12 years ago
Thu Nov 10 2011, 09:03pm
Hello Sidebar so glad I didn't forget you.
My thoughts - I had already written them a week ago but clicked the wrong button.
sigh.
First the criticism. The journey from Obernewtyn to the Brildane was so tedious and redundant. A few pages in I felt impatient, then annoyed. Finally I was thinking, "I get it Elspeth is grieving her loss, she's cold, hungry and Maruman is angry!" When it continued on and on I honestly skipped to see where the action began again, put a bookmark in and sped read and only because I felt I should read it. I understand that Isobelle was trying to make the emotional impact and desolation felt by the reader but the point seem quite laboured. What I found most distressing was Maruman's distance and anger especially considering at the end of TSK he seemed as if he'd gotten past that. Elspeth was also surprisingly passive about everything and her obvious conclusions a bit unbelievable. Frankly you could only get away with scenes like that in an established series with dedicated fans.
There was also too much reiterating and the ending was extremely abrupt, more so because Elspeth had no premonition of danger and there was no lead up to it and then the epilogue sort of ruined some suspense at the same time by telling us Rushton was still alive.
Still I did enjoy most of The Sending. The scene when Analivia went back to the cave to spy out Dragon and 'the stranger', had me in suspense. I just knew it was Moss and I thought for sure Analivia would end up caught. Also I agree that rhenlings were frightening - although I also thought of bats, (which I like.) Dameon's character really endeared himself to me during this book and I'm not certain why.
Theories
When I read that the Agyllians needed to be absorbed I though of Rushton's huge mind space. Also we learned that a mind can only reach the higher spirit realm when ill/near death/dead. Since Rushton is apparently so ill and since Elspeth is also unconscious and has a bond with him I've been wondering if he couldn't take on board the old ones. Also Maruman strove to keep Rushton alive. Of course that means that Rushton will learn of Elspeths quest . . . again! I am not sure how that could work but still I keep pondering it.
I also am concerned about who from Elspeth pack we may lose. I don't think we can discount the horses. Maruman, Swallow and Dragon need to make it to RQL. (Since Maruman's voice is on the memory seed I assume he will be needed.)
The word Seliga seemed a bit more clear to me in TS, it seemed to be some sort of Beast futuretelling - thoughts?
Regarding Angina's death, I didn't see it as suicide, more like a conscious thought that had become a subconscious decision that he never healed of. At the beginning of TS it seemed too late for him to be healed not because noone cared but because noone understood perhaps not even Angina himself.
Avra's rejection of Gahltha was sad and even a bit shocking. I comforted myself by hoping that Faraf will runfree with him in the future. - If he survives -
As for Elpseth journey to RQL I had incorrectly guessed that she would meet up with the ships at the spit but when I read the previous posts I realised that geographically that was unlikely but I believe she will definitely physically travel there.
Some random observations - no Daffyd!!! Cassy and Hannah Jr seemed to be in a virtual reality with Maruman/Merrimyn was that part of the cryogenics or something else? If the cryogenics will Elspeth also experience it?
ETA Oh and I noticed that Jakoby had not spoken to Bruna about the book/brooch nor did Elspeth get a chance to speak to Jakoby about them. Bruna also remarked that she didn't know of anyone who had lost an ancestor book. hmmm so much to think about :)
@Milui Elenath:
Oh my god, I love your theory about Rushton and the Agyllians. I don't think it had occurred to anyone here (certainly not me anyway) but now that I've read it, it makes so much sense! That's what his talent is for, he will be the next eldar or the Agyllians! It makes sense~!
*hums star wars theme* Doo doo doo dum di dum, dum di dum ~~
*shields self from rotten tomatoes*
I actually didn't enjoy the Obernewtyn bit so much. I felt it was a bit prolonged, just because it's the last time Elspeth was going to be there and so it *had* to be there. But Elf should have had something exciting happen there rather than what I felt was just a rush of characters coming in from all directions and talking about issues that weren't really primary. I also don't really know what purpose re-introducing the mute girl served.
