Tag Archives: sparkles

Mouse and Dragon – Chapter 36

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In which Korval welcomes Nova yos’Galan.

There are some lovely little character details in this chapter; nearly everybody who appears gets at least one.

There’s also one big thing, the demonstration of Pat Rin’s ability to influence dice, which is particularly striking because, as far as I can remember, it’s not so much as hinted at anywhere else in the series. Of course, the series is still growing, and Pat Rin hasn’t appeared for more than a cameo in anything written since Mouse and Dragon, so perhaps this will be followed up some time in future; I look forward to that with interest. I also look forward with interest to re-reading his appearances that were written before this, to see if there were hints I didn’t pick up on or events that might now be seen in a different light. In particular, on thinking back over the scenes I can remember of Pat Rin as an adult, I seemed to find something which I look forward to seeing verified: that for all the time Pat Rin spends gaming, it’s rarely or even never in games that involve him handling dice. In the light of this scene it might be that he actively avoids games where his knack would give him a unique advantage, which actually fits with my understanding of his character.

Tomorrow is the short story “Guaranteed Delivery”, because chronological order, with Mouse and Dragon resuming the day after.

Mouse and Dragon – Chapter 23

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In which the worst of coming home is dealing with one’s mail.

The quote at the head of this chapter seems, at first glance, not to have much to do with what follows. There isn’t obviously anybody doing something dangerous in the name of necessity.

Unless it’s the Tree.

I am deeply suspicious of the Tree’s purposes in giving out this set of sweet cedar-smelling seed-pods — the more so since, on this re-read, I’ve noticed the other place in the chapter where the smell of sweet cedar recurs.

Local Custom – Chapter 38

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In which the pattern of the future becomes clear.

It is sometimes easy to forget just how rich and influential Clan Korval is. The authors generally do a good job of putting them up against problems that can’t be solved by throwing money and influence at them. And then there are moments like this, when Daav casually prevents a cruise liner from leaving port without fear of the consequences. (Though I’m not entirely sure I admire the way he shrugs off the problems he’s creating for the port master.)

Master Healer Kestra is an interesting viewpoint character, able to see under the surface of things and report details that might not have been visible from any other view.

I love each and every one of Shan’s interjections in this chapter.

Local Custom – Chapter 37

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In which Anne’s troubles are eased, but Er Thom’s may be just beginning.

I don’t recall what I thought the first time I read this and Daav showed up at the end of the chapter. Probably I had a fairly good idea of what the outcome would be, if not how it would be achieved, if only because this is a prequel. One thing I’m pretty sure of is that despite the suggestion offered in the epigraph, I never suspected Daav for a moment of planning to require a balance-price from Anne for depriving the clan of its son Er Thom. (If nothing else, that would be thoroughly unjust, since it was Er Thom’s own decision, with perhaps some assistance from his mother; Anne, as Daav knows full well, never asked or expected any such thing.)

Local Custom – Chapter 32

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In which preparations are made for the gather, and for afterward.

I had wondered, on this re-read, at noticing that Er Thom’s first visit to Master Jeweler Moonel was before he knew Anne would need a party dress and jewels. But here is the answer: two pieces of jewelry, from two visits.

I’m not sure I’m quite clear on how many personages were involved in the drama of Eba yos’Phelium and her thodelm: is Daav yos’Phelium, Sixth Delm Korval, an extra player, or is he himself the thodelm in question? I mean, Petrella spoke of them as different people, but I would have expected that Delm Korval is also Thodelm yos’Phelium (has that ever been explicitly established?). And if they were both the same person, but he was acting in one melant’i at one time and in another melant’i at another time, perhaps a Liaden would refer to them as if they were separate people. (Look at how often, with our current Daav, Delm Korval and Er Thom’s cha’leket are treated as different people.)

Local Custom – Chapter 31

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In which Er Thom and Anne go shopping.

Things continue to be tense and unhappy.

After a nice bit of happenstance-tweaking by the authors, Er Thom now knows of Fil Tor Kinrae, at least by name, and Anne now knows of Jyl ven’Apon, at least by sight.

Local Custom – Chapter 30

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In which Anne plans for the future.

This is such a painful chapter. Anne in distress, and Er Thom innocently making everything worse — and all the times when they’re so close to clearing everything up.

Local Custom – Chapter 29

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In which Anne has two unpleasant conversations.

It’s vitally important that Anne and Er Thom have an opportunity for a clear and sensible conversation, so of course they’re prevented from having one.

I think Fil Tor Kinrae is lying when he says he didn’t realise who Anne was. Of course he knew; who else would she be? I reckon he just has such a low opinion of Terrans that, even faced with a scholar, and one who has a particular interest in the Liaden language, he assumes she can’t speak Liaden.

Local Custom – Chapter 19

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In which the Master Trader negotiates with the thodelm.

It’s interesting that Petrella is so dismissive of Terrans, when she was a Trader and presumably had to deal with them on their own turf. But perhaps dealing with them in the line of business is one thing and having one show up on one’s own doorstep is another.

And, to be fair to her, I think she’d have taken it better before the disaster. That, I judge, has affected her thinking both personally, in that coping with her illness has left her with fewer reserves to spare for being well-disposed to others, and in her melant’i as the head of the line, being less free to tolerate eccentric behaviour from Er Thom when the entire future of the line depends on him.

Local Custom – Chapter 17

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In which Korval Sees Shan yos’Galan.

Hah. I wonder how much difference it would have made if Anne had been less careful of decorum and had kissed Er Thom like a lifemate in front of his kinsman and Delm. (Perhaps not so much, though; after all, Daav knows if anyone does that the significance of such gestures may be less depending on local custom. He and his current bedfriend are not careful of the face taboo, and only see how that will turn out.)

This chapter gives our first solid indication of how long it’s been since the great migration, though I could wish for it to be solider. Anne says that if the Tree is the same tree Jela had, it must be, she guesses, nine hundred years old. Older, says Er Thom, but it’s not clear whether that means Anne’s lowballed the distance from Jela’s time, or just that he’s acknowledging that the Tree had some years on it before ever it met Jela.