Second Son Read Along: Chapter 7
What? No intro? Sorry about that.... I kinda hit "publish" before I was really done. But anyway, here we are in chapter 7 (is it the weekend yet?) hehe... I jest... sorta.Buckle-up, dear Readers... because this chapter brought out ALL THE COMMENTARY!The Nameless IslesAdmittedly, there are aspects of this series that were heavily influenced by my love of Ursula K. LeGuin's "Earthsea" series. I loved how her world consisted of an archipelago (and that is such a fun word to say... even if it is one that I struggle to pronounce correctly!) That is where the idea of "island kingdoms" first sprang from. Of course, my "archipelago" is too spread out to truly be called that, but I wanted to give it my own special twist. I also needed the countries to be far enough apart that travel between them wouldn't be easy, enough distance that it would be believable that some of the countries might have been isolated, even forgotten. While there are ships in my world, and some trade between countries, it is limited due to the fact that ships are just not available in great quantities. Most of the kingdoms are fairly self-sufficient and prefer to remain unbothered by their neighbors. There are no armadas of ships, none of the kingdoms has bothered to create a naval force of any kind. The sailors who do exist are either fishermen or those who desire the open horizon around them and the adventure of life on the high seas.Thus, when Rhoyan sets foot on the Nameless Isles, it is easy for him to feel fairly confident that no other human has stood here before.I also love the stories of explorers throughout history. Lewis and Clark, Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundson, Robert Falcon Scott, Neil Armstrong... among others... the call of the unexplored tugs at my soul. I don't have the motivation or courage to be one of them, but I love reading about their experiences, and I love that idea of being the first... of stepping on land no one has ever stood up, breathing air no other human has ever breathed before (no scientific arguments, please... it's the principle of the thing!) And so, of course, I had to send Rhoyan on this journey, this exploration. (Later, I send other characters to another unexplored region of the world... but I'm getting several books ahead of myself, so we'll pause on that line of thought for now...)Just in case you have an early edition of the book that doesn't include the map of the world... here ya go!
HaeronymousI... have to confess... I forgot completely that I had explained Haeronymous' back-story and mentioned the cearaphiym and talked about the High Kings so early in the series! Anyway, this is important, so pay attention. grinThe Oath of the aethalonsNow we get around to discovering the true nature of the Oath Rhoyan took back in chapter 5! It is not just a vow to serve and protect, but a form of magic that courses through the veins of every aethalon — though few, if any, recognize it as such or understand its power.It is important to note again how magic works in this realm. It is not something that can be wielded by just anyone, nor can it be learned. It is not "witchcraft" with spells and potions... it is a hereditary, genetic ability gifted to certain races by the Creator (Cruithaor Elchiyl). The myth-folk have this ability, as do wizards. Normal humans do not and cannot... UNLESS they are not completely normal humans... since wizards and humans can procreate, it is possible for a person to have a mixed genetic heritage. This does not always result in a weaker magical gift, either. Some of the greatest/strongest wizards in the history of Tellurae Aquaous have been only partial wizards.The battleWhen they find their enemy, the one responsible for marshaling the were-folk and unleashing them upon the unsuspecting villages and farms... he is not quite what they expected.A couple of notes:Dragon blood in this world burns human flesh. Yeah, I totally plucked that idea from Jane Yolen's Pit Dragon trilogy. It makes sense, from a creature that breathes fire, that their blood would be hotter than normal.Khentarrick's complete disbelief at his defeat at the hands of a human. Dragons are arrogant by nature and truly believe themselves to be on a higher plane than all other sentient life in this world. It is often their Achilles Heel.Sheyardin's death sceneYes, I did just kill off the mentor-character. How trope-y of me.Sheyardin did not intend to die, he fully intended to continue being Rhoyan's mentor into his adulthood and potentially through his reign as king. Perhaps he did not believe the threat they were investigating was as dire as it actaully was, or his own pride blinded him to the truth of his own mortality. Either way, he is as surprised as anyone that his plans for the future have suddenly been cut off, which is why he kind of breaks character and gives Rhoyan so much un-riddle-like information here.The long journey homewardThis is the moment where Rhoyan discovers exactly how helpful it is to have a dragon with you when sailing long distances in a tiny boat. If you were wondering how they made it so far in a vessel that could easily be manned by just two people... well, here is your answer! Much of that was Sheyardin's doing.Rhoyan is now truly alone for the very first time in his life. And it is driving him a little nuts. Which is why he starts talking to the stars. He is not yet ready to serve Sheyardin's Cruithaor Elchiyl... but he is ready to acknowledge that he needs help from something or someone outside himself.HydraMy dad is always quietly amused (and teases me) at how in Tellurae Aquaous, everyone is always talking about how dangerous hydras are, and how big of a problem they are, and how you really probably shouldn't go in the ocean because there might be hydras... and then this is literally the only one we ever see, and Rhoyan defeats it easily.Well...Yeah.In this world, hydras can be dangerous. But remember that Rhoyan's information has all come from people who don't believe myth-folk exist, anymore. And the hydra, while being a creature of myth in our own world, are not considered among the myth-folk of Tellurae Aquaous. They are simply large predators of the ocean. So, compared with an evil dragon bent on conquering the world... I couldn't make the hydra too difficult to defeat. Perhaps if Rhoyan had encountered it first, it would have seemed like more of a challenge.Discussion questions: