HFQ Official Snippet #11

SHV wrote:" I don't know of any one else who could pilot the 2nd recon skimmer."
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Owl pilots the skimmer to and from the cave for the majority of Merlin's trips; don't see why he isn't the "pilot" of the second skimmer on this trip.

Steve

Because as much as it will probably freak Sandrah out flying, it will probably be even worse if there is no one in the front seat.

isaac_newton wrote:

NinaKatarina wrote:Leaving the technical aside and talking literary, I want to mention something from Arthurian legends.

The character Nimue in Arthurian legend is Merlin's, uh, girlfriend. She has positive and negative aspects to her character.

On the positive side, she is his apprentice, and acts as a magical stand-in providing heroes with magic weapons or advice before they face sorcerors.

On the negative side, she is the seducer who tricks the elderly Merlin into drinking a potion that places him into deep sleep. She then seals him up in his cave (sometimes a hollow tree).

In the earliest Arthurian legends, Nimue has an alternate name, Niniane.

So Merlin brings Niniane to his cave. Potential foreshadowing?

hmmmmm - interesting!

Wow! That would be a GRRM-worthy plot-twist. Good job at spotting that name!

I can't quite see DW hitting us over the head with something like that without some foreshadowing though.

Merlin and Co. are very rational characters and thorough planners, have enormous intelligence assets which they are making very good use of and it would be pretty hard for Nynian to dupe Merlin.

Unless he's not being duped at all and a real good reason turns up for him to remove himself from the picture for a while. Can't think of one out of hand. Hm ...

Now if he were severely damaged - that might be a reason.

This presents us with the notion of Nynian having something she could control in that cave that Merlin couldnt...

Not gonna happen guys... we have a sci-fi series here, not fantasy. There are similarities between the two genre, but they are distinct.

Don

n7axw wrote:This presents us with the notion of Nynian having something she could control in that cave that Merlin couldnt...

Not gonna happen guys... we have a sci-fi series here, not fantasy. There are similarities between the two genre, but they are distinct.

Don

your're probably right - but it was a nice spot none the less!


oooo - that was my 200th post

SHV wrote:" I don't know of any one else who could pilot the 2nd recon skimmer."
****
Owl pilots the skimmer to and from the cave for the majority of Merlin's trips; don't see why he isn't the "pilot" of the second skimmer on this trip.

Steve

Mainly because the text says, 'Besides, the second recon skimmer had let him bring along a second pilot.' Merlin didn't need a second skimmer to bring along OWL. Natural way of taking it is that he brought along another pilot they could see and meet.

n7axw wrote:This presents us with the notion of Nynian having something she could control in that cave that Merlin couldnt...

Not gonna happen guys... we have a sci-fi series here, not fantasy. There are similarities between the two genre, but they are distinct.

Don

Ehh... not going to say you're wrong here, but the first step to getting blindsided by the Mad Wizard is to conclude that the scenario in question couldn't possibly happen.

Just sayin.

NervousEnergy wrote:

n7axw wrote:This presents us with the notion of Nynian having something she could control in that cave that Merlin couldnt...

Not gonna happen guys... we have a sci-fi series here, not fantasy. There are similarities between the two genre, but they are distinct.

Don

Ehh... not going to say you're wrong here, but the first step to getting blindsided by the Mad Wizard is to conclude that the scenario in question couldn't possibly happen.

Just sayin.

Been reading David for over twenty years. He can blind side me occasionally, but he has been consistent with the subject in question. I have never seen him mix magic beans with sci-fi. When something unexpected does come up, there is an explanation consistent with the genre...so far. That being said, I suppose there is a first time for everything.

Don

n7axw wrote:

NervousEnergy wrote:Ehh... not going to say you're wrong here, but the first step to getting blindsided by the Mad Wizard is to conclude that the scenario in question couldn't possibly happen.

Just sayin.

Been reading David for over twenty years. He can blind side me occasionally, but he has been consistent with the subject in question. I have never seen him mix magic beans with sci-fi. When something unexpected does come up, there is an explanation consistent with the genre...so far. That being said, I suppose there is a first time for everything.

Don

Oh sure... I've been a 'buy everything' fan since picking up the hardback of Echos of Honor in 98, and he is indeed very consistent in not doing the unexpected without some basis. He's packing a lot of mystery around Aivah, though, which gives him significant wiggle room. We'll probably see more signposts of some sort if it turns out she's capable of 'sealing Merlin in his cave', but he's already given us some potential bits even here. He does love the surprise by misdirection or misinterpretation.

Her reaction in this snippet seems to hint at someone who may know theoretically quite well what a recon skimmer is, but has never seen or experienced one in person. Wonder in plenty, but no surprise.

NervousEnergy wrote:

NervousEnergy wrote:Ehh... not going to say you're wrong here, but the first step to getting blindsided by the Mad Wizard is to conclude that the scenario in question couldn't possibly happen.

Just sayin.

n7axw wrote:Been reading David for over twenty years. He can blind side me occasionally, but he has been consistent with the subject in question. I have never seen him mix magic beans with sci-fi. When something unexpected does come up, there is an explanation consistent with the genre...so far. That being said, I suppose there is a first time for everything.

Don

Oh sure... I've been a 'buy everything' fan since picking up the hardback of Echos of Honor in 98, and he is indeed very consistent in not doing the unexpected without some basis. He's packing a lot of mystery around Aivah, though, which gives him significant wiggle room. We'll probably see more signposts of some sort if it turns out she's capable of 'sealing Merlin in his cave', but he's already given us some potential bits even here. He does love the surprise by misdirection or misinterpretation.

Her reaction in this snippet seems to hint at someone who may know theoretically quite well what a recon skimmer is, but has never seen or experienced one in person. Wonder in plenty, but no surprise.

RFC is fond of quoting the saying (usually by Honor) "Surprise is what happens when what you have seen all along isn't what you thought it was" or words to that effect. This could in fact what is going on here.

Randomiser wrote:

SHV wrote:" I don't know of any one else who could pilot the 2nd recon skimmer."
****
Owl pilots the skimmer to and from the cave for the majority of Merlin's trips; don't see why he isn't the "pilot" of the second skimmer on this trip.

Steve

Mainly because the text says, 'Besides, the second recon skimmer had let him bring along a second pilot.' Merlin didn't need a second skimmer to bring along OWL. Natural way of taking it is that he brought along another pilot they could see and meet.

Perhaps Caleb has been learning to fly? It would not surprise me that this would be something he would want to do.