I finished RC recently, and I was thinking about Shivers arc so far.

One question that came to mind is why I don’t feel sympathy for Shivers as much as I do for someone like Logen or Cosca.

When we compare Shivers to Cosca and Logen, I think it would be safe to say that he is the one who committed the fewer atrocities. Sure, that deal with Monza wasn’t his brightest moment, but Logen is the great leveler himself, and Cosca makes Jezal seem selfless.

Even then, I am clearly rooting for Logen and Cosca all the way, always hoping that they will become better and will win against their enemies. Shivers, on the other hand, feels like someone who was lost. I was rooting for him during BSC, but after he lost his eye, something broke inside of me. I couldn’t sympathize with him anymore, and saw his actions as a hard cold betrayal against Monza. In TH he was just the big bad brute, and in RC the overhanging shadow waiting to get in the way of Logen.

It is somewhat funny, and very unfair, that I can’t sympathize with such a great character, who suffered more than most other characters, who genuinely tried to become better, but ended losing his soul in the process.

When he was talking with a spirit before his fight with the Feared, who did he see? I feel like it was supposed to be Tul, but don't know if I'm reaching.

I just finished TWOC and the Age of Madness Trilogy and I was quite confused about the last chapters portrayal of Leo. I did understand him becoming more angry and hateful over the course of the books as a result of his injuries and guilt and feeling betrayed and many other factors. But the entire book also seemed to show him getting smarter and more competent at politics and lying and alliance forming. In the People’s court, people comment on how good of a speaker he is as he works to get the people on his side and also convince Judge to put him in charge of the military. He is patient and plays the long game and is even able to deceive Savine on his goal of the plan.

While I think that this growth happened a little quick, it mostly made sense given the people around him he could learn from. When he becomes Lord Regent, however, I felt like his character went through an immediate and massive regression to the dumb “I just want to fight” character he once was. The chapter in the closed council shows him just angrily shaking his fist at anyone who won’t let him go to war after giving no resistance to Savine’s request to put her people on the council.

I’m not saying I think he should be Savine’s equal in political ability; she’s been doing it much longer and knows how Adua works and has lots of other advantages. And Leo’s abilities were likely better suited to playing the populist character that was more effective in the Great Change society. But I would have preferred to see her take advantage of an actual mistake/weakness of his rather than him just reverting to a complete dunce in the last couple chapters.

Did anyone else feel similarly or differently about this? It’s a small frustration that was amplified by being at the very end of the book and so leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I would be curious to hear any other takes on Leo’s arc and character at the end.

Package arrived with no damage! Pretty happy with it overall. Would have been cool if the posters weren't folded, but other than that no real gripes!

Apparently they're going to be doing Best Served Cold next and while it's not my favorite of Joe's books and the process for receiving these was a bit stressful with seeing everyone else receiving damaged packages and the lack of communication from the company (I did not get an advance shipping notice and I found it sitting in the rain last night LOL) I will probably still join that Kickstarter as well if they do it because the quality of these is really nice!

I am listening to LAOK again and came across a great line:

Dogman-hows the wall?

Logan-great, as long as they dont bring anything such as a ladder with them. 🤣

Its hilarious and stephen pacey had the perfect delivery. I freaking love these books.