing them, so there ought to be a lot of it. Okay, yes, the Avar could be keepig it down with controlled burns, but you'd think that would come up, no?

[...]

Wait, so there's undergrowth now?

There is, but apparently no "high" undergrowth, which does not seem wholly natural to me. And yes, I would think this should have come up during the conversation, but Douglass is not good at all at including pertinent information.

Yes, exactly! The insistence that the plains are "lifeless" is easily the silliest thing so far.

If Grindle is Shra's father and Raum's brother wouldn't that make Raum and Shra uncle and niece?

Yes, she would be. That is probably due to me being an ESL. Given that, I will change it right now.

For that matter, why are you more worried about the break then the deep puncture wounds?

I guess that the cut on his neck is not very deep... but if she can know this, she can tell Grindle to put something on it to help stop the bleeding (and Barsarbe would know what the best option is), or tell Barsarbe to go ahead to keep an eye on Raum, since she is the doctor. Seriously, why is she staying behind? What if Raum suddenly falls unconscious or something?

Okay, is it just me or do the Avar have wildly different names from each other? I swear, it sounds like they have at least two totally separate naming systems!

Indeed! It cannot even be different on a family basis, either.

... Uh, how many Avar men die off for this to work? Assuming they have give birth to equal numbers of girls and boys, they don't have enough women for every man to have multiple wives. So either not all men marry and have kids - unlikely - or something causes them to die off before they can get married. (And I'm not thrilled with the lack of space for either sex to be Just Not Interested.)

I guess it might still be the former, but I simply do not know enough to say for sure now. Maybe only the clan heads are allowed to marry? That might work, but this explanation is simply not enough.

It's not dangerous for an seventeen to nineteen year old to get pregnant, my issue is that they seem to have a 'quiverfull' mindset which suggests very bad things about their birth spacing and allowances for the mother's health. (And given that most women are fertile well into their thirties, I do have to wonder why Fleat stopped having kids.)

Presumably because Bradley was of the impression that fertility stops after twenty-five and Douglass transplanted that? It does make them look quite silly for risking the health of the mother by having their children as soon as possible. (And having their children over a longer period might mean more children, which could also help fix the "too little Banes" problem.)

[chessybell_90]

I was referring to the wounds from the iron spikes, which Azhure doesn't seem all that worried about despite obviously knowing of the dangers of infection. Which... Lockjaw is a horrible way to die.

Assuming they can magically prevent childhood ailments like smallpox, whooping cough, and measles from killing of their kids, a little bit of sense ought to net them many more children.

... And I have just realised that three kids in maybe five years assumes all of Fleat's children lived. It could have been four.

[teres]

I was referring to the wounds from the iron spikes, which Azhure doesn't seem all that worried about despite obviously knowing of the dangers of infection. Which... Lockjaw is a horrible way to die.

SCSF: I had forgotten about those, since Douglass forgot about those, but that is quite true!

Assuming they can magically prevent childhood ailments like smallpox, whooping cough, and measles from killing of their kids, a little bit of sense ought to net them many more children.

And they actually should be capable of preventing those! We know that the (untrained) Goodwives can make herbs more effective with what we are later told is a "tiny portion of their power", so why can these Banes (who apparently are capable of reshaping their forest and of preventing the negative consequences of the loss of the Greater Avarinheim) not make their own herbs cure everything? If they were a bit smart about it, there should barely be child mortality! Then again, the Avar seem to have no sense at all.

... And I have just realised that three kids in maybe five years assumes all of Fleat's children lived. It could have been four.

I highly suspect there was a child between Skali and Hogni, at least, given that Hogni is not noted to be about the same age as Skali.

[chessybell_90]

Four kids in five years is roughly fifteen months between births. That's only six months between pregnancies! That can't have been good for Fleat!

[teres]

SCSF: It certainly cannot have, so I will note that!

[epistler]

In short, I am reasonably sure that the forest has been shaped as it is by the Avar using magic.

Though just why they would do so is beyond me.

Further, what is to stop the Seneschal from claiming something like “the Shadowsward looks this alluring now since the Forbidden wanted to lure more people in”? This is really not as convincing as Douglass thinks it is.

And what, NOBODY has ever sneaked into the "evil forest" to see it for themselves? Douglass also seems to have forgotten that the forbidden is alluring. One of the best ways to ensure at least a few people will go out of their way to enter an area is to put up signs saying ABSOLUTELY DO NOT ENTER. Even if you get specific by adding that there's toxic waste or whatever, they're going to want to see it for themselves because now you've made them curious.

But of course these characters are all either insufferable Sues with little to no agency, or NPCs who don't actually get to do anything. In both cases, there is no curiosity to be found unless the plot says so.

So Azhure walks a bit further into the forest, “drawn by its beauty” (because of course it is the beauty of the Avarinheim that draws her rather than curiosity or anything else).

Case in point, Azhure isn't curious. As usual it's all about how OMG BEAUTIFUL it is. Are you keeping a count for people and other things being constantly called "beautiful"? Because boy would those numbers be through the roof.

