SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Any discussion of the characters in this book is going to be intricately connected with who they truly are and who they become, neither of which is obvious from the start for most of the major characters.

Who are the most compelling characters? Who can be empathized with the most? Who is most felt by being absent?

Who grows or changes the most over the course of the book or after a particular event?

I have reasons to love almost all of the characters, but I love the journey Dave/Davor goes on throughout the entire series. It seems to me that not only is his perspective of people and the world broadened, but he also starts becoming more introspective about his own actions.

I'm halfway through the book and have been wondering where the hell Dave went.

Also, so far, I like the Dwarf and Paul. Everyone else I'm rather so-so about.

Ala wrote: "I'm halfway through the book and have been wondering where the hell Dave went.

Also, so far, I like the Dwarf and Paul. Everyone else I'm rather so-so about."

Yes, Dave disappears for quite some time. His separation from the group was kind of his own fault because of his sudden change of mind, but Kay gets back around to him eventually. His sections are some of my favorites too. At least you know he made it across.

I've always been rather fond of Paul and Jaelle as well as Diarmuid.

The big character I never cared for was Jennifer. She always seemed like such eye candy, whose entire point was to be a passive sufferer for beauty. So she's gorgeous; so what? And her character development pivoted on the way she looks. It really wasn't much of a pivot.

Genia wrote: "The big character I never cared for was Jennifer. She always seemed like such eye candy, whose entire point was to be a passive..."

She's not very memorable, really. I remembered fairly clearly the roles of the other four, but her, I have no idea what she actually does at the moment (halfway through the first book) except get herself kidnapped. Come to think of it, her beauty is almost magical or unnatural, because during the opening section in Toronto, there's not much mention of it. But suddenly in Fionavar, she's a great beauty and that's all she is. This enhancement is somewhat justified by the fact that all five of them are more in Fionavar than they would have been in our world, but her role does seem thinner than the others.

I agree that Jennifer is not a very memorable character in this book. Her role becomes more obvious in the later books. I still didn't like her much though.

So after finishing the book, I've come to like Dave as well. Though the whole idea of him going from law-student to some Dances-With-Wolves style warrior in a few days irks me.

I think one of the great things about this book is the character development. All of the characters I can think of off the top of my head, even the more minor ones, go though some kind of change or growth. Personally I like Dave a lot, and Paul as well. I guess I'm not a huge fan of Kim, even though she's pretty crucial.

I'm re-reading the trilogy. Halfway through book 3 right now, and it seems like (a) the women get less character development and (b) relationships between men are important to the story here, to the point where I might call it a thematic element.

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "(b) relationships between men are important to the story here, to t..."

You're not the only one who has said that. Women have power in their own way, like Jaelle and Kim and Dana (the goddess), but the story is certainly more male-centric.

In fact, I'd suggest that the female characters in general seem to make their presence felt more by being absent than by being present, to return to one of the questions I posed at the beginning. Jennifer, for instance, starts being relevant to the story (although not interesting, not yet) only when she is abducted. And Rachel, while we never see her except through Paul's or briefly Kevin's memories, certainly has an effect on Paul (and Kevin, indirectly) by being gone. Also Ysanne has a huge effect on Kim when she dies due to the nature of her sacrifice.

Ala wrote: "So after finishing the book, I've come to like Dave as well. Though the whole idea of him going from law-student to some Dances-With-Wolves style warrior in a few days irks me."

Dave may have been a law student, but he was also the center on the basketball team! When he landed in Fionavar, it says that his athletic reflexes kept him from getting hurt. When the urgach attacked, his athleticism is mentioned again. I think during this fight that he accidently does well, and I think he would have been killed if Torc had not saved him.

I think he changes the most. He doesn't feel connected to anyone on earth, but becomes connected and cares deeply about the Dalrei.

I get that he was athletic. But athleticism doesn't automatically translate to fighting ability.

His first encounter with the Urgach, he was lucky. But the subsequent battles he was involved in, where actual warriors were killed while he somehow still made it out? Yeah, that's more than just simple athleticism can account for.

Maybe if he was captain of the polo team........

Only a member of the Debate Team could wield an Axe in battle.

I very love Paul and Dave. From female characters, I like Kimberly - and a little Jaelle and Shara, too. Before her rape and pregnancy, I don´t care about Jennifer - she was not whole peson, only maybe some beauty for pleasure of male readers. :o) (And her rape can be it it, too. Some male readers love rape of beautiful weak heroines...)I am very curious about her child born from this rape.
(But I really wish to see some male character to be raped! Why must be poor victim always woman? It is more common, I understand, but male rapes exist, too. Why not in literature? Because male authors and readers don´t want to know about it... They want believe that men are strong and safe and only women can be raped, men only maybe tortured and killed.)
I don´t like Kevin very much. I don´t like such men.
From other characters, I like both Loren and Matt and I hate very much prince Diarmund.

Veronika wrote: "(But I really wish to see some male character to be raped! Why must be poor victim always woman? It is more common, I understand, but male rapes exist, too. Why not in literature? Because male authors and readers don´t want to know about it... They want believe that men are strong and safe and only women can be raped, men only maybe tortured and killed.)"
Try Terry Goodkind (Author)'s Sword of Truth series.

Oh, really? Great! I will read it!
Which book in the series, please? (I will read all of them, but I would like to know, where I should prepare to reading of this event.)

I am reading the last part of the Kay´s series, now. I forgave to Kevin and younger prince. :o) I still very like Paul. And I am very sad because Darien. Poor boy!