This week is the fourth week of the readalong of Shadow of the Sun being hosted by Dab of Darkness.  If you haven’t already joined in then there’s still time to do so however you might not want to read any further as spoilers will be rife!

1) Ellion and Letitia finally have not 1, not 2, not 3, but four trysts in this section of the book. What insights into the characters did you gain from these assignations?

Well, in one sense it was inevitable and you could see it coming but then in another sense I really hoped I was going to be wrong – not that I’ve got something against people getting jiggy.  But, I’m going to be a total party pooper now and say that I don’t respect either of them at the moment.  They’re in the middle of life and death situations and they both just keep striding off by themselves – like Letitia jumping to shore and flouncing off – which was clearly a ‘chase me’ to Ellion – and worked very well.  And, well what of Iminor.  I don’t know it just doesn’t seem the right way to treat somebody.  If you don’t want to be with somebody then call it quits already, don’t go making poodle eyes at some other guy and then go playing patty cakes in the most flagrant fashion ever.  And what’s up with Iminor anyway – I don’t have much respect for him now either.  Why doesn’t he just tell Letitita to do one – she’s turning him into a muppet – basically how would she feel if he was behaving like this?  Look, I get that the Tanaan are all about openness and enjoying their sexuality but it still seems to me that this is massively taking the piss and it leaves a bit of a bad feeling for me with both of them (although in fairness to Ellion he isn’t otherwise engaged).  Plus, what is with Ellion boasting, inside his own head, about all his conquests and duels, again, it just didn’t show him in a good light. Alright, it’s obvious that they have feelings for each other and it also felt inevitable that they would get together – I just don’t like the way they’re going about it.

2) Letitia’s retinue has diminished even further. How did this affect you as the reader and how do you think it will affect the dynamics of the remaining Tanaan? 

It affected me in the way that I started to wonder why it is her that her life is more important than theirs.  I’m sorry but she comes across as a little spoilt and petulant and her actions seem to constantly put people in danger – and why on earth experienced warriors who know that she is talking nonsense then follow her orders I haven’t the foggiest.  It’s about time that somebody just told her to shut the hell up when it comes to strategy because she knows even less than I do and her foolish behaviour has led to the deaths of some really good characters that I was enjoying reading about.  Frankly, I think I would sooner they still lived and she didn’t (okay, that’s a bit harsh but I’m a bit annoyed with her at the moment)!  At least I would prefer it if somebody just gagged her and stuck her over the back of a horse and took the path that was right instead of letting a rather foolish and silly young girl lead them all into danger.  Now, everybody is probably going to beat me to a pulp now for suggesting such a thing but really, just because she’s the Mora doesn’t mean she knows what path is the safest does it.  And, if Ellion was protecting somebody else whose knickers he wasn’t trying to get into would he act differently?

3) We’ve learned a bit more about the missing Carina in this section. What do you think is in her grimoire that has Letitia so secretive?

I enjoyed reading the flashback.  I think Carina’s gotten up to something that Letitia doesn’t want anyone to find out about.  That’s why she’s so protective.  I think she was having a secret tryst with the baddie/who can change into a dragon.  He sort of sounded a bit interesting there didn’t he and there seemed to be a mixture of feelings that came across??  Perhaps she was also drawn a little to the dark side?  she certainly seemed to feel an attraction and definitely wasn’t repulsed by him.

4) We’ve heard plenty about how much Ellion’s vow not to draw power means to him. But then we also see him finding several ways to feel, tough, smell, and use someone else’s power. What do you make of this and where do you think it will take Ellion?

I just feel that this is another of those areas that you can almost see as inevitable.  He’s going to protest about using magic and his vow all the way through the book while people die needlessly and then at the end come to his senses.  Perhaps I will be wrong with this though and Letitia will become more powerful magically and he won’t have to lift a finger or break his vow.  At the moment it feels like he’s breaking his vow by stealth though.  Little by little.

5) Nechton also played a larger role in this section. Which aspect has caught your attentions so far? 

Perhaps it’s the old thing of being drawn to power but he certainly comes across as, mmm, worth reading more about’.  Okay, he’s a baddie, but sometimes they’re just more interesting!  And, don’t pretend that you don’t all think the same thing!  (Unless, of course, he turns out to be a real arse in which case I reserve the right to change my mind – after all, we’ve only had a glimpse up to this point).

6) The mummers were in and out of this section, turning up in city and on the river. What did you make of their antics?