It turns out to be the “crystal sounds of the Nordra”

Rivers and streams in bad fantasy novels always make "crystal sounds". It's stupid.

If this story contains such inaccuracies, how am I supposed to take what it is saying seriously?

How indeed. Douglass constantly writes about a) Music and b) The beauty of nature, yet gets the most basic shit wrong on both subjects, constantly. So how the hell are you supposed to have a story with major themes centred around something the author keeps misrepresenting?

Also, Azhure/Douglass, what are you on about with ravens not having great song? They are capable of very much and can even “talk”!

And where the fuck are the magpies? Those live in farmed areas and have lovely songs.

It is manifestly not what Douglass is describing here, so we need some indication that she did not make a mistake. That is not to mention that the winterberry is called that since it has berries in the winter. This plant does not, though it clearly is winter, so why is it called “winterberry”, then?

My guess would be that like me up until a minute ago, she didn't know winterberries were an actual plant and thought she'd just made the name up. They aren't native to Australia, where we both hail from. Or at least not to my knowledge.

We get some further description: He is wearing a “similar tunic” made of wool, which is coloured “dark red” and has a pattern of “interlaced tree branches” at the hem. Beneath it, he is wearing “serviceable brown leggings” (?), which are “bound with leather thongs” and “ankle-high leather boots”.

This is NOT the time or place for such a big infodump! About a character who will disappear shortly after this, to boot. Also where the fuck are they getting clothes like this when they don't have the means to weave fabric, and especially not in such an elaborate manner?
And why are they "anti violence" yet wearing LEATHER? It is NEVER explained why they're so rabidly against violence of any kind yet still completely fine with killing animals and even raising them to be killed.

For complaints… I think “similar tunic” means that this man’s tunic is similar to Raum’s?

And Raum doesn't HAVE a tunic any more. He was noted to be naked in his cell for some damn reason and I don't recall any mention of him getting his clothes back so he should still be naked.

—and takes a step backward. Azhure notes movement and sees a “slim, dark-haired woman” steps out from behind a tree. She is noted to be “much shorter” than Azhure, and she is wearing a “long pale yellow robe”, which is patterned with “leaping deer like Raum’s robe”. Never mind that Azhure does not know his name yet…

And enter Scary Sue #2! Also does Raum have a robe OR a tunic? Make your damn mind up!

It worked just as well when I did not know they were related, so I do not see why this is necessary.

And Grindle will never be important anyway.

She says she will not “condone violence”, not even to save Raum, as it is not the “Avar way”.

THEN WHY DO YOU KILL ANIMALS?

His foot hangs “limply”, and bone is visible through the bloody skin of his ankle.

Yeah, no fucking way is he keeping that foot.

Barsarbe, who is supporting an exhausted GoldFeather (I guess that is because she carried Raum just now?)

When she's an older woman who's about half his size. How the fuck did they get here this quickly?

Azhure puts in that Axis has “compassion” for a BattleAxe.

NO HE DOESN'T. HE'S PURE FUCKING SELFISH EVIL AND ONLY GOING TO GET A HUNDRED TIMES WORSE.

Too bad I am not fooled, then.

You'll be even less fooled by the end of book two.

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<goldfeather [...] “girl”>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<q>In short, I am reasonably sure that the forest has been shaped as it is by the Avar using magic.</q>

Though just why they would do so is beyond me.

<q>Further, what is to stop the Seneschal from claiming something like “the Shadowsward looks this alluring now since the Forbidden wanted to lure more people in”? This is really not as convincing as Douglass thinks it is.</q>

And what, NOBODY has ever sneaked into the "evil forest" to see it for themselves? Douglass also seems to have forgotten that the forbidden is alluring. One of the best ways to ensure at least a few people will go out of their way to enter an area is to put up signs saying ABSOLUTELY DO NOT ENTER. Even if you get specific by adding that there's toxic waste or whatever, they're going to want to see it for themselves because now you've made them curious.

But of course these characters are all either insufferable Sues with little to no agency, or NPCs who don't actually get to do anything. In both cases, there is no curiosity to be found unless the plot says so.

<q>So Azhure walks a bit further into the forest, “drawn by its beauty” (because of course it is the beauty of the Avarinheim that draws her rather than curiosity or anything else).</q>

Case in point, Azhure isn't curious. As usual it's all about how OMG BEAUTIFUL it is. Are you keeping a count for people and other things being constantly called "beautiful"? Because boy would those numbers be through the roof.

<q>It turns out to be the “crystal sounds of the Nordra”</q>

Rivers and streams in bad fantasy novels always make "crystal sounds". It's stupid.

<q>If this story contains such inaccuracies, how am I supposed to take what it is saying seriously?</q>

How indeed. Douglass constantly writes about a) Music and b) The beauty of nature, yet gets the most basic shit wrong on both subjects, <i>constantly</i>. So how the hell are you supposed to have a story with major themes centred around something the author keeps misrepresenting?

