Do any of the legendary creatures appear in the story?
As far as we know Algenus, Linden, The Questing Beast and Ayara.
Likely Yarvo for the cycle Ayara is in.
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Edit: my only criticism is that the author didn’t portray the High King in a very kindly light considering he was basically raped. He literally doesn’t do anything.
At what part(s)?
The beginning and the ending mostly highlights his flaws in comparison to Lindon’s. Especially when Rowan gets angry at him.
I would have been happier with the Questing beast returning to recognize Lindon’s equality and receiving the title of High Queen at the end than to beat up on the High King and masculinity as a way to prop up Femininity and the Strength of Women. She clearly deserves the title.
Feminism and positive depictions of women in fiction doesn’t require focusing upon or attaching the negative re: men and masculinity. Nor does masculinity in vice versa.
Personally I didn't read that way.
In the beginning I saw it more that while Algenus is allowed to "human" and that Lindon was always being judged. As noted people where questioning her ability and right to rule while the king was missing despite her being a knight of four realms and being the second most qualified for the position. Less that he's a bad king and more that Lindon has to be perfect just to earn a bit of respect.
In the end with Rowan I see it as Rowan barley 18 (and red aligned) and she's (rightly)so hurt and angry that it caused her and Will to spark. She gonna say angry teenager ***** and does also yell at Lindon for not telling them although really Lindon did what I feel was the right and her respect her husband of when when to tell the twins.
The rest of the narrative, even after the twins spark, I feel doesn't reflect that much either. It really paints up Algenus as almost perfect since he such a fair and just ruler that even some of the elves wanna make peace and work within the Realms because of him.
I do wish the narrative could have had time to spend on the rape aspect but that revelation comes so close to the end I can see why they didn't have the time to wrap it up and wanted to focus on having a "Happy ever after" feel to ending with the King returned and Garruk going after the twins to make sure they are okay.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Edit: my only criticism is that the author didn’t portray the High King in a very kindly light considering he was basically raped. He literally doesn’t do anything.
At what part(s)?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Overall great writing very engaging. Elliot is able to again really able to draw you into her writing. I spent 3 hour being reading it and it didn’t feel all that long. I also feel like she does a better job giving out all the explosion that the setting and backstory for character very well. Loved her for Chronicles of Bolas and I’m so happy she was brought back for this.
Characters
I going from who I liked best to worst. I will say I didn’t outright hate or any characters so the character not mentioned I liked just didn’t love them
Will- Will ended up being my favorite character. Similar to current Jace Will is insightful and curious and due to that he was able to see the man under the monster in Garruk. I loved the moments he and Garruk Elliot did a great job at having Will and Rowan both work as a pair but still separate people. Will out of the two is the calm and knowledgeable one. He’s the one who when Rowan has a plan is able to figure out how to execute it. But while Rowan is out for glory, Will is out for knowledge wanting to learn and find out secrets. While a bit bland at just using ice magic, I like that it back up with swordplay and gives Will a combat aspect that we don’t see much in blue. Overall my favorite character.
Garruk
Damn. Just damn. Garruk story in Eldraine was beautiful. Garruk for the most part was a victim for most of his storyline. First off we get info on his mother who was a soldier who seems to be where Garruk giot his fighting skills while his nature magic side is from his father. This story really drove it home with Oko enslaving him and dehumanizing him. Then we finally get Will seeing his humanity and ended up helping Garruk himself. I like the curse free broken Garruk, the man who animals come to and feel claimed by. Also it seems his hate for other humans is leesen some by Will and Rowan since instead of hunting Oko (or Liliana) he chose first to get in on them. Reminded of how Kratos was in the Norse God of War, still a badass but no longer driven by rage and anger. I welcome Garruk back as a mono green druid and now maybe father/big brother like character. While I feel like its kinda rushed that Garruk suddenly got cured, it does fit with creative goal of closing loose ends of storylines that been going on for awhile (Eldrazi, Bolas, Liliana Demons, Jace and Chandra dealing with their pasts and homes ect). I’m really thinking Garruk might be a link to a bigger story arc and might end up joining the gatewatch with a similar goal as Nissa to protect life.
Elowin
I enjoyed the snarky and very blue Elowin. A few times I thought she was really Oko with how tell she was able to get through the Wilds, but I like the twist of how she was able to use a witch hex to survive instead and that she was the one who figured out Oko. I bet she will really loved to hear the secrets of where Will and Rowan went lol.
Oko
I enjoy Oko. I like him as an antagonist even if in person I’d want to hit him. He very much fills that Puck fey trickster, alien, cruel and playing a game in which he does his best to control the rules. As a few people wondered about the red or black, I relaized readin that Oko cruelness was a lack of empathy or caring about emotion of other something blue is known for though more typically a cold scientific minded person. We also saw he can be very charming and manipulative. We also learn he can also transform anyone he's touching when he transforms himself. Also his card is the most flavorful I think I’ve seen, he offers food to the protagonists, he transform their father into a stage (elk) before stealing him.
