On Wed, 22 Jan 2003, Noah Stacy wrote: > ... the other couldn't get into them basically > because (paraphrasing) everyone, Vlad included, is a bad-ass. I mean, > Aliera's a demigod, one gets the impression that Morrolan has won pitched > battles against hundreds single-handedly, and Vlad is exceptionally good at > just about everything he does (except possibly sorcery). About the only > people he really thought were cool were Kragar and Daymar. On the other > hand, both of 'em loved _To Reign in Hell_... I disagree with your friend (well, not about TRIH) - but on the other hand at the end of Issola I did have a feeling of "who besides Loiosh do I identify with now?" Perhaps that's part of the reason we're being treated to six volumes of Paarfi, where the combat mostly involves good old plain steel, instead of whatever Morganti blades are made of. - Philip