<q>Also, Azhure/Douglass, what are you on about with ravens not having great song? They are capable of very much and can even “talk”!</q>

And where the fuck are the magpies? Those live in farmed areas and have lovely songs.

<q>It is manifestly not what Douglass is describing here, so we need some indication that she did not make a mistake. That is not to mention that the winterberry is called that since it has berries in the winter. This plant does not, though it clearly is winter, so why is it called “winterberry”, then?</q>

My guess would be that like me up until a minute ago, she didn't know winterberries were an actual plant and thought she'd just made the name up. They aren't native to Australia, where we both hail from. Or at least not to my knowledge.

<q>We get some further description: He is wearing a “similar tunic” made of wool, which is coloured “dark red” and has a pattern of “interlaced tree branches” at the hem. Beneath it, he is wearing “serviceable brown leggings” (?), which are “bound with leather thongs” and “ankle-high leather boots”.</q>

This is NOT the time or place for such a big infodump! About a character who will disappear shortly after this, to boot. Also where the fuck are they getting clothes like this when they don't have the means to weave fabric, and especially not in such an elaborate manner?
And why are they "anti violence" yet wearing LEATHER? It is NEVER explained why they're so rabidly against violence of any kind yet still completely fine with killing animals and even raising them to be killed.

<q>For complaints… I think “similar tunic” means that this man’s tunic is similar to Raum’s?</q>

And Raum doesn't HAVE a tunic any more. He was noted to be naked in his cell for some damn reason and I don't recall any mention of him getting his clothes back so he should still be naked.

<q>—and takes a step backward. Azhure notes movement and sees a “slim, dark-haired woman” steps out from behind a tree. She is noted to be “much shorter” than Azhure, and she is wearing a “long pale yellow robe”, which is patterned with “leaping deer like Raum’s robe”. Never mind that Azhure does not know his name yet…</q>

And enter Scary Sue #2! Also does Raum have a robe OR a tunic? Make your damn mind up!

<q>It worked just as well when I did not know they were related, so I do not see why this is necessary.</q>

And Grindle will never be important anyway.

<q>She says she will not “condone violence”, not even to save Raum, as it is not the “Avar way”.</q>

THEN WHY DO YOU KILL ANIMALS?

<q>His foot hangs “limply”, and bone is visible through the bloody skin of his ankle.</q>

Yeah, no fucking way is he keeping that foot.

<q>Barsarbe, who is supporting an exhausted GoldFeather (I guess that is because she carried Raum just now?)</q>

When she's an older woman who's about half his size. How the fuck did they get here this quickly?

<q>Azhure puts in that Axis has “compassion” for a BattleAxe.</q>

NO HE DOESN'T. HE'S PURE FUCKING SELFISH EVIL AND ONLY GOING TO GET A HUNDRED TIMES <i>WORSE.</i>

<q>Too bad I am not fooled, then.</q>

You'll be even less fooled by the end of book two.

<q><GoldFeather refers to Azhure as a “girl” here, which I find a little strange, since Azhure is twenty-seven.></q>

Probably because she doesn't act like she's that old. Expect to see a lot of really childish, whiny behaviour from her going forward.

<q>Barsarbe asks Grindle to hold Raum while she cleans and sets the ankle.</q>

But not, you know, pin the bones back together because it's a goddamn compound fracture.

<q>GoldFeather says that the woman, “Pease”, is Shra’s mother and Grindle is her father.</q>

Make note of this: when Pease is killed later on, there's absolutely no mention of what happened to the infant "strapped to her breast", nor is Shra ever shown having any kind of reaction to her mother's death. Or any relationship with her father, who just kind of vanishes without explanation.

<q>Azhure thinks that “although the Avar women [are] much shorter and more fine-boned than their menfolk their frail appearance hid[es] considerably strength”.</q>

Yeah, this is really sexist.

<q>That is fine, but not inserting “jokes” about how promiscuous Nors women are would also go quite a long way toward making this more feminist.</q>

It would indeed. The whole "lol Nors women only care about sex" is nothing but disgusting judgemental nastiness aimed at female sexuality. Which as we all know must remain politely repressed until after she's married, and then only so she can provide her husband with lots of sweet sweet BEBBES. Which is as you'll later find out Azhure's only role in her own future marriage to an abusive POS who repeatedly rapes her (but which is glossed over because once you're married he owns you and can do as he pleases with your body and you will be expected to treat this as absolutely normal and romantic).

<q>Pease gives her a cup of tea “in a wooden mug skilfully carved with a pattern of leaves along its rim”.</q>

If these people are nomadic, as indicated by them staying in a "camp" full of "tents" rather than more permanent shelters, why the fuck do they have all this fancy shit? While wearing such impractical clothing? And where the hell are they getting TEA?

<q>Further, I do wonder why they are called the GhostTree clan… but I think that can wait until later.</q>

Don't worry. It will never be explained.

<q>Oh, there is more Mists of Avalon influence; Bradley talked about how old people were at a ridiculously young age, too. Azhure is nearly twenty-eight, after all; that is hardly too old to have children, much less an age at which someone is a “grey-haired old crone”!</q>

BARF. Yeah, the influence just gets more and more obvious, along with the disgusting sexualisation of children and the incredibly blithe treatment of rape.

