Well I'm just starting to read this book and I only want to open this forum that hasn't yet any comment
It's a good read. Some find Kelson whine-y in parts, but chalk it up to his adolescence. What did we sound like at 18-20 years old?
Oh,yeah. Alaric has some presence in this one.
I enjoyed KKB -- especially the look at Torenth and the way they worship.
However, I was ready to slap Kelson silly and I don't care how much Araxie is devoted to duty, I'm not so sure I'd want to marry anyone who kept talking about "the one that got away" or, in this case, ended up marrying his traitorous cousin. Kelson seemed too whiney.
Considering all that Kelson has had dumped on him at such a young age, he's entitled to a good whine.
To some extent, I agree that Kelson was entitled to be at least some complaining about his situation. I also think that those close to him did a pretty good job of being understanding without letting him wallow too much in self-pity and gently remind him of the need for a marriage and an heir.
I also like the details that were filled in about Torenth.
I liked the Torenth parts, as well. Very interesting to read a bit more detail about that area of the Deryni world. I truly disliked Kelson in KKB. Whine, whine, whine. I just wanted to grab him and tell him to grow up.
I re-read KKB for the umpteenth time recently and thought that what he was doing was growing up. My children are about this age and they are going through the same stuff that Kelson roughly did in this book. I thought that KK did a fantastic job in portraying Kelson as a young man that is coming into hisown.
Steffy
I'm agree with you! Yes, maybe sometimes he can be whiney, but he's still a kid!
@Obiwan: I'm just at the part where Morgan arrives ;)
Quote from: Steffy4s3 on March 27, 2008, 07:32:00 AM
My children are about this age and they are going through the same stuff that Kelson roughly did in this book.
Steffy
And, I hope, without nearly as much responsibility on their shoulders as Kelson is dealing with.
I'm also on a Jane Austen group, and it has come up as an explanation of Darcy's behavior in "Pride & Prejudice." If you do the math, Darcy would have been landed with being Master of Pemberly, landlord of about half of Darbyshire, one of the richest commoners in England (and richer than many nobles and even a few minor royals) and guardian of a teenaged sister
at the age of about 22. No wonder he's a bit of a stuffed shirt! (In one of the film versions, his costumes were designed as being just a little too big for him, to give the impression of a boy playing dress-up in his father's clothing.)
There was a scene in KKB when Kelson finally realized that Araxie was THE ONE for him. She said something (which I don't remember) and he was so pleased that he picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her passionately. After that, Kelson was no longer whining and feeling sorry for losing Rothana to Conall. After Teymuraz's attack on Matyas via Derry failed, Kelson and Araxie reacted to the situation in tandem with each other. The final scene in KKB showed everyone that Kelson and Araxie were meant for each other (in my opinion).
Quote from: thistlethorne on March 25, 2008, 02:05:58 PM
I enjoyed KKB -- especially the look at Torenth and the way they worship.
However, I was ready to slap Kelson silly and I don't care how much Araxie is devoted to duty, I'm not so sure I'd want to marry anyone who kept talking about "the one that got away" or, in this case, ended up marrying his traitorous cousin. Kelson seemed too whiney.
I agree that Kelson has certain grounds for complaint and feeling that he has had a tough time in life, and yes, he is dealing with major responsibilities at a young age. So I don't mind that he's not always upbeat and happy in KKB. (I'd wonder about his sanity if he were.) My problem with his behavior in KKB is that he was also dealt a tough hand to play in
Deryni Rising when he was even younger; his beloved father is murdered, he has to fight a magical duel with the woman who killed him, then had to deal with rebellious archbishops who wanted to start a religious war at the same time he had to protect his border from a foreign invader. At which point Kelson behaved with a lot more maturity at 14 than he did at 21. As the heir, he was brought up to rule as at least Prince of Meara had Brion not died. He was bred to do his duty and the full knowledge that his life would include responsibilities in great excess of those of commoner men and even other nobly born contemporaries of his, including men older than he was. The Kingship was his fate, and he could not shirk or escape it. He was as well prepared to rule as any man can be. I doubt he was given much coddling after he grew out of infancy, even as a small boy. So while Kelson's family and friends would understand he was struggling with a deep hurt and with romantic frustration, I don't see any of them putting up with much whining from him.
I do agree that Araxie should have required a little more winning over from Kelson. Talking about your ex-love and declaring she and her son would always have a place in your heart two seconds before proposing to your future wife is
not the way to make brownie points with a prosptective bride. ;) I can see her accepting him, and going through with the betrothal.(Duty all aside, he's near her age, extremely eligible and not bad looking, altogether a husband worth having.) But Kelson ought to have had to work harder to win her true good will, after his lame proposal. She ought to have made it clearer to him that if he wanted more from her than dutiful compliance, he needed to be more considerate of her feelings. :) It would have made the happy ending more satisfying.
Melissa
Well put, Melissa. Your post pretty well outlined the problems I had with Kelson in KKB. Aside from the fact that I cannot abide whining in anyone! LOL Kelson simply was not a "typical" young man, in any sense of the word. I had a hard time accepting that he reacted with such maturity at 14 and then completely fell apart 7 years later. It was like he's undergone a personality chnage or something, and was a different character than the Kelson I had come to know from previous books. I know he was hurting but given his position and upbringing, it just seemed out of character for him to be so wrapped up in himself. At the very least, I would have expected Morgan or Duncan to sit him down and give him a good talking to.
As for Araxie, again, I'm in agreement with Melissa. She came around far too fast. Kelson should have had to put a bit more into making the relationship truly work.
