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i_read_whatSo last time we saw that Moreta was recovering from the virus, while Ruatha has basically become a hellhole. Oh, and McCaffrey basically ditched any hint of nuance that we saw in earlier chapters.
Speaking of nuance, I sure haven't gotten tired of seeing Sh'gall be an embarrassing, weak coward. Have you?
“Shards!” Jallora cried. “He’s fainted!”
Kadith, in the outer chamber of the weyr, bellowed, and Moreta jumped up from the chair to reassure the startled dragon as the journeywoman healer examined her reluctant donor.
What has happened? Orlith asked in concern from her weyr.
“Sh’gall had a bad reaction,” Moreta replied, knowing perfectly well that Leri would be instantly informed by Holth and know what had really happened. “Calm Kadith down!”
“It’s generally the big strong ones who faint,” Jallora was saying as Moreta resumed her place. “He’s in no danger. Badly as we need the blood for serum, I wouldn’t risk him.”
“I didn’t think for a moment that you would, Jallora,” Moreta replied with a slight laugh.
Of course, plenty of people don't react well to blood or needles. It doesn't make them a coward or weak, but it's clear how we're supposed to read this.
And just in case we forgot we're supposed to dislike Sh'gall:
The journeywoman had interrupted an interview between Moreta and Sh’gall in which he had been determined to find fault with every provision made in the Weyr since the onset of his illness. He utterly discounted the fact that Moreta had not made any of the decisions or that she herself had only just recovered.
Yes, we get it. He's awful.
Anyway, we're told that once the riders are vaccinated, the rest of the serum will be on its way to Ruatha. (And just in case we forgot that Sh'gall's the worst, Jallora finishes taking the blood and notes that he could donate more and never miss it.)
Jallora also takes a moment to praise some of Moreta's healing work, which is nice. She makes a point also of saying how it never occurred to her that dragons might suffer from Thread. And that's an interesting thought. I remember in Dragonquest, there was a very rare moment when we got to sympathize with an Oldtimer complaint: when D'ram was upset that the lords were having a good time when R'mart had been suffering. Maybe if the Weyrs were more open, and the Lords had a better idea of the toll fighting Thread takes on them, there could be more opportunity for mutual understanding and support.
Anyway, Jallora and Moreta are getting along fine, which of course means it's time for Sh'gall to come to and whine about having his blood extracted. Because of course. And hey, more added douche-itude:
“Why didn’t Capiam attend us instead of that—woman?”
Moreta of course points out that Capiam is barely recovering himself and has to worry about the whole damn continent. And she's right of course. Sh'gall is awful.
But honestly, this really gets into McCaffrey's weak points as a writer. At least in this series. She's an excellent craftsman. There are very few wasted scenes, she gets across so much in a very efficient way. Her pacing is generally great.
Her character work is hit or miss. On one hand, we've got amazingly complex characters like F'lar and Lessa. We have generally likeable leads like Moreta, Alessan, Piemur and Menolly (...sometimes). And then we have waste of space leads like F'nor, Brekke (sadly) and Jaxom.
But she honestly seems to be incapable of writing any adversary or villain character as anything but a cartoon. They're never allowed to have any kind of positive trait, talent or skill. (There may be lip service to the idea of Kylara being a good Weyrwoman or Sh'gall being good during Threadfall, but we'll never actually see it.) They're never allowed to have any kind of legitimate grievance. There's never any attempt to humanize them. They're never even allowed to feel any kind of positive emotion to lovers or family. Meron doesn't give a shit that Kylara's basically lobotomized. Tolocamp doesn't give a shit that his wife and daughters died in the plague. Yanus and Mavi were HAPPY that their daughter may have died in Thread. T'ron and Mardra suddenly hate each other and everyone else.
It's tiresome. And it's a waste. Because the stories would be BETTER with more nuanced villains. If Kylara was competent, if Pona was actually a legitimate rival, then there'd be an actual challenge for Brekke and Menolly. If R'gul had any kind of background knowledge that F'lar lacked, or if T'ron had a legitimate concern that F'lar and Lessa had to balance with everything else.
