Onyx Storm: Predictions + Prologue
Jan. 23rd, 2025 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaAll right, I'm going to throw down some predictions before I crack open the actual book.
Before the actual book, there are some diagrams that list all the main characters and their rankings and alliances, which is nice.
The prologue opens with a quote from a letter General Melgren (evil general guy who can see the future of battles, sometimes) to the King of Navarre, advising an alliance with Poromiel.
Seriously? This is the first one in the book! Stop ruining your plot before it's even appeared on the page!
Okay, now the prologue itself. We open in Violet's POV, where she's chasing a concealed Xaden through the dark tunnels beneath Basgiath.
Hey, so you know what would have been good in the last book? If we had gotten to actually spend time with Violet doing this venin research as foreshadowing for this moment. Also curious about where she read this stuff, since presumably all venin-related info is kept locked down by the government--in the stolen journals? From the gryphon fliers?
Violet is using her dragon bond to trace Xaden, since he's cloaked in shadows, and tracks him to the interrogation chamber. Ah, so we're at the place where the epilogue of Iron Flame ended, with Xaden interrogating Jack Barlowe. Oh, good, I really wanted to return to that abysmal scene.
Violet gets there, but can't use her powers to sneak past the guards like Xaden can, so she has to bluff her way past instead, which she does by imagining what her sister would do.
This is actually good! Violet actually using her wits to surpass a problem. The guards let her through. She and Andarna continue to talk mentally as she makes her way down, and Andarna, despite her misgivings about 'channeling from the earth' which is what the venin do, agrees to go along with whatever Violet wants.
Andarna then explains that when she changes color, her magic feels different, and that was why she was able to set a venin on fire during the climax of the last book. I don't remember that being a big deal during that book at all, but apparently Violet didn't think it was a big deal either until now and her mom did just die, so I'm gonna let Yarros have this one.
Yarros. Please. Stop dropping the plot before you've actually had time to write the plot. Is now, while Violet is like a staircase away from Xaden talking to Jack Barlowe, really the time to have this discussion? This is supposed to be a tense scene, but we're spending it in Violet's head having a conversation, so all the tension's been leeched from it.
Finally, Violet arrives and overhears Jack's conversation with Xaden. Jack's dialogue is so hamhanded that it causes me physical pain. He talks like a PG-13 Powerpuff Girls villain.
And of course, Jack is talking about Violet and how she's soooo powerful and yes, he does have to drop a mention of her special hair.
Violet is furious, because she doesn't want anything to happen to Xaden, and if Jack Barlowe talks, his secret will be revealed. Despite every venin we've met being completely evil, Violet believes that Xaden is still fundamentally good and that given time she'll figure out how to un-venin him. That is fine and honestly refreshing after spending the entire last book thrashing out her fake trust issues. Give me an external conflict any day.
“You’ll have to keep secrets again,” Andarna warns.
“Only the ones that protect Xaden.” Which currently means preventing Jack from revealing this conversation without killing him, since we can’t afford the manhunt the death of our only prisoner would cause.
“You sure I shouldn’t ask Cuir or Chradh—”
“No.” I start down the stairs. There’s only one other person besides Bodhi and Garrick I can trust to prioritize Xaden’s best interests, only one other person who can know the truth in its entirety. “Tell Glane I need Imogen.”
Ah, the person who can wipe memories. That's actually intelligent! Violet, twice in one chapter? I don't even know you anymore.
I'm going to keep the recaps to one per chapter this time, so we'll stop there.
- So far, Yarros has managed about 1 meaningful death scene per book: Liam in book 1 and General Sorrengail in book 2. Other characters died, yes, in droves, but none of them mattered. So I'm guessing the same will occur here and she'll save her one decent death scene for the climax again. I say we'll lose another one of Violet's squad members. My guess would be Imogen.
- The wards will be raised in Aretia.
- Violet and Xaden will get engaged, or at least start talking about marriage.
- We will discover that Andarna is the Mary Sue of dragons and has other weird powers.
- Yarros will frequently tell us how dangerous venin!Xaden is but nothing bad will actually happen and if it does it will never actually matter.
Before the actual book, there are some diagrams that list all the main characters and their rankings and alliances, which is nice.
The prologue opens with a quote from a letter General Melgren (evil general guy who can see the future of battles, sometimes) to the King of Navarre, advising an alliance with Poromiel.
Seriously? This is the first one in the book! Stop ruining your plot before it's even appeared on the page!
