Iron Flame Live Reactions: Chapters 22-24
Sep. 1st, 2024 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaWe open to Violet dreaming, what is clearly a magical nightmare foreshadowing future events. One of the venin Sages has her by the throat, and lectures her about how she's not living up to her potential and how he's waited centuries for someone with her power. Violet wakes up and tells herself it's just a dream.
I, unfortunately, am awake, and therefore must ask whether any character in this book is allowed to exist without telling us how great Violet is.
Next scene. Xaden is taking Violet to Basgiath's forge, to show her how the weapons the rebels take are stolen. Violet is happy because it means Xaden trusts her. They chat about the wardstones and Violet's research. In order to figure out how to make wardstones, Violet needs a firsthand account from one of the First Six, but she's not sure how to get ahold of one because of the Archives' stranglehold on all knowledge. But her dad did tell her they existed.
I hope the book makes use of Violet's dad at some point. Can we go through all his stuff? Can Violet review all the books he gave her for secret letters?
Whoops! As they head down to the forge, Major Varrish appears. He's here to kidnap Violet for RSC. Xaden takes exception to this, so Violet reaches out to his dragon to get him to stop. Again this classic romantasy overprotectiveness feels out of place here--Xaden knows what the stakes are, should know them much better than Violet, considering his precarious situation. He's fucking loaded with contraband right now!
Xaden also apparently isn't in Varrish's chain of command, which is insane and doesn't technically have to obey him. That makes no sense, but whatever, this military is run purely on vibes at this point.
Also, apparently Violet dislocated her shoulder last week, but last chapter she called it a sprain. Yarros, words mean things.
Sgaeyl intervenes somehow and Xaden backs off.
They march Violet off.
Chapter end. That was one scene, why make it its own chapter? Whatever. Chapter 23.
They take Violet to the training center, which is hidden in the cliffside so well Violet's never seen it before, and into a guarded torture chamber. She's given a secret phrase. She and her comrades are disarmed. They're informed that the first few days are "instructional only" which means...I'm not sure what? That it's practice for the real thing? They're brought some food and told to share a secret that will be forced out of them later.
They all share secrets. Violet reveals that Poromish civilians are being killed at the border, which seems like a dangerous thing to reveal, because if they get it out of her classmates they could be accused of treason. Everyone else's secrets are pretty mundane. Then Violet realizes the food and drink are drugged and warns everyone not to drink. I like this--Violet's a poisoner, so it makes sense she would catch this.
The Riders are taken to the torture chamber and shackled to the walls, except for Violet, who gets the place of honor in the center of the room. The professors don't do the actual torturing--bad for their education, which is the single mote of logic in this scenario so far--so he leaves.
So two riders Violet doesn't know, both described as "unmemorable", come in and start doing torture shit.
Apparently Torturer 1 has a signet that:
Hey, so this is stupid. There's physical tells for lying, sure, but these people are in a high stress situation and being subjected to violence. I doubt their signet can distinguish "tachycardia from pain" from "tachycardia from lying" from "tachycardia because I just gave up the truth and failed the assignment", so how the fuck is that supposed to work, exactly?
They're left alone once everyone's been beaten a bit. Violet reassures the others by using her connection to Xaden to find out what time it is. Then the torturers come back...with water, which they offer if anyone gives up a personal secret. No one does.
Enter Varrish.
And Dain.
Chapter end.
Yeah, let's keep going. I know I've complained a lot about the torture shit being logically stupid, but these are still finally chapters with tension and suspense and a reason to keep turning the page. We are 37% into the book and it's finally getting interesting! Who edited this?
We open to Dain entering the torture chamber. Violet warns Xaden off as he starts to come to rescue her; if he comes to save her, they'll have confirmation of Violet's involvement whether Dain gets her memories or not, so they need to rely on her shielding here. Violet's been consistently working on her shielding up to this point, so this is good set up and payoff.
Varrish tells Dain to practice his signet on Violet to get the secret phrase from her.
