Tag Archives: ‘skins

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 21

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Vanehald

In which it’s not always true that old soldiers just fade away.

I said in the comments for last chapter that the emotional parts of these novels are just as important to why I love this series as the plot mechanics, but I’m not good at talking about them. This is a true thing.

So it should not be taken as any slighting of the emotional parts of this chapter that the only thing I have to say is to note that we’ve now been told Fern is female (but still no description of what she looks like or what her voice sounds like, apart from the self-evident fact that she moves like a pilot).

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 20

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Vanehald

In which the world-shield is right where they left it.

It occurs to me that it might turn out to be an advantage that Commander Gorriti ran away before the trouble started. If he’d still been in charge, I suspect he’d have been more of a hindrance than a help.

And this would appear to be, more or less, the end of the subplot about the world-shield – which I’d completely forgotten before I began this re-read, even though it’s Jela’s motivation all the way through. I think it failed to sink in the first time I read these books because, reading them as a prequel, I already knew that the world-shield wasn’t going to be the thing that mattered in the end.

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 19

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Vanehald

In which there are more reunions.

“Fratellanzia” is an impressive word. I have no idea what it means. Arin doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to tell us, either.

(Nor do the authors seem to be in any hurry to tell us any more about Fern.)

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 10

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Osabei Tower
Landomist

In which the First Prime wasn’t expecting Scholar tay’Nordif’s pilot… so soon.

The luck is with Tor An in earnest, this chapter. Several times he is narrowly saved from disaster.

I still find the business of the expected pilot puzzling. Claiming a non-existent pilot to buy time is one thing, but claiming an actual pilot who has arrived on other business, without knowing anything about who he is or whether he can be trusted, is quite another. (Though I suppose she does know a few things about him. The fact that he’s engaged in the puzzle of a disappearing system is quite informative in context. As is, come to think of it, the fact that he allowed himself to be brought in without immediately denying that he was the pilot she wanted.)

Also, I’m side-eying the moment where she fumbles her data-wand in her haste to download Tor An’s data. We’ve seen before what can happen when Maelyn tay’Nordif fumbles something in her haste.

(That makes two pilots now who have instinctively felt the Truth Bell as equivalent to an alarm signifying the utmost emergency. I wonder if that was a deliberate design feature, bearing in mind that the scholars themselves don’t seem to have the same reaction.)

It turns out that the scholar who had a go at Jela last chapter is Den Vir tay’Elyd, the same whose office Grudent tel’Ashon took such pleasure in raiding. He seems like a very unpleasant fellow, even compared to the general level of unpleasantness in the Tower.

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 30

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Spiral Dance
Gimlins Approach

In which Jela receives assistance from several unexpected directions.

Or else: In which events take a dramatic turn and shoot off into left field. If I didn’t already know what was coming next, I think I would be having real trouble not going straight on to the next chapter.

(Incidentally, explicit confirmation that Jela’s whip thing is a shib. Now I can consider that question settled, and stop second-guessing myself.)

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 26

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Rockhaven

In which the Uncle seems reluctant to let his guests depart.

I said it, didn’t I? Things getting Interesting.

I was thinking just a few days ago that we hadn’t seen a shibjela yet, and wondering if it was going to turn out that its association with Jela was just a groundless folklore. I guess I can consider that question well and truly settled.

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 24

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Rockhaven

In which the Uncle is at home to visitors.

Cantra doesn’t entirely trust the Uncle or Jela, Jela doesn’t entirely trust Cantra or the Uncle, and the Uncle doesn’t trust Jela nor, it would be safe to assume, entirely trust Cantra. Things are probably about to get Interesting.

The Uncle is, to all appearances, the same man Cantra met before, though much rejuvenated and reinvigorated. Cantra doesn’t trust appearances, though; interestingly, it’s not because she doesn’t believe such a rejuvenation is possible, but that what she’s heard about how it might be possible is so unpleasant that the idea she’s being successfully fooled is more palatable.

Dulsey’s bow to Cantra on the ship looks to be the ancestor of the Liaden bow acknowledging a debt truly owed, which we’ll be seeing in about two months from now. The latter version, after several centuries of Liaden refinement, is … a tad more elaborate.

I hadn’t remembered how … is “talkative” an appropriate word? … the Tree is in this book. Its conversations with Jela are getting to be some of my favourite bits.

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 20

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On Port
Scohecan

In which the name of Commander Ro Gayda is mentioned again, and we get some idea what Jela’s been up to since we heard it last.

And so we finally get to see what Jela’s mission is, when he’s not being sidetracked. He’s “assessing local unit response readiness”, as the Commander put it, not only in the case of the Enemy attacking but in the case of the High Command deciding to throw the Outer galaxy to the wolves. Which is apparently something they’re planning to do, for whatever good it’ll do them. And the “consolidated commanders”, of whom Jela’s Commander is one, intend to keep the fight going, despite High Command if necessary. All of which means that the secrecy surrounding Jela’s mission is not just directed at the Enemy, it’s also directed at a not-insignificant whack of people who are officially on Jela’s own side.

Meantime, Jela is also asking seemingly-casual questions about left-over tech from the old war. He gives the impression that this is just a side project of his own, out of general (or Generalist) interest, but the narration helpfully points out that he’s giving this impression in a way that makes me suspect that this, too, is part of his mission. Wheels within wheels.

I’ve got an odd feeling that the old tech he asks about is not actually the old tech he’s looking for, if that makes sense. (The danger of asking about a thing directly, of course, is that then people know you’re looking for it.) But I don’t consciously remember where this is going, so I don’t know if this is just a feeling or if there’s anything to it.

I’m also feeling a mite distrustful about the learning toys Cantra picks up, but again I don’t remember whether there’s anything to it.

Before she gets to the learning toys, a bit more of Cantra’s past is filled in. We find out what happened to Garen — as far as Cantra knows. (This, I do remember what comes of it.)

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 19

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Spiral Dance
Ardega

In which the Enemy makes an example.

More about the aelantaza, and about Dulsey’s background, and Cantra’s. That’s an interesting insight about why Cantra’s so cantankerous.

Cantra’s been thinking to herself lately that it’s not safe to find Jela as attractive as she does, and now it appears that Jela has been thinking to himself similar things about Cantra. It’s pretty clear where that’s headed, even if I didn’t already know.