#185 Scream of Stone by Philip Athans (Watercourse 3)
Read 17/3/23 to 25/3/23
Don't read too much into the fact that it took me nine days to get through this book- two and a bit of those days were spent in the dark, we had a power surge and then- inevitably- a power cut, and it's less easy (I have discovered) to read by torch or candle light, and when there's no heating or hot water.
To the book, well- I'm glad it's over. In truth it's just more of the same, the same folk that we have rolled around with for the last 600+ pages, they're as likeable as they were previous, maybe Pristoleph goes up a notch or two in my estimation, at least he believes in something. Devorast and Phyrea are as broken as ever, they certainly deserve each other. Marek, well- he's a bad 'un, and towards the end the gloves are off. Willem- a happy ending, in the last fifty or so pages (which are a hoot) he gets to eat his obnoxious mother. So, that's a win. There's also some form of remembrance of the old Willem before the end, before his also inevitable slaughter.
The end is both terrifying- the action, and the viscera, are flying as Innarlith descends into chaos- the canal is gone, exploded by Devorast in a fit of pique. I understand his reasons for this move but it still makes him look like a mad bad bugger. In truth there's everything going on by the end, and with walk-ons from various Senators, the Shou, and some other names and faces from the two previous incarnations, but- it's still a bit rambling, or else it all feels like little bits. I understand that the author is trying to keep a watch over five to seven boiling pots as the intrigue bubbles over here and then there but... Towards the end I just wanted to shout at it- get on with it, stop meandering- just crash the thing, let's see where the pieces fall.
The end, well the madness of Willem's last hunt, the civil war in Innarlith, Pristoleph & Marek playing politics- smiling as they stab each other in the back, there's lots to see and admire here- and at least we get to see who some of these people truly are, the facade falls. Then, well- everything gets semi-neatly made right again, although there's a moment when you (the reader) do a double take and exclaim- that was much easier than I expected. I wanted more blood than this... Marek gets to go home, the plotting senators are exiled, it's a bit flat, a bit too happy ever after, a bit too civil. Too much like a book, not enough like life- maybe.
Individualism versus Collectivism, the Fountainhead, is this what this is all about?
I've not read any Ayn Rand, maybe I should correct this, but having read this series- maybe not.
Devorast's genius is cold, and pointy, and sure he has adherents- the new messiah, but when he destroys the canal it all just boils down to ego. I can't think my way around that. Devorast is an arse, he doesn't live in the real world (of Faerun) it all seems just so inevitable. I'm really not sure what to take from this one. I wanted more.
Again, there are bits of it that flash by, that are well written- and when all the pates are spinning it is (in places) a sight to see, but there's not enough action- not enough real, too much intrigue and plotting with no end in sight, except- as above, the inevitable.
Nice cover picture.
Read.
Stay safe and well.
Cheers goonalan.