Okay, now the prologue itself. We open in Violet's POV, where she's chasing a concealed Xaden through the dark tunnels beneath Basgiath.
If anyone spots the faint, strawberry-red circles around his irises, he’ll be arrested—and likely executed. According to the texts I’ve read, they’ll fade at this phase, but until they do, what could possibly be important enough for him to risk being seen?
Hey, so you know what would have been good in the last book? If we had gotten to actually spend time with Violet doing this venin research as foreshadowing for this moment. Also curious about where she read this stuff, since presumably all venin-related info is kept locked down by the government--in the stolen journals? From the gryphon fliers?
Violet is using her dragon bond to trace Xaden, since he's cloaked in shadows, and tracks him to the interrogation chamber. Ah, so we're at the place where the epilogue of Iron Flame ended, with Xaden interrogating Jack Barlowe. Oh, good, I really wanted to return to that abysmal scene.
Violet gets there, but can't use her powers to sneak past the guards like Xaden can, so she has to bluff her way past instead, which she does by imagining what her sister would do.
“Tell me”—I tilt my head and fold my arms like I’m strapped with every dagger I own…or am at least wearing footwear—“if the man directly responsible for your mother’s death was a flight of stairs away, what would you do?”
The shorter one looks down, revealing a cut beneath his ear.
“Orders—” the taller one starts, glancing at the ends of my sleep-loosened braid.
“He’s behind a locked door,” I interrupt. “I’m asking you to look the other way for five minutes, not give me the key.” My gaze darts poignantly to the key ring hanging on his bloodstained belt. “If it had been your mother, and she’d secured the kingdom’s entire defense system with her life, I promise I’d afford you the same courtesy.”
This is actually good! Violet actually using her wits to surpass a problem. The guards let her through. She and Andarna continue to talk mentally as she makes her way down, and Andarna, despite her misgivings about 'channeling from the earth' which is what the venin do, agrees to go along with whatever Violet wants.
Andarna then explains that when she changes color, her magic feels different, and that was why she was able to set a venin on fire during the climax of the last book. I don't remember that being a big deal during that book at all, but apparently Violet didn't think it was a big deal either until now and her mom did just die, so I'm gonna let Yarros have this one.
Not that I’m willing to risk Andarna by shouting that she might be our newest weapon, especially not when the rumor has already circulated that we’ll seek an alliance with Poromiel. What could be worse than leadership endangering Andarna? The whole Continent’s leadership seeking to do the same.
Yarros. Please. Stop dropping the plot before you've actually had time to write the plot. Is now, while Violet is like a staircase away from Xaden talking to Jack Barlowe, really the time to have this discussion? This is supposed to be a tense scene, but we're spending it in Violet's head having a conversation, so all the tension's been leeched from it.
Finally, Violet arrives and overhears Jack's conversation with Xaden. Jack's dialogue is so hamhanded that it causes me physical pain. He talks like a PG-13 Powerpuff Girls villain.
“Even you don’t get a say in which parts of us are taken first, Riorson.” Jack laughs. “But speaking from personal experience, control goes quickly. Just look at you, freshly fed from the source and already down here, desperate for a cure. You will slip, and afterward… Well, let’s just say that silver hair that has you so besotted will be gray like the rest of her, and those weak-ass initiate rings in your eyes won’t just last a few days—they’ll be permanent.”
And of course, Jack is talking about Violet and how she's soooo powerful and yes, he does have to drop a mention of her special hair.
Violet is furious, because she doesn't want anything to happen to Xaden, and if Jack Barlowe talks, his secret will be revealed. Despite every venin we've met being completely evil, Violet believes that Xaden is still fundamentally good and that given time she'll figure out how to un-venin him. That is fine and honestly refreshing after spending the entire last book thrashing out her fake trust issues. Give me an external conflict any day.
“You’ll have to keep secrets again,” Andarna warns.
“Only the ones that protect Xaden.” Which currently means preventing Jack from revealing this conversation without killing him, since we can’t afford the manhunt the death of our only prisoner would cause.
“You sure I shouldn’t ask Cuir or Chradh—”
“No.” I start down the stairs. There’s only one other person besides Bodhi and Garrick I can trust to prioritize Xaden’s best interests, only one other person who can know the truth in its entirety. “Tell Glane I need Imogen.”
Ah, the person who can wipe memories. That's actually intelligent! Violet, twice in one chapter? I don't even know you anymore.
I'm going to keep the recaps to one per chapter this time, so we'll stop there.
