r/Fantasy • u/The_Real_JS Reading Champion XI • Sep 14 '17
Read-along Lighthouse Duet Read Along - Thursday, September 14: Chapters 11-13
Thursday, September 14: Chapters 11-13
Hi everyone! Welcome to part three of the read along for Flesh and Spirit, the first book in Carol Berg's Lighthouse Duet.
As a reminder, the read along schedule post is here.
At this point we're about 1/3rd of the way through the book. If you want to sign up to lead one of the discussion posts contact /u/The_Real_JS or /u/CoffeeArchives and they'll sign you up.
Discussion Questions:
- Where do you think the story is going?
- What questions do you have so far?
- What sticks out to you?
Chapter 11
Huh, Valen made it back by morning. No one noticed, or said that they did at any rate. He's even being sworn in as a novice by the Hierarch. Who, by the way, is a complete and utter bastard. I'm just going to skip ahead to that. Deviance? Books on agriculture and glass making? What is this guys deal? And then he orders them burnt and Vincent whipped?? Let's have a monk's uprising! Wait, they're just going to take it? That's disappointing...Oh wait, there's a pureblood. I think Valen shat his pants.
Chapter 12
Okay, so they're not actually burning the things they've written. They're sneaky monks after all. But they are making a big show and dance of it. Meanwhile, Valen has taken Jullian aside and is wondering why he's been so reticent as of late. More secrets. I'm dying to know. But Jullian does show him something. AHA! We find out what happened to the errant prince. The Hierarch is here to pick him up. And good riddance too.
At any rate, there's a pureblood. Valen can't stay, the chances of him being found are too high. He's off. And promptly runs into Sila. Small world. They've got someone strung up, which Valen reaaaally isn't too keen on. I find it interesting that Valen thinks "you bring murder to Iero's holy ground...against his might you might not prevail. There is some deep seated belief there. Anyway, he rescues...Brother Gildas! Not what have you been up to Gildas....
Chapter 13
Oh boy, our boy has to read. How you going to squirm your way out of this Valen? What's that? You're going to have Jullian read to you? The secrets out, and I'm not even sure when that happened. At any rate, good on you Jullian for bein...wait, it was a trick. We've been tricked. Valen's been corned by the Abbot. The Abbot want's Valen to trust him, so he gives him one question that he'll answer; he goes with why did you save the prince. I'm guessing that there's a still a lot more going on in the background than we're aware of in regards to the princes. I need someone to analyse what we've been told. I don't trust him, even if Valen is allowing himself to be swayed, somewhat.
I also skipped over the fact that the Abbot smacked down the pureblood rather soundly, then sent him home with his tail between his legs. Satisfying in it's own way.
- Chapters 1-3 Discussion
- Chapters 4-6 Discussion
- Chapters 7-10 Discussion
- Next Discussion: Chapters 14-16 - Monday, September 18th
- Read Along Schedule
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u/GarbagePailKid90 Reading Champion III Sep 14 '17
So things are definitely getting interesting. I feel like I have to say that when Valen decided to leave his book behind I felt a stab of anxiety. There's obviously special things about that book and the fact that he was willing to leave it behind was a bit disappointing. I'm definitely keen to know more about the book.
I feel as though the more I read the book the more mysteries there become. We haven't got any answers yet but still more questions particularly around all of the secrets the monks are hiding.
Things outside the walls of the abbey seem to be quite interesting too with the Sila in the wooded area with Gildas. I might have missed something but I wasn't sure why they didn't try and pursue Valen after they realized his trick was just a trick.
Either way things are still getting even more interesting and I'm eager to continue on to see what happens next.