I feel like full spoilers in comments is pretty normal practice, but also that it's good to mark just in case! (Often an entry itself will say 'full spoilers in comments'.)
isn't that equally applicable as a criticism to all of magery? Ged spends three books doing tricks that are nice if you can do them
I think it is applicable as a criticism to all of magery, which is why - given that the book is otherwise removing magery except from the villain - I feel uncertain about it as a solution. Because it seems presented as a solution that is different to magery. Not cheating when it comes to worldbuilding but cheating, maybe, when it comes to talking about what power is, and how powers differ. But my feelings on this book are unsettled so I am far from wedded to that.
(I thought I was speaking vaguely when I said 'removing magery except from the villain' and there'd be a few minor examples of it. Now I'm not sure. Even the Master Windkey, who we meet and who retains his power, does not use magic, because the weather is perfect already on the day of the king's sailing. This only just struck me. Edited to add: we see witches do magic, but as far as I recall, it's presented as ambiguous whether it works or not. We see the mark of curing set over Therru and then she pulls through; we don't see a hawk called or a wind changed, we don't see a wound knitting back together.)
I agree with what you say about Aspen, and I think about the dragons being split between different dragon-types too, though I'll have to think about that.
I may list the other books on my shelf later, or I may not, since I think making them a list, or hearing what others think about the list, will make me less likely to read them! One of the things I like is that some of them I have high hopes for and heard strong recommendations of, and some are sheerly random and I've never heard what anybody thinks of them ever.
Now I must hurry to return somebody's coat and then get to film society!
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Entirely full of spoilers
Date: 2024-03-18 03:51 am (UTC)isn't that equally applicable as a criticism to all of magery? Ged spends three books doing tricks that are nice if you can do them
I think it is applicable as a criticism to all of magery, which is why - given that the book is otherwise removing magery except from the villain - I feel uncertain about it as a solution. Because it seems presented as a solution that is different to magery. Not cheating when it comes to worldbuilding but cheating, maybe, when it comes to talking about what power is, and how powers differ. But my feelings on this book are unsettled so I am far from wedded to that.
(I thought I was speaking vaguely when I said 'removing magery except from the villain' and there'd be a few minor examples of it. Now I'm not sure. Even the Master Windkey, who we meet and who retains his power, does not use magic, because the weather is perfect already on the day of the king's sailing. This only just struck me. Edited to add: we see witches do magic, but as far as I recall, it's presented as ambiguous whether it works or not. We see the mark of curing set over Therru and then she pulls through; we don't see a hawk called or a wind changed, we don't see a wound knitting back together.)
I agree with what you say about Aspen, and I think about the dragons being split between different dragon-types too, though I'll have to think about that.
I may list the other books on my shelf later, or I may not, since I think making them a list, or hearing what others think about the list, will make me less likely to read them! One of the things I like is that some of them I have high hopes for and heard strong recommendations of, and some are sheerly random and I've never heard what anybody thinks of them ever.
Now I must hurry to return somebody's coat and then get to film society!