Fantasy Book Club discussion

This is one of those questions that we can't really know the answer to, but I'm often curious and enjoy reading people's thoughts on.

Towards the end of the novel, after the battle, Blaise confronts his father and Galbert claims that he foresaw the possibility of Blaise becoming king and that has has "been working towards this for years." Blaise initially declares this a lie but afterwards is unsure. It's somewhat similar to the characters not knowing if Galbert earlier hoped to drive Rosala to Arbonne and so give Gorhaut their excuse to invade, or if he really did just lose his temper.

My question: Do you think Galbert is telling the truth and actually planned all these outcomes, or is he simply saving face and instilling doubt? Or perhaps a lie, but one that he has convinced himself of?

-Alec

I think that it was his arrogant personality that led to him making this announcement. I don't think it was in his plans for Blaise to become King. He couldn't control Blaise so he wouldn't want him to be King. I just think that he was trying to control as much of the situation as possible by telling Blaise that. Some people/characters are just control freaks and will say things for no other reason than to upset other people and get a reaction out of them.

That is an interesting question and of course one that I have often wondered about myself. I am going to say, just based on how his character is developed, that he could actually tell a lie and convince himself that it was his plan. I really don't think that he was telling the truth though. Part of his character is to reveal nuances and subtly within the plot. I think Galbert makes the reader question their ideas and assertions about others. But again,due to the fact that he is so power driven and controlling, when things happened that were outside of his plan, he had to make things up just to shake concepts, faith, and mess with his son one last time! How do you feel about it?

I don't think I read this the same way each time. It is so vile that it almost sneaks up on me each time I read (or when I most recently heard the audiobook) it. Usually, I read him as taking a petty shot even though he's pretty sure he's going down, he prefers to die knowing he's planted doubt in his son. He knows what buttons to press with each son and maybe just can't help himself despite being about to die. But, I think he really does believe that this move will make Blaise stronger in the long run and more likely to lead to a lasting legacy that might someday trace back to Galbert.

I think that while Galbert had some plans in motion about Arbonne, that didn't include Blaise. Correct, he wanted someone he could control. He might have had in mind to set Ranald up as king once it was conquered. But setting his sons up to revolt against a puppet king he could control? I doubt that. He wouldn't want to lose that puppet.

I agree that it's probably a final revenge/seed of doubt to get Blaise with. Galbert was a snake, and he would take pleasure in planting a final poison on his way out.

I love it though. It also puts that wonder/doubt in the reader's mind, and we'll never really know what Galbert had in mind.