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Ok, started today. It has 9 Chapter Sets and will probably read 2 a day for 3 days then finish on the 4th. ALTHOUGH I have a lovely friend visiting from Thursday to Sunday, so maybe I'll be delayed...

I'll finish my Robin Hobb book then start this tomorrow. And Mistress of the Empire is still left....
So little time, so many good books!!!

Yes, I'm halfway through Mistress, slowly chipping away!

The refresher of the 2nd book.



and refresher of the first book.

Just started today!

same with me. :)

Starting this tonight 😀

So just curious to hear what everyone likes/dislikes about this series?

I’m starting chapter IV and enjoying the hell out of it. Lysaer’s visit to Ath’s Hostel was pure delight.

Yes I enjoyed that scene as well. Guessing that was critically important to future events.

In this series almost everything is critical to future events. That’s one of the things I like about the series.

Before I started reading this I have given myself the Scout's Promise (fingers crossed and all that goes with it) that I won't make assumptions anymore. This series has proven me wrong so many times that I finally decided to just lay back and see where the story finally goes. Which means of course that I'll have to read it faster so that I don't have time to spend thinking about it and supposing. :D

Started this morning and finished the first 3 chapters (the 4th to follow after some of my chores are done)

It sure starts with a bang!
Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[That whole play with power and magic wards was impressive. Did I mention I love Sethvir? He is so unique with love of books and addiction to tea! I could practically see him dashing from that tub and wringing his beard clear of water, or perching on the edge of the chair (cause it was full of books) instead of sitting comfortably to go into trance.
Among all the mages he is my favourite. Then comes Traithe with his silence and his raven. And only after them the rest.

Then Tharrick - I'm supposed to at least dislike him for burning down the ships and for hating Arithon like that?! And yet I find myself understanding him, feeling sorry for him and even liking him. Because he is human and he lost everything and he is sorry and wants to repair the wrong he did. (hide spoiler)]

Mrs. Wurts is so amazing in describing human character! What is good and what is wrong? Where do you draw the line and when do you throw the first stone? And her characters are so real and human in everything they do! If it's one thing only that you learn from reading about them, that should be not to be so harsh or rush in judging but wait and see it all come to pass.

Yes, I LOVE the scenes with the free wraiths and Sethvir is my favorite, although Asandir also has a warm place in my heart.

I love Asandir also. :) But Sethvir is by far my favourite.

The magic is great! I don't think I've ever read anything else with such a complex and intricate magic system.
Mage powers combined with farsight and power of music, energy/power lanes and wards laid with the help of runes, and so much more. It's just as complex as the characters and I absolutely love it!

Chapter 2 made me a bit sad because (view spoiler)[after all that time Arithon spent in Merior, and after mingling with the people there, playing his music at their weddings and helping with their healing Lysaer strutts in and all is forgotten. They even refused to sell Jinesse eggs because she was a 'creature enspelled and drawn into wickedness to abet the Master of Shadow'!? And it's so sad and unfair that people are so ready to forget everything good about a man they knew and seriously consider and believe the twisted version that Lysaer spreads. (hide spoiler)]

Asandir is my man all the way 😀! but I like all the weird wizards in their own way 😈

Chapter 3 made me ride a whole range of emotions.
(view spoiler)[One minute I was laughing at Dakar's 'skidding downslope on his fundament' and the next being absolutely horrified at seeing those children and the state they were in.
I was hoping against hope that they will save the little girl and then felt so sad that they didn't make it.

It broke my heart to see Arithon trying so hard to reach his powers in an effort to save her and failing. And again built my hopes up that Dakar will soften up a bit when he merges his awarness with that of Arithon. Hope that he will see and finally understand and then... (*sigh*) he ends up trying to prove that Arithon used his gift of compassion for personal gain?! Gah! That man is testing my patience. He is as stubborn as a mule in simply not wanting to admit he may be wrong!

And that doubt of his that 'nine years ago during that crisis at Etarra, it may have suited prince Lysaer not to fight back against the wraith' - that could set one thinking about the possible human nature of Lysaer.

But then came the visit to the temple and Lysaer seemed so torn! 2 totally different personalities in one body and that made me fell so sorry for the guy again. In his place, I don't know if I'll be able to live with myself after finding out I had done so many horrible things under the name of justice! So the only thing I feel now is sorrow. Because Lysaer is so twisted, because Arithon is suffering, because Dakar is so stubborn and because everything seems so bleak! (hide spoiler)]

Gah! I’m in Chapter 6! Deep things coming! 😲

Just finished. On to the next one!

