Prince of Nothing questions

[Banshee16]

I'm reading through "The Prince of Nothing" at the moment, and have been enjoying it. Very dark though. I've had some questions though, which the book hasn't answered so far....

I don't need anyone to spoil it for me, but just to confirm whether the book or its sequels answer the questions.

1-What are the Sranc? A humanoid species that aren't human? Dog-people? It mentions in several places that they howl, they have dog-like chests, and that dead ones were curled up like dogs.

2-What are the No-Men? The only one I've read about in the book almost sounded like it was human. But they're not?

Are these questions ever answered?

Banshee

 

[barsoomcore]

Not particularly, no. The Non-men are something like elves, it seems -- immortal (or very long-lived) and at one time very cultured. Overtaken by the No-God, it would appear.

This trilogy is NOT a complete story -- it ends with plenty of stuff unresolved and there will obviously be more books in the series. Which kind of cheeses me off -- I was looking forward to a complete-in-itself trilogy rather than yet another mammoth series of forty-three volumes.

 

[Pants]

I don't need anyone to spoil it for me, but just to confirm whether the book or its sequels answer the questions.

The Thousandfold Thought has a very informative appendix that answers many of your questions. It's really very cool (a lot like Tolkien's appendices actually).

I'll try my best to answer these...

1-What are the Sranc? A humanoid species that aren't human? Dog-people? It mentions in several places that they howl, they have dog-like chests, and that dead ones were curled up like dogs.

Barbaric humanoid creatures that are (supposedly) very beautiful with pale skin. They sorta look like humans, but they're weaker and they breed a lot faster. They have a lust for inflicting pain and violence upon others that borders on the carnal.

They don't get much screen time in the series.

2-What are the No-Men? The only one I've read about in the book almost sounded like it was human. But they're not?

They're like Elves... sorta. They ARE immortal and all but dead now, but they used to be the prominent race in Earwa. I believe they may look like humans (I can't recall any accurate descriptions of them), but I could be mistaken. The only Non-Man that appears in the series is the one that encounters Kelhus during the prologue. Mereketrig I believe.

The entry on the Cuno-Inchoroi Wars in TTT is really interesting. Sheds a whole lot of light on the Non-Men.

 

[Banshee16]

Hmmm....interesting...thanks for the info. I'm still working on The Darkness that Comes Before, and have the second book that I found by fluke at a book fair for $4. The TTT is one that I think I'll wait for. I'm rather annoyed by the growing number of publishers that are doing a hardcover, then a big softcover, then the paperback, instead of going to the paperback right after the hardcover. They're too expensive, and take up too much space on the bookshelf...so I guess it's going to be another year before I read it.

Still waiting for the Iron Council in paperback, and it came out, what, 1.5 years ago?

Banshee

 

[Jora]

I advice against reading the golossary in TTT before the novel itself. There are some BIG spoilers there that reveal the Consult's motivation.

 

[Ruined]

Good to see some people have read these and enjoy them. I picked up 'The Darkness That Came Before' yesterday. I looked at his work solely because the title 'Thousandfold Thought' caught my eye. So far, I'm enjoying the start of it all.

I also liked the small bit of the author's forward for the second book. He mentioned how he had fifteen years to write the first book, so promising to write the second in a year was daunting. Heh, the plight of the modern fantasy novelist.

 

[Banshee16]

Just finished the Darkness that Comes Before....good book....I really enjoyed the last chapter or two.

Will be starting up on The Warrior Prophet tomorrow.

I kind of dig the sorcerers in these novels. They seem in some ways more like wizards, but the way that they all have these societies that determine how they pursue magic, and what they can likely do etc. is pretty cool. It's not like that in D&D....though I find that the Players Guide to Wizards, Sorcerers, and Bards for Scarred Lands does seem to borrow a bit of that "feel" with respect to wizards belonging to particular schools of thought.....similar to sorcerers having defined bloodlines etc.

Has anyone picked up on the thought that "Dunyain" sound a lot like "Dunedain"?

Banshee

 

[Jora]

I kind of dig the sorcerers in these novels. They seem in some ways more like wizards, but the way that they all have these societies that determine how they pursue magic, and what they can likely do etc. is pretty cool.

There's some really good stuff about the difference between the different magic systems in TWP and TTT. I think you'll like it.

Has anyone picked up on the thought that "Dunyain" sound a lot like "Dunedain"?

Yeah, they live in woods and have heirs to an empire among them.

 

[Banshee16]

I think one of the main things I dislike in the book is the manner in which women are treated in the novels. Those parts of the book, with the two main female protagonists, are really hard to read..

Everything else has been cool though..

Banshee

 

[barsoomcore]

I think one of the main things I dislike in the book is the manner in which women are treated in the novels. Those parts of the book, with the two main female protagonists, are really hard to read...

Could you expand on that? Is it that you don't think the depictions of women are realistic, that their characters are poorly portrayed, or is it just that you don't like the way they get treated?

Because I found it isn't much outside how women have been (and continue to be) treated in our world. Largely at the mercy of violent men. I found that one of the more refreshing aspects of the books. Esmenet's story is particular touching, I thought.