My verdict on Renegade's Magic and the entire Soldier Son trilogy

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Time for some positivity. I liked the way that Hobb caught the conflict between the Gernians and Specks: although the Gernians are clearly the agressors, it is clear that most people on both sides fail to understand one another, rather than being actively malicious.

Something struck me earlier today: the fat man at the carnival in Old Thares. Other Gernians than Nevare sometimes also get fat after being infected with Speck plague. So I suppose that the magic is trying to use those people as well? Did the fat man have a destiny that he failed to achieve?