I don’t understand why they seem to keep cropping up wherever our party are and why they’re so interested in them. They are just plain weird aren’t they.  My mum lives out in the sticks a bit and there was a tradition in that neighbourhood of mummers coming and knocking on your door, they would come into your house when you opened the door and sort of dance around a little bit just touching objects and humming -very unusual and quite frankly a bit creepy. I think that would scare the bejesus out of me if it happened.  Not to mention my dogs would be most unhappy – somebody would be getting bitten!

7) So far throughout the book we have gotten maps as we read. How is this working for you as the reader?

Not so well on the kindle to be honest.  Probably because I’m a bit more stupid than most people so I’m not really adept at flipping through the chapters to look back and forward.  This is definitely one of the upsides of paperbacks.

It might be something that I try and take a look at more when I’ve finished but it just feels too tricky at the moment and I’ll end up losing my place.

This week is the third week of the Shadow of the Sun readalong being hosted by Dab of Darkness.  Check out the details here – there’s all sorts going on including a giveaway and free download of the book for the duration of the readalong.

If you haven’t joined in yet but still want to do so it’s not too late but if you are considering reading then read no further for there will be spoilers.

Up to this section, we believed the Basghilae could not cross water, but we learn to the detriment of our heroes that this is not so. What further hidden abilities do you think might crop up from these walking dead?

Well, lets give the wish list of haves and have nots.  I’m hoping that they don’t have a stash of rocket launchers!  I’m hoping that they don’t know magic!!  I’m hoping that they haven’t learn’t to teleport and I’m hoping that they haven’t learnt to mimic Ellion, Letitia or any of the others!!!

Probably not very useful (to them) but I’m hoping that they can make a mean apple pie, I’m hoping that they can talk fluent French and I’m also hoping that they’re all fully fledged members of their local library!  I’m guessing I’m not going to get lucky with the wish lists.  And for the avoidance of doubt this means I don’t really know – perhaps they can fly – that would be very bad – although, no, we’d already know because they wouldn’t have saved that beauty.

As the party enters the human lands, they come up with a cover story and request that Letitia remove her torc. She refuses. Do you think her decision was the correct one?

No.  Between Ellion refusing to use magic for everyone’s benefit and Letitia not taking simple precautions they’re really driving me bonkers.  Who needs enemies with these two around – they’re basically their own worst enemy all rolled up into one!  However, it does reinforce our theories that there’s something more to the Torc than meets the eye.

At one point Ellion lingers over the warding process, specifically warding Letitia, and how a person must be completely nude for wards to be put in place. I’m going to leave this one wide open for comment ;). 

I think it’s a good job that he didn’t get to ward Letitia because his mind wouldn’t be on the job.  I don’t think she’d be very protected at all.

Ellion makes a tough decision to leave the Tanaan and while he watches them leave he has a huge epiphany about his inner motives. How do you think this will affect his actions and motivations the rest of the book? 

Maybe he’ll start thinking things through a bit better.  I know, I probably sound harsh on him there but some of his decisions just infuriate me.  He refuses to use magic even though it would be VERY helpful.  Then he blames himself every time someone dies – why, these are warriors, they know what they’re facing and it’s their decision.  I don’t like Ellion taking on responsibility for them in this way – I don’t know why it just feels like it someone belittles their own actions and decisions.  Honestly, I don’t dislike Ellion but it’s pointless feeling guilt, particularly when you’re not prepared to do your utmost to help protect in the first place.  Sorry, is that really harsh??

We saw the Tanaan and Ellion in some interesting situations of a more personal nature in these chapters, from the Night Butterflies to cutting in at a dance. What did you make of these instances, what further cultural differences along these lines do you foresee happening, and have you ever been a part of such a situation? 

I thought the differences in culture that came across were really interesting to read about.  All the little talks about Night Butterflies or how to cut in on a dance.  What on earth was Ellion thinking giving Letitia one of the Night Butterflies scarves.  Surely we just read that those scarves are worn by all such women and are almost a means of recognising them – and there he goes and gives one to her!  What is he trying to say exactly ;D  Whether I’m in a different cultural situation or not one thing you can usually guarantee from me is to put my foot in it sooner or later (especially after I’m in my cups!)(I love that phrase by the way).

Once again, we were treated to some fight scenes. What stood out for you about these scenes?

I liked the way that Ellion and Amien managed to overcome their differences when it was needed.  They fell right back into their old fighting routines working as a team.  ‘Kachow! ‘ ‘Pow’.

This week is the start of the Shadow of Sun Read along being hosted by Dab of Darkness.  The schedule is here, a giveaway here and more about the book here.  For the first week we’ve read Chapters 1-7 and as this is my first read I’m still finding my feet with the whys and wherefores so I’m not going to blabber on here but get straight to the Q&A.  If you haven’t read The Shadow of the Sun then it’s definitely not too late to start, in fact, now is the perfect time to enjoy it with others.   Beware of spoilers from here on in.