Rowan
I liked Rowan well enough. She is the typical fairy tale disney princess who “wants adventure in the great wide somewheres”. With WIll she is the bold one who often is the one who makes the (not always thought out) plans and push them into action, but on her own she seeks fame, glory and the freedom of knight hood. As I said with Will, Elliot did great on giving the twins great personalities that work well but still are their own people. While Idid dislike Rowan I just didn’t like her as much as the other characters.
Rest of the Kenriths
More a group but I love how the Kenrtih family is. First I love the message of having a blended family that loves and supports each other. I like that they don’t call Linden their stepmother but rather their mother and the other women their birth mother. I think Erec and Hazel are cute and would love to see them on cards. I also like the psudeo-twist on Lancelot/Mordred where Algenus has the twins out of wedlock and the mother is a witch. Linden using the “one use one life” sword magic on twins makes me wonder if that's why they share a spark. Overall I love the Kenriths and hope Will and Rowan show up again and we get to see their family on Eldraine again too.
Plane/Setting
While a bit differnt then I was hoping for in a fairy tale set I’m overall happy from the book presented the world. I really think the fairy tale elements are needed since the high fantasy elements felt a bit overdone without the odd mention of a fairy tale trope. While I haven't played a huge amount it very much felt like World of the Witcher. We have the Realms with its five courts and the Wilds where “bad” and wild magic is let run. People set off on knighty quest given by a Quest Beast. This is also how the high king is picked. From we story we find out the races of Eldraine include;
Goblins called Redcaps who keep the myth tradition of being blood stained and attack villages in mobs.
An Archon appears so it's likely no angels on the plane.
Elves who split into two groups, the ones in the Realms and the ones in the Wilds.
Some tension between elves and humans but it seems some of the elves are willing to work with decent human rules. They also do a wild hunt each midwinter.
Giants are shown as mostly more tame though not unsure if there are the more evil ones.
Small trickster fairies appear similar to ones normally found in magic, though they poof when killed.
Orge are mentioned as a threat to humans.
When a person dies in the WIlds they can become a lich who uses soul life sucking magic to make more of themselves.
Dragons are mentioned as an untamable creature on Eldraine following no elf or person.
Undine, Merfolk, who live in waters are will trade in secrets or information.
EDIT:
I also like the subversion of the "wicked stepmother" with Linden who while antagonist at point of the story its out of love and care for her children.
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
So this, and Throne of Eldraine as a whole, is happening before the events of Battlebond then? Or am I misunderstand what Caranthir meant by spark? Overall sounds interesting and thank you for the information. How is the writing compared to the WAR novel?
Yes, Rowan and Will don't spark until the end.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Garruk got cured by the Cauldron of Eternity which seems to be Eldraine Holy Grail.
The twin share a spark go it seems they need to planeswalk together.
EDIT
The twins being revived by the sword and giving them one shared life might have also been how they end up sharing a spark and might even be how could use the sword to come back
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
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As far as we know Algenus, Linden, The Questing Beast and Ayara.
Likely Yarvo for the cycle Ayara is in.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Personally I didn't read that way.
In the beginning I saw it more that while Algenus is allowed to "human" and that Lindon was always being judged. As noted people where questioning her ability and right to rule while the king was missing despite her being a knight of four realms and being the second most qualified for the position. Less that he's a bad king and more that Lindon has to be perfect just to earn a bit of respect.
In the end with Rowan I see it as Rowan barley 18 (and red aligned) and she's (rightly)so hurt and angry that it caused her and Will to spark. She gonna say angry teenager ***** and does also yell at Lindon for not telling them although really Lindon did what I feel was the right and her respect her husband of when when to tell the twins.
The rest of the narrative, even after the twins spark, I feel doesn't reflect that much either. It really paints up Algenus as almost perfect since he such a fair and just ruler that even some of the elves wanna make peace and work within the Realms because of him.
I do wish the narrative could have had time to spend on the rape aspect but that revelation comes so close to the end I can see why they didn't have the time to wrap it up and wanted to focus on having a "Happy ever after" feel to ending with the King returned and Garruk going after the twins to make sure they are okay.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
At what part(s)?
