Knife of Dreams (Book 11 of the 10000000 Book Series)

Magus · 10-12-2006, 04:13 PM

Someone should definitely put spoiler tags into that. Everyone use spoiler tags! Yeesh!

Did anyone else find that the whole thing with Perrin giving up the axein Crossroads of Twilight to actually be rather stupid? He ends up fighting by dual-wielding his blacksmith's hammer and a long knife, which is very cool, however, it kind've removes the entire point behind the axe, which was that he didn't want to fight anymore because he doesn't like how he feels when he does (battle exhilarates him), and it is stated by the character right in the novel that the hammer is not as good a weapon as the axe. Perhaps it will be explored that he realizes the axe isn't the problem, it's his own personality? Or is this the old fantasy cliche where for some really stupid unknown reason blunt weapons are actually considered more humanitarian than ones with edges? Like how in D&D Clerics use hammers and refuse to use swords, for some stupid hypocritical reason like that swords can only be used as weapons and hammers can be used to create as well, although all a huge war hammer is realistically useful for IS war?

I suppose it makes sense in that fashion, that it is more akin to what he aspires to and a reminder that he wants to give up fighting when he can, but still, I always think it is silly when the idea is used in novels. He even killed poor Rolan, his wife's protector, without knowing that Rolan was protecting Faile, of course, which is an even worse cliche.

Oh, and Aram betraying Perrin may be cliche but I have to admit I was really surprised, all foreshadowing aside (his hanging out with Masema more and more I simply thought would lead to him and Perrin having a falling out, not Aram believing Perrin is Shadowspawn and trying to kill him. Did it surprise anyone else or did you see it coming?

10-12-2006, 04:13 PM	#11
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	Someone should definitely put spoiler tags into that. Everyone use spoiler tags! Yeesh! Did anyone else find that the whole thing with Perrin giving up the axein Crossroads of Twilight to actually be rather stupid? He ends up fighting by dual-wielding his blacksmith's hammer and a long knife, which is very cool, however, it kind've removes the entire point behind the axe, which was that he didn't want to fight anymore because he doesn't like how he feels when he does (battle exhilarates him), and it is stated by the character right in the novel that the hammer is not as good a weapon as the axe. Perhaps it will be explored that he realizes the axe isn't the problem, it's his own personality? Or is this the old fantasy cliche where for some really stupid unknown reason blunt weapons are actually considered more humanitarian than ones with edges? Like how in D&D Clerics use hammers and refuse to use swords, for some stupid hypocritical reason like that swords can only be used as weapons and hammers can be used to create as well, although all a huge war hammer is realistically useful for IS war? I suppose it makes sense in that fashion, that it is more akin to what he aspires to and a reminder that he wants to give up fighting when he can, but still, I always think it is silly when the idea is used in novels. He even killed poor Rolan, his wife's protector, without knowing that Rolan was protecting Faile, of course, which is an even worse cliche. Oh, and Aram betraying Perrin may be cliche but I have to admit I was really surprised, all foreshadowing aside (his hanging out with Masema more and more I simply thought would lead to him and Perrin having a falling out, not Aram believing Perrin is Shadowspawn and trying to kill him. Did it surprise anyone else or did you see it coming?