Straight off, our hero Ellion Tellan insults one of his few friends, Coran Mourne, the new righ of Ilesia, by refusing his offer to become his War-Lord. What do you think of Ellion’s choice? I think he made a good decision – the clue is in the title – War Lord – sounds like danger money is going to be involved, lots of it!  Only kidding – he’s trying to keep a low profile after all isn’t he.  Also, don’t go making rash offers if you don’t want to be turned down.  Otherwise that’s not called an offer – it’s called an instruction.

Throughout these first few chapters, we have hints of Ellion’s past, which are wrapped up in his desperate attempts to avoid the summons of the Aballo Order for the Grand Moot. Any guesses about what is driving him to avoid the Moot?  Okay, well, reading so far it seems to me that Ellion has done something BAD (that’s right all with shoutie caps lock on).  I’m guessing that he’s killed someone, accidentally maybe, but come on, that’s not much comfort to the one who’s dead!  Or he thinks he’s killed somebody and has ran for the hills in shame (but maybe it wasn’t as bad as he thought).  Anyway, he certainly believes he’s done something bad and as he’s not using magic I have to imagine it involved magic gone wrong – perhaps he became too arrogant and went too far.

In many ways, Letitia is the most approachable of the Tana. Yet, still Ellion feels like he is swimming through foreign territory, never certain of where the taboo sink holes are. As a reader, how is this working for you? 

Well, it would be quite easy to assume that the Tana are just a bit rude but at the end of the day, so far, Ellion has brought an assassin down on them, and if they were at all suspicious they could probably be forgiven for thinking he’s the one attracting all the trouble especially as it all seems to have started as he appeared.  Or, conversely, maybe the Tana are all a bit standoffish (including Letitia who is only being nice to Ellion because she has a big crush on him and thinks no one has noticed).  I think they’re behaving the way you would expect – a bit wary, closing ranks and keeping their secrets and of course they think they’re the superior race.

Two assassination attempts in 7 chapters, in the same house. First, what do you make of Tanaan security? Second, it’s early, but what are some of your guesses as to who or why someone wants Ellion dead? 

Well, Tanaan security is about as much use as a chocolate toothbrush – great if you want to end up being assassinated or have rotten teeth!  Maybe they’re a very civilised race of people who don’t much resort to violence – and maybe that’s why they’ve adapted their telepathy.  At first I wondered if the Assassin was in the wrong room – wasn’t Ellion up a level from everyone else – so I wondered if it was by accident – however, maybe he was put on a different level on purpose.  Also, how would the assassin know exactly where to find him.  This makes me think that it’s one of the Tanaan – but they don’t seem to have a purpose.  The only other thing that I can think of is that somebody wants to make sure for certain that he doesn’t turn up at the moot.  Okay, clearly I don’t have a clue.

The Tana have telepathy. Ellion is left to guess whether or not Rishan and his daughter Letitia are broadcasting on purpose. What do you think? If our society had the same ability, do you think you would get caught up in a telepathic shouting match across a crowded room?

I don’t think that Rishan and his daughter have the first notion that Ellion can hear them.  In fact I think they will be mortified with embarrassment if they find out – I’m thinking Letitia might find out at a very inopportune moment!  I think it would be brilliant and yet terrible if we could communicate with telepathy!  No where to hide – it’s a bit like the idea of having phones with screens – imagine?  No more pulling your face when somebody you don’t want to talk to calls.  Telepathy would be like that.  If your friend has her hair cut and looks hideous – no hiding behind a little white lie!!

The Tana have a different reproductive cycle than us humans. How do you see this affecting Tanaan-human relationships?

I suppose living so long it’s just as well that they can’t reproduce more often – the planet would be overrun.  I can’t help thinking that this frees them up to do whatever they want for a good proportion of the time (with no worries about possible buns in overs!)  However, not sure how this would work between Tanaan-human affairs – after all humans don’t live quite as long.

Letitia and her retinue are attacked twice by Basghilae – the walking dead – once near the river on her way home and second at home as she is readying to depart. Are you convinced that they are the work of Banbagor due to some nebulous, unknown grievance?

I don’t think the Basghilae are the work of Banbagor.  I mean, if you have a grievance it doesn’t really seem like a good idea to set the walking dead on a whole bunch of people and kill them – there’s not much room for discussion after that is there.  Even if Letitia goes to Banbagor now she’s going to have the hump before any attempt at a parley even begins.  I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as that.  And I’m curious where the idea that it was Banbagor came from in the first place – I think somebody is spinning a fib.

Anyway, that’s the first week – don’t forget you’re not too late to join in!  You know you want to.