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This week, we covered to the end of Chapter 7. Join us here or on the blogosphere, whichever works for you:

Straight off, our hero Ellion Tellan insults one of his few friends, Coran Mourne, the new righ of Ilesia, by refusing his offer to become his War-Lord. What do you think of Ellion's choice?

Throughout these first few chapters, we have hints of Ellion's past, which are wrapped up in his desperate attempts to avoid the summons of the Aballo Order for the Grand Moot. Any guesses about what is driving him to avoid the Moot?

In many ways, Letitia is the most approachable of the Tana. Yet, still Ellion feels like he is swimming through foreign territory, never certain of where the taboo sink holes are. As a reader, how is this working for you?

Two assassination attempts in 7 chapters, in the same house. First, what do you make of Tanaan security? Second, it's early, but what are some of your guesses as to who or why someone wants Ellion dead?

The Tana have telepathy. Ellion is left to guess whether or not Rishan and his daughter Letitia are broadcasting on purpose. What do you think? If our society had the same ability, do you think you would get caught up in a telepathic shouting match across a crowded room?

The Tana have a different reproductive cycle than us humans. How do you see this affecting Tanaan-human relationships?

Letitia and her retinue are attacked twice by Basghilae - the walking dead - once near the river on her way home and second at home as she is readying to depart. Are you convinced that they are the work of Banbagor due to some nebulous, unknown grievance?

This week, my question for Barbara will be:
The ancient Irish myth of Cuchulain is woven into the ancient history of this book. Are there other, specific myths that you pulled from in creating this work?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Susan, and for organizing this extravaganza! I got such a kick out of reading your answers to these questions.

In answer to your question for me, the short version is that I stole Irish myth in its totality, notably the Táin Bó Cúailnge–from which the hero Cuchulainn came; the Conquest of the Sons of Mil; and the First and Second Battles of Maige Tuireadh. It’s in the Second Battle of Maige Tuireadh, for example, that the mechanism for creating undead warriors like those you discussed above is drawn. As you note, these tales are part of the *history* of my world.

I didn’t stop with Irish myth, of course: I also hijacked the Atlantis myth, stole gods willy-nilly, and appropriated not one but two underworlds (the Irish and Greek).

You knew when you asked me, of course, that I could go on about this all day. Rather than hijack your entire post, I’ve put up a more complete answer on my blog:



As always, anybody is welcome to stop by and geek out with me.