One Hundred Thousand (and 688)

Words, that is.  NewBook hit 100,000 words yesterday morning at about 1:15 am (I was so close I couldn’t just quit and go to be, in the 98-99 thousands, could I?  No.

Celebratory snippets:  1)  Camwyn’s first meeting with Aesil M’dierra

For the next two turns of the glass, he was by turns surprised, alarmed, investigated, and finally approved by the most remarkable woman he’d met since he woke in Dragon’s cave.  He’d thought Paksenarrion amazing and yet comfortable to be with, but M’dierra–older and more experienced–challenged all his notions about Valdaire, mercenaries and their commanders, and left him feeling gawky and awkward as he had not for several years.

2) Fox Company on the way from Valdaire to Foss Council after a very interesting (for Arcolin and for Aris Marrakai, one of his squires) time in Valdaire.

The Marrakai stallion tossed its head and Arcolin caught sight of its eye again.  Well.  A Dragon-oathbound squire and a Dragon-touched stallion…he hoped it would not be too exciting this campaign year.

3) Gwenno Marrakai (formerly Dorrin Verrakai’s squire, then a student at the Bells, and now a full knight who is very unhappy as a Royal Guard junior officer)  contemplates early retirement

A corporal came into the office with a basket of tally sticks and a stack of scrawled-over pages.  “Captain says can you get these untangled this afternoon, and then there’s that meeting at the grange and he says you can be his representative, something else has come up.”

A meeting at the grange.  She knew about it; she had put it on his calendar and he had grimaced.  Full dress uniform, and a speech thanking the Marshal and yeomen for their help in hauling a damaged wagon off the road.  And then, she was sure, endless nodding and shaking of hands and listening to every woman in the grange and village ask her about her family’s marriage plans for her.  Again, since they already had.

 

Forgot to add: the parallel post at http://www.paksworld.com/blog/ has *different* snippets.   Seemed only fair, for those who read across the blogs.

18 thoughts on “One Hundred Thousand (and 688)

  1. Our house is being remodeled and all my books are in storage (all the Moon books). When I go to the library, which of the last books would best plug me into the storyline evolving now. “Question for the class. “ Thanks.

    1. There are important relationships and characters in the Paladin’s Legacy group, and the things that would enrich your reading of NewBook (and maybe its snippets) are scattered through. From Oath of Fealty, you’re introduced to Aesil M’dierra as seen from Arcolin’s POV, and Arcolin as she sees him . The friendship between Prince Camwyn and Aris Marrakai develops through at least the last three books (Echoes, Limits, and Crown) with the development also of Camwyn’s mage ability. In Crown, you find out what happened to destroy Camwyn’s memory (as, in C-1 of NewBook he has no memory of his past beyond waking in Dragon’s cave, and things subsequent to that. Crown of Renewal will give you the most recent (before NewBook) status of the characters, but there’s 5 to 6 years between the end of Crown and the beginning of this one.

      Because Camwyn and Aris are major POV characters in the new one, I guess Crown would be the book to start with, but you’d want to refresh your memory of the others in that Paladin’s Legacy because all the major players (who haven’t died) are there, some retiring and some moving into the prime of their lives.

      Beclan is now Duke Verrakai. “Mad” Duke Elorran has died, without an heir willing to take on the task, and that holding has been divided. Rothlin Mahieran is about to become Duke Mahieran, and Juris Marrakai will succeed the Duke Marrakai who was Kieri Phelan’s (and later Arcolin’s) friend. At the start of the book, King Mikeli is married and awaiting his first child, who is born in the book. Halveric Company is in Aarenis, commanded by “old” Aliam’s grandson Aliam. They have only two cohorts in Aarenis at this time, but Aarenis has been uncharacteristically at peace since the death (in Crown) of the last Duke of Immer. This won’t, of course, last forever. The euphoria brought on by the Great Rains after Dorrin returned the water jewels to Old Aare in Crown is now relaxing into more ordinary human (and nonhuman) cussedness.

    2. And how is Farin Cook? She is one of my favourite minor characters. I hope she’s making sure everybody minds their manners in her kitchens, and that she and Natzlin are still very happy together. I’m sorry Duke Marrakai will have died – I liked him. I’m glad Aris is with Arcolin; if anybody can help him come to terms with his father’s death, he can. Longing for the new book to be finished and published! Oh, and I do hope we are shown Dorrin and Paks – Paladin of Falk, Paladin of Gird – either together or separately!

