Post by Apricity on Oct 2, 2020 15:36:35 GMT -5
I recently reread the whole series and noticed a few things in book four I didn't pick up in my first read. I still love Bravelands, these are just tiny annoyances.
Where did these little ones come from? I thought there was only Sky and Moon. As Thorn said, it was "less than a moon ago" (Shifting Shadows, Chapter One) since the events of the last book, so any baby couldn't have been popped out that fast.
Mirage? Timber? And random babies? Who are these elephants? Suddenly the Strider herd feels a whole lot bigger than before. I preferred when it was smaller and more tightknit. It feels like all these new characters barged their way into the family. I wouldn't care at all if they were established in the first book. And where's Twilight? She's never named again after the third book.
These two contradict each other. Broken Code says only Great Mother could read bones of non elephants. Which is why Sky being able to do it was special. But in Shifting Shadows, all elephants can read other animals.
I don't like that Fearless refers to Loyal as his real and true father. I would prefer him calling him birth father.
I'm still confused about this. Where did Fearless get this information? Why was Swift so angry if she had agreed to be Loyal's mate and contributed to the oath-break? At least, I'm assuming she agreed. Considering there's no contradicting evidence aside from maybe her anger.
Mud is still a Lowleaf in Shifting Shadows, and yet he can still try out for Starleaf?
Another animal having information I don't remember them getting. How does she know?!
Silly Sky, you ran in terror when the bull herd was overcome with the Rage. Which was a bit after the reveal.
Aw. I don't get to see Sky meeting the bull herd for the first time after she witnessed their Rage? Oh well, I can believe she was nervous off page and they're friendly again quite quickly.
Titan actually didn't cheat with Dauntless, though I'm sure he would have if he was losing just like with Gallant. Does Fearless mean it was cheating because Dauntless was old and weak?
These two melt my heart (which then broke when Keen left, though I can understand his reasoning). And I can see Ruthless as Fearless's third wheel younger brother.
Who was watching these cubs while Sky was helping Thorn? And considering Menace's desire earlier to go with Fearless, Keen, and Ruthless, that would be one of my first suspicions. Also, wait. Artful was injured and squashed by Dune. Then I assume Titan took her heart. No wolves involved at all.
Spot what's wrong here.
I have some additional thoughts.
Wow. First Frog, now Forest. Do the writers just not want characters that have unreciprocated love for the POVs to stick around?
I didn't think much of Berry in the first three books. She seemed a bit Mary Sueish. And in the next two books, I still didn't much of her, but at least she showed more than sweet and kind. But with her death, I did feel sadness, especially it being a sacrifice. And even worse, I feel it's going to be a needless sacrifice. I also feel terrible for Thorn. Hey, I called her death on my some thoughts on Blood and Bone post. :'D
Sky could feel the tension in her hide and the sensitive tip of her trunk; only the little ones played, carefree, and Sky felt a little envious of them. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Two)
"Sky?" Cloud prompted her. "You seem very distracted."
"We all know why that is," put in Mirage, her torn-eared aunt."
...
"Be off with you, Rock, you rogue." Sky's aunt Timber sounded scandalized. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Two)
"We all know why that is," put in Mirage, her torn-eared aunt."
...