She CAN do complicated adversaries though. Toric is great, and by far one of the only saving graces of White Dragon. Groghe's got facets where he's allowed to be both annoyance and support. Larad actually DID have a legitimate grievance in Dragonflight. And it's BETTER. That's why it's so frustrating that she resorts to laziness.
If you write the story well, I will still side with the heroes, even if the villains aren't cartoon characters. I promise.
Anyway, Sh'gall keeps bitching. First, that Leri ignored his preference for substitute leader (Moreta, of course, points out that Leri was Weyrwoman since before either of them Impressed), that a wing second is taking two wings to Tillek (Moreta, of course, points out that almost all of the Weyrs are being led by wing seconds, because people are sick), he is anxious about being ready to resume his duties by this evening (Moreta tells him she's been through it too, and he'll be fine), and he whines about the lack of ground crews, (Moreta reminds him that the holders are feeling the impact of the virus worse than the Weyrs are).
See what I mean? This is tedious. I get it. Moreta is unhappy and far too sensible and smart to be stuck with a guy like Sh'gall. I. Get. It.
And of course, he decides to sulk and tell her that he needs nothing from her, and "jerked the sleeping furs around his ears" like a fucking child.
Moreta was quite willing to leave him to surly convalescence. She sincerely hoped that he would want to lead his Weyr in three days more than he wanted to indulge his fancied grievances. Leading the consolidated Weyrs was a mighty temptation for a man with Sh’gall’s love of power. She tried to consider him more charitably: He was shocked by the devastation caused by the pandemic and seeking refuge from the staggering losses by dwelling on the petty details he could cope with and understand. Like who rose to Fall from where, and how.
It'd be nice if we actually got to see this ambition and supposed talent. In Dragonflight, when F'lar was the legitimate worst, one of his few saving graces was that he was constantly planning and working to end Thread. We got to see his ambition and intelligence in action, rather than just being told about it. But then we weren't supposed to hate F'lar.
Leri, being one of the people we like, of course hates Sh'gall and crows in "malicious jubilation" about him fainting. She banters with Moreta and also shows gentle sympathy when Moreta's thoughts turn to her family's empty hold.
K'lon's arrival is happier. He brings news of medical supplies. But there's something that both ladies notice: his hair is sun-bleached. SOMEHOW, K'lon has found time to sun with A'murray and...oh you have GOT to be fucking kidding me.
“You mean”—Moreta had at last reached Leri’s conclusion—“you’ve taken time to be with A’murry!”
“When I think of how hard I’ve worked—” Rogeth bugled outside the weyr.
“No one is faulting you, K’lon,” Leri said quickly. Holth crooned reassurance, her eyes whirling bluely. “But, my dear boy, you’ve been taking a dreadful risking timing it. You could meet yourself coming and going—”
Fucking NO.
Absolutely not.
You do not get to shove a revelation that these dragons also time travel HALF WAY INTO THE GODDAMN BOOK.
This was Lessa's discovery! It specifically happened because of the intersection of Lessa's power and Lessa's trauma. And fine, I suppose it's not unreasonable to think others in the past made the same discovery, but what is the point of that in this story?!
There were plenty of instances that "timing it" would have made sense in the narrative so far and no one did it. (Capiam flying, for example.) Why is there even a rush for the vaccine then, when they could just TIME the stuff backward?
Hell, for that matter, why is the small population of the Weyrs during Threadfall a big deal when we know that the recovering dragonriders could just time it back to help during previous Threadfalls?
And don't get me started on the end of the book. If timing it is a thing, then there is no reason that certain characters wouldn't have been able to TAKE A FUCKING NAP at some point and then resume their tasks. The idea that these particular characters know how to time travel basically ruins the whole fucking ending.
The women scold K'lon. We're told that "timing it" is information generally restricted to bronze and queen dragons. K'lon discovered it by accident, in a way that is way too fucking easy:
“The information is restricted to bronze and queen dragons, K’lon. I presume you discovered it by chance.”
