-----Original Message----- From: Matthew Hunter [mailto:matthew at infodancer.org] Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2003 2:32 PM To: Dragaera Mailing List Subject: Re: [SPOILERS] _The Lord of Castle Black_ > > > > [SPOILERS below] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [snip] > > > Raoul, the Vicomte de Bragelone loves Louise de la Valliere. This love is, > at least at first, returned. But after she joins the royal court, she is > successfully wooed by the king, and becomes his mistress, thus breaking > Raoul's heart. > The parallel is not close, but definitely seems present, at least to me. >Hmm. Zerika would find it difficult to fulfill that parallel, I >think. Well, Brust is not trying to parallel Dumas' Three Musketeers series exactly. That would be boring (in my opinion). He's got just enough in there that the parallels amuse & surprise the reader, rather than making the Khaavren romances predictable to those who have read Dumas. For example, Tazendra never married, as Porthos had. I believe he was partly relieved to die a glorious death because it freed him from his wife. So, Zerika will not fulfill that parallel of King Louis. In fact, perhaps no one will. Ibronka may remain true to Piro and break his heart some other way (ie, by dying). Rachel