Onyx Storm: Chapter 60-61
Jun. 22nd, 2025 09:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaSo Mira's dragon is unconscious, since Mira herself is out. Therefore, they now have a problem: they need to transport a dragon, and the only one big enough to carry Teine is Tairn.
Tairn does not want to do this, despite Violet pointing out dragons are supposed to prize their own kind over humans. Violet, the dragons have been inconsistent for three whole books, don't try to convince me they have rules now.
Tairn agrees to do this, leaving Violet and Bodhi in the field. Violet tries to lock in, to forget about everything and everyone else so she can kill Theophanie when she has the chance.
I want to address this. Throughout the books we have these moments that are supposed to be meaningful around Violet's distaste for killing. On one hand, we're supposed to admire Violet's strength and her power, and applaud her when she's a badass. But like all female protagonists of this ilk, she's not allowed to have confidence in her skills or to risk alienating the readers by being okay with killing, so she still has this aversion to violence and difficulty thinking of herself as a weapon.
But...isn't that weird?
Violet is a military brat from a family of famous riders. She lived at the war college prior to actually entering the rider quadrant. She has been training to be a killer for the last three books. Neither of her parents appear to have been averse to violence. That's definitely not a trait Mama Sorrengail would have instilled.
So why is Violet averse to violence, and if she is, why isn't that a much bigger deal? She's training to be a member of an elite military force from day one. She's surrounded by other soldiers. She was raised by soldiers in the fucking war college. If she has an ideological reason to oppose killing, that should be a much bigger plot point, and the fact that it isn't makes it feel like it's just in there because Yarros has not thought about the implications of anything in her book.
Anyways. Theophanie shows up as Bodhi and Violet discuss the mysterious plan. Again.
No, it isn't. That's a rule that's been mentioned once in this whole book and never before. The rule prior to that was that signets were reflections of the rider's true character. Now suddenly we have all this lore that magic balances itself and it's meaningful if certain signets exist at the same time. But that actually doesn't make sense if the signets are individual manifestations of a person's character, you would expect there to be variation between riders with similar powers just because all people are different.
Theophanie menaces Bodhi and Violet as Violet realizes that sending Tairn away means she can't access his power.
The worldbuilding in these books is insanely bad.
Violet is planning to kill Theophanie in hand to hand combat, which strikes me as abysmally stupid, but whatever. Violet's limitations only apply when Yarros needs them to. Her plan is to have Bodhi counter Theophanie's signet so she can strike, but then she realizes Theophanie isn't a lightning wielder...she's a storm wielder. She's not evil Violet...she's evil Lillith.
This would be a much greater revelation if the idea that only two people at a time on opposite sides can have the same signet hadn't been introduced IN THIS SCENE.
And also, what is that supposed to mean? Like, what's the significance of Theophanie and Lillith having the same signet? Because this new signet lore contradicts the previous lore!
So magic is sentient and creates riders to counteract the signets of the venin. I think. Cool. And everyone just intuitively knows this, even though no one even knew the venin had signets until recently. And even though, I say again, IT CONTRADICTS THE LORE OF BOOK 1. Without any actual retconning, like "oh, they teach one thing but it's a lie because we don't want the riders to know about the venin."
Violet tries to make Bodhi leave, and his dragon carries him off.
Now it's just Violet versus Theophanie. Violet is knocked down by the wind and hides by a tree. She uses the explosive arrowheads she has to return the favor. But she's no match for Theophanie in hand to hand combat, and ends up pinned to the ground.
So...is Andarna back? Or is it Mira? Those are the only female characters that have mattered so far, so those are my guesses.
Fuck it, let's do another one. The book's almost done.
Next chapter opens with this hilarious quote:
IN THIS SERIES THEY ARE ALLOWED TO KILL EACH OTHER FOR ANY REASON AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING. AND THEY DO.
SUCH TRUST. MUCH TRUSTING.
Okay, this chapter is from Rhiannon's point of view. She sounds exactly like Violet, because of course she does. But it is nice to get another point of view here. Rhiannon is concentrating on the battle and not fucking up because she's in charge and the situation is dire.
Violet is always thinking things like this...I would have loved to see Rhiannon's thinking be different in some way, like it would be cool to see a female character get to have internal confidence.
And of course, Rhiannon's dragon sounds like Tairn. Goddammit.
Even in Rhiannon's point of view, it has to be about Violet's well-being, the only thing in the universe of real importance.
The battle starts. It's cool to see the tactics from Rhiannon's point of view as she sets up the battle and tries to use everyone to their best advantage, and we get a look at the squad dynamics that don't revolve around Violet.
They're holding the pass, barely. Chapter end.
Tairn does not want to do this, despite Violet pointing out dragons are supposed to prize their own kind over humans. Violet, the dragons have been inconsistent for three whole books, don't try to convince me they have rules now.
“Please,” I beg Tairn. “If not for Teine’s own sake, then for Mira’s. I’ve already lost Andarna. I can’t lose my sister, too. Do not ask me to find that strength or I will fail you. I will fail us both.”
Tairn agrees to do this, leaving Violet and Bodhi in the field. Violet tries to lock in, to forget about everything and everyone else so she can kill Theophanie when she has the chance.
I force myself to cut off all thoughts of the others and step into the headspace where I am no longer a sister, a friend, or a lover. I exist only as a rider, a weapon.