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Characters
I going from who I liked best to worst. I will say I didn’t outright hate or any characters so the character not mentioned I liked just didn’t love them
Will- Will ended up being my favorite character. Similar to current Jace Will is insightful and curious and due to that he was able to see the man under the monster in Garruk. I loved the moments he and Garruk Elliot did a great job at having Will and Rowan both work as a pair but still separate people. Will out of the two is the calm and knowledgeable one. He’s the one who when Rowan has a plan is able to figure out how to execute it. But while Rowan is out for glory, Will is out for knowledge wanting to learn and find out secrets. While a bit bland at just using ice magic, I like that it back up with swordplay and gives Will a combat aspect that we don’t see much in blue. Overall my favorite character.
Garruk
Damn. Just damn. Garruk story in Eldraine was beautiful. Garruk for the most part was a victim for most of his storyline. First off we get info on his mother who was a soldier who seems to be where Garruk giot his fighting skills while his nature magic side is from his father. This story really drove it home with Oko enslaving him and dehumanizing him. Then we finally get Will seeing his humanity and ended up helping Garruk himself. I like the curse free broken Garruk, the man who animals come to and feel claimed by. Also it seems his hate for other humans is leesen some by Will and Rowan since instead of hunting Oko (or Liliana) he chose first to get in on them. Reminded of how Kratos was in the Norse God of War, still a badass but no longer driven by rage and anger. I welcome Garruk back as a mono green druid and now maybe father/big brother like character. While I feel like its kinda rushed that Garruk suddenly got cured, it does fit with creative goal of closing loose ends of storylines that been going on for awhile (Eldrazi, Bolas, Liliana Demons, Jace and Chandra dealing with their pasts and homes ect). I’m really thinking Garruk might be a link to a bigger story arc and might end up joining the gatewatch with a similar goal as Nissa to protect life.
Elowin
I enjoyed the snarky and very blue Elowin. A few times I thought she was really Oko with how tell she was able to get through the Wilds, but I like the twist of how she was able to use a witch hex to survive instead and that she was the one who figured out Oko. I bet she will really loved to hear the secrets of where Will and Rowan went lol.
Oko
I enjoy Oko. I like him as an antagonist even if in person I’d want to hit him. He very much fills that Puck fey trickster, alien, cruel and playing a game in which he does his best to control the rules. As a few people wondered about the red or black, I relaized readin that Oko cruelness was a lack of empathy or caring about emotion of other something blue is known for though more typically a cold scientific minded person. We also saw he can be very charming and manipulative. We also learn he can also transform anyone he's touching when he transforms himself. Also his card is the most flavorful I think I’ve seen, he offers food to the protagonists, he transform their father into a stage (elk) before stealing him.
Rowan
I liked Rowan well enough. She is the typical fairy tale disney princess who “wants adventure in the great wide somewheres”. With WIll she is the bold one who often is the one who makes the (not always thought out) plans and push them into action, but on her own she seeks fame, glory and the freedom of knight hood. As I said with Will, Elliot did great on giving the twins great personalities that work well but still are their own people. While Idid dislike Rowan I just didn’t like her as much as the other characters.
Rest of the Kenriths
More a group but I love how the Kenrtih family is. First I love the message of having a blended family that loves and supports each other. I like that they don’t call Linden their stepmother but rather their mother and the other women their birth mother. I think Erec and Hazel are cute and would love to see them on cards. I also like the psudeo-twist on Lancelot/Mordred where Algenus has the twins out of wedlock and the mother is a witch. Linden using the “one use one life” sword magic on twins makes me wonder if that's why they share a spark. Overall I love the Kenriths and hope Will and Rowan show up again and we get to see their family on Eldraine again too.
Plane/Setting
While a bit differnt then I was hoping for in a fairy tale set I’m overall happy from the book presented the world. I really think the fairy tale elements are needed since the high fantasy elements felt a bit overdone without the odd mention of a fairy tale trope. While I haven't played a huge amount it very much felt like World of the Witcher. We have the Realms with its five courts and the Wilds where “bad” and wild magic is let run. People set off on knighty quest given by a Quest Beast. This is also how the high king is picked. From we story we find out the races of Eldraine include;
Goblins called Redcaps who keep the myth tradition of being blood stained and attack villages in mobs.
An Archon appears so it's likely no angels on the plane.
Elves who split into two groups, the ones in the Realms and the ones in the Wilds.
Some tension between elves and humans but it seems some of the elves are willing to work with decent human rules. They also do a wild hunt each midwinter.
Giants are shown as mostly more tame though not unsure if there are the more evil ones.
Small trickster fairies appear similar to ones normally found in magic, though they poof when killed.
Orge are mentioned as a threat to humans.
When a person dies in the WIlds they can become a lich who uses soul life sucking magic to make more of themselves.
Dragons are mentioned as an untamable creature on Eldraine following no elf or person.
Undine, Merfolk, who live in waters are will trade in secrets or information.
EDIT:
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Yes, Rowan and Will don't spark until the end.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
The twin share a spark go it seems they need to planeswalk together.
EDIT
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"