u/fromdusktil

Because you can never have enough dragons, r/bookclub is returning to Samantha Shannon's Roots of Chaos series with her latest release, Among the Burning Flowers, a shorter (for her) tale that acts as a more-immediate prequel for Priory of the Orange Tree.

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A Note about the read order of the Roots of Chaos series:

Chronologically, Among the Burning Flowers takes place shortly before the events of Priory of the Orange Tree. However, as with A Day of Fallen Night (which are events hundreds of years prior), the author has stated that the books could be read in any order. So if you're interested in reading this series but have been daunted by the size of the previous books, this could serve as a perfect starting point for you to dive in!

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Links to previous books in the series can be found here:

Priory of the Orange Tree schedule with all discussion links here.

A Day of Fallen Night schedule with all discussion links here.

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Summary:

>!With the awakening of fire-breathing wyrms, Among the Burning Flowers sees the first sparks of danger that threaten to consume the world in The Priory of the Orange Tree.!<

>!Take your first steps into the epic.!<

>!Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.!<

>!It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind.!<

>!Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.!<

>!A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries.!<

>!And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . .!<

>!A story of human resilience in the face of dire circumstances, Among the Burning Flowers leads readers through the gripping and tragic events that pave the way for the opening of the million-copy bestseller The Priory of The Orange Tree.!<

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Schedule:

Sept 1 - Start through Chapter 5 with u/fixtheblue
Sept 8 - Chapters 6 through 10 with u/jaymae21
Sept 15 - Chapter 11 through The End with u/fromdusktil

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Will you be returning to the Roots of Chaos world with us? Or perhaps adventuring in for the first time? Let us know!!

I hope you like Evergreens, because we are starting our next read, The Vegetarian by Han Kang, the week following the final discussion for Brothers Karamazov!

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Summary:

>!Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams--invasive images of blood and brutality--torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It's a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home. As her husband, her brother-in-law and sister each fight to reassert their control, Yeong-hye obsessively defends the choice that's become sacred to her. Soon their attempts turn desperate, subjecting first her mind, and then her body, to ever more intrusive and perverse violations, sending Yeong-hye spiraling into a dangerous, bizarre estrangement, not only from those closest to her, but also from herself.!<

>!Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman's struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her.!<
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Due to this book not having set chapters, I have included the page from the paperback edition as well as the first/last line -- other editions may not line up exactly page-wise, so be aware!

September 1: Start through section ending>! "... Whatever expression might have been there"!< (approx. page 94)

September 8: Approx. page 95 (beginning line >!"heading into a more built-up area..."!<) through The End.

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So, will you be joining myself and u/spreebiz on this read? Let us know!

Welcome back, fellow peculiar children! It's been a while for us, but no time has passed at all as we continue the journey of Jacob, Emma, and friends to save their beloved ymbrynes and fellow peculiars in Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs.

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If you'd like to join in the adventure, it's not too late!
Book 1: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children schedule with links to all discussions here.
Book 2: Hollow City schedule with links to all discussions here.
Book 3: Library of Souls schedule with links to all discussions here.

You can also find the marginalia, a place for all your notes and errant thoughts, here. Beware of spoilers - this marginalia is for the entire series!

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We start this book right where Hollow City left off and see Jacob, Emma, and Addison escaping from wights in the underground. Their escape (and Addison’s nose) bring them to present-day London. Under the docks, they meet Charon Sharon, a mysterious boatman who brings them to Devil’s Acre, a notorious slum filled with wights and drug-addicted peculiars.

This section ended with Jacob and Emma being tossed away from the bridge leading to the wight's headquarters by the bridge-guarding hollow and having to watch as Addison sneaks in under the wight's truck. What happens next? You'll have to return next week to find out!

Members of the Priory, rejoice! We will soon be diving back into Samantha Shannon's Roots of Chaos series with Among the Burning Flowers, a (much shorter) prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree!

We will be starting our adventure in September - keep an eye out for the schedule as we get closer!

