The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

Welcome to the A Time of Dread Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on January 26th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 01/26
January 26: Chapters 1-2
January 27: Chapters 3-4
January 28: Chapters 5-6

Week of 01/29
January 29: Chapters 7-8
January 30: Chapters 9-10
January 31: Chapters 11-12
February 01: Chapters 13-14
February 02: Chapters 15-16
February 03: Chapters 17-18
February 04: Chapters 19-20

Week of 02/05
February 05: Chapters 21-22
February 06: Chapters 23-24
February 07: Chapters 25-26
February 08: Chapters 27-28
February 09: Chapters 29-30
February 10: Chapters 31-32
February 11: Chapters 33-34

Week of 02/12
February 12: Chapters 35-36
February 12: Chapters 37-38
February 14: Chapters 39-40
February 15: Chapters 41-42
February 16: Chapters 43-44
February 17: Chapters 45-46
February 18: Chapters 47-48


Week of 02/19
February 19: Chapters 49-end

PARTICIPANTS
~ Ravi
~ Mina

I felt this book is sucking me in, so to slow myself, I started a mystery; and that ended up swallowing me, because it is so good!

Now I am back, I will read it again from the start and share my thoughts!

So continuing it and reading chapter 3.. from the first sentence I feel I'll enjoy following Riv, but I guess we'll see.

*I still don't remember who is who from the previous series we've read, and I haven't looked up some summary... so yeah, you'll probably have to remind me who was who and did what, because I think your memory is way better than mine. Balur the one eyed is a name that I recognize but... that's about it.
* I like that Bleda and Riv are the same age or at least close.
* Read chapter 5. Sig also sounds familiar but...

Since there was no refresher, the best thing is to check the last book of The Faithful and the Fallen - Wrath. Thankfully, John Gwynne always includes a cast of characters to remind us who they were.

Sig in that series was the shieldmaiden of Eld - the lord of Jotun clan of giants (there were five giant clans). They initially capture corban and eventually take his side in the final fight I believe. By the end, Sig stays with Corban's party.

Sig of the Jotun on her lumbering bear led the convoy. Corban had asked Ethlinn for the loan of her to become a weaponsmaster at his new school, so that all the peoples of the Bright Star’s warband would be represented in this new endeavour. Sig seemed happy enough to be joining them, claiming she was looking forward to giving out bruises on a daily basis.

Corban didn’t think she was joking.

So, after the war, Corban's party is still hunting the leftover Kadoshim and Sig continues to do so.

Chapter 1 starts with a brutal incident, while I feel sorry for Bleda, I do not feel too much yet, because I do not know Bleda so well probably that is the intention too, to establish that the Ben Elim killed his brother.

Raviteja wrote: "I felt this book is sucking me in, so to slow myself, I started a mystery; and that ended up swallowing me, because it is so good!

Now I am back, I will read it again from the start and share my t..."

THE GIANT CLANS

The Benothi

Balur One-Eye – Benothi giant. Joined forces with Corban and his company during the Battle of Murias. He took the starstone axe from Alcyon. Now a captain of Corban’s warband, he was grievously injured during the fall of Drassil.

Ethlinn – Benothi giantess, daughter of Balur One-Eye, also called the Dreamer. Companion of Corban’s, she has travelled to Drassil.

Chapter 4

I think they've found one of the star stone treasures!

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[It is interesting to see the perspectives of Bleda and Jin about the events after such a long time!
Seems the Ben-Elim's rule is tyrannical in the name of 'peace'. the ending of the chapter clearly emphasizes this. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13
Nothing much happening so far but I feel Gwynne is slowing building the environment for the future.

Of all the characters, I like Riv, (view spoiler)[who doesn't belong with any group/faction (hide spoiler)] and Bleda.

Chapter 17
(view spoiler)[ A new star stone weapon, I am wondering what its speciality is. Also, Olin knows the old tongue? He is getting quite mysterious.

Now, that ending is spooky. Drem's parts are getting more horror vibes than fantasy now (hide spoiler)]

I kept reading and did not realize how far I've come.! at 64% mark after 28 chapters

Chapter 18
(view spoiler)[This kinda feels like we are heading at a love triangle situation? I could see how the Bleda-Riv relationship is being steered. After the announcement of that marriage, Bleda seems to be stuck with both Jin and Riv. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[ That confrontation was a good one. It kinda shows how the Ben-Elim behave like dictators of the land in the name of protection. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 20
(view spoiler)[ That was a much needed infodump, that ties one of the character threads to our folks in Dun Seren. I was thinking atleast one of the PoV characters have to be tied with Corban's group (apart from Sif) and this confirms it. But interestingly it also ties him (weakly) to Ben-Elim, similar to Bleda.

The whole set-up going around Drem feels very spooky. It is giving me more of a horror vibe. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21
(view spoiler)[That was just brutal! It now feels like Israfil will some become some kind of villian (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22
(view spoiler)[More spooky stuff for Drem, this time, all his romantic feelings coming to play. I love Olin! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[I am not ready for this! Olin 😢😭
Romances are such a thing. I only wonder if Drem would ever look back and think how things would have been if they left. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 26, 28 (Bleda - Sif PoV)
(view spoiler)[Ohh, I was wondering what Olin's last words meant, so this explains.. I am glad that Drem is reaching out to Sif.

We are going to see two PoVs come together! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27 - Riv
(view spoiler)[Riv feels like the kid who want to run first with a zero sense of safety! (hide spoiler)]

I'm obviously not reading/reading very very slow, so I'm way behind. I just read two chapters the 7th and 8th, and that's going to be it for today because I'm tired and have to go to sleep because of of work.

Hopefully, I'll sit down one day when I'm not feeling sleepy and read a big chunk of it, because I like the narration and it reminds me of the nice feeling while I read the previous books.

mina wrote: "I'm obviously not reading/reading very very slow, so I'm way behind. I just read two chapters the 7th and 8th, and that's going to be it for today because I'm tired and have to go to sleep because ..."

Well, there is no rush, Mina. Even I did not expect myself to read this book this far tbh, its just that nostalgic feeling (and not starting to play a new game) that drove me so far.

Well, last night I could not fall asleep, so I picked the book and started reading - I finished the book by 4 am or so and still was not sleepy.

There are a lot of thoughts at this point, Gwynne still managed to surprise me in many ways by the end. I will wait till you finish before I put my thoughts, Mina.