Shiral, you hit the nail right on the head. That is exatly how I felt about Kelson's attitude. You put it so much better than I did.
I often wonder if, after going through the betrothal, Araxie and her sister and perhaps their mother had a late night confab about the whole proposal, and Araxie told her sister how she REALLY felt about the whole thing. Being a king is not simple and being a queen isn't, either. Always wonder if she felt overwhelmed by what she'd sworn to do, or wished she could back out of the whole deal, or if she was going to be queen as a formality and as a convenient breeder of heirs without a real, sustainable marriage while Kelson was busy canoodling with Rothana, instead. I still wonder if she truly feels Rothana's presence in Rhemuth is that great an idea!
Melissa
Rothana once said she would never marry again. Maybe if some man were to come to Rhemuth to help with the Deryni schola and turn Rothana's head and give up her pledge to marry again. If Rothana does marry again, maybe everyone in this triangle will have closure and be able to get on with their lives without any distractions.
Quote from: Shiral on April 12, 2008, 01:42:18 AM
I often wonder if, after going through the betrothal, Araxie and her sister and perhaps their mother had a late night confab about the whole proposal, and Araxie told her sister how she REALLY felt about the whole thing. Being a king is not simple and being a queen isn't, either. Always wonder if she felt overwhelmed by what she'd sworn to do, or wished she could back out of the whole deal, or if she was going to be queen as a formality and as a convenient breeder of heirs without a real, sustainable marriage while Kelson was busy canoodling with Rothana, instead. I still wonder if she truly feels Rothana's presence in Rhemuth is that great an idea!
Melissa
Do I smell a fanfic brewing?
Quote from: Elkhound on April 16, 2008, 01:44:47 PM
Quote from: Shiral on April 12, 2008, 01:42:18 AM
I often wonder if, after going through the betrothal, Araxie and her sister and perhaps their mother had a late night confab about the whole proposal, and Araxie told her sister how she REALLY felt about the whole thing. Being a king is not simple and being a queen isn't, either. Always wonder if she felt overwhelmed by what she'd sworn to do, or wished she could back out of the whole deal, or if she was going to be queen as a formality and as a convenient breeder of heirs without a real, sustainable marriage while Kelson was busy canoodling with Rothana, instead. I still wonder if she truly feels Rothana's presence in Rhemuth is that great an idea!
Melissa
Do I smell a fanfic brewing?
Do Fanfics have a particular scent? =o)
Melissa
Quote from: Shiral on April 28, 2008, 02:09:50 PM
Do Fanfics have a particular scent? =o)
Melissa
Not so much a definable scent. It's the pheromones! :D
Quote from: Mak on April 29, 2008, 09:29:33 AM
Quote from: Shiral on April 28, 2008, 02:09:50 PM
Do Fanfics have a particular scent? =o)
Melissa
Not so much a definable scent. It's the pheromones! :D
Good God, do you mean, Haldane SEX???? ;)
Melissa
I think KK was in a tough spot when she wrote Kelson's story for KKB. Although the story takes place 3 years after QSC Kelson acts as if those events were months, not years, ago. No 18 year old man would have that difficult of a time recovering from Rothana, no matter how much he loved her. But I think KK wanted to show Kelson's acceptance of Rothana's refusal and his developing love of Araxie all in one book. Because Liam needed to age 3 years between the books, KKB started 3 years later. But almost nothing happened in those 3 years, all the dangling plot threads conveniently waited until Liam turned 14.
My biggest criticism of the book is the lack of bringing Araxie more into the story. I would have loved to see her involved in the Torenthy intrigue and more fully flesh out her character.
After reading the Codex sections on Torenth it seems like a very interesting place. I'd look to see more stories centered there.
Some of her other books suffered from cramming enough plot for a trilogy into a single book (ITKS, for example); I think this story could have benefitted from being padded into a trilogy, or at least a duology.
Hi all! I finally come back here!
I finished to read the book and, actually, I think it left lots of stories and situation uncompleted: Teymouraz, Nigel and his grandson and grandaughters.
But like it, not very much the part of Liam coronation and, before, the training of Kelson, it was a little...boring.
Quote from: Shiral on May 01, 2008, 01:43:54 PM
Good God, do you mean, Haldane SEX???? ;)
Melissa
Of course. Perhaps even Haldane Porn.
Imagine a Deryni version of the Kama Sutra, if you will.
Excuse me; I need to be alone for a while.
I think it hearkens back to other books: despite the title, there's more going on than just Kelson's marriage problems--KK has a lot of balls in the air in this one.
I agree; and there are so many loose ends that I will be majorly disappointed in her if there is nothing past KKB.
I'd love to fast-forward to the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries, to see what forms the Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Exploration take in that world.
There's some hints in the Codex...Teymuraz went and married a Byzantine princess (and sired heirs). Hmm... "byzantine" is a byword for complication and intrigue. I shouldn't be surprised if Kelric grows up to help cope with a Byzantine invasion of both Torenth and Gwynedd...
According to the Codex, the Byzantines of the Deryni world ruled much of the land that now makes up the 11 Kingdoms. I would like to see a 21st Century Deryni story to see how the 11 Kingdoms compare to our world.
Quote from: Shiral on March 29, 2008, 06:33:28 PM
I do agree that Araxie should have required a little more winning over from Kelson.Melissa
I believe that there was a lot more winning over done, but it was off stage, done by Rothana. At least that's what I remember reading, without having the book in front of me now.