Chapter 4 - I didn't see that coming!
(view spoiler)[I sort of got used to Arithon being the meek little mouse always running away so he can avoid trouble and now BANG he turns pirate and kidnaps the lovely princess! I was laughing with the captain when figuring it out. And Sethvir's reaction was great. Suits the mages right if they made him swear that bloody oath. 🤣

Lysaer's first reaction to the news of the kidnap was a bit unsettling though. He instantly assumed Arithon had his way with her! It runs in the family isn't it?! I wanted to smack him for that. (hide spoiler)]

Yes the reveals in this book tend to be big!

I am starting this tonight:)

Thanks to my visitor, I did fall behind. But ready to rock now!

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[I felt so sorry for the guard, even though he came along fully determined to destroy Arithon. And I love with how much compassion Arithon handled him. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Oh Lysaer, stop talking, please. I grow to like you less with every sentence you speak. I'm really growing to love Tharrick and his relationship with Jinesse. (hide spoiler)]

So far this book is wonderful :)

Olivia wrote: "Thanks to my visitor, I did fall behind. But ready to rock now!

Chapter 1: [spoilers removed]

Chapter 2: [spoilers removed]

So far this book is wonderful :)"

I agree! And felt the same in both cases. :)

Not sure who is finished, but the last two chapters are stunning. Do not even want to hide under a spoiler tag and take the chance on spoiling it for anyone! Enjoyed this book the best out of the first three.

Laura wrote: "Chapter 4 - I didn't see that coming!
I sort of got used to Arithon being the meek little mouse always running away

An ungenerous husband indeed!

Daniel wrote: "Not sure who is finished, but the last two chapters are stunning. Do not even want to hide under a spoiler tag and take the chance on spoiling it for anyone! Enjoyed this book the best out of the f..."

I loved it too! Cried at one point! Her use of characters and portrayal of their emotional journey is so genius!

Is there a schedule for starting Fugitive Prince?

Sandra wrote, I loved it too! Cried at one point! Her use of characters and portrayal of their emotional journey is so genius!
The ebb and flow of character development is very good. Cannot wait to see how the third arc in the story plays out! Have started Fugitive Prince by Janny Wurts today...

@Sandra - you've got my spoiler seen there in your reply. Could you please edit a bit cause Olivia and Choko haven't reached that chapter yet. :)

We've set Fugitive Prince on the 15th. And the rest of the books same 15th each month.

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[I resent Talith. All beauty and no heart! And so headstrong! She seems to be thinking of nothing and no one except what she wants. Rest of you go to hell! Just because she ran off and evaded her guards, people will be flogged and dishonored so her good name is not tarnished?! Gah! That makes me sick. And even when she wants to escape, of course she will leave her lady behind to cover for her. Whatever happens to the lady is none of the princess' concern? I really don't like her.

And regarding her escape, why do I have a feeling that the whole business will get her and everyone else into deep trouble? (If it's not actually cooked up by Arithon himself trying to bring her to the exchange place in a way she won't fight.)

Jinesse dissapoined me. I was expecting more from her. Granted, in her place I would probably also want my kids away from Arithon because a war is coming. So I understand that. But why place all the blame on Arithon? Why forget everything he was to you? That made me very sad. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't get further than this because of a very full weekend but I'm back at it now.

I don't remember reading any other book that has made me feel so much and change moods so sudden and often! This is brilliant!

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[And I started laughing because it was true and Arithon had the rescue cooked up! 😁😁😁 The fancy lady sure deserved it! And then I was left openmouthed because he actually made Lysaer pay twice. He had the ransom stolen! From the ship and under their noses! I didn't see that coming! It caught me so unexpected.

And the next moment I was left gutted because Dhirken was executed. And the way the news was given so calm and off-hand made it so much more worse than if I had read about how it took place.😭😭

Ending with the master-strike: Lysaer and Talith. I resented the lady but now I feel so sorry for her. It was so damn frustrating to see Lysaer shrug her off like that! poor woman!😔😔
Gah!!! When will the man ever wake up?! (hide spoiler)]

And now I'm off to 7 because I just can't set this down.

