- 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!