“Yes, rather.” K’lon’s expression mirrored the surprise he must have had. “I was late. I knew A’murry would be worried. I thought of him, waiting for me, anxious, when I didn’t appear on time, and the next thing I knew, I had!”
...come on. If it were that easy to fucking time travel, then anyone who overslept should discover this fucking skill.
Lessa discovered it because she was TRAUMATIZED and her trauma caused her to envision Ruatha on the day of the invasion. She didn't just go "Oh no, I'm running late! Teehee!"
And I'm also irked at the idea that this is some trade secret among bronze and queen dragons on general principle.
Anyway, K'lon's actually been managing himself well. He reports to Capiam, gets his schedule. Goes to Igen in the afternoon, and everywhere else in mornings and evenings. And well, honestly, it seems pretty valid to me. At least compared to Jaxom, who seemed inclined to time it just to avoid mild inconveniences. K'lon is doing incredibly valuable work and has figured out a way to take a little time for his own health and well-being without stinting anyone else.
Leri basically tells him that instead of flying Threadfall, he'll spend this afternoon and ONLY this afternoon with his friend. From now on, he'll keep to the normal schedule. Oh, and hey, foreshadowing:
“Only one mistake, K’lon,” Leri pointed her forefinger, oddly twisted now by the joint disease, Shaking it at him in dire emphasis, “and you’re too tired timing it to realize the risks you’ve been taking. Only one mistake, and you will deprive A’murry of yourself forever. Not just for an afternoon.”
I suppose I see where McCaffrey is going with this, but honestly, I don't think the time travel part is necessary. Just going between at all is risky.
Anyway, K'lon protests that they need him for the Fall, since there are so few dragonriders, but Leri puts her foot down. He WILL get his rest. And she admits that they need him. It's actually pretty sweet. And K'lon seems like the sort of character who'd see not being at the Fall as a punishment, without the need for harsher consequences.
After the poor boy leaves, Leri and Moreta are more amused than anything else. They admit that he's been very clever and resent his youthful energy. And we can tell Leri is the voice of experience when Moreta asks if Holth can really keep an eye on K'lon as threatened, and Leri answers that it doesn't matter so long as K'lon thinks she can.
We spare a moment for more scorn directed toward Sh'gall, from Orlith this time (which makes Moreta happy, as it sounds like she thinks the end result will be different during Orlith's next mating flight), and then jump ahead to disaster.
It's Threadfall. The Weyrwoman Falga, and her dragon Tamianth, are wounded. This leads to Leri switching places with Moreta. I have no idea why. Leri isn't injured and Moreta is the healer of the two of them. But Moreta ends up going into battle on Holth's back. (Orlith being too pregnant to fly.)
That actually is pretty cool. There was some talk in the earlier books about people riding other people's dragons. And Brekke did get to ride Ruth as I recall. But this is a little different. But the queens are fine with it, and off they go.
Interestingly, Holth is willing to speak telepathically with Moreta. Moreta does not have the "Hears All Dragons" talent, if you recall, but Holth, like Mnementh, doesn't give a shit.
There's an interesting bit where Moreta compares her experience with both queen dragons:
In place of her usual between litany, Moreta tried to analyze the difference between the two queen dragons. Holth’s mind-voice was old and tired, but it was firm, rich, and deep, many layers denser than Orlith’s. Perhaps, when Orlith had reached the fine age Holth enjoyed, she, too, would have the depth of Holth’s responsiveness.
OH. OKAY. I get it now.
For some reason, I'd thought Falga and Tamianth were returning to the Weyr. But they didn't. That's why Moreta had to fly Holth out. She was flying to them. Okay, I rescind my complaint, Ms. McCaffrey.
So Moreta gets to spend a few pages being an awesome healer, and then they head back to Fort Hold. Just in time, because Orlith needs to go to the Hatching Ground.