I want to address this. Throughout the books we have these moments that are supposed to be meaningful around Violet's distaste for killing. On one hand, we're supposed to admire Violet's strength and her power, and applaud her when she's a badass. But like all female protagonists of this ilk, she's not allowed to have confidence in her skills or to risk alienating the readers by being okay with killing, so she still has this aversion to violence and difficulty thinking of herself as a weapon.
But...isn't that weird?
Violet is a military brat from a family of famous riders. She lived at the war college prior to actually entering the rider quadrant. She has been training to be a killer for the last three books. Neither of her parents appear to have been averse to violence. That's definitely not a trait Mama Sorrengail would have instilled.
So why is Violet averse to violence, and if she is, why isn't that a much bigger deal? She's training to be a member of an elite military force from day one. She's surrounded by other soldiers. She was raised by soldiers in the fucking war college. If she has an ideological reason to oppose killing, that should be a much bigger plot point, and the fact that it isn't makes it feel like it's just in there because Yarros has not thought about the implications of anything in her book.
Anyways. Theophanie shows up as Bodhi and Violet discuss the mysterious plan. Again.
“You think this will work?”
“Has to. Magic requires balance, right?”
“It’s the oldest rule there is.” Theophanie walks out from behind the carcass of a wyvern. “But once a century or so we get a chance to skew the scales in our favor, and I will prove myself to him this time.”
No, it isn't. That's a rule that's been mentioned once in this whole book and never before. The rule prior to that was that signets were reflections of the rider's true character. Now suddenly we have all this lore that magic balances itself and it's meaningful if certain signets exist at the same time. But that actually doesn't make sense if the signets are individual manifestations of a person's character, you would expect there to be variation between riders with similar powers just because all people are different.
Theophanie menaces Bodhi and Violet as Violet realizes that sending Tairn away means she can't access his power.
“Pity you had to kill them.” She clucks her tongue. “They take forever to generate. Are you ready to tip the balance, Violet?”
Having two lightning wielders on any side wouldn’t just tip a balance; it would destroy it.
The same as shadows.
The worldbuilding in these books is insanely bad.
Violet is planning to kill Theophanie in hand to hand combat, which strikes me as abysmally stupid, but whatever. Violet's limitations only apply when Yarros needs them to. Her plan is to have Bodhi counter Theophanie's signet so she can strike, but then she realizes Theophanie isn't a lightning wielder...she's a storm wielder. She's not evil Violet...she's evil Lillith.
This would be a much greater revelation if the idea that only two people at a time on opposite sides can have the same signet hadn't been introduced IN THIS SCENE.
And also, what is that supposed to mean? Like, what's the significance of Theophanie and Lillith having the same signet? Because this new signet lore contradicts the previous lore!
“She’s their answer to my mother.” Saying it out loud snaps the shock from my system, and my mind begins to race. Only Aimsir’s exhaustion or a physical illness weakened Mom. Not even the strongest wind wielder could diminish Mom’s storms.
“She was the answer to me,” Theophanie hisses, and the clouds start to swirl.
So magic is sentient and creates riders to counteract the signets of the venin. I think. Cool. And everyone just intuitively knows this, even though no one even knew the venin had signets until recently. And even though, I say again, IT CONTRADICTS THE LORE OF BOOK 1. Without any actual retconning, like "oh, they teach one thing but it's a lie because we don't want the riders to know about the venin."
Violet tries to make Bodhi leave, and his dragon carries him off.
Now it's just Violet versus Theophanie. Violet is knocked down by the wind and hides by a tree. She uses the explosive arrowheads she has to return the favor. But she's no match for Theophanie in hand to hand combat, and ends up pinned to the ground.
I glance south just long enough to witness the horde disappearing into the valley.
“You’re right. I can’t be everywhere.” Theophanie’s eyes widen as I arch my neck against the blade. “I don’t have to be.”
When push comes to shove, I’m not the best of us.
She is.
So...is Andarna back? Or is it Mira? Those are the only female characters that have mattered so far, so those are my guesses.
Fuck it, let's do another one. The book's almost done.
Next chapter opens with this hilarious quote:
Command is built on respect, rules, and obedience. Squads are built on trust.
IN THIS SERIES THEY ARE ALLOWED TO KILL EACH OTHER FOR ANY REASON AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING. AND THEY DO.
SUCH TRUST. MUCH TRUSTING.
Okay, this chapter is from Rhiannon's point of view. She sounds exactly like Violet, because of course she does. But it is nice to get another point of view here. Rhiannon is concentrating on the battle and not fucking up because she's in charge and the situation is dire.
Part of me screams that we should be on the other side of that peak, but we have our orders. And half a squad.
I clear my throat and my feelings. This isn’t the Squad Battle. I make a mistake here, and innocent people die. We lucked out when the wyvern that crashed through the holes I left in our defenses only took out the wall and not my parents’ house.
Violet is always thinking things like this...I would have loved to see Rhiannon's thinking be different in some way, like it would be cool to see a female character get to have internal confidence.
And of course, Rhiannon's dragon sounds like Tairn. Goddammit.
“Acknowledging your fear for the lightning wielder does not compromise you.” Feirge calls me out just like always. “Ignoring it does. Accept the emotion and move on.”
Even in Rhiannon's point of view, it has to be about Violet's well-being, the only thing in the universe of real importance.
The battle starts. It's cool to see the tactics from Rhiannon's point of view as she sets up the battle and tries to use everyone to their best advantage, and we get a look at the squad dynamics that don't revolve around Violet.
They're holding the pass, barely. Chapter end.