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Summary:
>!With the awakening of fire-breathing wyrms, Among the Burning Flowers sees the first sparks of danger that threaten to consume the world in The Priory of the Orange Tree.!<

>!Take your first steps into the epic.!<

>!Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.!<

>!It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind.!<

>!Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.!<

>!A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries.!<

>!And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . .!<

>!A story of human resilience in the face of dire circumstances, Among the Burning Flowers leads readers through the gripping and tragic events that pave the way for the opening of the million-copy bestseller The Priory of The Orange Tree.!<

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Will you be joining us? Let us know!

Hello, my fellow peculiar children! It's been a while since our last adventure, but now we're going to our favorite place, the library! Wait... where are the books!? It's time to explore a different kind of library in Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs, book 3 in Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series!

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If you'd like to join in the adventure, it's not too late!
Book 1: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children schedule with links to all discussions here.
Book 2: Hollow City schedule with links to all discussions here.

You can also find the marginalia, a place for all your notes and errant thoughts, here. Beware of spoilers - this marginalia is for the entire series!

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Summary:
>!A boy with extraordinary powers.!<
>!An army of deadly monsters.!<
>!An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.!<

>!The adventure that began with "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children" and continued in "Hollow City" comes to a thrilling conclusion with "Library of Souls."!<

>!As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.!<

>!They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.!<

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Schedule:
Aug 4 - Start through Chapter 3 with me, u/fromdusktil
Aug 11 - Chapters 4 through 6 with u/nicehotcupoftea
Aug 18 - Chapters 7 and 8 with u/fixtheblue
Aug 25 - Chapters 9 through 11 with u/nicehotcupoftea

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So are you going to come find out what a Library of Souls contains? Let us know!

Hello, fellow adventurers! We have reached the shores of Aslevjal and now our quest can truly begin! If you're still finding your sealegs, check out the Schedule here.  The Marginalia post is here in case you have any partially burned scrolls to enlighten us with. 
 
Discussion questions are included below, and you can also add your own questions and musings in the comments.  Please use spoiler tags to hide anything that was not part of these chapters. You can mark spoilers using the format > ! Spoiler text here !< (without any spaces between the characters themselves or between the characters and the first and last words). 

A note about spoilers for this series:  any information about the Farseer Trilogy (Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin’s Quest) will not be considered spoilers as this is a direct sequel. Although The Liveship Traders (Ship of Magic, Mad Ship, Ship of Destiny) comes earlier in the recommended reading order, please mark these plot points as spoilers for the readers who may not have followed that second trilogy. Thank you! 

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7 Voyage

This chapter opens with a description of Out Island civic structures.

Returning to Fitz, we see our favorite bastard rising well rested and returning to Thick and Web. After a brief exchange that leaves Web smiling, he departs. Fitz speaks with Dutiful through the Skill regarding Thick, who has a nasty illness. Dutiful recalls Thick, and therefore Fitz, back to his cabin. While Fitz is settling Thick, Dutiful’s Witted coterie arrives. 

When the coterie eventually departs, Web offers some advice regarding Swift before leaving the boy with Fitz. Fitz attempts to give the boy some errands but the conversation doesn’t end well. Chade ultimately suggests dismissing the boy so that they could discuss more serious matters with Dutiful.

In a Skill-dream, Nettle is angry at Fitz, not understanding what his message meant or why it upset her father so much; Burrich departed for Buckkeep after the message had been relayed. Fitz gives her a half-lie explanation. 

After more work with Swift, Fitz finally decides to seek out Web’s advice, but is unsuccessful.

8 The Hetgurd

This chapter opens with the story of the creation of the world, brought forth and ruled by Eda and El.

Dutiful’s company arrives in Zylig, a port in the Outislands. After Fitz and Riddle gather up Thick, the delegation makes its way into town (with Fitz, Thick, and Riddle coming up behind). Arriving at their lodgings, Fitz manages to get some food into Thick and himself. Once Thick is settled, Fitz slips out to witness the meeting between Dutiful and the Hetgurd. After being brought up to speed by Riddle, Fitz focuses on the discussion where the kaempra (clan leaders) interrogate Dutiful about his quest. When the meeting seems like it’s going off track, Fitz impresses the need to pee in the different clan leaders in order to get them to close that day's discussions.

