Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This topic is open for Geist by Philippa Ballantine. Be prepared for SPOILERS.

Book Synopsis:
Between the living and the dead is the Order of the Deacons, protectors of the Empire, guardians against possession, sentinels enlisted to ward off the malevolent haunting of the geists...

Among the most powerful of the Order is Sorcha, now thrust into partnership with the novice Deacon, Merrick Chambers. They have been dispatched to the isolated village of Ulrich to aide the Priory with a surge of violent geist activity. With them is Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne that Sorcha is sworn to protect, and bearer of a terrible curse.

But what greets them in the strange settlement is something far more predatory and more horrifying than any mere haunting. And as she uncovers a tradition of twisted rituals passed down through the dark reaches of history, Sorcha will be forced to reconsider everything she thinks she knows.

And if she makes it out of Ulrich alive, what in Hell is she returning to?

Reserved

I've wanted to read this book for ages, but have never managed to fit it in. Maybe this will finally be the month?

I hope so. It's more fun to read with someone else. I've got a request in to my library for this one and hope it comes in soon.

I have to hold this one for a team challenge, because it is the only book on my shelves with a title starting with "G." lol

But hopefully it will get called soon!

I got my book today. Started reading the first two pages and there's a lot of new termonology thrown at us from the very beginning with little explanation. There are Deacons, Sensitives, Actives, Geist-sight, I'm assuming Geists... but there is no glossary. Yikes!

I have my copy as well. I hope to get to it this weekend or early next week.

I don't like it when authors dump a lot of new stuff on us right at the beginning. It's so hard to keep everything straight then.

I agree. The opening scene was very confusing. The magic system was hard to follow. Sorcha is using various runes when she's fighting, but I kept forgetting them and the magical terms. This book needs a glossary.

I confess, I read the first 2 pages twice. I've never done that before. I'll try to create a glossary as I go, but I'm 60 or so pages in and still not sure of everything.

Heya! :)
I coincidentally started reading this book a little while ago and I'm about halfway through right now.

If anyone's really confused - basically, Deacons are the guys who fight these creatures from the Otherworld, like Geists, and they're split into Sensitives and Actives. Sensitives are the ones who see what's going on and Actives are the ones who do the actual fighting. That's why they're always in bonded pairs - one Sensitive and one Active. :)
And they both have their own runes, but I don't think you need to learn what they all do. They're usually explained as they're used.
The main character Sorcha is a badass Active. :D
It isn't really much more complicated than that. As far as I've read, anyway.

Hope you're all enjoying the book. I quite like it so far.

Glossary of Terms which will grow and be defined as definitions are given. I'll list them as I come across and alphabetize them later.

Geist - Ghostly creatures from the Otherside referred to as the unliving with powers. They can possess humans and ?take/steal/eat? people's souls. There are several different kinds each named according to what they're capable of doing.
dukh -
rei -
ghast -
spokelse -
poltern -

Geist-sight - Supernatural sight which allows one to see a geist and what is happening.

Geist-possessed - individuals possessed by a geist.

Geistlord -

Deacons - Part of the Order. Once you complete your training, you're elevated from a status of novice to the status of Deacon.

Actives - They use ruins to combat geists, but borrow extended sight from the Sensitive they're partnered with. Also paired Actives and Sensitives bond to each other so they share a constant connection.

Sensitives - Are teamed with an Active.


Order - is not a religion based entity as some of the names might imply, but an ancient society created with the soul purpose of protecting humanity from the unliving.

Gauntlet - a stout glove made of leather with a long loose wrist used when spelling? "Actives blazed in the ether when they wore the Gauntlets. While Sensitives barely disturbed it as long as they did not wear their equivalent, the Strop"page 5 "Each leather finger was carved with one of the ten Runes of Dominion

Strop - The Sensitive's version of a Gauntlet.

Deacon Breed - name of the type of horses Deacons raise

Rossin - a were creature? (think werewolf but in this case a werecat)

Ten Runes of Dominion
Aydien - blue fire - "the rune of repulsion and worked well on both mortals and lower-level unliving." Page 5
Teisyat - red lava - Opens the gate to the Otherside
Shasyt - Green energy - you can draw energy from a geist with it?
Pyet - White hot - fire
Yevah - Shield of fire

Litany of Dominion:
Aydien, holds my foes at bay.
Yevah, my mighty shield of fire.
Tryrei, a peephole to the Otherside.
Chityre, the power of lightning in my fist,
Pyet, the cleansing flame consume them all.
Shayst, my enemies' strength is mine.
Seym, makes me more than I am.
Voishem, no wall can hold me.
Deiyant, everything moves to my will.
Teisant, the door to their world I dare not open.