<q>I am… not really comfortable with that.</q>

Nor should you be. It's repulsive.

<q>Well, that was not really bad, thankfully. We get to see some Avar, at least, and Azhure is quite tolerable.</q>

Enjoy it while you still can...

[teres]

SCSF: Oh, GoldFeather is an HTML tag now! Let me fix it for you so I have a nicer reply to look at.

---

In short, I am reasonably sure that the forest has been shaped as it is by the Avar using magic.

Though just why they would do so is beyond me.

Further, what is to stop the Seneschal from claiming something like “the Shadowsward looks this alluring now since the Forbidden wanted to lure more people in”? This is really not as convincing as Douglass thinks it is.

And what, NOBODY has ever sneaked into the "evil forest" to see it for themselves? Douglass also seems to have forgotten that the forbidden is alluring. One of the best ways to ensure at least a few people will go out of their way to enter an area is to put up signs saying ABSOLUTELY DO NOT ENTER. Even if you get specific by adding that there's toxic waste or whatever, they're going to want to see it for themselves because now you've made them curious.

But of course these characters are all either insufferable Sues with little to no agency, or NPCs who don't actually get to do anything. In both cases, there is no curiosity to be found unless the plot says so.

So Azhure walks a bit further into the forest, “drawn by its beauty” (because of course it is the beauty of the Avarinheim that draws her rather than curiosity or anything else).

Case in point, Azhure isn't curious. As usual it's all about how OMG BEAUTIFUL it is. Are you keeping a count for people and other things being constantly called "beautiful"? Because boy would those numbers be through the roof.

It turns out to be the “crystal sounds of the Nordra”

Rivers and streams in bad fantasy novels always make "crystal sounds". It's stupid.

If this story contains such inaccuracies, how am I supposed to take what it is saying seriously?

How indeed. Douglass constantly writes about a) Music and b) The beauty of nature, yet gets the most basic shit wrong on both subjects, constantly. So how the hell are you supposed to have a story with major themes centred around something the author keeps misrepresenting?

Also, Azhure/Douglass, what are you on about with ravens not having great song? They are capable of very much and can even “talk”!

And where the fuck are the magpies? Those live in farmed areas and have lovely songs.

It is manifestly not what Douglass is describing here, so we need some indication that she did not make a mistake. That is not to mention that the winterberry is called that since it has berries in the winter. This plant does not, though it clearly is winter, so why is it called “winterberry”, then?

My guess would be that like me up until a minute ago, she didn't know winterberries were an actual plant and thought she'd just made the name up. They aren't native to Australia, where we both hail from. Or at least not to my knowledge.

We get some further description: He is wearing a “similar tunic” made of wool, which is coloured “dark red” and has a pattern of “interlaced tree branches” at the hem. Beneath it, he is wearing “serviceable brown leggings” (?), which are “bound with leather thongs” and “ankle-high leather boots”.

This is NOT the time or place for such a big infodump! About a character who will disappear shortly after this, to boot. Also where the fuck are they getting clothes like this when they don't have the means to weave fabric, and especially not in such an elaborate manner? And why are they "anti violence" yet wearing LEATHER? It is NEVER explained why they're so rabidly against violence of any kind yet still completely fine with killing animals and even raising them to be killed.

For complaints… I think “similar tunic” means that this man’s tunic is similar to Raum’s?

And Raum doesn't HAVE a tunic any more. He was noted to be naked in his cell for some damn reason and I don't recall any mention of him getting his clothes back so he should still be naked.

—and takes a step backward. Azhure notes movement and sees a “slim, dark-haired woman” steps out from behind a tree. She is noted to be “much shorter” than Azhure, and she is wearing a “long pale yellow robe”, which is patterned with “leaping deer like Raum’s robe”. Never mind that Azhure does not know his name yet…

And enter Scary Sue #2! Also does Raum have a robe OR a tunic? Make your damn mind up!

It worked just as well when I did not know they were related, so I do not see why this is necessary.

And Grindle will never be important anyway.

She says she will not “condone violence”, not even to save Raum, as it is not the “Avar way”.

THEN WHY DO YOU KILL ANIMALS?

His foot hangs “limply”, and bone is visible through the bloody skin of his ankle.

Yeah, no fucking way is he keeping that foot.

Barsarbe, who is supporting an exhausted GoldFeather (I guess that is because she carried Raum just now?)

When she's an older woman who's about half his size. How the fuck did they get here this quickly?

Azhure puts in that Axis has “compassion” for a BattleAxe.

NO HE DOESN'T. HE'S PURE FUCKING SELFISH EVIL AND ONLY GOING TO GET A HUNDRED TIMES WORSE.

Too bad I am not fooled, then.

You'll be even less fooled by the end of book two.

GoldFeather refers to Azhure as a “girl” here, which I find a little strange, since Azhure is twenty-seven.