Chade, Dutiful, and Fitz meet soon after to discuss the meeting but are interrupted by Peottre Blackwater. The man notes some clans' tensions and offers a way to resolve them. Chade then takes over the conversation.

9 Mothershouse

Our opening tale this time is one of caution: a warrior steps out of bounds and violates the women of the Gull Clan. We see what happens to him and his men and the actions taken by the women of the involved clans.

We get details of the delegation’s leaving Zylig aboard the Tusker on their way to the Narcheska’s home. Thick is once again hesitant to get aboard a ship, but Web intervenes and uses the Wit to calm Thick.

After failing to comfort Thick with the Skill, Fitz finds Nettle instead. She helps calm Thick and alerts Fitz to Burrich’s odd behavior, leading him to realize that his once foster-faster had been in touch with The Fool. At the end of the conversation, Fitz gives Nettle the name Changer.

In his next lesson with Swift, Fitz allows teh boy to listen to Cockle’s songs in order for him to learn about history. Once Cockle launches into a song about the Black Man of Aslevjal, Peottre interrupts.

Once at Wuislington, Elliania’s home, Dutiful’s entourage is greeted by the Narwhal Clan. Thick and Fitz are housed away from the rest of the members and we see many of their customs at play. Eventually Fitz is summoned to the mothershouse.

10 The Narcheska

The chapter opener reveals the Outisland customs of marriage and childbearing before leading into a current-day description of the Narwhal mothershouse as Fitz and Swift are admitted. Despite many people there, it is noted that Eliania is absent. The elderly Great Mother is brought out but several sharp remarks from her reveal the effects of her age. Eliania quickly emerges and takes control of the situation. After gracefully seeing the Great Mother off, Eliania reveals that she has finally had her first bleed and is now truly a woman.

After an impromptu ceremony to celebrate Eliania's womanhood, another ceremony begins to reaffirm Eliania and Dutiful’s betrothal. Feasts and festivities follow. Fitz follows as Dutiful is led around and introduced to all by Eliania before the couple goes outside to a group of the Narcheska’s former friends. Harsh words and challenges are spit and Eliania launches into physical violence against the girl, her cousin. At Peottre’s word, Fitz (and by the Skill, Dutiful) stand back and watch - this is a woman’s fight. Eliania comes out on top, reminding the girls assembled of her position as Narcheska and her possession of Dutiful.

Returning to his lodgings with Swift and Web, the group find Riddle attending to Thick as well as a “robber-rat” that quickly catches Swift’s attention. Web intervenes giving a rare glimpse of his stern sign, sending the animal away and rebuking Swift.

11 Wuislington

This chapter opens with a description of the burial customs in the Outislands. 

Fitz takes note of both Thick’s anger at him and his continued lessons with Swift. He also notes that a strange sort of camaraderie has developed between himself and Peottre as the two men chaperone Dutiful and Eliania.

On an excursion into the Narwhal Clan vast lands, Fitz discovers Henja spying on the pair. He attempts to get information on the woman from Peottre but the man is evasive. He cannot pursue her but he alerts Chade to the woman’s presence.

That night, Fitz is drawn into a dream where Nettle and Tintaglia are speaking. The dragon turns on Fitz again but is cast out by Nettle. Dutiful interrupts the dream with his own Skill is is also cast out after an angry exchange with Nettle. She then throws out Fitz as well; he awakens to an angry Dutiful who immediately summons Fitz to explain.

Fitz and Thick arrive, but are told to hide by Dutiful. Eliania joins the prince outside and the two discuss sex before being interrupted by Peottre. Peottre dismisses the girl, but Dutiful stands 

12 Cousins

A slight change of pace: this chapter opens with a snippet from the Outislander song “The Dragon’s Welcome”.

Our delegation continues on their journey, leaving Wuislington for Zylig. They resort to drugging Thick to get him on board, angering the man.

