FOREIGNER: Discussion Post #2

[krait]

Welcome to chapters 1 & 2!

Commence discussion, now that we've met our Actual Protagonist(s?) for this trip!

1. Impressions of Bren so far? (If you can make such quick judgments on only two chapters?)

2. Thoughts about or observations on what we've suddenly been introduced to regarding the aiji's court and (now technologically further advanced) atevi society? Unlike Ian, Bren's right in the middle of it; what stands out to him, what stands out to you, and how much overlap is there? :D


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Regarding spoilers: how far along is everyone? I've read either all, or all but one, book; someone mentioned they were only as far as the third book; and I think one of us has never read any Cherryh before...? So far I've been trying to avoid spoilers for absolutely everything beyond our current reading point, so the "Spoiler Edition" post will follow this one.

Comments

[krait]

Heehee, I love the archives and their beribboned documents and crush-the-palace voluminousness. :D It's one of those things that makes me want to like the atevi (and really like them, in the worldbuilding sense) -- their paperwork is just as massive as a human bureaucracy, but so much prettier and more personal. Not just piles of printouts in manila folders; they have ribbons and seals and this whole different way of viewing paperwork and official-ness.

ribbons and wax and seals, oh my

[cheyinka]

The whole paperwork and ribbons and seals thing has inspired me to make a metroid-wax-seal image (not an actual Metroid signet):

Re: ribbons and wax and seals, oh my

[krait]

Heehee, that's awesome! I have a weakness for signet rings, definitely. :D

Man, something about Foreigner really makes me crafty, too -- I have two and a half versions of message cylinders lying about, and a vague urge to make Ragi-coloured pots for spider plants, and then tonight I started contemplating the merits of making "ribbons from the paidhi" (of the sort Bren hands out to the tour guests), and possibly framing them...

Re: ribbons and wax and seals, oh my

[cheyinka]

I think it's the... handcrafted nature of so much of the atevi world, at least at its upper levels? One gets the impression that nothing in Malguri except the gaslights came out of a factory of any sort, even if that's not actually the case. And then one looks around at one's own house, and at least in my case, realizes how little is handcrafted...

At one point, and I can't say it wasn't partially influenced by these books, I responded to an invitation "properly" (for American humans) rather than using the provided response card. The bride's mother called my mother to ask whether I would be coming alone or with my husband, because I hadn't sent back the response card and so she didn't know what my response meant. I was... amused and sad at the same time.