Seven Runes of Sight
Kebenar - page 57


Characters

Deacon Sorcha Faris - "She Who Must Be Obeyed" an Active married to Koyla

Deacon Kolya Petav - a Sensitive married to Sorcha

Deacon Merrick Chambers - a Sensitive filling in as Sorcha's partner

Prince Raed - "The Pretender"

Arch Abbot Hastler - "Reverand Father" The only member of the order allowed to practice both disciplines (Dominion and Sight?)

Presbyter Secondo - The person Deacons usually receive their missions from (page 17)

Yvril Mournling - Presbyter of Sensitives

Grand Duchess Zofiya -

Lay Brothers -

Melisande Troupe - Presbyter of the Young

I read this book a couple years ago. I found it difficult to follow until I was about a little over 1/2 through with it then it really picked up for me and the ending was great.

I finally started this one. I'm only in the middle of chapter 2, but I'm intrigued. I'm a bit confused as to why the "pretender to the throne" is the pretender, but I'm hoping that will be cleared up later.

Christine wrote: "I finally started this one. I'm only in the middle of chapter 2, but I'm intrigued. I'm a bit confused as to why the "pretender to the throne" is the pretender, but I'm hoping that will be cleare..."

I wasn't too clear on that either. It sound like he would have been King if his father had held onto the Kingdom. Perhaps it's because he still claims to be Prince and so they came to call him "The Pretender"?

I'm up to page 115. I'm enjoying the action so far, but Sorcha is a bit abrasive without any real information as to why. I'm guessing/hoping that more information about her past and her relationship with her husband will come to light as the story progresses and she hopefully opens up more to her partner or Raed.

I like that Merrick hasn't been a total push over and seems like a guy with a pretty good head on his shoulders. Really like Raed and his interplay with Sorcha so far.

Question about the Rossin (view spoiler)[ I've gathered that Raed is victim of a family curse and because he wasn't born in Vermillion he turns into some sort of beast. I'm guessing a lion given the cover of the book. But I'm not quite clear yet on how the were-beast is triggered? Is it the presence of geist? Or some other thing I missed? (hide spoiler)]

I'm curious why Raed glows so brightly in Merrick's Sight.

All these things keep happening that aren't supposed to be able to happen, but at the beginning of the book when Sorcha was talking to the Arch Abbott, whenever she mentioned something weird that happened he would say "That is not without precedent." This makes me think that at least some people in the Order know what's going on, but just aren't telling. Typical.

Lisarenee wrote: "I wasn't too clear on that either. It sound like he would have been King if his father had held onto the Kingdom. Perhaps it's because he still claims to be Prince and so they came to call him "The Pretender"? "


Yeah, there were things in the second chapter about how when they needed a ruler, they could have brought back his father, The Unsung, but he was too divisive and too much of a trouble maker to be brought back from exile. But I don't recall any mention of why he was exiled.

So is this Emperor that Sorcha refers to as "her emperor" the ruler of this land? Was he who was invited to take the thrown in lieu of bringing back The Unsung? I'm still not totally clear on the governmental and social structure of this world.

So is this Emperor that Sorcha refers to as "her emperor" the ruler of this land? Was he who was invited to take the thrown in lieu of bringing back The Unsung? I'm still not totally clear on the governmental and social structure of this world.

Yes, I believe so. What I found interesting is the Order supposedly doesn't take sides, but from what we see it seems that it does.

I'm about halfway now. Is anyone else reading? Should I use spoilers? (view spoiler)[ Raed shifted and Sorcha was able to force it back. I really want to learn more about this! (hide spoiler)]

I'm liking the interaction between Raed and Sorcha, but I hope she resolves things with her husband before taking any real action with Raed.

And I really don't trust the Order. At least not those higher up in the organization. I think they have a clue what's going on and are trying to keep it under wraps and sent Sorcha and Merrick into a situation woefully unprepared.