Readalong

[DbS] TPG ch12-ch14

Thu Jul 18 20:15:39 PDT 2002

Selected notes and questions, edited to reduce duplicates with KG's notes.

- tky

** pp119-126. ch12 "Khaavren Attempts to Learn the Whereabouts of Kathana"

pp119-120: [Paarfi: prefers to issue patches rather than revise earlier text]
p120: {typo: we <--> he} "from whom we had learned to read ...";
      5 great categories: magical & natural science, history, philosophy,
      books-to-be-performed, books-to-be-read
p120: challenge always waiting in the wings, as it were, {huh, "as it were?"}
      of Khaavren's countenance
pp121-122: red, brown, green, yellow, blue slips; {colors mean what?};
      Imperial Records Service; {brings to mind: Barrayan (tax) Auditor;
      Vlad in _Orca_; Renner in _The Gripping Hand_; maybe Reseune's
      hidden items submitted to Council in _Cyteen_; maybe some of Asimov's
      robots or post-original-trilogy Foundation books?}
p122: [Ricardo:Khaavren] "young sir", although Khaavren much older;
      "Dragonlords never hide.  Therefore, to her she must be doing another
      thing entirely" {grr!  where else have I seen discordant external image
      versus (deluded?) internal self-image?}
p123: money spent on "culture" is tax deductible & must be reported
      {is this true for artists buying art supplies?
      does/would buying concert tickets count?}; 
      all expenditure reports of last month for 10,000 wealthiest nobles
      {"last month"?  Just how often are reports sent in, and how quickly
      do they arrive?  This is before widespread teleportation after all.}
p124: Khaavren: Kathana listed by her own name?
      Ricardo: It is necessary that she be so listed {why necessary?  To match
      up with *her* tax reports?  Are there DBAs? (Doing Business As)}
p125: Khaavren interject: Blood! {no god named!}
p125: "the those could be" {typo: the <--> then}
p125: Fricorith, = 'Nearly-the-end-of-Winter' in old North-western tongue,
      still preserved by Dragon House & Lyorn House; 
      {evidently, "preserved" means "spoken by most of that House":}
      -"as I have mentioned"- most Lyorn speak the language {!}, 
      which most of "the library documents" are written in;
      {what languages are used in other libraries & documents?}
pp125-126: Marishori = Northwestern name = 'keeper of trust' 
      {is this in the North-western (note the hypen) tongue?}

** pp127-133. ch13 "We Leave our Heroes for a Brief Time"

pp127-128: 2 sitting on the floor {!}
pp128-129: Seodra: merchant after a fashion,
      merchandise neither tasted nor smelt, coin does not shine like gold;
      Lytra: reluctant to penetrate metaphor {huh?}
p130: Viscount Uttrik: Pepperfield Marquis's son, pompous, not very brave,
      low but significant chance he can foil their plans if he finds Kathana
      -- kill her in a duel or call in authorities; Seodra, re call: No way!
      you should know better than I! {?}
pp131-132: [Seodra:Lytra]: e'Kieron, but tactical skills shows e'Lanya blood;
      Lytra: truce on flattery {where did she flatter Seodra?};
      {typo: them <--> then} "But them he has";
p133: your creeping vines buried in their own roots {allusion?};
      Seodra: Lanmarea we can ignore for reasons we both know, {?}
      sic G'aereth after candlebud; Lytra: erupted into laughter

** pp135-143. ch14 "Eleemosynary Behavior is Sometimes Rewarded"

{Merriam-Webster: "eleemosynary", adjective: "of, relating to, or
supported by charity"}

p135: [G'aereth] {a "long head" apparently means smart or level-headed}
pp135-136: [Pel:G'aereth] dispatches; 6 witnesses = 6 different reports =
      (according to Athyra philosopher Hydragaar) 6 different events;
      Daridd of Diar-by-the-Bennaat is right: that's overreacting
      {Heh.  I hadn't noticed that name was like David Dyer-Bennet before now.
      Hydragaar appears to be a corruption of Heidegger (Existentialism dude).
      Hm, reincarnation doesn't seem totally impossible....}
pp136-137: Pel claims to have heard 4 inconsistent reports from the East;
      "the philosopher" {Hydragaar? Daridd?} stressed charity & service;
      thousand thousand {i.e. million?}
p138: Paarfi excuses Khaavren's daydreams / self-deception;
      harsh reality: war-chariots, spears
pp138-139: {typo: missing "to"} "true his word"
p140: Khaavren: always speak my heart; Illista: charming defect, dangerous