The chapter ends here.
Speaking of nuance, I sure haven't gotten tired of seeing Sh'gall be an embarrassing, weak coward. Have you?
“Shards!” Jallora cried. “He’s fainted!”
Kadith, in the outer chamber of the weyr, bellowed, and Moreta jumped up from the chair to reassure the startled dragon as the journeywoman healer examined her reluctant donor.
What has happened? Orlith asked in concern from her weyr.
“Sh’gall had a bad reaction,” Moreta replied, knowing perfectly well that Leri would be instantly informed by Holth and know what had really happened. “Calm Kadith down!”
“It’s generally the big strong ones who faint,” Jallora was saying as Moreta resumed her place. “He’s in no danger. Badly as we need the blood for serum, I wouldn’t risk him.”
“I didn’t think for a moment that you would, Jallora,” Moreta replied with a slight laugh.
Of course, plenty of people don't react well to blood or needles. It doesn't make them a coward or weak, but it's clear how we're supposed to read this.
And just in case we forgot we're supposed to dislike Sh'gall:
The journeywoman had interrupted an interview between Moreta and Sh’gall in which he had been determined to find fault with every provision made in the Weyr since the onset of his illness. He utterly discounted the fact that Moreta had not made any of the decisions or that she herself had only just recovered.
Yes, we get it. He's awful.
Anyway, we're told that once the riders are vaccinated, the rest of the serum will be on its way to Ruatha. (And just in case we forgot that Sh'gall's the worst, Jallora finishes taking the blood and notes that he could donate more and never miss it.)
Jallora also takes a moment to praise some of Moreta's healing work, which is nice. She makes a point also of saying how it never occurred to her that dragons might suffer from Thread. And that's an interesting thought. I remember in Dragonquest, there was a very rare moment when we got to sympathize with an Oldtimer complaint: when D'ram was upset that the lords were having a good time when R'mart had been suffering. Maybe if the Weyrs were more open, and the Lords had a better idea of the toll fighting Thread takes on them, there could be more opportunity for mutual understanding and support.
Anyway, Jallora and Moreta are getting along fine, which of course means it's time for Sh'gall to come to and whine about having his blood extracted. Because of course. And hey, more added douche-itude:
“Why didn’t Capiam attend us instead of that—woman?”
Moreta of course points out that Capiam is barely recovering himself and has to worry about the whole damn continent. And she's right of course. Sh'gall is awful.
But honestly, this really gets into McCaffrey's weak points as a writer. At least in this series. She's an excellent craftsman. There are very few wasted scenes, she gets across so much in a very efficient way. Her pacing is generally great.
Her character work is hit or miss. On one hand, we've got amazingly complex characters like F'lar and Lessa. We have generally likeable leads like Moreta, Alessan, Piemur and Menolly (...sometimes). And then we have waste of space leads like F'nor, Brekke (sadly) and Jaxom.
But she honestly seems to be incapable of writing any adversary or villain character as anything but a cartoon. They're never allowed to have any kind of positive trait, talent or skill. (There may be lip service to the idea of Kylara being a good Weyrwoman or Sh'gall being good during Threadfall, but we'll never actually see it.) They're never allowed to have any kind of legitimate grievance. There's never any attempt to humanize them. They're never even allowed to feel any kind of positive emotion to lovers or family. Meron doesn't give a shit that Kylara's basically lobotomized. Tolocamp doesn't give a shit that his wife and daughters died in the plague. Yanus and Mavi were HAPPY that their daughter may have died in Thread. T'ron and Mardra suddenly hate each other and everyone else.
It's tiresome. And it's a waste. Because the stories would be BETTER with more nuanced villains. If Kylara was competent, if Pona was actually a legitimate rival, then there'd be an actual challenge for Brekke and Menolly. If R'gul had any kind of background knowledge that F'lar lacked, or if T'ron had a legitimate concern that F'lar and Lessa had to balance with everything else.