Eventually Fitz is once again called in to Dutiful’s quarters with Chade in attendance. Fitz responds to the Prince’s blunt question with his own honest answer regarding Nettle’s identity. Dutiful is angered at Fitz and Chade assuming that their decisions are the best but he does agree that Fitz should be the one to tell Nettle of her heritage. Unable to contact Nettle and being constantly badgered by Thick’s Skill, Fitz does not have a very good voyage.

In Zylig, Fitz learns that the Buckkeep nobles left behind had done well in establishing trade in the city. He learns of the terms set forth by the Hetgurd for the upcoming quest. 

Wasting no time, the selected group readies to leave for aslevjal. However, Thick refuses to get on the boat. As Fitz prepares to send for the man, Web notes that he has already sent Swift; this will be a test of the boy’s control of his Wit. Web once again offers to teach Fitz the magic.

Arriving to Aslevjal, the party sees a mysterious man camped on the shore. As the ship draws closer and the man moves to greet the ship, Fitz’ heart drops - the Fool is waiting for them.

It is almost time for our final adventure with Lyra, Pan, and the rest of our friends as we discover the secret of the roses in Philip Pullman's The Rose Field, the final book in his Book of Dust trilogy!

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Summary:

>!Picking up right where The Secret Commonwealth left off, this story finds Lyra alone in a city haunted by daemons, searching for her beloved Pan. Malcolm Polstead isn't far behind, searching for Lyra. And they are both racing toward the desert of Karamakan, following the trail of roses said to hold the secret of Dust.!<

>!Their allies and enemies are converging on the mysterious red building at the heart of the desert: Marcel Delamare and the military might of the Magisterium; the radical Men from the Mountains; scientists, scholars and spies; troops of witches and other people of the air. And awaiting them all is a previously unseen and chilling new threat that will change everything.!<

>!The intertwining odysseys of Malcolm and Lyra, their journeys both internal and external, will test their limits and challenge even their most dearly held beliefs.!<

>!As ever, Philip Pullman is using the language of fantasy to illuminate our world and to explore the deepest questions of what it means to be alive and awake to all the splendors and horrors around us. The extraordinary novels of The Book of Dust speak powerfully to today's readers and will take their place alongside the forever-favorites of His Dark Materials.!<

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Schedule:

7/30 -- Start through Chapter 4 with u/Vast-Passenger1126
8/6 -- Chapters 5 through 10 with u/Vast-Passenger1126
8/13 -- Chapters 11 through 16 with u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217
8/20 -- Chapters 17 through 21 with u/tomesandtea
8/27 -- Chapters 22 through 26 with u/Pythias
9/3 -- Chapters 27 through 31 with u/fromdusktil
9/10 -- Chapter 32 through The End with u/fromdusktil

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If you'd like to join us on this adventure but haven't met Lyra and Pan yet, you can find the schedule links for the first series, His Dark Materials, below:

🧭 Book One, The Golden Compass: Schedule
🗡️Book Two, The Subtle Knife: Schedule
🔎Book Three, The Amber Spyglass: Schedule

Series two, The Book of Dust, is on going!
🛶Book One, La Belle Sauvage: Schedule
🔐Book Two, The Secret Commonwealth: Schedule
🌹 Book Three, The Rose Field: you are here!

You can find the marginalia, which will be shared between both series, here. Beware of spoilers!

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What is The Blue Hotel? Will Lyra and Pan find happiness? What burning questions do you hope will be answered on our final journey? See you all soon!

I'm having the same issue across all platforms -- some of my chats are not updating.

For instance, I have a group chat that shows the last post is from May 21 - this chat is active daily and I myself have posted in it, but all of the conversation from the last month is gone. I know it is active because other members will send me screenshots of missed activity.

Also, for the chats that DO update, the new posts only show on desktop if I full-screen the chat. Some chats only update depending on what browser I use.

I have used multiple methods of checking the chats and all have the same issue:

- Desktop web: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox. Caches have been cleared. Tried on multiple computers.

- Mobile web: chrome, firefox.

