Will Wight

Ukerric · Oct 10, 2020

Brahma said:
You guys missed the best parts of the whole book!

So is Lindon a Sage? He has the icon now. Though I doubt it. Plus the deal with the badge. Herald level?

He is. Eithan explains the concept used to be more "flexible" in the past, rather than being an Archlord that finally mastered an Icon.

Even with the reversal of roles between the two, it is interesting. Possibly a red herring, but... interesting.

So we see that:
- Sages manifest Authority over one or more Icons (that's Lindon - normally, it makes it harder to advance afterward... but it's Lindon)
- Heralds ascend by absorbing their own Remnants (that's Yerin)
- and finally Monarchs are the ones who manage do both (that's Fury - herald finally manifesting an Icon)
- Trying to combine the two aspects from individual Sages and Heralds to make fake Monarchs failed (until the Eight-Man Empire made special armors to distribute the load over 4+4)

Guess... who is tinkering with power magical armor right now? And got an extra Uncrowned crown to link to his soul?

Fuck this, when is Bloodlines coming out?

TJT · Oct 10, 2020

velk said:
Lindon missed out on a prime opportunity for a guilt-free threesome there 8).

Also Malice thinking that being married to Fury would be a reward is pretty funny, even if he did get the comedy highlight of the book

Overall a great addition to the series.

Sorry dog, being apprehensive about a threeway that includes a malicious soul devouring blood spirit is probably for the best.

But the dick wants what the dick wants... roll with it!

TJT · Oct 10, 2020

How will Lindon safely fuck Yerin, considering her Goldsign is a bunch of prehensile swords sticking out of her back? Lindon's Goldsign is so minor that... I forget what it is.

Northstrider and Fury are the coolest of the higher powers.

Ukerric · Oct 10, 2020

TJT said:
How will Lindon safely fuck Yerin, considering her Goldsign is a bunch of prehensile swords sticking out of her back? Lindon's Goldsign is so minor that... I forget what it is.

I think Lindon does not have a Goldsign - if I remember right, the ascension to Gold was done through his link to Orthos? I may misremember, but I think that this is it.

But otherwise... I think Yerin will be on top

Brahma · Oct 10, 2020

Ukerric said:
He is. Eithan explains the concept used to be more "flexible" in the past, rather than being an Archlord that finally mastered an Icon.

Even with the reversal of roles between the two, it is interesting. Possibly a red herring, but... interesting.

So we see that:
- Sages manifest Authority over one or more Icons (that's Lindon - normally, it makes it harder to advance afterward... but it's Lindon)
- Heralds ascend by absorbing their own Remnants (that's Yerin)
- and finally Monarchs are the ones who manage do both (that's Fury - herald finally manifesting an Icon)
- Trying to combine the two aspects from individual Sages and Heralds to make fake Monarchs failed (until the Eight-Man Empire made special armors to distribute the load over 4+4)

Guess... who is tinkering with power magical armor right now? And got an extra Uncrowned crown to link to his soul?

Fuck this, when is Bloodlines coming out?

So Sages and Heralds should be on the same level power wise. Just different paths to said power.

TJT · Oct 10, 2020

Okay so if Lindon became a sage by manifesting an icon... Except they refer to him as an archlord sage or something?

Yerin became an Overlord Herald because she consumed her Blood Spirit and not her actual remnant.

Why doesn't this just make them a normal herald and sage and theyre still at overlord stage or whatever?

Brahma · Oct 10, 2020

TJT said:
Okay so if Lindon became a sage by manifesting an icon... Except they refer to him as an archlord sage or something?

Yerin became an Overlord Herald because she consumed her Blood Spirit and not her actual remnant.

Why doesn't this just make them a normal herald and sage and theyre still at overlord stage or whatever?

I'm assuming because even though they did both those steps, they are probably missing the training and understanding to be said "classes". They had all the parts to build the car. Got the car to start, but there's a steering wheel on the ground, and the car has no headlights etc...

TJT · Oct 10, 2020

Yeah I think he'll need to expand on it in the next book.

One thing I did really like is that he expanded on the Dreadgod Cults. They actually have a very practical reason for doing what they're doing and are not just nutjobs. But Red Faith is certainly a total fucking nutjob.

Ukerric · Oct 10, 2020

TJT said:
Okay so if Lindon became a sage by manifesting an icon... Except they refer to him as an archlord sage or something?

Yerin became an Overlord Herald because she consumed her Blood Spirit and not her actual remnant.

Why doesn't this just make them a normal herald and sage and theyre still at overlord stage or whatever?

Uh

Archlord is what Eithan is, not Lindon.

During the last fight, Sophara was wondering if Lindon was trying to advance to Overlord since he's looking like he's finding his second truth, and then, he calls upon the Icon of Void:

He jumped back, suddenly looking brighter. “That’s it! A bottomless pit, emptiness, endless…that’s it.”
He pressed his fists together to her. “Gratitude.”
She snarled and ran at him.
“I am the end,” Lindon said.
Something trembled around her. Not the aura.
He’d triggered something, but it wasn’t Overlord.

So, at the moment, in order of base advancement, you have:

Underlord Sage Lindon
Overlord Herald Yerin
Archlord nothing-so-far Eithan

Of course, being Sage or Herald puts them at/above Archlord in term of base power.