Urgent lemons cracked me up. I don't want Elspeth to get pregnant, so I hope she didn't.
Dameon being all muscly doesn't sit right with me. The most the man does is walk slowly and ride a horse every no and then. He doesn't really do anything strenuous to build up that muscle. I mean I really can't imagine him doing push ups, lunges and tricep dips and chin ups just to get a hot body. Dameon doesn't seem to be the vain type of guy - so Elf suddenly getting hot under the collar over Damo is just incoherent.
I don't understand why Maruman is angry.
I wonder if the new Agyllian Eldar could end up being evil and actually help out Ariel? *is intrigued* *ponders* This means Elf is largely left to her own devices and it evens the playing field a bit.
I think Efari are men in Space suits. Seliga I think is an animal going back in time and appearing in the past and interacting with people in the past. I think that is what Maruman does when he's Merimyn and that's why in Cassy's time he dematerialises. I also think Merimyn could have been one of the Eden project animals...maybe. Interesting how Maruman is considered unnatural. Maybe he was cyrogenically unfrozen, and that is what makes him unnatural in beasts eyes.
Eden project: I think this is the key to the freerunning barud. Perhaps wherever Elf is at the end is where it is located / it has information on it.
I thought the creatures in graag were bats as well, and pterydactals too (or however you spell it). The scene in the Graag confused me, because I didn't quite understand the point at which they exited the pipe. In any case, I thought the creatures hated fire and light, so I was wondering why Elf and co were scared witless at the glowing insects being in the water.
The wolves are interesting.
Ahmedri is an interesting fellow, but I wouldn't consider him droolworthy. Swallow is sadly taken by Analivia it seems, but his hotness didn't shine through as much in this book. I still think he's the hottest guy on the expedition.
I felt like there was too much recapping and repetiiveness about Elf feeling sorry for leaving. I thought it was hilarious where Cat Eyes said above that leaving the proposal on the bed was sending the wrong sign to Rushton :P
I like this love link between Rushton and Elf. I wonder if it's uniue to them or everyone gets a love link? And I don't understand why when they finally make love Elspeth has to open up her mind to Rushton. Is this some kind of special "Talented lovemaking" or what? No one else seems to have done it.
I really thought Elf was a b**** to Kella. I mean let go of the grudge! It's not like Elf herself is a star at being a loving comforting partner. Harsh and doublestandardness ensues.
For some reason Elspeth annoyed me in this book. Especially her retentiveness when revealing her knowledge, and her "tiredness" that keeps cropping up. Everyone else has more energy and enthusiasm than her! I felt like Ahmedri and Analivia were the real stars. But I still don't get Ana's purpose.
I'm glad the Rasial Gavyn thing is cleared up. Although I still think Gavyn's Talent is badly defined and not very well explained.
I still don't get how each of these disparate Talents of Freya, Ariel, Analivia, Lidgebaby and Gavyn are considered to be the New Talent. Whatever Gavyn does seems more like coercion than empathy. I can't detect coercion in Freya. Analivia doesn't still seem to have a talent, at best it seems to be simply coercion. Lidgebaby also seems to be just coercion and empathy but not both at the same time. I feel like Dragon is the only real enthraller becase she uses the thing that the person fears and coerces the person to see it. I don't really find the other 4 fitting into the description IC gave us.
I also don't get why coercion and empathy oppose eachother. Even when Dameon empathises calmness, it is him forcing someone to feel calm - essentially coercing them into it. So the 2 talents aren't really that far apart. The greatest difference i see is that in coercion you force someone to do something; but in empathy you force someone to feel something. There's nothing inherently oppositional in these Talents.
Regarding the traipsing across the Blacklands - it wasn't as terrible or as arduous as the books before made it out to be. In fact it was barely a problem at all. I think there was too much of a build up to the perils of the Blacklands and in the end, they just weren't menacing or dark enough. I felt like Elspeth should get a bit of radiation sickness or walk straight into a patch of Blacklands or something to make it a bit more dangerous. Sadly, it wasn't perilous enough and all she got was a couple of broken bones.