She CAN do complicated adversaries though. Toric is great, and by far one of the only saving graces of White Dragon. Groghe's got facets where he's allowed to be both annoyance and support. Larad actually DID have a legitimate grievance in Dragonflight. And it's BETTER. That's why it's so frustrating that she resorts to laziness.
If you write the story well, I will still side with the heroes, even if the villains aren't cartoon characters. I promise.
Anyway, Sh'gall keeps bitching. First, that Leri ignored his preference for substitute leader (Moreta, of course, points out that Leri was Weyrwoman since before either of them Impressed), that a wing second is taking two wings to Tillek (Moreta, of course, points out that almost all of the Weyrs are being led by wing seconds, because people are sick), he is anxious about being ready to resume his duties by this evening (Moreta tells him she's been through it too, and he'll be fine), and he whines about the lack of ground crews, (Moreta reminds him that the holders are feeling the impact of the virus worse than the Weyrs are).
See what I mean? This is tedious. I get it. Moreta is unhappy and far too sensible and smart to be stuck with a guy like Sh'gall. I. Get. It.
And of course, he decides to sulk and tell her that he needs nothing from her, and "jerked the sleeping furs around his ears" like a fucking child.
Moreta was quite willing to leave him to surly convalescence. She sincerely hoped that he would want to lead his Weyr in three days more than he wanted to indulge his fancied grievances. Leading the consolidated Weyrs was a mighty temptation for a man with Sh’gall’s love of power. She tried to consider him more charitably: He was shocked by the devastation caused by the pandemic and seeking refuge from the staggering losses by dwelling on the petty details he could cope with and understand. Like who rose to Fall from where, and how.
It'd be nice if we actually got to see this ambition and supposed talent. In Dragonflight, when F'lar was the legitimate worst, one of his few saving graces was that he was constantly planning and working to end Thread. We got to see his ambition and intelligence in action, rather than just being told about it. But then we weren't supposed to hate F'lar.
Leri, being one of the people we like, of course hates Sh'gall and crows in "malicious jubilation" about him fainting. She banters with Moreta and also shows gentle sympathy when Moreta's thoughts turn to her family's empty hold.
K'lon's arrival is happier. He brings news of medical supplies. But there's something that both ladies notice: his hair is sun-bleached. SOMEHOW, K'lon has found time to sun with A'murray and...oh you have GOT to be fucking kidding me.
“You mean”—Moreta had at last reached Leri’s conclusion—“you’ve taken time to be with A’murry!”
“When I think of how hard I’ve worked—” Rogeth bugled outside the weyr.
“No one is faulting you, K’lon,” Leri said quickly. Holth crooned reassurance, her eyes whirling bluely. “But, my dear boy, you’ve been taking a dreadful risking timing it. You could meet yourself coming and going—”
Fucking NO.
Absolutely not.
You do not get to shove a revelation that these dragons also time travel HALF WAY INTO THE GODDAMN BOOK.
This was Lessa's discovery! It specifically happened because of the intersection of Lessa's power and Lessa's trauma. And fine, I suppose it's not unreasonable to think others in the past made the same discovery, but what is the point of that in this story?!
There were plenty of instances that "timing it" would have made sense in the narrative so far and no one did it. (Capiam flying, for example.) Why is there even a rush for the vaccine then, when they could just TIME the stuff backward?
Hell, for that matter, why is the small population of the Weyrs during Threadfall a big deal when we know that the recovering dragonriders could just time it back to help during previous Threadfalls?
And don't get me started on the end of the book. If timing it is a thing, then there is no reason that certain characters wouldn't have been able to TAKE A FUCKING NAP at some point and then resume their tasks. The idea that these particular characters know how to time travel basically ruins the whole fucking ending.
The women scold K'lon. We're told that "timing it" is information generally restricted to bronze and queen dragons. K'lon discovered it by accident, in a way that is way too fucking easy:
“The information is restricted to bronze and queen dragons, K’lon. I presume you discovered it by chance.”
