Ok, so I have just finished reading POTD, which I picked up from Barnes & Nobel. It should be noted that I actually pre-ordered from Amazon, because they delivered Issola faster than I could get it at a bookstore. This was clearly not the case this time. So, in defference to the people who have not read it yet, I provide the following spoiler space: (I have noticed that after reading a few hundred pages of Paarfi, it is difficult not to slip into that style, so I will complete my bulemic-like purge by doing so in the spolier space) "So, it is has been made awared to me, via various means at my disposal that you have acquired a copy of a fine novel entitled _Describing Certain Events Which Occurred..." "Excuse me." "Perhaps. Although given your interruption, I consider the chances to be remote." "I will endeavour to explain why it was necessary to be so inconsiderate." "Please do so." "I will." "I ask nothing better." "It has come to my attention to subject the countless readers of this distinguised list to the ramblings of not even Paarfi, or Steven Brust (PJF) pretending to be Paarfi, or a distinguished graduate of advanced studies from the Pamlar University could be construed not only as an insult, but furthermore a crime." "Your comments could contain no small amount of merit." "I am glad that you think so." "Still..." "Still?" "As an exercise, it is not without it's amusements." "Be that as it may, I believe I speak for most of us when I advise you to shut your Kethna hole." Whew. I was running out of steam there at the end. I think it must have worked. Ok, I just finished POTD (12/5/02), and as is to be expected I enjoyed it. The following are some of my thoughts: 1. I have never really payed much attention to typsetting (my complaint about the Loiosh italics not withstanding). However, in this case I was struck by the...um...elegance of the italics used. They seemed to be perfect for the tone of the book, and to boot, they are gorgeous. I know often typefaces are actually designed by people for the publisher, whoever designed that did a good job. 2. I enjoyed the crossover characters. We get Miska, from Brokedown Palace and Dortmond from Dragon. We also get Sethra the Younger and the Sorceress in Green. (It took me a bit to remember where I had seen Dortmond) 3. A lot of people seem to be using sorcery, and doing so by directly interfacing with amphora. However, I thought you had to be descended from the same line Adron was to do that...or at least your soul had to be. Aliera talks about this in Jhereg, which I don't have access to right now. Am I mis-remembering? 4. I enjoy seeing witchcraft being practiced as an honored skill. 5. I think we now know why sorcery got more powerful. The god's "cleaned up some of the rough edges" on the Orb. 6. This book has a lot more mysticism in it than any other book >from Dragaera, with the exception of Brokedown Palace. -- Jot Powers <books at bofh.com> http://www.bofh.com/books/ "I'm upping my standards, so up yours!" -Pat Paulsen (1927-1997), Presidential Campaign Slogan