D'Shai
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
4 journalers for this copy...
A talent left to mold,
finally gets bleached white
in unexpected sun.
finally gets bleached white
in unexpected sun.
This book is yet another pulled from the shadows' of societys' fingers to become part of a trade with a great BC'er on here! :)
She has so many great books all the time, the poor lady has me sniffing around her collection all the time, like a wild animal...
Dear? Have you had your rabies shot? >:)
She has so many great books all the time, the poor lady has me sniffing around her collection all the time, like a wild animal...
Dear? Have you had your rabies shot? >:)
The box-o-books arrived safely today, despite the best efforts of a short-lived whiteout snowstorm; many thanks!
I enjoyed Rosenberg's Hour of the Octopus, which is a follow-on to this book, so I'm glad to be able to read more about this character.
Later: Very enjoyable story, a mix of fantasy-world, romantic complications, and crime-solving, with exquisite attention to detail. It opens with a short chapter that describes a form of personal-achievement magic known as kazuh "raising kazuh" refers to the activation of this talent:
"Begin with a secret: balance is the Way of the Runner. Attention to balance is all; the rest will fall into place. Balance is not just the Way of the Runner; it is the way of D'Shai."
As described here, this seems to be an extension of the kind of "runner's high" or other "totally involved/in the flow" mindset that some of us are lucky enough to achieve now and then. [I got into it a few times when writing or debugging computer programs, and it really is a wonderful feeling!] In this world, that kind of focus can take one's particular talent even farther, though, as with the runner in the prologue - not only can he run farther and faster than usual, he can run farther and faster than *possible*, to the point where if he loses sight of his destination he might just keep on running until his body falls apart... Even when it works properly, use of this talent can be physically and mentally taxing, so some amount of recuperation time is needed. (D'Shai is the country (or world?) in which the story is set, and while not all people in D'Shai can achieve this extreme state, enough can that it's a part of the culture.) This prelude is echoed throughout the book, with a number of "interludes" in which we see how different people manage their tasks, with or without kazuh; these include a cook (very funny chapter), a servant, and even a lord, giving us many different points of view without distracting from the story.
All this sets up the introduction of the main character, Kami, a young man who's a member of a traveling troupe of acrobats, which includes his father and sister. Kami's talent lies in juggling; he's not that great with the tumbling, though he is quite agile and strong. But he may have other talents that have yet to be discovered...
He's also, it seems, something of a ladies' man, and is currently conducting a hopeful-yet-unlikely romance with NaRee, the daughter of a middle-class family - who's also being courted by the castle armourer, whose prestige far outweighs Kami's.
Among my favorite elements of these books: the descriptions, especially of food - the author goes into mouth-watering detail over every dish in a banquet, and even of humbler fare. And there are detailed descriptions of Kami's thoughts and sensations while trying to raise kazuh when juggling, and of the elaborate and highly ritualized social structures (especially when in the presence of the nobility). It's a rich, fully-realized world, and while it has some dark elements it also has some lush and appealing ones.
The social/political situation is such that, when dealing with one's betters, it's vital to be able to read meanings in apparently-innocuous phrases. In some ways it reminded me of the more elaborate Chinese or Japanese imperial court settings.
While much of the magic in this world is of the personal-talent variety, there are magicians who can do much more with it - but they tend to be rather scruffy and work-stained individuals with very bad attitudes {wry grin}. Kami does not get along with the chief magician in this city, but he eventually needs his talents after getting himself beaten to a pulp by the flunkies of his rival-in-love... The magic is described as lovingly as everything else, and is elaborate, uncomfortable, and effective - but not perfect. Nice blend! (If I were running a D&D campaign I'd love to set one in this world, especially with player characters who tend to be disrespectful to NPCs; their lifespans would be very short in this setting.)
There's so much lovely stuff in the book that I daren't cite it all. The acrobats have amusing and daring little rituals at breakfast, for example; throwing knives, tossing eggs, basically running little drills that could injure someone if anything goes wrong, and all before they get to eat. The backchat and byplay is very entertaining, there are lots of intriguing characters, and that setting! So, so rich...
As for the crime-solving: at first, Kami wants to find a way to bring his romantic rival to book for beating him, even though he knows it's unlikely he could make it stick (and it'd be dangerous to try). But when someone dear to him dies under circumstances that make him think he was the target, he realizes he has to discover evidence that clearly points to the culprit, at whatever cost. The investigation includes crime-scene examination - very "CSI", however low-tech - and, later, some assistance from the magician, with lots of close calls and complications, not least when the lord of the city takes an interest in the case. And it's while mentally juggling the facts of the case that Kami begins to sense another form of kazuh; just what talent is this, and will it avenge the lost one without costing the lives or safety of Kami and his troupe?
I really enjoyed this, and found the conclusion surprising, satisfying, and poignant. Good book!
I enjoyed Rosenberg's Hour of the Octopus, which is a follow-on to this book, so I'm glad to be able to read more about this character.
