jvj

OK, for those who haven't read the third book yet, there are ****spoilers***

Erm, was it just me - cos due to the wait between books, I might have got foggy on the details but I do know 'A Cavern' almost inside out since it's my fave book - but in one of the chapters in 'A Sword', Ash contemplates the whole idea of her body and what that does to men and how she noticed this when she was back in Mask Fortress - she would get whistled at etc.

When I read that, I frowned, thinking 'Hang on, is this the same Asarhia March?' Cos from 'A Cavern' I got the impression she was still naive about that sorta thing and didn't get that kinda attention, especially when Katia sorta has a dig at her, saying she 'ain't never been kissed' or anything. Am I reading too much into this ?- probably. I just wondered if anyone else had the same thoughts.

To me it felt like Ash was really different in 'A Sword' and only became the Ash I recognised in her last chapter. Maybe because I don't remember 'A Fortress' very well, or maybe it was the whole point - i.e. she's lost, all alone, so she isn't herself is a given - all those thoughts about wanting to please Iss growing up etc etc. Apologies then. As you can see, I've thought about this WAY too much. my bad!

I noticed the same thing. I mean, I know that in Cavern she had begun to develop physically but from a psychological standpoint she seemed naive/apathetic/disdainful toward sex/physical attraction. In Sword she seems to be described a lot differently. It results in a gap of sorts in her personality--especially considering certain coming of age events that occur on her part in Sword--that doesn't feel too consistent with the Ash we read about in books 1 and 2.

Oh well. Maybe becoming Sull has that effect on a girl.

OH COME ON, ASH. WHAT ABOUT RAIF, YOU INSUFFERABLE THING YOU?!?!

I know! The best bit was this line though:

'Lan Fallstar was no Raif Sevrance.' Ok, so it was about heart-killing but I actually cheered OUT LOUD when I read that! ^^

I know, when I read that line a small part of me said, "There is hope!"

After all she and Raif went through and all he has done for her, she seems to think about him a lot less than she should.

Or maybe I just suck because I've fallen in love with a fictional character.

SNAP Pangie! I admit it too -I have fallen for Raif

And yes, she thought about him soooo little it was painful. I would have to stop myself from scanning the pages in any of her chapters to see if the name 'Raif' would pop up anywhere - sad or what??

I think Ash does change a lot in Sword, but she just spent the last two books with Raif and Angus, who both loved her, and then with Mal and Ark, who called her daughter and loved her too. And this is after feeling completely rejected by Iss who never called her daughter without the "almost" in front of it.

Now she is alone, knows she is the Reach and can single handedly let the Unmade rule the world, and everyone has left her. No wonder she throws herself at Lan.

I doubt that Raif and Ash will ever meet again, though I would like to see that happening. I wonder what with happen with Raif and Argola's sister?

I'd like to think Raif and Ash will meet up, but given the way JVJ works, it wouldn't be a happy meeting. In fact, I can see Raif having to kill Ash, or the other way around. Or, the killing of someone else.

Depends how much more we learn about the Shadows in the next book. Seems to me Ash was liking them a little too much toward the end of Sword. Like JVJ was setting us up for Ash to become their Queen in truth. Perhaps caring for them, in some way. The little voice whispers certainly bear that out. -- Mistress. Do not go there in the flesh. -- or whatever it was.

I really missed her travelling with Ark and Mal. Story progression can jump in the Rift! Heh heh. The depth of pain she felt at the loss of Ark was good. Hope it continues now that Mal has returned to her.

Also, there was the specific thought of Ash's that she could not physically stand up to the Shadows. Maer Dern (?? spelling). Obviously followed in the last chapter with the realisation that she herself was never in danger of being attacked. Although I can't imagine that every single shadow being holds her in awe?

Hmmm. Lots of thoughts.

Bear wrote:I think Ash does change a lot in Sword, but she just spent the last two books with Raif and Angus, who both loved her, and then with Mal and Ark, who called her daughter and loved her too. And this is after feeling completely rejected by Iss who never called her daughter without the "almost" in front of it.

Now she is alone, knows she is the Reach and can single handedly let the Unmade rule the world, and everyone has left her. No wonder she throws herself at Lan.

She did some of the leaving by her own choice. She left Raif behind to go with the Sull. Granted, it probably wasn't much of a choice: stick with the guy who has done everything in his power to help or go with the people who say they can help her control being the Reach.

I dunno, maybe it's more to do with her maturing physically? The scene in the tent where she grabs Lan seemed to be quite a lust/hormones kicking in kind of thing, and I don't think it was premeditated or based on some greater understanding of men and wimmin by her. She was just following her instincts, which were "I'm with this guy I suddenly have these physical feelings for, all alone, probably in danger"... etc.

Yeah, I know that Ash did some leaving of her own, but I think after seeing Ark die and Mal anguish you would be feeling pretty sorry for yourself. And really, she had to leave Raif. He could not have followed. And Saduluk points out that Raif really didn't need to drink all that incredibly strong foul tasting liquor - so maybe he knew deep down (and didn't want to admit it) that he couldn't go with Ash.

With Lan, i think she was just "following her instincts" (as you put it Obanite) but i think she wanted to feel like she was wanted by someone.

Although I have a soft spot for both Raif and Ash, the idea of them being linked romantically is too candyfloss. I hope they meet again but not as lovers - it just wouldn't fit.
I do hope they both find peace though. Raif has the makings of a great leader. In the first book Raif thinks of Ash as a Sull princess. With her origins never fully explained maybe there will be some truth in this and Lan will know full extent of her wrath!

asarhia ... tarissa, her mom,

this reminds me of something.

Book of words, where Jack makes love with a girl called tarissa, who so to say turns out to maybe be kind of relative to him. leaves me with plain wonder who the father of Ash is.

could it be THIS Tarissa faltering in the shadow of the splinter?

Oh, this DOES sound quite like I've taken too much of certain toadstools, innit?

Ach, I'm just thinking too much.

Nah, I think we all came to the general consensus in another thread that Jack and his sister Terissa are in fact Ash's parents. Can't remember which thread tho. i remember going off on genetics... maybe it was the Raif "getting better" at magic thread...

Witchary wrote:Although I have a soft spot for both Raif and Ash, the idea of them being linked romantically is too candyfloss. I hope they meet again but not as lovers - it just wouldn't fit.
I do hope they both find peace though. Raif has the makings of a great leader. In the first book Raif thinks of Ash as a Sull princess. With her origins never fully explained maybe there will be some truth in this and Lan will know full extent of her wrath!

OH yeah, this Lan Fallstar ... what a coward. I don't wanna be in his shoes when Mal naysayer - the second coolest guy there after the Dog Lord - comes over him with that six foot length of sword.

as for Raif ... I 'd like to see him snogging Mallia Argola. That'd be some kind of reward for all those freezes, shots, blazing blisters, gnawing shadwo pieces and other sufferings he's gotta go throu'. Ah, learning not to look at ones own body definitely helps.

Oh, Julie, whither takest thou this poor lad!

@polijn: it's sam shepherd. ("It's gonna be bumpy" -> If this ain't a cool one I don't know. "maybe we explode")

distantvoices wrote:@polijn: it's sam shepherd. ("It's gonna be bumpy" -> If this ain't a cool one I don't know. "maybe we explode")

Negative. This particular Sam Shepherd is roomates with Stephen Howie. They are my RL friends, and he is not the actor. I just can't remember which one told me that. Unless, of course, you are Howie and actually remember that conversation.