Secret mind-reader, maybe? Something is up with this guy for sure.
Varrish tries to get Dain to read Violet's memories--first by pointing out she could be a spy, then by tempting him by saying only he can find out the truth, and then by suggesting Dain use this opportunity to find out why Violet picked Xaden over him. This is a good bit--Varrish is threatening without feeling like a cartoon. Dain refuses, though, citing regulations, and leaves.
So Varrish punches Violet so hard she passes out.
Next scene. Violet wakes to Nolon hovering over her, mending her. He's here because Varrish wants her healed between torture sessions. And he warns her she needs to escape, because he's not going to be able to mend her again. Then he gives her an opening by luring Varrish off while leaving open a window.
So that's intriguing. What exactly are they up to? I'm not sure--maybe it has to do with one of the riders that's been assassinated actually being alive and kept for interrogation. Maybe they're talking about Aaric?
Violet's squadmates went to know what the fuck is up, since clearly it's not normal for the interrogators to try a kill a rider during RSC, except that we learned earlier in the book this is the event with the second highest death toll. Make up your mind, Yarros. Violet tells them she can't reveal anything to them, it's too dangerous. So they start breaking out. Sawyer melts a lock, they grab their weapons, and then Violet discovers her dagger--the ones from Xaden, the alloyed ones--unlocks the remaining door.
So we know the alloyed daggers are around. Xaden's are part of his rune-based magic, which is regional. Other people have them--Aaric confirmed for us that his guards were carrying them which tipped him off to the threat, and Violet's mom maybe has one? This seems like it's the same thing. Maybe only high ranking officials are supposed to have them on Basgiath.
Chapter end! Not bad, honestly. The best the book has been.
I, unfortunately, am awake, and therefore must ask whether any character in this book is allowed to exist without telling us how great Violet is.
Next scene. Xaden is taking Violet to Basgiath's forge, to show her how the weapons the rebels take are stolen. Violet is happy because it means Xaden trusts her. They chat about the wardstones and Violet's research. In order to figure out how to make wardstones, Violet needs a firsthand account from one of the First Six, but she's not sure how to get ahold of one because of the Archives' stranglehold on all knowledge. But her dad did tell her they existed.
I hope the book makes use of Violet's dad at some point. Can we go through all his stuff? Can Violet review all the books he gave her for secret letters?
Whoops! As they head down to the forge, Major Varrish appears. He's here to kidnap Violet for RSC. Xaden takes exception to this, so Violet reaches out to his dragon to get him to stop. Again this classic romantasy overprotectiveness feels out of place here--Xaden knows what the stakes are, should know them much better than Violet, considering his precarious situation. He's fucking loaded with contraband right now!
Xaden also apparently isn't in Varrish's chain of command, which is insane and doesn't technically have to obey him. That makes no sense, but whatever, this military is run purely on vibes at this point.
Also, apparently Violet dislocated her shoulder last week, but last chapter she called it a sprain. Yarros, words mean things.
Sgaeyl intervenes somehow and Xaden backs off.
They march Violet off.
Chapter end. That was one scene, why make it its own chapter? Whatever. Chapter 23.
They take Violet to the training center, which is hidden in the cliffside so well Violet's never seen it before, and into a guarded torture chamber. She's given a secret phrase. She and her comrades are disarmed. They're informed that the first few days are "instructional only" which means...I'm not sure what? That it's practice for the real thing? They're brought some food and told to share a secret that will be forced out of them later.
They all share secrets. Violet reveals that Poromish civilians are being killed at the border, which seems like a dangerous thing to reveal, because if they get it out of her classmates they could be accused of treason. Everyone else's secrets are pretty mundane. Then Violet realizes the food and drink are drugged and warns everyone not to drink. I like this--Violet's a poisoner, so it makes sense she would catch this.
The Riders are taken to the torture chamber and shackled to the walls, except for Violet, who gets the place of honor in the center of the room. The professors don't do the actual torturing--bad for their education, which is the single mote of logic in this scenario so far--so he leaves.
