Tag Archives: Taam Olanek

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 50

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Shipyear 65
Tripday 287
Third Shift
16.00 hours

In which Shan and Priscilla consider the future.

I haven’t enjoyed re-reading Conflict of Honors quite so very much as I did some of the earlier novels in the re-read, but I think a large part of that may be that I’ve re-read it so many times already; the pleasure it gives me now comes from familiarity rather than the joy of discovery, which can be a bit of a problem when I’m using discovery to power the blog entries. There’s also the way it’s divided into so many little chapters, which can get a bit wearing at one chapter per day.

Tomorrow is the novella “Changeling”, and then we return to a distant, hitherto briefly-glimpsed part of the universe for the novel Fledgling.

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 49

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Master’s Tower, Theopholis
Witch’s Hour

In which Balance is achieved.

Not the usual sort of settling of accounts one might expect at the end of an adventure story, but one which suits Priscilla’s character, and also helps demonstrate that “Balance” is not necessarily the same thing as “revenge”.

On which note, Delm Plemia clearly expects Korval and Priscilla to demand more in balance of Sav Rid’s follies than they actually do. It speaks to his melant’i that he doesn’t try to argue his way out of anything; he’s seen the evidence and he knows it’s a fair cop.

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 48

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Shipyear 65
Tripday 182
Second Shift
8.30 hours

In which Priscilla is welcomed home.

There’s a moment in “Moonphase” where Priscilla stands in front of the Temple and speaks her name, and the reaction she gets (or doesn’t get) drives home to her the fact that she is no longer Priscilla Mendoza, Maiden of the Circle. The moment in this chapter where she stands in front of the mirror and speaks her name, and adjusts her self-image to accept the person she is now instead of defining herself by the person she was, feels like a bookend, or the far end of a period of transition.

I wonder where Lina did get the clothes she gives Priscilla. If they’re handmade to specification, it’s unlikely that they were ordered and made in the time Priscilla’s been asleep. It was mentioned earlier that she was head of her Line, so she’d have clothes of that kind for her own use, but would they fit Priscilla?

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 47

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Crown City Theopholis
Judge’s Hour

In which Sav Rid’s delm has words with him.

Seeing how unaware Sav Rid is of how far he’s strayed from the path of a man of honor and a trader whose actions reflect well on his clan, I find myself wondering if the trouble that’s about to fall on him from a great height might not be a fortunate event for him — though of course he’s not going to see it that way, regardless — and even if attacking Korval might have been, if not the wisest thing he might have done, the thing that led to the best outcome he could have reached. Supposing that he’d stuck to slightly less dramatic forms of dishonor, avoided the notice of his delm, and continued down his present path, I can’t imagine it leading to any better outcome than this, and I can imagine several outcomes for Sav Rid and his crew that would be much, much worse.

Conflict of Honors – Chapters 38, 39 & 40

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Shipyear 65
Tripday 177
Second Shift
9.00 hours

Master’s Tower, Theopholis
Hour of Kings

Raggtown
Local Year 537

In which a delayed shipment goes by another carrier.

If memory serves, this is the first time in this re-read I have scheduled multiple chapters on a single day, except for a one-page interlude in Crystal Dragon. I can see why I did it, though; the three chapters are each very short, and they all relate to a single situation. In a book that didn’t divide the chapters by location, they might well have all formed part of a single chapter.

It’s instructive to compare the responses of the two Olaneks to learning that Dutiful Passage has taken Daxflan‘s cargo. Taam Olanek’s angry (and ill-directed) initial reaction suggests that there may be a family trait contributing to the way Sav Rid is, but at least after the initial outburst he is able to take himself in hand and consider the matter rationally. Sav Rid, though, continues raging, and his grudge against Korval seems to have parted company with rationality entirely. Which leads to another point of difference between them: the delm’s first thought on learning that his clan’s ship has caused a situation is to take responsibility for seeing the situation resolved; Sav Rid on the other hand seems utterly determined to place responsibility on anyone but himself.

There’s some interesting handling of bad language in this portion of the novel. In the first of the three chapters, there is Ken Rik’s uncomplimentary remark about Sav Rid, which is left untranslated, presumably to avoid bruising the sensibilities of the reader. In the third chapter, there’s Sav Rid’s uncomplimentary remark about Priscilla, which on the other hand is given a direct literal translation that doesn’t make it immediately apparent how insulting it is in the original Liaden.

And now, with the Passage and Daxflan both headed for Theopholis, and representatives of both their clans waiting to greet them, things are beginning to come to a head…

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 34

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Trealla Fantrol, Liad
Year Named Trolsh
Third Relumma
Cheletha Sixthday

In which Delm Plemia resolves to seek clarification from his kin.

So, Mr dea’Gauss has sent word to House Mendoza, despite Priscilla assuring him in no uncertain terms that it was not necessary. I suppose a man in his position must from time to time make his own determinations as to what necessity requires based on the information available to him, and the information available to Mr dea’Gauss at present does not include anything that might dissuade him from the assumption that Priscilla merely wished politely to save him some effort.

Mr dea’Gauss has apparently decided that this is a cause worthy enough to put up with being flung across the galaxy again. That he would accept the necessity without complaint doesn’t mean much, since I don’t suppose it would be appropriate to complain with an outsider present, but not only does he not complain, he almost smiles.

Conflict of Honors – Chapter 32

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Trealla Fantrol, Liad
Year Named Trolsh
Third Relumma
Banim Seconday

In which the First Speaker of Korval has business with the First Speaker of Plemia.

Delm Plemia is a contrast to his kinsman. He does show signs of narrow-mindedness (such as judging Shan and Anthora because they don’t fit Liaden ideals of good looks), but he doesn’t dismiss them out of hand because they’re part-Terran, nor take it personally that part-Terran Korval thrives while old established Plemia struggles.

The moment where Nova invites Delm Plemia to precede her through the door (compare the moment a few chapters back where Shan waved Kayzin through the door before him, and their respective reactions to being thus singled out) is one of those bits of Liaden cultural worldbuilding that I wouldn’t have noticed if I were reading this at my usual speed.

I don’t think I’ve remarked before, though I remember it having been mentioned in earlier stories, that the Liaden fashion is for doorknobs in the centre of doors. That seems impractical; a position near the edge improves leverage and simplifies the locking mechanism. Perhaps it is only a fashion in houses high enough that practicality need not be the only concern of the architect.