As for casualties - I think it is going to be Faraf, Dameon, a few more wolves, Rasial and Gavyn and the Owl. I'm pretty sure Analivia will be spared, as will Swallow, Dragon, Ahmendri and Elf.
Next steps:
I think Elf is under sedation. She'll get whatever info she needs to from this place on the Eden project and free the animals.
Then she'll fly in a plane across to the Spit and catch a boat to the RQ land. After that she will come face to face with the whitmask Lords (who I also think are Asian - probably Chinon as they were never destroyed in the Great white, and also because they have that "honour" system of saving face etc etc which is what East Asian cultures are really into. As with the whole not showing emotions in public obsession. I reckon Elf is also going to fly to the White mask lords place and have a go at them, after she defeats the RQ slavers.
12 years ago
Fri Nov 11 2011, 06:01pm
I think my favourite newly introduced character other than ----Ahmedri was the mentally handicapped guy with blond hair and slanted eyes. I think he's a Siberian or from the Central Asian steppes with blonde hair. And I think he comes from the white faced lords land. He's just so sweet and endearing! The way he said Master is there anything else I can do to help made me want to hug him so badly and squeeze the living daylights out of him because he's so loyal and trusting and cute!!! *pinches his cheeks*
Yeah, weird fangirling of a non-romantic kind.
dowah diddy diddy dum diddy doo, I read the Sending and you should too!
Mono wrote : snip " I really thought Elf was a b**** to Kella. I mean let go of the grudge! It's not like Elf herself is a star at being a loving comforting partner. Harsh and doublestandardness ensues " snip
Absolutely agree! I also was a bit confused as to why Elspeth felt that way towards Kella since in TSK she guessed that Kella had not heard about Domicks death/illness before Kella left Sutrium. For all Elspeth knew Kella had gone there while Elpseth was in Sador. Perhaps Isobelle intended for Elspeth to know that Kella hadn't but since it wasn't written anywhere it definitely seemed a bit presumptuous of Elspeth at the least.
At the same time I was disappointed in Kella's reactions to Domick's death. Not that she shouldn't move forward with Darius (I saw that coming) and I did see that she had been separated from Domick for some time and probably thought he was dead/gone but all the same they were once bondmates. I sort of began to feel she was unworthy of Domick's love. . . while still being annoyed at Elspeth judging her - LOL :D
I finished The Sending last night :3
There were quite a few continuinity errors. EDITOR, WHAT YOU DOING? But that besides, it was amazing. It's almost a crime that it ended on a cliffhager like that.
I also thought that Miryum was being held in a cryogenic tank. It makes sense. What doesn't is why the Efari are keeping her in it...perhaps that they think she's tainted. It reminds me slightly of Scatterlings - if Elspeth is right and they have unbroken knowledge from the Beforetime, wouldn't they believe that they had to protect themselves from the taint? They might think that the group is tainted and have to put them away to avoid contamination of themselves.
Dragon, you little beauty. You remembered.
I really can't wait for The Red Queen now! The cover is wonderful!
So, most of what I think has already been said, but I'll throw it into the mix anyway:
THEORIES:
The stone key is Dragon's sceptre and the knowledge she doesn't know she knows is the location of Luthen's grave/burial chamber, which her mother bade her remember before jumping off the ship. Maybe the entrance to Entina/Sentinel 'closes' and another entrance 'opens' from his grave (with the stone key?), and that's why Elspeth needs to know his code?
I really want to know Dragon's real name as well.
CRITICISMS:
I was a bit annoyed with the pace and the sudden (and unnecessary) reappearance of characters from Elspeth's past. It just fit in too neatly with her leaving. I know it could be seen as a test, but bringing back Elkar/Cinda/Rolf didn't really serve a purpose. Rushton's proposal would have been enough, I think, and taking out the other parts wouldn't have affected the story at all (from what I've seen so far).
I also got sick of Elspeth having the same thoughts and realisations every couple of pages, as if IC forgot she'd already put them in. I think there just needed to be a lot more editing.