Probably because she doesn't act like she's that old. Expect to see a lot of really childish, whiny behaviour from her going forward.

Barsarbe asks Grindle to hold Raum while she cleans and sets the ankle.

But not, you know, pin the bones back together because it's a goddamn compound fracture.

GoldFeather says that the woman, “Pease”, is Shra’s mother and Grindle is her father.

Make note of this: when Pease is killed later on, there's absolutely no mention of what happened to the infant "strapped to her breast", nor is Shra ever shown having any kind of reaction to her mother's death. Or any relationship with her father, who just kind of vanishes without explanation.

Azhure thinks that “although the Avar women [are] much shorter and more fine-boned than their menfolk their frail appearance hid[es] considerably strength”.

Yeah, this is really sexist.

That is fine, but not inserting “jokes” about how promiscuous Nors women are would also go quite a long way toward making this more feminist.

It would indeed. The whole "lol Nors women only care about sex" is nothing but disgusting judgemental nastiness aimed at female sexuality. Which as we all know must remain politely repressed until after she's married, and then only so she can provide her husband with lots of sweet sweet BEBBES. Which is as you'll later find out Azhure's only role in her own future marriage to an abusive POS who repeatedly rapes her (but which is glossed over because once you're married he owns you and can do as he pleases with your body and you will be expected to treat this as absolutely normal and romantic).

Pease gives her a cup of tea “in a wooden mug skilfully carved with a pattern of leaves along its rim”.

If these people are nomadic, as indicated by them staying in a "camp" full of "tents" rather than more permanent shelters, why the fuck do they have all this fancy shit? While wearing such impractical clothing? And where the hell are they getting TEA?

Further, I do wonder why they are called the GhostTree clan… but I think that can wait until later.

Don't worry. It will never be explained.

Oh, there is more Mists of Avalon influence; Bradley talked about how old people were at a ridiculously young age, too. Azhure is nearly twenty-eight, after all; that is hardly too old to have children, much less an age at which someone is a “grey-haired old crone”!

BARF. Yeah, the influence just gets more and more obvious, along with the disgusting sexualisation of children and the incredibly blithe treatment of rape.

I am… not really comfortable with that.

Nor should you be. It's repulsive.

Well, that was not really bad, thankfully. We get to see some Avar, at least, and Azhure is quite tolerable.

Enjoy it while you still can...

[teres]

Though just why they would do so is beyond me.

SCSF: Because it is their forest, and they appreciate space in it? It sounds quite natural to me.

And what, NOBODY has ever sneaked into the "evil forest" to see it for themselves? Douglass also seems to have forgotten that the forbidden is alluring. One of the best ways to ensure at least a few people will go out of their way to enter an area is to put up signs saying ABSOLUTELY DO NOT ENTER. Even if you get specific by adding that there's toxic waste or whatever, they're going to want to see it for themselves because now you've made them curious.

A thousand years have passed, too, so I would expect some people have gone in, at least.

Case in point, Azhure isn't curious. As usual it's all about how OMG BEAUTIFUL it is. Are you keeping a count for people and other things being constantly called "beautiful"? Because boy would those numbers be through the roof.

Well, I am not, precisely for that reason. Maybe it is something for the redux, but not this time yet.

How indeed. Douglass constantly writes about a) Music and b) The beauty of nature, yet gets the most basic shit wrong on both subjects, constantly. So how the hell are you supposed to have a story with major themes centred around something the author keeps misrepresenting?

Add the racism plot to that, too. It truly does undercut what this story is supposed to be about, and that is the reason I keep complaining about it.

And where the fuck are the magpies? Those live in farmed areas and have lovely songs.

Well, if you mean these:

[Caption: Male Australian Magpie]

I cannot fault her for not including them, since she clearly wanted a Europe-type fantasy setting.

If you mean these:

[Caption: Eurasian Magpie]

she should certainly have mentioned those, along with jackdaws (and given some more mentions to crows).

My guess would be that like me up until a minute ago, she didn't know winterberries were an actual plant and thought she'd just made the name up. They aren't native to Australia, where we both hail from. Or at least not to my knowledge.

Well, it is not native to my area either, and I did not know they were a thing until I read this chapter for the first time, but here I am able to tell a bit about them. She presumably had access to dictionaries (which might just have "winterberry" in them) or to an encyclopedia, so she could have known about it. I would not mind that much, but if she wants to have nature as a theme, she ought to resarch it.

Either way... if she did not know that "winterberry" was an actual plant, that only makes this plant not having berries when winter nears worse. If she just transplanted an existing name, she might not have thought about what kind of plant it was, at least.

Also where the fuck are they getting clothes like this when they don't have the means to weave fabric, and especially not in such an elaborate manner?

My first answer would be "the Icarii"... Really, this and the teacup almost make me think that there are settled Avar who produce these things for the other Avar.

And why are they "anti violence" yet wearing LEATHER? It is NEVER explained why they're so rabidly against violence of any kind yet still completely fine with killing animals and even raising them to be killed.

