Tag Archives: Landomist

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 4

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Landomist Port

In which Maelyn tay’Nordif encounters Landomist’s curious local customs.

Jela’s having a rough time of it, though presumably not as rough as he would have had if he’d tried going it alone. The portmaster’s first impression of him backs up what Cantra told him about how out-of-place he is.

In the process, we see that Maelyn tay’Nordif doesn’t regard him as Cantra did, though she does have some concern that her friend and patron’s gift not be too badly damaged. (I wonder if there is such a person as Panthera vas’Chaler, really?)

Incidentally, I find that I can’t refer to Scholar tay’Nordif as just “Maelyn”. She’s not that kind of person.

Though I notice the portmaster was warming to her quite a bit by the end of their encounter. I suspect the influence of the famous aelantaza pheremones.

Also, I just have to mention: carnivorous roses.

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 2

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Spiral Dance
Transition

In which Jela and Cantra nail their colours to the mast.

I once encountered, somewhere online, a very disgruntled review of this novel written by someone who’d picked it as their introduction to the Liaden Universe. Looking at the amount of assumed knowledge in this chapter alone, I can see where they were coming from. (And in fairness I’ve gotta say the cover doesn’t really do much of a job of warning you that this is part two of a two-volume novel.)

Though it does at least find plot-appropriate excuses to recap the tree’s history (I like the description of the trees holding the enemy at bay by will “and by won’t”) and the appearances of our principals.

We get the first explicit statement of Jela’s built-in time limit, and something approaching an explanation. “Safer that way,” says Jela, though I notice he doesn’t say for whom.

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 32

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Spiral Dance
Gimlins

In which Jela receives new orders.

So ssussdriad is the name the dramliz give to the trees, and the answer to my question of a few chapters back is presumably that at some point the Uncle got to talking with a dramliza. Which is an interesting thing to contemplate.

Also interesting to contemplate is the description of how the dramliz are interconnected. For one thing, the language geek in me is intrigued by the implication that Rool Tiazan and his lady are not two dramliz but instead collectively constitute a single dramliza. (And also amused that, in the glossary in the appendices, the collective noun for wizards is “an enchantment”.)

(Speaking of the appendices, I note with interest that the character list in the appendices includes a name that I’m certain isn’t given in the text. Commandant Harrib is presumably the ser with the interesting chair.)

(…now here’s a thing. I ran a search in the e-book to make sure I hadn’t overlooked Commandant Harrib any place, and his name does come up once in that chapter — but only in the e-book. In the trade paperback, he’s just “the commandant” throughout that chapter, including that one sentence. I wonder which way it goes in the Baen editions?)

I really wasn’t expecting Lute’s name to pop up, the first time I read this.

Tomorrow: Crystal Dragon.