Jul-19-2010, 10:13 AM (UTC)
I hadn't responded yet because you'd skipped ahead of me in the book and I didn't want to come across any spoilers. Just finished it last night as well, so I'm back in the debate! 
A few first thoughts;
I wonder if the magic of the Specks and Forest, as Orondula speaks about it, are one and the same being and if that being is one of the old gods. This magic seems to be a sentient being with the ability to see into the future and to directly interfere in the physical world by using people as it's hands and eyes. From snippets throughout the books, it seems as if these old gods were very real and took a noticable role in people's lives.
Aside from that, this new religion with the "good god" seems to be on the fast way out. Towards the end of the book, you see the first signs of the church letting up on it's own rules (with it's usual convulted spin on things), giving in to political pressure and convenience. Typical human behaviour if there is no actual god to say; hang about!
A very interesting dilemma: give your life or your death. I still don't quite know the full significance of both choices. I assume that, if you were to give your life, you'd spend the rest of your days in service to this god. Give your death, and you'd spend an eternity serving him.
But those are the obvious conclusions so most likely incorrect! Nevare's choice clearly went wrong, as Orondula himself admits, he shouldn't have been alive anymore in any way if it hadn't been for Lisana's second division of his being. (One of my favourite lines in the book is when Orondula admits to feeling rather sheepish - can you imagine a god feeling rather sheepishly? 
)
So what went wrong, what was supposed to happen and why did Orondula consider the balance restored (and himself in the role of a good god) when Scout Tiber let Nevare escape?
There's such a bigger picture here that I'm missing entirely! I apologise to our packleader, I'm sure that wasn't her intention.
One thing I really like about the series is how the smallest things turn out to have the greatest significance, and not Nevare's larger decisions.
A few first thoughts;
I wonder if the magic of the Specks and Forest, as Orondula speaks about it, are one and the same being and if that being is one of the old gods. This magic seems to be a sentient being with the ability to see into the future and to directly interfere in the physical world by using people as it's hands and eyes. From snippets throughout the books, it seems as if these old gods were very real and took a noticable role in people's lives.
Aside from that, this new religion with the "good god" seems to be on the fast way out. Towards the end of the book, you see the first signs of the church letting up on it's own rules (with it's usual convulted spin on things), giving in to political pressure and convenience. Typical human behaviour if there is no actual god to say; hang about!
A very interesting dilemma: give your life or your death. I still don't quite know the full significance of both choices. I assume that, if you were to give your life, you'd spend the rest of your days in service to this god. Give your death, and you'd spend an eternity serving him.
But those are the obvious conclusions so most likely incorrect!
Nevare's choice clearly went wrong, as Orondula himself admits, he shouldn't have been alive anymore in any way if it hadn't been for Lisana's second division of his being. (One of my favourite lines in the book is when Orondula admits to feeling rather sheepish - can you imagine a god feeling rather sheepishly? )So what went wrong, what was supposed to happen and why did Orondula consider the balance restored (and himself in the role of a good god) when Scout Tiber let Nevare escape?
There's such a bigger picture here that I'm missing entirely! I apologise to our packleader, I'm sure that wasn't her intention.
One thing I really like about the series is how the smallest things turn out to have the greatest significance, and not Nevare's larger decisions.
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