Well, I guess that the rule might be "violence against humanoids is wrong"? That would be consistent, but once again, it needs to be clear, not vaguely implied.

And Raum doesn't HAVE a tunic any more. He was noted to be naked in his cell for some damn reason and I don't recall any mention of him getting his clothes back so he should still be naked.

I suppose this is more omniscient, then. And Azhure did give him a cloak she had hidden away, so he is presumably wearing that now.

Oh yes, Barsarbe does get mistreated later, does she not?

Probably because she doesn't act like she's that old. Expect to see a lot of really childish, whiny behaviour from her going forward.

Until now, she has not seemed so young, though, so I am still wondering...

Well... all of that will luckily be for someone else, as after chapter 38, I will only be back in The Serpent Bride.

Oh, I see now why the comment was messed up: the angle brackets do not work well with the <q> tag. I suppose I will use something else, then.

[epistler]

Well, I am not, precisely for that reason. Maybe it is something for the redux, but not this time yet.

Redux?

Add the racism plot to that, too. It truly does undercut what this story is supposed to be about, and that is the reason I keep complaining about it.

Ah yes, of course. I should have mentioned that too because she clearly didn't know the first thing about racism and prejudice either, and especially not institutionalised racism. After all, she would have us believe that all you need to do to "get rid of racism" is to kill or otherwise remove the Bad Racist Guys who are in charge of the system and then everyone else will instantly just get over it somehow and it won't ever happen again. There isn't, for example, a core group of people who rebel against the abolishment of anti-Forbidden laws and sentiment and form a group of some kind in the manner of the KKK.

she should certainly have mentioned those, along with jackdaws (and given some more mentions to crows).

It actually doesn't matter; they might look different, but both species of magpie will happily live alongside humans and both are known for their singing.

My first answer would be "the Icarii"... Really, this and the teacup almost make me think that there are settled Avar who produce these things for the other Avar.

It's just too bad it's never gone into; author clearly lost interest in the Avar because we learn very little about them after book one.

Also, in book three we learn that the Icarii don't even know what sheep are so how do THEY have access to wool?

Well, I guess that the rule might be "violence against humanoids is wrong"? That would be consistent, but once again, it needs to be clear, not vaguely implied

Exactly, and someone should have pointed out the hypocrisy.

Oh yes, Barsarbe does get mistreated later, does she not?

Yup, she turns into a raging jealous Mean Girl who hates Azhure and that's just totally unfair. The subsequent punishment for the heinous crime of not loving and worshipping Azhure-Sue is summary and entirely predictable.

Well... all of that will luckily be for someone else, as after chapter 38, I will only be back in The Serpent Bride.

???

Oh, I see now why the comment was messed up: the angle brackets do not work well with the tag. I suppose I will use something else, then.

Oh, I wondered what you were referring to. I've been using the "quote" button so no idea why it's suddenly not working.

[teres]

Redux?

SCSF: Yes, that would be the "second read" to this "first read", since it is clear by now that this series requires another look for a truly good analysis.

After all, she would have us believe that all you need to do to "get rid of racism" is to kill or otherwise remove the Bad Racist Guys who are in charge of the system and then everyone else will instantly just get over it somehow and it won't ever happen again. There isn't, for example, a core group of people who rebel against the abolishment of anti-Forbidden laws and sentiment and form a group of some kind in the manner of the KKK.

Yep, the only such group would be the Seneschal and that is easily overthrown. And she also thinks that the Way of the Axe and the Plough and the racism are inextricably bound, which is... not how that works, either.

It actually doesn't matter; they might look different, but both species of magpie will happily live alongside humans and both are known for their singing.

I do feel compelled to note that their differences are deeper than looks, since the Australian Magpie is not an actual corvid, but it does indeed matter little. (Are Eurasian magpies best known for their song? It might well be.)

Also, in book three we learn that the Icarii don't even know what sheep are so how do THEY have access to wool?

So I checked, and they said that sheep are "virtually unknown"... which is nonsense, since the Avar have sheep!

???

That is the first book of the DarkGlass Mountain trilogy, with StarDrifter and Axis back again, and with Ishbel, Isaiah and Maximilian. I am quite sure you have read it, since you once mentioned StarDrifter growing new wings.

Edit: To address the probable misunderstanding, of course this will keep going past chapter 38. It is just that there will be another face.

"Oh, I wondered what you were referring to. I've been using the "quote" button so no idea why it's suddenly not working. "

And I messed up your formatting yet again. (facepalms) Well, better from now on.

[epistler]

And she also thinks that the Way of the Axe and the Plough and the racism are inextricably bound, which is... not how that works, either.

Not even close. Plus she thinks people will just magically forget about their religion the moment Axishit shows up and tells them to.

(Are Eurasian magpies best known for their song? It might well be.)

Seems they chatter rather than sing.

That is the first book of the DarkGlass Mountain trilogy, with StarDrifter and Axis back again, and with Ishbel, Isaiah and Maximilian. I am quite sure you have read it, since you once mentioned StarDrifter growing new wings.