- Mobile app: tried uninstalling and reinstalling, clearing cache, etc.

I'm at a loss of what to try next, and this is getting extremely frustrating. It had been going on for 2+ weeks now.

Welcome back for our final check in of The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis!

For a place to note your thoughts (and to keep track of events - this series spans many years!), head over to our marginalia post here -- but beware of spoilers! The marginalia post also contains links to the other discussions for this series.

Speaking of spoilers: while Narnia is an older series, that does not mean everyone has read it! Please use spoiler tags when referencing any later events in this series. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and use a tag!

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Chapter 10: 

Finally in the greener land of Archenland, our group spots Prince Rabadash’s army quickly approaching across the desert. The horses run as fast as they can but their journey has taken a toll on them and they quickly tire. As Bree pulls ahead of Hwin, Shasta turns around to see a giant lion closing in on the girls, and he begs Bree to turn around. When Bree doesn’t respond, Shasta throws himself off and stumbles back to help as the lion strikes at Aravis. To Shasta’s (and our) surprise, the lion is fended off by a shout. Both Aravis and Hwin are injured, but as the lion leaves, the Hermit of the Southern Marsh approaches to help. 

Shasta continues on to find King Lune on his own while Aravis and the horses stay behind with the hermit to recuperate. Aravis believes that Shasta will be successful, but Bree declares that he will enter back into slavery as he is ashamed that he didn’t help fend off the lion. The Hermit chastises the warhorse and tells him to being humbled isn’t a bad thing. 

Chapter 11: 

Shasta does find King Lune. After clarifying that he is not Prince Corin, Shasta relays the message about the approaching Prince Rabadash. The King quickly agrees with him and provides him with a horse. However, Shasta struggles with his horse and is quickly left behind, having to hide from Prince Rabadash’s group. He overhears Rabadash’s plans for assaulting King Lune’s castle and attacking Narnia. 

After Rabadash’s 200 men move on, Shasta is alone with his horse. Lost and cold, he cries about how exhausted and unfortunate he is when suddenly a Large Voice speaks to him. Using its warm breath to assure Shasta that it is not a ghost, the voice explains to Shasta that there was only ever one lion on this journey – Aslan has been by his side the whole time. When Aslan reveals himself to Shasta, we learn that Shasta has never heard of Aslan; but even he can tell that he is in the presence of a true High King. When Aslan departs, Shasta again finds himself alone with his horse. 

Chapter 12: 

In the morning, Shasta wonders if his entire encounter with Aslan was a dream before he realizes that he has somehow crossed the mountains into Narnia. 

In Narnia, Shasta is quickly swept up into the lives of the talking animals. First a hedgehog, then Rabbit, then more creatures appear and Shasta tells them all of the incoming threat. Finally, it is the dwarf Duffle who agrees to send the message. After having lunch with the dwarf and his kin, Shasta falls asleep only to awaken later to the sound of trumpets. Lord Peridan of Narnia had arrived at the home of the dwarfs along with King Edmund, Queen Lucy, and Corin. Shasta is finally able to relay his message to Narnian loyalty. Corin is eager to fight but has been forbidden by Edmund. However, after the dwarf Thornbut is injured, Edmund declares that Shasta can wear the dwarf’s armor for battle. 

Chapter 13: 

Shasta and the Narnian army arrive at King Lune’s castle, Anvard, to see Prince Rabadash’s men battering the walls.  

From afar, the Hermit observes the battle and relays everything to Aravis, Bree, and Hwin. Once the battle is over, an exhausted Shasta falls from his horse. The remaining Calormenes have been taken prisoner, and Rabadash has gotten himself stuck to a wall thanks to a hole in his mail. Rabadash insists on fighting but the Narnians take his sword and carry him off. 

Corin brings Shasta to King Lune. With the boys finally side by side, most are surprised. King Lune takes Shasta and kisses him on the cheeks to cheers from the crowd. 

Chapter 14: 

Learning that Shasta has survived battle, Hwin is eager to continue into Narnia, but Bree would rather wait until he is more presentable. When asked why he always says expressions such as, “By the Lion”, Bree begins to explain about Aslan and how he isn’t really a lion, but he is interrupted by the very lion Himself leaping into the wall. 

