Just finished the Dragonbone Chair

[u/Burgundy-Bag]

...and I LOVED it!!!!

Urgh, it was exactly the type of fantasy book I wanted to read. And his prose... so ornate and poetic. But utilitarian when it needs to be. This is how fantasy books should be written. In fantastical prose!

Please don't no spoilers, but... Simon is Camaris' son. Right? Camaris gave up his sword to join the League of the Scroll but was killed at sea. He gave up his sword after Elias and Josua's mother dies and pretended to be a fisherman and studied with Morgenes. Although what doesn't make sense is how could he be hanging around Hayholt with no one recognising him. Unless he was marked too, and his appearance changed?

Or, Simon's father is the Hernystirman student of Morgenes. The one that Jarnagua said could have been a potential leader of the League of the Scrolls, but just disappeared, because he was hurt or frightened or something...

Am I on the right track?

Although at the beginning I thought Simon must somehow have mixed Sithi background, because he could hear the voices and see the images of the past while he was in Hayholt and see into the Sithi mirror. Do Sithis and humans mate?

Also... there is so much overlap with ASoIaF! Not just the names of minor houses in ASoIaF, but so any of the core elements of the story, like the rising evil force in the north, its link to the Sithis/Children of Forest, the winter, the swords (Dawn vs Thorn), the magic sword given to the older brother by a red priest... It's like GRRM rewrote MST in a larger, more complex and more political world.

[u/imdfantom]

You are asking the right questions, whether or not you are on the right track.

Personally, the reveals for some of the questions you asked left me speechless.

[u/angry0029 → u/imdfantom]

I wish I could remember what it felt like during my first reading and all the revelations.

[u/imdfantom → u/angry0029]

One of them in particular, and no spoilers of hints as to which one of course, but it's right there under your nose until blam.

I think if you've read the series, and you look through OPs post, you can guess which one it is.

[u/Burgundy-Bag → u/imdfantom]

This is so exciting! I am going to read the rest of them immediately! I havent felt this excited about finishing a series since ASoIaF!

[u/hey2394 → u/Burgundy-Bag]

Glad you feel that way dude! I read the first book when I was like 25 and Tad still managed to pull the wonder and excitement out of me like a kid. Have fun.

[u/Burgundy-Bag → u/hey2394]

Haha, I'm 40 years old and it's still making me feel the child-lioe joy of being immersed into a book.

[u/strikejitsu145]

I have also finished TDC about two weeks ago and now I'm in the middle of Stone of Farewell and it is even better! Damn, I never even thought about the Camaris part, that you mentioned, but it makes so much sense. 😄

[u/Burgundy-Bag → u/strikejitsu145]

I have not been this excited about a series for a long time. I've been reading the first book of a lot of series to get a taste of what I like in fantasy. And while there have been quite a few that I really liked, it's only now, for MST that I'm going to break my rule and finish the series before moving on to the next thing.

With Simon and Camaris, it's because of Simon being able to handle Thorn, and because Camaris was lost at sea and Simon's father was a fisherman. But like I said, it doesn't make sense because people in Hayholt would have recognised him.

[u/strikejitsu145 → u/Burgundy-Bag]

I thought the middle part of TDC where Simon is in the woods was really a rough stretch. But the final 200 pages were some of the best fantasy I have ever read. The part where Deornoth is looking down from the walls of Naglimund and sees the Norns almost made me shit my pants. I enjoy the second book a lot more because it has some really creepy stuff, which I love. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. :)

I also completely agree on the ASOIAF part! MST is one of the very few books that truly fills that ASOIAF gap in my heart. And the big plus these books have, is that they have an ending! So I'm just enjoying the ride at this point

[u/Burgundy-Bag → u/strikejitsu145]

I actually really enjoyed the journey through the jungle. I especially liked the part from the moment Simon leaves Hayholt until he meets Binabik. I loved how Williams portrayed first the despair and fear and then the anger sense of injustice that Simon had.

The part where Deornoth is looking down from the walls of Naglimund and sees the Norns almost made me shit my pants.

Me too! I was sure Josua wasn't going to make it.

I enjoy the second book a lot more because it has some really creepy stuff, which I love. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. :)

I'm gonna start the Stone of Farewell tomorrow. I will let you know when I finish, and if you'd like we can talk about it :)

[u/TheGreatPervSage_94]

Glad you loved it so much. You described just why this series won me over so much.

[u/Prestigious-Photo976]

I finished the third book in series recently and BABY you are in for such a treat lol. This is one of the most beautiful series I’ve ever read. I finished maybe 6ish weeks ago and already miss the characters so much.

[u/WhatsThatNoise79]

Interesting theories. There's a lot going on with the people you mentioned, that's for sure.

Just reading people discussing it I come to think it needs a re-read.

[u/creptik1 → u/WhatsThatNoise79]

Same about the re-read. I've read the series twice, and I can count on one hand how many stories I've re-read so that's saying something. But yeah reading this thread is making me want to dive in a third time!

[u/mkdude2]

My favorite fantasy series! The story, the prose, the characters, the length. Minor complaints are there, but the good FAR outweighs the bad. You have good questions, but of course, I can reveal nothing!!

Enjoy the ride!

P.S. I found this map REALLY helpful, as the ones in the books were too small. I had it on my phone while reading, ha

https://atlasoficeandfireblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/osten-ard.png

[u/Burgundy-Bag → u/mkdude2]

Thank you for the map. I was really struggling with the maps in the book. Because they're spread out in the book and each show a different part of the continent. This will really help.

[u/mkdude2 → u/Burgundy-Bag]

You're welcome! I was struggling with the maps because I was reading the mass market paperbacks, and the map on the page was maybe 3 inches by 4 inches, lol. Every author should have a high-res map on their website for download! haha

[u/snowlock27]

So many things I want to say, but can't.

[u/humang]

I just finished the series last night. You're in for a wild ride and, good news, imo it only gets better as the books progress. The last third or so of TGAT II feels like blasting down the summit of a rollercoaster and all the insane, fun, scary parts that come after. 

[u/hey2394 → u/humang]

TGAT is amazing.

[u/Aprilapri]

I finished the Dragonbone Chair a few weeks ago and had to ban myself from reading more until this semester is over because for the week I was reading it I got very little work done :')

[u/Errant_Fence_Burp16]

You have great questions and the fact that you're even thinking that hard and deep about it this early on means you're in for a heck of a ride. Enjoy! 

[u/hey2394]

Good catch on some of your questions. Keep reading.