I have indeed. Unfortunately. I think that was the point when I gave up on the series.

[chessybell_90]

To be very strictly fair, 'tea' does not always mean 'prepared leaves of the tea bush'. It could be something like rose or linden leaf tea.

That said, somehow I doubt Douglass thought that far.

[teres]

SCSF: Yes, that is why I did not complain about this.

[epistler]

Methinks "tea" is something that jumps out at me because of Paolini's obsession with the stuff.

[epistler]

She had a PhD in Medieval History and should have known better than to make basic mistakes of this sort. She also should have known that a herbal tea back then was known as a "tisane".

[chessybell_90]

If we assume she deliberately chose to use the modern 'tea' instead of the medieval 'tisane' - which is a very big 'if' - I personally would consider it an understandable concession to readability.

That said, I'm inclined to think you're right about her having just been careless and thoughtless, it's just that as a Catholic I am required to be as fair and charitable towards everyone as I can.

[wolfgoddess77]

- We open with Azhure, who, “within ten paces of stepping into the Avarinheim”, feels as though she is in another world.

Avarinheim must be hidden inside of a portal, then. Surely ten steps isn't enough to completely change your surroundings. Also, it's not a very protected place, is it, if people can just walk right in. I guess the whole "forests are spooky and will eat you" belief keeps most would-be enemies away, but you'd think there would be some defenses in place.

- The height of the branches is plausible, though I cannot help but wonder how large these trees are supposed to be.

How cool would it be if they were like the pacific northwest's redwood forests? I know it probably isn't, but the visual is awesome. Just a spread of trees so big that a bunch of people clasping hands can't even reach all the way around it.

- It is much the same thing, after all, and ploughing is not destructive if done right, so what is the difference? True, some of the difference is because the Acharites are ploughing the site of the Greater Avarinheim, while the Avar do not do something similar… but still, Raum did complain about ploughing in general.

Especially when you consider that ploughing land is usually done to plant crops; they're doing this to live. Meanwhile, the Avar are out here murdering helpless bunnies and killing their children because they're stupid because of some ridiculous tradition that seems to be specifically designed to kill many of the participants. It's a wonder they're not extinct by their own hands by now. I don't know for sure if that qualifies as hypocrisy, but it's certainly something!

- How do you keep grazing the point of something you wrote yourself, Douglass?

Clearly most of her brain cells have taken a vacation during the writing of this series.

- I think that might have something to do with the notion that forests are “more important” than other ecosystems, which I have the idea was somewhat prevalent when these books were written.

What an oddly specific soapbox to choose. Like, I absolutely agree that nature is essential to, you know, staying alive, but that's not even what she's saying here. She's saying that trees are the most important thing ever, above all else. And I'm a person who loves forests, so if this was an anti-deforestation thing, I could understand it completely. But just trees? Why are they more important than everything else?

- The large problem with this, aside from the ridiculous extent to which Douglass carries it, is that forests are not more valuable than other ecosystems. Sure, they might be more important, but that is not the same as being more valuable.

Precisely my point!

- The man does not know what is going on, after all, and from his perspective, she is “one of the hated Acharites” who has come into the Avarinheim, carrying his daughter. “No wonder he looked so tense.”

Oh, look, the sun is up. No wonder it got so bright! Take a hike, Captain Obvious. This series is bad enough already without you here.

- Azhure notes movement and sees a “slim, dark-haired woman” steps out from behind a tree.

So, wait. Does this mean that all the Avarii are just hiding behind trees and in bushes and stuff? I can understand why they would do that, if they think a sworn enemy had just wandered into their home, but the visual I'm getting of heads popping up from inside flowerpots and out of rainspouts and from under rocks (again, a la Loony Toons) is just making me laugh.

- Azhure is more scared of Barsarbe than Grindle, but she tries to sound “as confident and relaxed” as her anyway.

Okay, a tiny fraction of a point for Douglass here. I honestly expected her to say that Azhure was more afraid of the guy just because he's a guy. But no, she's very logically more afraid of the one who seems to be the bigger threat. I still don't like you, Douglass, but you got this one right.

- Barsarbe passes Shra to Azhure (and of course, Shra stays a perfect doll)

She's not even a doll at this point; she's a Hot Potato!

[teres]

SCSF: There you are again! I was almost getting worried.

Avarinheim must be hidden inside of a portal, then. Surely ten steps isn't enough to completely change your surroundings. Also, it's not a very protected place, is it, if people can just walk right in. I guess the whole "forests are spooky and will eat you" belief keeps most would-be enemies away, but you'd think there would be some defenses in place.

Well, a "pace" is also the measure for about 95 centimetres, so this would equal 9.5 metres, which is considerably more reasonable. The confusion is entirely understandable, though.

As of defenses... I think I can actually believe this, since the Seneschal is not interested in sending a force and the Smyrtonites seem willing to live and let be. Sure, some people would get in from time to time, but the Avarinheim is huge and they should not form much of a threat. In fact, I wonder if Acharites getting adopted into Avar clans has not actually happened before, given Barsarbe's rather casual attitude toward Azhure's possible adoption (GoldFeather does not count, since, as her name shows, she was adopted by the Icarii rather than the Avar).