      1. Farin was very sulky when Beclan took over, but Dorrin had coached him and told him she was a treasure. And now he believes it. Farin is one of my favorite characters, too. Now that she’s in a non-abusive household, she’s opened up more (including to Beclan by the time he marries) and makes sure the entire staff is healthy and happy (and behaving like it.) She is a nurturer by nature, not just feeding people meals, but feeding them warmth, encouragement, etc. Natzlin finally feels safe and is very happy with her, and Farin is proud and protective of Natzlin. Natz was not really cut out to be a long-term soldier, but as a guard for the helpless she’s superb.

        This book is located mostly in Aarenis, for reasons that become obvious pretty quickly. The parts in Tsaia are confined to specific locations, also for good reasons. People talk about those in Lyonya, Pargun, etc. but neither those people nor their place gets time on stage in this book. (Hint–it’s not going to be all in one volume.) As for Paks and Dorrin…paladins show up when they’re called…by their gods, not by the writer. Paks, once I told her story, turned extremely independent and I can’t haul her in like a fish on a line when I want. Alas. Wish I could. Likewise with Dorrin–I have no idea where she is right now. If the book requires them, they will show up and I will be gleefully typing as fast as I can. If not…well.

        If I were allowed to design and inhabit my own fantasy of the afterlife…it would definitely have Paks and Dorrin (and Farin Cook and many others) in it, and beautiful countryside, and wonderful brooks and rivers and shores and lakes large and small, and horses that came and bumped my pockets with their noses, and a certain collie dog I had once, and so on. Also hot chocolate with spices in it.

  2. Thank you so much. I’ve got all of the Serrano books on Nook but didn’t need the Pax there because they were all on the shelf next to the bed with the Bujold paperbacks. Thanks again. Might be time for my daughter to update my nook.

  3. Just finished my latest re-read of the series. I see things which didn’t really sink in before … deteriorating memory is a pain. But it means rereading is worthwhile for far more that the simple pleasures of being reunited with “old friends.” New understanding of motivations, consequences, mysteries solves, characters maturing, and the delight of celebrating milestones with them.

    Snippets are certainly whetting my appetite for another book … and then another? You are a phenomena for the breadth of your imagination, the evidence of caring for your creations as individuals, human or not, and the deep underlying morality of the tales you weave.

    Blessed be!

    1. Linda, thank you! I re-read a lot of other writers’ books–if they grab me hard enough–and also find that I find more in each re-reading just as you say. Do you find books talking “across” to each other? For instance, if I read a Jane Austen and a Surtees overlapping (which I do to get this effect) it’s like experiencing English social life as reported from inside the house and outside the house in the country *at the same time*. It adds another dimension–almost like the days when our TV was working right and I could watch US news, UK (BBC) news, English-language news from Germany and from Japan, and suddenly the world felt *really* round and filled out. But in fiction it lasts longer than a brief news program and goes deeper.

  4. Very nice – I am currently listening to the entire Paks canon – she has just been freed from her captivity wearing the black armor and they are in the process of discovering Luap’s sanctuary. 100 K words. Stay safe and stay sane and enjoy the horses.

  5. I’ve just listened to the Legacy series for the first time. (had read the books more than once before, but recently got the audiobooks and really like them!) Farin is one of my favorite also – and really hope we see Dorin again down the road. So happy you’re able to write them again!!

  6. OMG!!! There is a new Paksworld book coming!

    last I had heard you were working on a new Vatta book, and I am looking forward to that. But I Love Love Love the Paks world stories so very much. I am so excited that I will be able to take a new trip there.

    Woohooo!

  7. I’m delighted to read of your progress, that the book “has impulsion” rather than needing to be coaxed or forced into shape. I look forward to reading it, and enjoyed the snippets. I may have to go back to the series to get a full appreciation for who’s who and what’s what. I *did* Have To go over to Paksworld to read the snippets there, then catchup on the posts I’d missed.

    All the best to you, R_____, M_____, Tigger, and Rags!

  8. This sounds so much fun. I am so glad you are enjoying the process (and selfishly looking forward to more Paksworld stuff). I see a re-reading in my nearish future to reaquaint myself with many of the characters (and because they are just plain fun to read).

  9. Thanks for the comments, and sorry my thumb is bad enough tonight I can’t answer them individually. As the next post points out this book has the bit in its teeth and is charging ahead. Which is very good except for the thumbs (esp. the right one) because of the space bar.
    Thank you all!

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