Name of the Wind 43 - 45

Chapter 43

Kote goes to the stacks and runs into Ambrose, who is putting the moves on Fela. Kote  embarrasses Ambrose in front of the girl by mocking his attempts at poetry. In retaliation, Ambrose dupes him, first by charging him a talent (all the money he has left) to access the stacks, then by giving him a candle to light his way (saying that sympathy lamps cost an additional talent). Kote of course gets caught and is banned for the stacks by Master Lorren. At the mess later, he learns that Ambrose is well connected, rich, and has a history of destroying those who cross him. Kote makes a veiled threat by quoting a dramatic piece about vengeance, which is overheard by many in the mess hall.

Am I he only one who thought of the bar scene in Good Will Hunting? Kote runs interference, allowing Fela to escape Ambrose creepy caresses. But due to the nahlrout hangover, he gets tricked and in trouble with Lorren again. One wonders how many chances he's going to get.

Chapter 44

Kote visits Master Kilvin's workshop and learns about his lamp projects. Later, over drinks, he learns from his friends that master Elodin went crazy at some point and was briefly locked up, but managed to escape. The group tries to determine which Master he should apprentice to. They end up suggesting Kilvin, but Kote seems interested in Master Elodin.

Kilvin seems an interesting character but it sounds like we might not see that much of him. Elodin may prove a lot more intriguing. And Sovoy gets a little more likable by buying everyone drinks.

Chapter 45

Back in the Tavern, Bast asks why he didn't go look for Skarpi. Kote responds, basically, there was no way he could save him. And as he was living his life, he didn't realize he was in a story, where his next step was to find help from an unlikely source.

Enjoyed the "meta" aspect of Kote discussing the elements of an epic adventure tale.

Book Review -A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George RR Martin

A compilation of three previously published novellas set in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, 100 years before the current series.

The tales center on Dunk, a hedge knight who's not that savvy at first but has a heart of gold, and his squire Egg, who hides a mysterious background.

The feel of these stories is different from ASOIF, and other than a few bits is mostly appropriate for young-adult readers. Although the tone is closer to traditional heroic, high adventure fantasy, there are still moments of brutality and graphic violence, the odd sex-related humor, and sometimes bittersweet outcomes.

Overall very enjoyable and well paced story, and you don't have to wait 7 years between the episodes.

This will appeal to readers who:

Want more background on the world of ASOIF

Enjoy a more traditional adventure-fantasy

You will hate it if you:

Are only satisfied by an oppressively bleak, grimdark tone

Name of the Wind 40 - 42

Chapter 40

Kote is put on trial by the masters. He uses Heart of Stone to calm himself and make a good case. Some of the masters are on his side, and when it comes out that Hemme asked him to give the lecture and gave him one of his hairs, the charges of unauthorized use of sympathy and malfeasance are dropped. But he is still sentenced to a public whipping for reckless use of sympathy.  He proposes that the charges against him constitute proof that he has mastered sympathy, so he should be admitted to the arcanum. This is accepted by the masters. Word spreads around the school and he is a sort of hero to the students.

A little drama here. We've already been told that he will be expelled, so I wondered if it would come so soon. Luckily, Kote uses his wits to get out of a sticky spot and will skip ahead to the arcanum, sparing him and us the tedium of going through the basics of sympathy.

Chapter 41

Willem and Kote talk to pass the time before the whipping. Willem shows him where the infirmary is. He explains how they will treat anyone that needs help, but they will always need to pay in some way after. Kote has Willem buy some nahlrout from an apothecary and takes it prior to the whipping. Then he takes his whipping, careful to remove his shirt so it doesn't get ruined.

Not sure if they had mentioned earlier what nahlrout does, if so I didn't remember. There have been a couple of moments so far where Kote has rubbed me the wrong way for being excessively arrogant or proud, and this is one, where he refuses to have his hands bound.

Chapter 42

Kote goes to Master Arwyl to have his lashes treated. Arwyl questions him and finds out he took nahlrout. Kote confesses he did it because he didn't want to show weakness in front of the other boys.  Arwyl is sympathetic. Nola, one of Arwyl's students, stitches him up. Arwyl recruits Kote to come study under him.

Best part of this scene was Arwyl critiquing Kote's stitch job from Tarbean and Kote getting defensive. Arwyl proves to be pretty clever, rather than the absent-minded professor he had appeared up to this point.