ASHES OF HONOR open thread!

[seanan_mcguire]

To celebrate the release of Ashes of Honor, here. Have an open thread to discuss the book. Judging by the comments I'm seeing, you've had time

Comments

[apocalypticbob]

Haven't read yet, but my thought on picking it up in the store yesterday was, "Oooh! A good meaty book!" There was some serious heft to it... Is it the longest Toby book so far? So eager to finish my errands for the day so I can dive in to it!

[tsgeisel]

It actually doesn't seem all that long - longer than Discount Armageddon, but way shorter than the Newsflesh books. I'd put it at approximately the same wordcount [ETA: as all the other Toby books] (with a small margin of error).

[seanan_mcguire]

It is, in fact, the longest book so far, although only by a few thousand words.

[liadan_m]

So worth it. Thank you. Working my through it more slowly this time - Why is it Dreamer's Glass? Shadowed Hills makes sense even in my middle-america brain, but I get the sense it should be obvious...

[amazon_syren]

For all of ALH, I thought Dreamer's Glass was Hollywood (now I gather that it's too far north to be Hollywood, but... my geography's pretty spotty). Tybalt's court is the Court of Dreaming Cats... maybe the Dreams thing has something to do with the Bay?

(I'm speculating, but have no idea).

[vixyish]

Are you asking why it's named that, or why events take place there?

[liadan_m]

why it's named that. I'm a bit of a naming geek.

[ebartley]

Much fun to watch some plots and running gags that have been ongoing for books (Tybalt and Toby, Luidaeg's apartment, the shell of Toby and Luna's relationship.) Also much fun to watch other pieces get dropped (Quentin is so lowborn he's squire to a changeling? I don't think so....)

The book leaves me with more questions, of course, to which I don't expect answers but are fun to contemplate -

About that goblin fruit?

So, when does the fae world at large catch on that Toby can change your blood?

And *did* Toby lose something when changing Chelsea?

What dreadful things are going to happen because Sylvester doesn't have a teleporter?

[jenk]

And *did* Toby lose something when changing Chelsea?

Also: In One Salt Sea Toby drank Luidaeg's blood before turning Gillian.

Toby turned Chelsea's blood without a boost.

Did the Luidaeg's blood make longterm changes?

[tsgeisel]

I think it's more that the more pureblood Toby has far greater powers than the more human one.

[swevene]

I am so happy with this book, I'm just so full of glee over basically everything.

Except that I nearly had a heart attack when Raj pointed a gun at Tybalt. And was very concerned that Riordan would make Quentin into her loveslave or something. It was worrying.

Other than that, I think my favourite moment was when Tybalt thanked Toby because I remember your post on courting customs and how the only people who thank each other often are courting couples and it made me keysmash for... a significant length of time.

Also I loved when Etienne used the iron handcuffs as a weapon. TOTAL BADASS.

[kassrachel]

Me too! So much glee!

Tybalt and Toby's courtship has been delighting me for volumes now. I'm just glad Toby finally recognized it for what it is. ;-) Oh, holy wow they are so awesome.

And Raj having to point a gun at Tybalt! And Tybalt forgiving him. Oh, my heart.

And Etienne getting his happily-ever-after. With a folklore professor. ::facepalm:: And oh, Chelsea's room with the Firefly posters! <3

And did anyone else notice the seemingly throwaway reference to the king and queen being up in Toronto? I'm laying bets now on them being Quentin's parents. \o/

And did I mention how much I adore the Toby/Tybalt courtship? I just want to draw giant sparkly hearts around both of them, FOREVER.

[swevene]

I had a very longsuffering friend who let me type things like 'sdffldskjkldjfj' and '!!!!!!!!' at her every time Toby and Tybalt did something cute. Which was pretty often! She was very tolerant.

[saxtherapist]

I started hoping Quentin's parents were the king and queen back the in the first book, when the two facts that the king and queen were in Toronto and Quentin had a Canadian accent were mentioned fairly soon after one another. I'm happy that someone else thinks that too and I'm not nuts for having this weird pet obsession about it :-D.

[hoppytoad79]

It's about bloody time! This Catfight shipper is a happy girl. *G* Another novel knocked straight out of the park, but I know better than to expect anything less. If life were fair, Seanan would be bigger than Stephenie Meyer and E.L. James--combined.

[seanan_mcguire]

Dear Life:

Please be fair.

Love, me.

[hoppytoad79]

If wishes were horses, then beggars could ride.