“Yes, rather.” K’lon’s expression mirrored the surprise he must have had. “I was late. I knew A’murry would be worried. I thought of him, waiting for me, anxious, when I didn’t appear on time, and the next thing I knew, I had!”
...come on. If it were that easy to fucking time travel, then anyone who overslept should discover this fucking skill.
Lessa discovered it because she was TRAUMATIZED and her trauma caused her to envision Ruatha on the day of the invasion. She didn't just go "Oh no, I'm running late! Teehee!"
And I'm also irked at the idea that this is some trade secret among bronze and queen dragons on general principle.
Anyway, K'lon's actually been managing himself well. He reports to Capiam, gets his schedule. Goes to Igen in the afternoon, and everywhere else in mornings and evenings. And well, honestly, it seems pretty valid to me. At least compared to Jaxom, who seemed inclined to time it just to avoid mild inconveniences. K'lon is doing incredibly valuable work and has figured out a way to take a little time for his own health and well-being without stinting anyone else.
Leri basically tells him that instead of flying Threadfall, he'll spend this afternoon and ONLY this afternoon with his friend. From now on, he'll keep to the normal schedule. Oh, and hey, foreshadowing:
“Only one mistake, K’lon,” Leri pointed her forefinger, oddly twisted now by the joint disease, Shaking it at him in dire emphasis, “and you’re too tired timing it to realize the risks you’ve been taking. Only one mistake, and you will deprive A’murry of yourself forever. Not just for an afternoon.”
I suppose I see where McCaffrey is going with this, but honestly, I don't think the time travel part is necessary. Just going between at all is risky.
Anyway, K'lon protests that they need him for the Fall, since there are so few dragonriders, but Leri puts her foot down. He WILL get his rest. And she admits that they need him. It's actually pretty sweet. And K'lon seems like the sort of character who'd see not being at the Fall as a punishment, without the need for harsher consequences.
After the poor boy leaves, Leri and Moreta are more amused than anything else. They admit that he's been very clever and resent his youthful energy. And we can tell Leri is the voice of experience when Moreta asks if Holth can really keep an eye on K'lon as threatened, and Leri answers that it doesn't matter so long as K'lon thinks she can.
We spare a moment for more scorn directed toward Sh'gall, from Orlith this time (which makes Moreta happy, as it sounds like she thinks the end result will be different during Orlith's next mating flight), and then jump ahead to disaster.
It's Threadfall. The Weyrwoman Falga, and her dragon Tamianth, are wounded. This leads to Leri switching places with Moreta. I have no idea why. Leri isn't injured and Moreta is the healer of the two of them. But Moreta ends up going into battle on Holth's back. (Orlith being too pregnant to fly.)
That actually is pretty cool. There was some talk in the earlier books about people riding other people's dragons. And Brekke did get to ride Ruth as I recall. But this is a little different. But the queens are fine with it, and off they go.
Interestingly, Holth is willing to speak telepathically with Moreta. Moreta does not have the "Hears All Dragons" talent, if you recall, but Holth, like Mnementh, doesn't give a shit.
There's an interesting bit where Moreta compares her experience with both queen dragons:
In place of her usual between litany, Moreta tried to analyze the difference between the two queen dragons. Holth’s mind-voice was old and tired, but it was firm, rich, and deep, many layers denser than Orlith’s. Perhaps, when Orlith had reached the fine age Holth enjoyed, she, too, would have the depth of Holth’s responsiveness.
OH. OKAY. I get it now.
For some reason, I'd thought Falga and Tamianth were returning to the Weyr. But they didn't. That's why Moreta had to fly Holth out. She was flying to them. Okay, I rescind my complaint, Ms. McCaffrey.
So Moreta gets to spend a few pages being an awesome healer, and then they head back to Fort Hold. Just in time, because Orlith needs to go to the Hatching Ground.
The chapter ends here.
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Date: 2022-04-15 03:55 pm (UTC)= Multi-Facets.
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Date: 2022-04-15 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-04-16 03:31 pm (UTC)= Multi-Facets.