How cool would it be if they were like the pacific northwest's redwood forests? I know it probably isn't, but the visual is awesome. Just a spread of trees so big that a bunch of people clasping hands can't even reach all the way around it.

That would certainly be a nice biome to see!

Especially when you consider that ploughing land is usually done to plant crops; they're doing this to live. Meanwhile, the Avar are out here murdering helpless bunnies and killing their children because they're stupid because of some ridiculous tradition that seems to be specifically designed to kill many of the participants. It's a wonder they're not extinct by their own hands by now. I don't know for sure if that qualifies as hypocrisy, but it's certainly something!

It is a sign, at least, of how very poorly the Avar are constructed. Very little about them makes sense, and they are actively killing themselves because... tradition, I guess? That does not make them a good contrast to the Acharites, who are supposed to get rid of their traditions!

Clearly most of her brain cells have taken a vacation during the writing of this series.

I think she cared about getting to what she wanted above all, and that does not lend itself to critical thought well.

What an oddly specific soapbox to choose. Like, I absolutely agree that nature is essential to, you know, staying alive, but that's not even what she's saying here. She's saying that trees are the most important thing ever, above all else. And I'm a person who loves forests, so if this was an anti-deforestation thing, I could understand it completely. But just trees? Why are they more important than everything else?

Hmmm, this will be just my guessing, but it might be that forests are often chosen as a symbol for environmentalism (maybe because they are so present, so to say), and so they seem more important, and hence more valuable. Both of these steps are incorrect, of course, but they are easy to make, so it might just be that?

So, wait. Does this mean that all the Avarii are just hiding behind trees and in bushes and stuff? I can understand why they would do that, if they think a sworn enemy had just wandered into their home, but the visual I'm getting of heads popping up from inside flowerpots and out of rainspouts and from under rocks (again, a la Loony Toons) is just making me laugh.

Yes, I presume that they were hiding here in case Axis came in, but it is a bit silly as a visual.

Okay, a tiny fraction of a point for Douglass here. I honestly expected her to say that Azhure was more afraid of the guy just because he's a guy. But no, she's very logically more afraid of the one who seems to be the bigger threat. I still don't like you, Douglass, but you got this one right.

Indeed... though given what will apparently happen to Barsarbe later on, I have to wonder if this is connected to that.

[wolfgoddess77]

- SCSF: There you are again! I was almost getting worried.

I'm perfectly fine; thank you for your concern. ^_^ It's been...a month, to say the least.

- Well, a "pace" is also the measure for about 95 centimetres, so this would equal 9.5 metres, which is considerably more reasonable. The confusion is entirely understandable, though.

...I keep forgetting that paces are actual forms of measurement. That does make a lot more sense.

- That does not make them a good contrast to the Acharites, who are supposed to get rid of their traditions!

I don't want to say that Douglass is pro-violent traditions, but this doesn't make her look good. Then again, not a lot in this book paints her in a positive light, so...par for the course?

- I think she cared about getting to what she wanted above all, and that does not lend itself to critical thought well.

Which is a good sign that she's not ready to be a published author. There's nothing wrong with a self-indulgent story, but if you're going to put it out there for public consumption, at least make sure it's not something that's going to land itself on a sporker's plate.

- Indeed... though given what will apparently happen to Barsarbe later on, I have to wonder if this is connected to that.

...shouldn't have opened my mouth. I knew that little bit of credit wasn't going to last! I'm starting to think anything positive in this book is too good to be true.

[teres]

It's been...a month, to say the least.

SCSF: That was about what I thought, and this is good to hear!

...I keep forgetting that paces are actual forms of measurement. That does make a lot more sense.

And you have the luck that I actually bothered to look through the glossary to check the measurements; a casual reader might not realise this for the entire length of the book.

I don't want to say that Douglass is pro-violent traditions, but this doesn't make her look good. Then again, not a lot in this book paints her in a positive light, so...par for the course?

Indeed... I think it might be, in this case, that she threw all kinds of tropes about societies like the Avar together, no matter how well it works.

Which is a good sign that she's not ready to be a published author. There's nothing wrong with a self-indulgent story, but if you're going to put it out there for public consumption, at least make sure it's not something that's going to land itself on a sporker's plate.

I do note that after this trilogy, the quality of the books improves quite a bit, which makes me think she got to the actual story once she got all the self-indulgence out. That might indeed have been better off self-published or something, before she got to getting published professionally.

As for it "ending up on a sporker's plate"... that describes Epistler better than me! I do like tearing into some bad stuff, but I would not mind taking something better, either; I just have not got to it yet, and I think I will help myself to one of the better portions of The Serpent Bride to that end. In any case, I do not think "spork" adequately describes what I am doing now.

...shouldn't have opened my mouth. I knew that little bit of credit wasn't going to last! I'm starting to think anything positive in this book is too good to be true.

Anything positive in this trilogy, unfortunately.