And as much as I'm a fan of the love, I feel like gay marriage would have incited some kind of comment in a world of such extreme fanaticism. I'm still stoked by the idea of it and I know it's a representation of the open-mindedness of the misfits, I just thought it could have been subtler? Darius and Elspeth (of all people) randomly talking about the bonding [/end subject] was a bit too forced for me.
hmm just remembered something (from a very long time ago, not sure if it is correct) - where does a masked ball fit into all this? I don't really see it happening the Red Lands - maybe a celebration at the very end should Elspeth be successful?
Mystic Ward
12 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
A few things coming out of my re-read.
As Fian didn't get to give Elf the translation of the rubing she made from the sword perhaps those at the compound she will end up at will be able to read gadi and tell her who the sword belongs to. I'm still thinking Swallow at this point.
Elf still seems to think that Salamander is Gadfian. Though Jakoby thinks he/she is Sadorian and as she still has the 'ancestor book' and the broach this could point to it being Seresh. After all, Jakoby would know if the book belonged to her family.
Could Doktaruth be a farseeker?
Eden and Sentinel are on the same continent, so it's unlikely that Elf is heading to the Eden site. pg 210 puts it a remote part of the world from Old Scotia, this suggests Tipoda.
Oh dear. I have no idea what just happened... I wrote down some thoughts and hit "Post" before remembering to put them in the Spoiler brackets but it seems to have completely disappeared s I can't edit it? It wouldn't have popped up anywhere else would it?
Hi all! Would like to chat about the sending but I'm unable to see your posts. I only have a iPad, no pc. Can't seem to highlight box?? Suggestions?
@ Snoozie-Q
If you write you reply in the box below the posts you need to click 'Reply To Thread' under the formatting icons. If you click 'Post Reply' it opens up a new page showing the first and last posts for you to reply in. You can use either method, but you have to write in the correct window.
Ashlings' guildleader
12 years ago
Mon Nov 14 2011, 04:18pm
Ashlings' guildleader
Dreamscape Artist
Also, I generally find that when that happens, if you press "back" in the browser menu, the writing is still there on the previous page, so you don't have to type everything out a second time :)
12 years ago
Mon Nov 14 2011, 08:48pm
Ok firstly, spoiler alert. Im not sure how to hide the post so as not to reveal to unwitting eyes,so....
A few comments on other posts
Dameon: one thing that perplexed me was when El was visioning about dameons and rushtons encounter at the enterance of Ober , was the intense look of hate on dameons face. Others here have hinted at jealousy, but maybe something else could be at the heart of it. The suggestion that dameon might be the malevolent force on the dream tails  is interesting, there is also the similarities between Ariel and dameon, their empathic abilities, and whether ariels power is enough to manipulate dameon, much like he manipulated rushton, to serve him as dameon travels with El (unknowing or not). The look of hate on dameons face towards rushton, may have been fueled by a sleeping Ariel inside dameon.
Mauruman: I believe he is definitely merriman, probably from the Eden project. His mind state has always been aloof but powerful, hence the statement that he belongs to no one. The previous post that he will have to survive till at least his voice recording on the memory seed is true, and makes me wonder if the opening of sentinel is also opening the Eden project. Imagine giraffes and hippos and monkeys rhinos joining the beast guild!! I think he has obviously been in cryo sleep for a period, set to wake by Casey so as to aid El on her quest.... But how did he get to the land? Â Also, did anyone else pick up that maybe memory seed, is actually memory C.D? See D - cd?
I also agree with some that the beginning of the book was a little tedious with many interactions with characters, but minor and rudimentary. They hurried to return to ober from sad or but then waited. I know Mauruman had to get his healing from nerat but I was hoping for something a bit more juicy while she waited. The love scene was a bit awkward. I liked the chaining of the bear with the black power, wish she would go nuts with the black power but I know that is coming....the journey through the mountains was good although how did the group get to the skylake b4 el? Her journey to the wolf vale took that long? Was there another road to sky lake? When ghaltha had to take the high road and meet them, shouldn't that be the same path that the others took?