Aslan promises Hwin that she will find joy and invites Bree to touch him to prove that he is actually a lion before declaring that there is another visitor coming. 

Prince Cor arrives but is quickly revealed by his clumsy bow to by Shasta. He explains the story of what happened after his birth: Born a twin, there was a rumor that Prince Cor would one day save Archenland from great danger. Lord Bar, a spy of the Tistorc, kidnapped Cor and attempted to bring him to Calormen. King Lune gave chase and killed Lord Bar but Cor had been sent with a single knight on a smaller boat. Eventually, he was found by Arsheesh and renamed Shasta. 

His role in stopping Prince Rabadash fulfilled the prophecy. Cor also says that King Lune would like Aravis to live with them as they had had no ladies at court since the death of the queen. Cor and Aravis, walking with Hwin and Bree (as you don’t ride talking horses in Narnia or Archenland, except in times of great need), head north. 

Chapter 15: 

Arriving at court, Aravis tells King Lune how Cor had saved her from the lion. At lunch later with Edmund and Lucy, the group agree not to kill Rabadash. Once at trial, Rabadash is defiant and continues to threaten the others. Aslan arrives and foretells Rabadash’s doom unless he changes his ways. When Rabadash accuses Aslan of being a demon, the lion changes him into a donkey. His small mercy is that if he goes to the temple of Tash and remains within a ten-mile radius, he can change back into a man. If he strays beyond that limit, he will forever be a donkey.  

Rabadash later becomes the most peaceful Tisroc in Calormen history, as it is very hard to wage war when you can’t go beyond 10 miles of a temple. However, he is forever known as Rabadash the Ridiculous due to his time as a donkey. 

After Rabadash is sent off, there is a feast to celebrate. King Lune then tells Cor that he is next in line for the throne due to being 20 minutes older than Corin. Cor tries to say no, but Corin is glad to be free of the responsibility.  

In the future, Cor and Corin will quarrel like brothers, but Cor is stronger in battle. Cor also quarrels with Aravis, but not too badly: they end up married and become King and Queen of Archenland upon King Lune’s death. Both Bree and Hwin also get married in Narnia, but not to each other. They often visit Anvard to see their old friends. 

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Fun Fact: The Horse and His Boy was written before The Silver Chair, despite being published after. As such, there is a bit of a spoiler! (As we have already read The Silver Chair, it is not considered a spoiler for us). Did you catch it?

>And when all the serious eating and drinking was over, a blind poet came forward and struck up the grand old tale of Prince Cor and Aravis and the horse Bree, which is called The Horse and His Boy and tells an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Cair Paravel. (I haven’t time to tell it now although it is worth hearing.)

Another fun fact? This is our first Narnian read that did not take place in multiple worlds: we remained in Narnia the whole time!  

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Next week, we will be starting our next book, The Magician's Nephew. See you there!

Welcome back for Week 2 of The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis!

For a place to note your thoughts (and to keep track of events - this series spans many years!), head over to our marginalia post here -- but beware of spoilers! The marginalia post also contains links to the other discussions for this series.

Speaking of spoilers: while Narnia is an older series, that does not mean everyone has read it! Please use spoiler tags when referencing any later events in this series. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and use a tag!

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Chapter 5 

Leaving Tashbaan may not be as easy as it was to get in: they entered on the premise that Queen Susan would marry Prince Rabadash, but she wants to break the engagement after learning what a cruel man he is. They are essentially trapped as they are surrounded by soldiers and Edmund knows that the Vizier is not afraid of any retaliation by Narnia, a much smaller nation. 

Instead, it is agreed that Susan will fake her interest and hold a banquet on their boat in his honor. That way, no one will be suspicious of the Narnians loading their boat with supplies all day, and they can escape that night. 