"Be off with you, Rock, you rogue." Sky's aunt Timber sounded scandalized. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Two)
She squinted back at the bone. It was small, thin, and splintered; maybe it had broken from the leg of a small gazelle? It was certainly no elephant bone! All elephants could read the bones of their ancestors—but Sky knew that only Great Mother herself had the power to read those of other creatures. (Broken Pride, Chapter Five)
Sky could no longer read the living, but like all elephants she could still read the dead. The images were more broken sensations than clear memories, and they didn't explain how the cheetah had died. Rush, Sky thought, what happened to you? (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Six)
It was the revelation that Loyal was his real father that had made everything worse. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Seven)
And what he was about to do now: that was for Gallant. And it was for Loyal, too, his true father. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Twenty Five)
He had missed yet another chance to avenge Gallant, the lion who had raised him, and he'd failed to get justice for Loyal Prideless, too, his true father. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Two)
Loyal had been an oath-breaker, even if the breach had been unintentional. The great lion had taken Swift as a mate when he had believed Gallant dead. But it had still been a betrayal of the vow he'd made to his friend and pride leader, and Loyal's shame had left him no choice but to go into exile alone. (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Seven)
As the Starleaf, Mud's mother was high-ranking in the troop, with vital skills in reading the stars, the clouds, and the flight path of birds—any sign, in fact, that was sent by the Great Spirit in the sky. Thorn knew she had ambitions for Mud to follow in her footsteps. But he'd have to become a Highleaf first, he thought sadly, and now that's not going to happen. Poor Mud. Well, maybe the signs told the Starleaf that he'd return without an egg. She might be expecting it.(Broken Pride, Chapter Three)
"Well." Thorn paused and tilted his head. Whatever Mud had seen, he wasn't telling. Forcing himself to sound bright, he said, "What about becoming the Starleaf, Mud? Have you spoken to Berry? Have you pressed your case?" (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Sixteen)
Sky raised her troubled gaze to his (Thorn's). "I don't know if it's true that the wolves can take their victims' strength, but they certainly kill their spirits. And by taking an animal's spirit, they prevent it going to the stars. Those essences are lost . . . forever." (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter One)
...after fleeing in grief and horror when the bull's herd had revealed Rock's crime... (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter One)
Realizing she had nearly reached the foot of the mountain, Sky blinked and took a breath. Waiting just below the final shallow slope was the bull herd, with her brother Boulder at its head. He turned to watch her approach, his ears flapping forward in welcome. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter One)
Fearless shook his head. "Titan won't let him (Mighty) escape. By fair means or foul, your father always wins," he growled. "I've told you how he cheated to kill Gallant, haven't I? And he did the same to Keen's father."' (Shifting Shadows, Chapter Twenty Three)
With a sudden spring, Keen plunged into the water beside Fearless, showering him with spray. Spitting out lake water, Fearless shook himself. Wading closer, he licked Keen's face, then settled to grooming his slender back. He felt Keen reciprocate, and they basked for a moment in the cool water under the sun. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Four)
"Sky! Sky!" Two energetic balls of spotted yellow fur came crashing through the undergrowth toward her. Sky turned, almost glad to have her memories interrupted.
"Nimble. Lively." She nuzzled the cheetah cubs with her trunk. "What is it?"
"We can't find Menace anywhere," Lively complained. "She's vanished!"
Sky's stomach lurched. No. What if the wolves who had taken Artful had taken her daughter too? No one knew where the golden wolves prowled. . . . Often it seemed they appeared and disappeared at will. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Five)
"Nimble. Lively." She nuzzled the cheetah cubs with her trunk. "What is it?"
"We can't find Menace anywhere," Lively complained. "She's vanished!"
Sky's stomach lurched. No. What if the wolves who had taken Artful had taken her daughter too? No one knew where the golden wolves prowled. . . . Often it seemed they appeared and disappeared at will. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Five)
"I watched Moon being born, but I've no idea how long it takes cheetah babies to come out." (Sky, Blood and Bone, Chapter Fourteen)
"Breeze," cried Star, "my baby Moon came in the afternoon, and all was well with his birth. Let your baby be born!"
Sky had seen few births, and all had been in the hours of darkness. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Twelve)
Sky had seen few births, and all had been in the hours of darkness. (The Spirit Eaters, Chapter Twelve)
I have some additional thoughts.
Wow. First Frog, now Forest. Do the writers just not want characters that have unreciprocated love for the POVs to stick around?
I didn't think much of Berry in the first three books. She seemed a bit Mary Sueish. And in the next two books, I still didn't much of her, but at least she showed more than sweet and kind. But with her death, I did feel sadness, especially it being a sacrifice. And even worse, I feel it's going to be a needless sacrifice. I also feel terrible for Thorn. Hey, I called her death on my some thoughts on Blood and Bone post. :'D