Gavyn Raisal as the powerful spirit walker is really interesting. I loved the previous idea someone had regarding rushton being the next elder agyllian due to his cave mind, but I was also thinking gavyn/Raisal could fill this role being both beast and funaga. Certainly el will need their help on the dreamtrails when she battles the hyraka and maybe assist the agyllians at the same time to find a new elder...
I also agree that there is a similarity to scatterlings, especially now she has been taken and it seems as though she is in a drug enduced coma, using her black power to slough off the medication or maybe mental manipulation that she is under.
She will have to fly or teleport to the red land seeing as though she won't go back to the land, and that makes me wonder at the future tech at her disposal once she overtakes the compound. Once she's there I also think she will seek and face the white-faced lords.Â
Overall, the second half was awesome, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't actually get to the city before the cliff hanger but it will just make the last book more action packed!!
You use the spoiler tag - [ spoiler ] and [/ spoiler ] , without the spaces. There's a thread on the help board that explains all of the formatting icons, too - it doesn't take that long to type them out (I'm in the same boat most of the time accessing from an iPhone).
This has probably come up at some point already in the thread and if so feel free to disregard (spoiler alert!)
i can't find where it was mentioned (i think it was either a dream of Elspeth's or Jacob's diary) but it was suggested somewhere that while Mericanda, Uropa and Tipoda were catastrophically affected by the great white, Chinon was left largely untouched. This is pretty huge if it means millions of people potentially survived the holocaust. Are the white-faced lords from Chinon? I could be totally off the mark but it seemed that the white-faced lords are trying to reach the sentinel complex (if it is in the entina pit the slaves the rql are terrified of), how do slaves help with that? I imagine Sentinel will be like a even more sentient version of INES (hence all the mentions of it originally being called the guardian program in the Sending) that has to be reasoned with so i don't understand how brute force helps. So many questions!?
:O FANTastic IDEA!
If you are right Ellendrano, that would mean that they still have a form of government still in place that would mean they had people who know about the Sentinel Project. They may be trying to locate some important down in the Pit with Entina and the Entina is a protection unit formed by the computers using mutated animals. They would have had the knowledge base for Genetic Modification (GM). Unless...they are a by-product that has a useful purpose.!
[act]here ends random thoughts[/act]
Hello, been lurking round the forum for a while. First post!
I felt this book had a more ‘adult’ feeling to it, Elspeth is growing up and so her priorities change and she begins to (consciously) feel the hold Obernewtyn has over her. I think the long time she spent preparing at Obernewtyn was really nice, it’s familiarity and comfort giving her something to miss on the long journey ahead, if she had just rushed off at the end of The Stone Key I think her leaving would have had less of an impact. I did wish that there had been more time spent with more established characters, like the other guildmasters and her friends form the journey to Sador. While I like Cinda I wish she could have been visited by Rolf or another character tied more closely with the land.
There were few references to the land and its people other than the mention of skirmishes. This made me worried that there wouldn’t be much about the forming of land in The Red Queen. Because while we know it was established by a bunch of farmers, I would like to know a little more about how it became the society Elspeth lives in now – how everyone forgot about technology – it was banned but how was it forgotten? Maybe there’ll be a short story about it.
Now, the sex scene. I had hoped that if Elspeth and Rushton did end up having sex it wouldn’t feel quite so silly (I’m not sure that’s quite the right word – maybe gushy?). To me the constant use of ‘lovemaking’ etc felt out of place coming from Elspeth, I know she loves Rushton and this is a pretty momentous thing but I feel like she would be a bit more serious, or even adult about it? As for the pregnancy thing I think that a super powerful Elspeth/Rushton baby would be cool, but I agree with an earlier post that it would be pandering to the idea that if you have sex without protection a baby pops out.
