In which Er Thom has urgent business elsewhere.
This chapter is one that becomes richer through being able to bring in context from other stories. There are things that slide by as unexplained background details that are expanded on elsewhere in the series.
For instance, the reason why Er Thom, “an experienced and considerate lover”, was “unexpectedly awkward” when it came to kissing, is never explained, that I recall, anywhere – in this novel. But the necessary cultural background is available elsewhere.
Likewise, knowing about the Liaden prohibition on permanently-installed ear decorations adds strength to Petrella’s description of Daav’s ear decoration as “barbaric”, and on the other hand adds emotional weight to Daav’s decision to continue wearing it.
Again, I read the series in chrono order, so this was my first peek at the future on Liad, 1000 years after Crystal Dragon. What shocked me, when first getting into these opening chapters, was the fact that Cantra’s descendants had become so fully immersed in such a rigid social system. I would have expected tho snotty old Solcintrans — newly self-promoted to high house status — to adopt all sorts of self-promoting caste-fostering social customs, but never the descendants of, Jela, Tor An, and Tree.
Of course, some of the yos’Pheliums fought the Liaden way — Daav for one.
I was surprised to read the description of misravot as a “burnt cinnamon” taste. That sounds downright disgusting to me. I wonder how the Misravon compared?
I had not noted it during my reading how strictly appropriate is “Petrella’s description of Daav’s ear decoration as ‘barbaric’.” Of course she was using the word in a pejorative sense, but it is indeed literally barbaric, according to the etymology of the word in our culture.