Oh. Wow. Chapter 3 broke my heart. And basically my thoughts are exactly what Laura said above.

Chapter 7 was horrifying.
(view spoiler)[So many dead and so much slaughter just to kill one person. Simple men and warriors are used like pieces on a board with absolute ruthlessness and no regret whatsoever. Lysaer is a murderer like no other! And Diegan nothing less. :(

The one thing I loved though was Dakar coming around. He's not so bad after all and I'm starting to like him again. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8 - I think there may be something wrong with me!!

(view spoiler)[There are so many people dying here. 28.000 of them just in the first round. So I shouldn't be caught smiling (let alone laughing) while reading about Dakar's ploy to stop those mercenaries. It's not really normal to laugh amid of a horrible description of wounded and dying but damn it: lances with something looking like harlott's petticoats on top; a banner bearer engrossed in a wheepy dialogue with his belt buckle; a battle scarred campaigner who danced mother naked over the engrossed forms of his fellow soldiers some of whom were moaning prone on bare rocks!!!

The advance scout in amorous attempt to couple with his discarded byrnie was the drop to fill the glass. 🤣🤣🤣 I was already laughing my head off by that time. Not normal right! I know! But I just couldn't help it! (had to look up byrnie in the dictionary cause I didn't know the exact meaning and was curious to see what the poor fellow was trying to bang.) (hide spoiler)]

Lmao there is nothing wrong with you! Those scenes could elicit a wide range of emotions from anyone.

Chapter 4 made me chuckle. (view spoiler)[Arithon just goes and kidnaps the princess whose pride got badly hurt. And Lysaer...well, I'm not sure I'll ever like the guy. Loved the sorcerer's reaction though, mirrored mine. (hide spoiler)]

Olivia wrote: "Chapter 4 made me chuckle. [spoilers removed]"

Mirrored mine also. :D

Daniel wrote: "Lmao there is nothing wrong with you! Those scenes could elicit a wide range of emotions from anyone."

Phew! I was really wondering about that! :) Cause you and Sandra both finished and neither of you mentioned anything about it. :D

@Sandra - thank you for editing. 😘

I thought (view spoiler)[ if the events of Haven and the Vale in conjunction with Diegan’s horrible decision were viewed together-readers would have a wide range of feelings. Perhaps anger and anguish, in which case Dakar’s mental musings would be comic relief..just depends on how deeply all the events added together make you feel. Haven affected me much more than the 28,000 deaths later, simply because the later deaths were completely preventable. Thus, Dakar’s musings were more annoying than anything else for me, lol. (hide spoiler)]

I feel like I could probably say “read Laura’s thoughts�� instead of typing anything :D

Much easier that way :D

@Olivia - I could say the same for yours. :D

@Daniel spoiler for chapter 8
(view spoiler)[Haven brought me to my knees. I found it absolutely horrifying. That was a ruthless slaughter and even though I get why Arithon had to do it I still wish he would have at least given some quarter. I was even wondering at times if the curse didn't have a little hand in it. The wounded on the ship would have also spread the word about the defeat. But he had every last one of them killed and that chilled me to the bone. Perhaps as you said, after such a strong emotion there, the results of Dakar's strategy were a sort of emotional relief.
And the 28.000 dead didn't affect me that much either after the previous chapter. The previous deaths, even though in far lesser numbers, were far too intense. (hide spoiler)]

@Laura spoiler for chapter 8
(view spoiler)[ Haven was very intense. Arithon saving and HEALING twenty five of then only to have Diegan murder them which in essence condemned 28 + thousand to die was well written. IMHO Arithon healing them was a microcosm of his character-do whatever needs to be done to save the greatest number but bleed to death personally over and over again. Twill be quite interesting to see what the third story arc brings. (hide spoiler)]

Daniel wrote: "@Laura spoiler for chapter 8
[spoilers removed]"

I agree.

Twenty % in... I HATE Lysear! I rarely hate a book character so much, but the way he spins everything and makes his brother look like a monster even when he is being nice, honorable and ernest, makes me filled with rage! And L is so self absorbed and confident, I want him to suffer! He just arrived at the village and managed to screw with the villagers minds already, and I feel so horrible... 😢😡😢😡

Ooo, I forgot to say, the whole sequence with the wraiths and the wizards was AMAZING! I was on the edge of my seat throughout! 😈