Before I started reading this thread/visiting this website I never thought there could be any other possibility for the identity of the destroyer – for me it was always Ariel. From all the theories on this thread Dameon’s my pick, it fits. t I think I would feel a little disappointed if it wasn’t Ariel, as my thoughts on everything else have changed he has been my one constant.
I also found it odd that while Dragon has remembered everything she didn’t tell them her name. That’s something I’ve been wondering for a while as all their names have certain cultural element – The Land being in the region of Old Scotia; a lot of the names are typically English or Welsh, e.g. Colwyn. Maybe if we find out Dragon’s name we can work out where her people were originally from.
I really did enjoy the sending, but I think it didn’t live up the expectations that grew each time the release date was pushed back. The pacing was slow with much repetition, but I found this useful in forming new conclusions as well as remembering old ones. Not my favourite of the Obernewtyn Chronicles, but I’m glad it’s in the series.
I've really enjoyed all of your theories :)
Sidebar, Eat me up.
So. I finished the book about a day after I started reading it! I couldn't put it down!
I have a few theories, that a few of you have touched on, or even thought of yourself! You clever people you, I think great minds think alike!
1. Elspeth is pregnant.
My thoughts are that she could be, and I think that eventually Swallow will adopt the kid once him and Elspeth are finaly in love and stuff, and that kid will end up being the leader of the Twenty-Families.
Ana's midwifery skills must come into play.
*But on a side note. Elspeth gets crushed twice on her Journey. Maybe baby is squished?
2. Dameon doesn't love Elspeth. Someone mentioned it already jokingly, but I think there may be some substance behind it. Dameon is in love with Rushton. The angst you see when he returns to Obernewtyn and Rushton tells him he'd asked Elf to bond with him, isn't about him wishing he could be with Elspeth, It's him realising he's got no chance with the beefy farm oversear.
My sister and I were having a discussion about it, and we realised it could be posible because Isobelle has already introduced a same-sex couple (Merrit and Blyss). I also think that Dameons relationship with Mathew in the begining could have been about a sexual attraction.
3. efari - I think they're part of INES. Either humanoids, or beforetimes, so used to living in their city, that they only live in thier poison suits, not knowing any different, they're incharge of keeping specieses alive as part of Eden, and now put everyone that comes near to sleep, and wakes people up when the time comes for them so return to the land to furfill some part of the quest, or just to keep the population alive.
ALSO. I think I spotted a mistake, or a slip up! When Elspeth was still at obernewtyn, she didn't think she was leaving until she needed to go onto the boats after the moonfair! but when she hears that Zarak wants to propose to Lina, and bond at the mooonfair, she has the thought that it saddens her to think she will miss his bonding. BUT She doesn't know she's leaving before the moonfair, so why would she miss it?
Hey Guys,
This isn't a spoiler but I was just wondering if any of you have seen the angus & robertson website, I looked up TRQ and it gives you an option to buy it (says it ships within 3-5 weeks from the US) for $15.95, but doesn't say anything about pre-ordering it or anything..It has the same cover as in the back of the aussie ed of TS, and the new blurb. Im sure its a mix up but just wondered if anyone else, for a brief second, got massively excited:-)
Oh you poor sidebar...Did I nearly forget you?
Raychi, remember when Elf and Rushton first admitted loving each other in the Sador? And after that Dameon decided to stay in Sador. Rushton knew why (a comment he made) when Elspeth was saying goodbye to Dameon as he felt her face he couldn't bring himself to touch her lips. Ever since then I do not think she has been a time when Elspeth and Dameon encountered each did Dameon not have an emotional sheild up. Most times there it wouldn't strike out as odd but over the course of those 4 books (it is four right?) he has not let that sheild down in her presence. I think that points to something he does not want Elspeth to know or realise.
I think Matthew and Dameon needed frienship, company and support in such a hopeless place. They found each and have been fast friends. Isobelle mentioned she didn't really know what sex was at 14 and I don't think she would have known much about gays either but that doesn't count out what she said about characters almost writing themselves.
As a personal opinion I don't want Dameon to be gay because I love the complicated and tense feelings of that triangle that we suspect is going on.