So two riders Violet doesn't know, both described as "unmemorable", come in and start doing torture shit.
Apparently Torturer 1 has a signet that:
“Ah, going with the start-lying-immediately-so-they-won’t-know-when-youtell-the-truth strategy.” The man grins. “Good one. But unfortunately for you, my signet is similar to Lieutenant Nora’s and has to do with your bodily functions. In layman’s terms, I’ll know when you’re lying, and you are lying.”
Hey, so this is stupid. There's physical tells for lying, sure, but these people are in a high stress situation and being subjected to violence. I doubt their signet can distinguish "tachycardia from pain" from "tachycardia from lying" from "tachycardia because I just gave up the truth and failed the assignment", so how the fuck is that supposed to work, exactly?
They're left alone once everyone's been beaten a bit. Violet reassures the others by using her connection to Xaden to find out what time it is. Then the torturers come back...with water, which they offer if anyone gives up a personal secret. No one does.
Enter Varrish.
And Dain.
Chapter end.
Yeah, let's keep going. I know I've complained a lot about the torture shit being logically stupid, but these are still finally chapters with tension and suspense and a reason to keep turning the page. We are 37% into the book and it's finally getting interesting! Who edited this?
We open to Dain entering the torture chamber. Violet warns Xaden off as he starts to come to rescue her; if he comes to save her, they'll have confirmation of Violet's involvement whether Dain gets her memories or not, so they need to rely on her shielding here. Violet's been consistently working on her shielding up to this point, so this is good set up and payoff.
Varrish tells Dain to practice his signet on Violet to get the secret phrase from her.
“Then who are you going to practice on to extend your ability past recent events? We’re running out of civilians around here for Nolon to mend, and if you think she hasn’t told the rest of her squad your little secret, you’re giving her far too much credit.”
Holy shit. While Carr is my teacher, Varrish is Dain’s. What the hell is our vice commandant’s signet?
Secret mind-reader, maybe? Something is up with this guy for sure.
Varrish tries to get Dain to read Violet's memories--first by pointing out she could be a spy, then by tempting him by saying only he can find out the truth, and then by suggesting Dain use this opportunity to find out why Violet picked Xaden over him. This is a good bit--Varrish is threatening without feeling like a cartoon. Dain refuses, though, citing regulations, and leaves.
So Varrish punches Violet so hard she passes out.
Next scene. Violet wakes to Nolon hovering over her, mending her. He's here because Varrish wants her healed between torture sessions. And he warns her she needs to escape, because he's not going to be able to mend her again. Then he gives her an opening by luring Varrish off while leaving open a window.
“I’ve been thinking about my other patient,” Nolon says casually.
“What about him?” Varrish replies.
“He spent the night in the infirmary again. Sorrengail will have to sleep off the mending for another hour or so. Why don’t you walk back with me and see if your particular skills could be of use? I might be overlooking something.”
Rhiannon and I exchange the same confused look.
“You think the sessions are failing?” Varrish asks.
So that's intriguing. What exactly are they up to? I'm not sure--maybe it has to do with one of the riders that's been assassinated actually being alive and kept for interrogation. Maybe they're talking about Aaric?
Violet's squadmates went to know what the fuck is up, since clearly it's not normal for the interrogators to try a kill a rider during RSC, except that we learned earlier in the book this is the event with the second highest death toll. Make up your mind, Yarros. Violet tells them she can't reveal anything to them, it's too dangerous. So they start breaking out. Sawyer melts a lock, they grab their weapons, and then Violet discovers her dagger--the ones from Xaden, the alloyed ones--unlocks the remaining door.
So we know the alloyed daggers are around. Xaden's are part of his rune-based magic, which is regional. Other people have them--Aaric confirmed for us that his guards were carrying them which tipped him off to the threat, and Violet's mom maybe has one? This seems like it's the same thing. Maybe only high ranking officials are supposed to have them on Basgiath.
Chapter end! Not bad, honestly. The best the book has been.
