Coldfire Reread 2021: Black Sun Rising - Night's Keep Recap

[alice_montrose]

We're two thirds of the way through the forst volume, and things are starting to get even more exciting.

Night's Keep discussion posts:

• Chapter 15


• Chapters 16, 17 and 18


• Chapters 19 and 20


• Chapter 21


• Chapters 22 and 23


• Chapter 24


• Chapters 25, 26 and 27

If we have any first-time readers: how do you feel about this series so far? Does it live up to your expectations? What are the things that keep you reading?

For all of us old fans doing the reread, let's place the spoiler talk behind a cut.

• The World of Erna
  We get a lot of exposition and dialogue introducing us to this new planet, where things are different from how they are on Earth. Thought influences the world directly. Fae works like magic, yet it is not. Seismic activity is higher. People fight for survival with the demons they themselves created. People can create god-like figures, and they are adapting. The native species have also adapted - some with indirect influence, some with direct influence. I've always found it fascinating, and part of the appeal this series has is that it reads like fantasy, yet it is not.


• The antagonists
  Who is the true antagonist? Is it the demons? Is it the Hunter? Is it a yet unknown peril? Halfway through the book, things keep getting complicated and you are kept guessing. (Well, on first read anyway.)
  


• The Church
  Not sure where to begin on this one, so we'll add the knowledge we have gained to what we already knew from Book One. Some followers require a symbol, and thus the image of the Earth is allowed. The Prophet fell and became the Hunter, but he remains religious and even has his very own room for prayer in the Keep. Damien is a bad-ass warrior priest, and given how he is written in this second book and what is hinted at, he's been though a lot. So life is definitely not easy for followers of the Church, outside of the religious hubs. Yet they continue to believe, in the hopes of regaining... what, exactly? As both Gerald and Damien are in awe and afraid of what a world without the fae would be like.


• Gerald and Damien
  Now it starts getting serious. Damien is finally aware of whom (and what) Gerald is. Their relationship is starting to develop, from mistrust to "we use what tools we must". We know it will keep growing, but right now they are left in a state of co-dependency, which will only deepen.
  And yes, the fangirl in me is squeeing. It's hard not to. I know it's not written to be a "slash" novel, and yet... yet my mind goes there.

Did I miss anything? Please add your own thoughts and feelings in the comments.

On Thursday we start Book Three, "Citadel of Storms". After a side-trip to the Forest, it's time for our party of four to finally take their journey to the rakhlands.

Comments

[lunabee34]

I'm enjoying this reread a lot. I've forgotten everything that happens, so it's like new. LOL Also enjoying everyone else's comments about it; I like the series but never got into the deep meta level with it, so it's fascinating seeing all the insights everyone else has.

[prettyarbitrary]

Every time, it throws me off how much of the novel we get through before our...uh, heroes are all assembled. But! *chortles and rubs hands together* NOW THE GOOD PART BEGINS.