Some thoughts on Circles

Last night I introduced Rylor Skysong and his brother Myton in Circles. My viewpoint characters are: Thomas, Allanna, Tanalos, Rylor, and Nukota. You haven't met Nukota of the Blood Horde, but you will. I'm also thinking that Verdant might make viewpoint if she survives. Verdant and Argent's love affair interests me so I expect I will write about it eventually. I don't think anyone else will make viewpoint in this book, although Alissa might. (Alissa has more to her than I originally realized. And what does Glemma know of the rebellion? I hope the others have a chance to get some answers out of her soon.)

Anyway, what exactly is the point of Circles? Well, it's the story of Thomas Alltree of Leeson and what happens to him and why. His destiny, in other words. It's not the story of Harry Potter. Not that I would mind if it were and could experience Harry's success, but it's not. Thomas's destiny is darker, but I'm still hoping for a happy ending. Or at least a heroic one. I don't know.

That may seem weird to you -- that I don't know -- but this story has already taken me in places I didn't expect. I started out thinking Jasone and the others would enter the Maze, survive all sorts of traps and puzzles, and come out the best of friends. Then Argent ran into the maze, and dirigibles and soldiers showed up. Then Jasone died. Murdered in front of the Aspirants who would have been his dearest friends in another world. It shocked me.

The shocks kept coming. We ended up in a room that had never known light and listened as a woman met with a creature out of nightmare. What she did to earn the creature's power appalled me. And the creature wanted Thomas dead. Why?

Then we met an emperor whom I had thought was the villain of the story only to discover that he was trapped and powerless, but also has a secret plan in play.

Meanwhile, the Imperial troops brutally slaughtered the Aspirants of the Mongarth and their teachers. Not all of residents of Mongarth, of course, because it's apparent they had at least three traitors in their midst. What's Forrest's game? How could he do what he's done?

Then we visited the aftermath of a terrible attack on the 33th Flight of the Silvercloud. Gyrocopters? A massive black dragon? But ... but we already know dragons no longer exist. In the very first pages of Circles, we learned that. What in the world is happening?

What a world this has turned out to be. Mages, murder, human sacrifice, dark rituals, dirigibles, gyrocopters, dragons, soldiers, generals, concubines, archpriests, the Silver Folk, the Blood Horde ... What does it all mean and where does it end?

Frankly, I don't know, but I'm eager to find out. Aren't you?

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