Something Lacking [SotS SPOILERS, kind of]

I will preface this by saying I enjoyed the book immensely, and I was useless at work since I skipped sleeping last night in order to read it because I couldn't put it down. And despite the many remaining questions, I am a fan.

However, I felt like there was something lacking in SotS.

It was stated the War Maid's charter was ammended to grant future War Maid marriages legitimacy, and in WMC it was stated that they now have a seat on the Great Council.

Bahzell also mentioned that his own family would accept Gwynna as their own, and I assume likely would Tellian/Trianal/Chardahn, but beyond that nothing of what was going on there was mentioned.The entire universe jumps ahead seventy years with no real mention of anything going on outside of Bahzell's life.

Has Bahnak passed, and how did that change the dynamic of the Northern Confederation? Is a half-Bloody Sword/half-Horse Stealer heir to the throne of Navahk, and how does that impact both the Bloody Swords and the Council of Princes since now the Prince of Hurgrum and the Prince of Navakh are family by marriage? How has the Order's Hurgrum Chapter brought the word of the new Rage to the Broken Bone and Wild Wash hradani (something I've been waiting for since the end of WGO)? How much have the Purple Lords lost, or tried to seize from the Spearmen nobles from use of the Derm canal? Also, how did they convince Derm to agree to a canal directly connecting their city to hradani lands?

I understand it is impossible to cover all of these, but there was no mention of anything going on in the world beyond "War Maids can marry now" and a side comment that someone named Chardahn in currently Baron of Balthar, who can only be assumed to be the son (or son-in-law) of Trianal and Sharlassa. The Kingdom of River Brigands tried to assassinate the Sothoii King, but according to the included map, that "kingdom" still exists. I'd've thought an army of Axemen/Sothoii/hradani would have burned it to ashes and memories, and the Ghoul Moor with it, just to be safe.

This book seemed to be here to set up other books in regards to characters, and to bring the Cleft Point even closer, but not advance the world at all. Or is that something for another novella?

I'd like to think that, once RFC finishes this "Magnum Opus", that PERHAPS he decides to go back and fill in the missing books.

Almost finished with the dead tree myself. Still loving it.

Don't forget that this the 1st of 5, so it would have to have a lot of set-up stuff in it. Also, you have to leave rfc room to bring things along as he usually does, painful tho it may be at times.....

andrewtater wrote:I will preface this by saying I enjoyed the book immensely, and I was useless at work since I skipped sleeping last night in order to read it because I couldn't put it down. And despite the many remaining questions, I am a fan.

However, I felt like there was something lacking in SotS.

(....................)

This book seemed to be here to set up other books in regards to characters, and to bring the Cleft Point even closer, but not advance the world at all. Or is that something for another novella?

Boo Hoo, my copy just arrived in the mail, but I am away from home!!!!

Oh well, I've been waiting this long, a few more days won't hurt (much).

Okay, now having finished the book the FIRST time...

AMong other things, I'd say that the reason the "Kingdom of the River Bandits" is still listed on the map is simply because RFC didn't update that section. After all, even if they weren't wiped out in retaliation, the Derm Canal seemingly would have put them out of business. Just a guess.

The Ghoul Moor is likely more problematic.

In the "lacking" department, I expected a different resolution to a certain supporting character most of the book. Or, at least A resolution, besides that character just putting things off.

I'm ready for the first snippets of the next one. Guessing that RFC hasn't started writing it yet.

More after another reread. Probably. If I can wait that long.

I for one would like to see just the chapter headings from the outlines of the two books that got skipped.

I'd like another section in the back of the book on genealogies of key players. Since most humans/halflings in the first books are very elderly or dead the people ruling the lands, heading the mage academies etc etc aren't the same. So it would be very helpful to have a genealogy reference in the back as to who is whom's descendant/successor etc.

Right thread title, different comment.

I suspect it is not a spoiler that there was hand to hand combat. Perhaps it is just me, but the combat scenes seemed to be getting longer and longer. There is perhaps a trend here, in that the combat scenes in Sterling's latest sword novel (Desert and Blade, well-done) also seemed to be getting longer and longer.

Tastes on these questions may vary.