“In those days,” Eithan went on, “Sage was not considered its own rank, but rather a separate mark of distinction that some Lords and Ladies achieved. ...”

Ritley · Oct 11, 2020

TJT said:
How will Lindon safely fuck Yerin, considering her Goldsign is a bunch of prehensile swords sticking out of her back? Lindon's Goldsign is so minor that... I forget what it is.

Northstrider and Fury are the coolest of the higher powers.

Yerin can retract her goldsigns completely. And Lindon’s is his eyes (or nothing depending on how you look at it)

Ritley · Oct 11, 2020

TJT said:
Okay so if Lindon became a sage by manifesting an icon... Except they refer to him as an archlord sage or something?

Yerin became an Overlord Herald because she consumed her Blood Spirit and not her actual remnant.

Why doesn't this just make them a normal herald and sage and theyre still at overlord stage or whatever?

Assuming Lindon fully manifested the icon (which seems pretty certain given other’s reaction), he is a sage. People have just gotten used to sages being archlords, but apparently nothing actually requires that. Same with Yerin, she is a herald.

The way I look at it unless it’s explained further is that Lindon and Yerin are the weakest sage/herald alive right now since they hadn’t built up their core and channels and everything by going the normal advancement route, but their potential for their current stage is just as high as it would be if they had.

Ukerric · Oct 12, 2020

I just realized that we're at book 8.

Out of TWELVE.

Void · Oct 15, 2020

God I love these books. I don't even give a fuck if they are just the same formula over and over again with power creep. They are amazingly interesting and compelling. Fuck, I'm already disappointed it might end at twelve!

Literally my favorite moment in any book in a long time, even though he might not have meant it the way I took it when he said it:

“I am the end,” Lindon said.

Gave me goosebumps. Yeah, he might not have meant it as "I am YOUR end" or "I am the end of EVERYTHING I deem unworthy" but it still got me thinking those ways, and it was fantastic.

Also, I sort of chuckle how he just full on went into soul-stealing mode and is draining the fuck out of people strictly for his own advancement. Like, even if they aren't dead they might not be sacred artists anymore, certainly not anywhere near the level they were, because of the massive spiritual damage he does to them, and as we all know most of those sacred artists would probably rather be dead than live without the arts they cultivated for their entire lives. Lindon don't give a fuck!

Ukerric · Oct 16, 2020

Void said:
"I am the end," Lindon said

As I said before. When Lindon says "Gratitude" (2 lines above), the strongest must pale.

Mandriana · Oct 20, 2020

Guessing now. With Lindon manafesting the Icon of the Void, he is going to end up being the new Reaper Aibidan

TJT · Oct 20, 2020

Mandriana

I don't think that's the case. This series has a powerful Achilles heel in that the Abidan stuff has not really been developed on at all. This book was one of the first to touch on it. From what the Monarchs and especially Northstrider have mentioned ascending to the Heavens does not necessarily mean improvement.

Akura Charity said that all of the Akura Clan that reaches Archlord (guess there were a ton of them too) and are not marked for higher positions in the clan are strongly encouraged to ascend. The Abidan has always taken them. The Monarchs resist ascension themselves because most of them would rather be the king of the small fish than a smaller fish in a bigger pond. Which is petty and makes sense. But Northstrider seems to believe he can overcome this.

Ghostwater and the byproduct of Dross were all around creating one of the Abidan's primary advantages before ascension. Which Northstrider has in the form of the Oracle Codex. His just lacks independent and creative thought like Dross has. Which is why he wants to replicate it.

What I take from this is that ascension without having an edge beyond that of Monarch means you get to be a loser foot soldier. All of the Monarchs had complete disdain for The Hound despite The Hound being able to kill all of them with a passing thought.

While The Hound has the ability to slay one of the Dreadgods I am willing to bet Subject One is something that even the Abidan fear.

Captain Suave · Oct 20, 2020

Just starting the fourth Cradle book now thanks to the reviews in this thread. I'd never have given Wight a chance otherwise. Thanks, guys!

Brahma · Oct 20, 2020

Captain Suave said:
Just starting the fourth Cradle book now thanks to the reviews in this thread. I'd never have given Wight a chance otherwise. Thanks, guys!

Aaaaand? What you think?

Captain Suave · Oct 21, 2020

Brahma said:
Aaaaand? What you think?

I've read four books in a week; I'm having a blast. Wight has a real gift for imaginative world-building and understands how to develop an lean, engaging plot that doesn't take itself too seriously or try to do too many things at once (probably stems from his experience with episodic TV). Upon scrutiny it's formulaic, full of tropes, and he's probably just making it up as he goes along, but I couldn't care less. Solid A-level fun power fulfillment fantasy.

Brahma · Oct 21, 2020

Captain Suave said:
I've read four books in a week; I'm having a blast. Wight has a real gift for imaginative world-building and understands how to develop an lean, engaging plot that doesn't take itself too seriously or try to do too many things at once (probably stems from his experience with episodic TV). Upon scrutiny it's formulaic, full of tropes, and he's probably just making it up as he goes along, but I couldn't care less. Solid A-level fun power fulfillment fantasy.

Will Wight

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Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

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