Later: Very enjoyable story, a mix of fantasy-world, romantic complications, and crime-solving, with exquisite attention to detail. It opens with a short chapter that describes a form of personal-achievement magic known as kazuh "raising kazuh" refers to the activation of this talent:
"Begin with a secret: balance is the Way of the Runner. Attention to balance is all; the rest will fall into place. Balance is not just the Way of the Runner; it is the way of D'Shai."
As described here, this seems to be an extension of the kind of "runner's high" or other "totally involved/in the flow" mindset that some of us are lucky enough to achieve now and then. [I got into it a few times when writing or debugging computer programs, and it really is a wonderful feeling!] In this world, that kind of focus can take one's particular talent even farther, though, as with the runner in the prologue - not only can he run farther and faster than usual, he can run farther and faster than *possible*, to the point where if he loses sight of his destination he might just keep on running until his body falls apart... Even when it works properly, use of this talent can be physically and mentally taxing, so some amount of recuperation time is needed. (D'Shai is the country (or world?) in which the story is set, and while not all people in D'Shai can achieve this extreme state, enough can that it's a part of the culture.) This prelude is echoed throughout the book, with a number of "interludes" in which we see how different people manage their tasks, with or without kazuh; these include a cook (very funny chapter), a servant, and even a lord, giving us many different points of view without distracting from the story.
All this sets up the introduction of the main character, Kami, a young man who's a member of a traveling troupe of acrobats, which includes his father and sister. Kami's talent lies in juggling; he's not that great with the tumbling, though he is quite agile and strong. But he may have other talents that have yet to be discovered...
He's also, it seems, something of a ladies' man, and is currently conducting a hopeful-yet-unlikely romance with NaRee, the daughter of a middle-class family - who's also being courted by the castle armourer, whose prestige far outweighs Kami's.
Among my favorite elements of these books: the descriptions, especially of food - the author goes into mouth-watering detail over every dish in a banquet, and even of humbler fare. And there are detailed descriptions of Kami's thoughts and sensations while trying to raise kazuh when juggling, and of the elaborate and highly ritualized social structures (especially when in the presence of the nobility). It's a rich, fully-realized world, and while it has some dark elements it also has some lush and appealing ones.
The social/political situation is such that, when dealing with one's betters, it's vital to be able to read meanings in apparently-innocuous phrases. In some ways it reminded me of the more elaborate Chinese or Japanese imperial court settings.
While much of the magic in this world is of the personal-talent variety, there are magicians who can do much more with it - but they tend to be rather scruffy and work-stained individuals with very bad attitudes {wry grin}. Kami does not get along with the chief magician in this city, but he eventually needs his talents after getting himself beaten to a pulp by the flunkies of his rival-in-love... The magic is described as lovingly as everything else, and is elaborate, uncomfortable, and effective - but not perfect. Nice blend! (If I were running a D&D campaign I'd love to set one in this world, especially with player characters who tend to be disrespectful to NPCs; their lifespans would be very short in this setting.)
There's so much lovely stuff in the book that I daren't cite it all. The acrobats have amusing and daring little rituals at breakfast, for example; throwing knives, tossing eggs, basically running little drills that could injure someone if anything goes wrong, and all before they get to eat. The backchat and byplay is very entertaining, there are lots of intriguing characters, and that setting! So, so rich...
As for the crime-solving: at first, Kami wants to find a way to bring his romantic rival to book for beating him, even though he knows it's unlikely he could make it stick (and it'd be dangerous to try). But when someone dear to him dies under circumstances that make him think he was the target, he realizes he has to discover evidence that clearly points to the culprit, at whatever cost. The investigation includes crime-scene examination - very "CSI", however low-tech - and, later, some assistance from the magician, with lots of close calls and complications, not least when the lord of the city takes an interest in the case. And it's while mentally juggling the facts of the case that Kami begins to sense another form of kazuh; just what talent is this, and will it avenge the lost one without costing the lives or safety of Kami and his troupe?
I really enjoyed this, and found the conclusion surprising, satisfying, and poignant. Good book!
I'm putting this in the Crime Scene bookbox. (See the bookbox journal here for mailing order.) The box will be on its way to its next stop on Monday. Hope it travels safely, and that someone enjoys the book!
*** Released for 2014 One Word Title challenge. ***
*** Released for 2014 One Word Title challenge. ***
Arrived back home in my Crime Scene bookbox
This world sounds intriguing..so adding it to Mt TBR
This world sounds intriguing..so adding it to Mt TBR
On second thought, this book will be made AVL
Sending off to Tribefan for Odd Mall
Thank you so much for sending! This book will be released Oct. 31 - Nov. 1 at the OddMall located at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron.
Journal Entry 9 by 
Tribefan
at Odd Mall - John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio USA on Saturday, October 10, 2015
Tribefan at Odd Mall - John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio USA on Saturday, October 10, 2015
Released 8 yrs ago (10/31/2015 UTC) at Odd Mall - John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Released by The Rubber City Book Posse at OddMall on Oct. 31st at the John S. Knight Center. Enjoy the book!
Bookcrossing: n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.
- from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary
Welcome to BookCrossing!
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by Tribefan. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
Bookcrossing: n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.
- from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary
Welcome to BookCrossing!
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by Tribefan. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