Shasta hears their whole plan but falls asleep after having a big meal with Tumnus. Hours later, the real Prince Corin crashes through the window – Corin wants to continue to switch places, but Shasta leaves to try and reunite with his friends. Corin points him in the right direction and tells him to seek out King Lune of Archenland, Corin’s father. 

 Chapter 6 

Shasta is the first to arrive at the Tombs of the Ancient Kings. He meets no ghouls, but he is led by a cat who guides him through. He makes a comment about chasing a neighbor's cat, and his guide cat scratches him. He falls asleep briefly and wakes up, catless, to the cries of jackals. He’s about to run away when a giant lion steps forward to defend him. At first Shasta is afraid of the beast, but as it gets closer to him, he realizes it was just the cat returning. He vows to be nice to cats for the rest of his life. 

Keeping watch at the meeting place, Bree and Hwin come into view led by a strange man – Aravis is no where in sight. 

 Chapter 7 

Now we get to see what Aravis was up to while Shasta played prince: after running into her old friend Lasaraleen, a Tarkheena, Aravis hops into her litter and is carried off with her with two slaves leading the horses behind them. Lasaraleen reveals that Aravis’s father is also in town looking for her but offers to hide her at her home, as her husband is away. Lasaraleen asks Aravis if she’s heard of the Barbarian queen, Susan of Narnia, who Prince Rabadash wants to marry. 

Aravis tells Lasaraleen her whole story, surprising her friends with the fact that she doesn’t want to marry Ahoshta (who had just been made Grand Vizier!). While Lasaraleen is distracted by planning a banquet at the home of the Tisroc, Aravis sends Bree and Hwin to the tombs. Aravis attends the banquet dressed as an enslaved girl to hide her identity. 

While Lasaraleen leads Aravis to a spot to escape the palace, they are almost intercepted by the Tisroc. The two girls hide behind a sofa in a dark room before two enslaved men enter, followed by the Tisroc, Prince Rabadash, and Ahoshta. 

Chapter 8 

Prince Rabadash is furious that Susan and the Narnias escaped. When Ahoshta tries to get the Prince to be reasonable, the prince resorts to physical violence and kicks him. He demands the Tisroc slaughter everyone in Narnia (except for Susan, who he still wants as a bride) but the Tisroc admonishes him – he will not rage war against the powerful rulers who took down the White Witch. 

Instead, the men come up with a scheme: Prince Rabadash and 200 men will sneak into Narnia and steal Susan back with minimal bloodshed and the Tisroc can deny he ever knew of the plan. After Rabadash leaves, the Tisroc acknowledges that the odds of this plan working are very slim. When Ahoshta reminds him that the throne is more important than a single prince, the Tisroc agrees; after all, he has many sons who can take Rabadash’s place. 

Chapter 9 

 After everything they’ve heard, Lasaraleen still thinks that Aravis should marry Ahoshta, but Aravis would rather die. Aravis sneaks away and reunites with Bree and Hwin. After sending away the groom, Shasta reveals himself as well. Aravis tells her friends of the plan she overheard, and the group sets off towards Narnia, hoping to be in time to warn the Narnians of Rabadash’s plan. 

They spend gruesome days traveling in the desert. Eventually, they reach a valley with a flowing river. 

It has been twenty years since our time on La Belle Sauvage and it's time to uncover the truth of The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman, book two in the Book of Dust series.

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The master schedule for this read is here.

You can find the marginalia, which will be shared between both His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust series, here. Beware of spoilers!
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Chapter Summaries:

Chapter 1: Moonlight and Bloodshed

>!The once inseparable Lyra and Pan are at odds with each other; they can both feel the growing tension between them but neither can say why. To escape, Pan heads out into the night despite Lyra’s concern for his safety (after all, being able to separate is still a secret.) We get a glimpse of his point of view as a daemon, including witnessing a few alarming events. The most alarming of which was a murder - the victim's daemon flutters to him, bringing Pan back to her human and displaying their ability to separate. Pan shows compassion for the pair, taking the man’s wallet when asked. He returns to Lyra.!<
>!Elsewhere, in Geneva, we witness Marcel Delamare and Pierre Binaud speaking of missing scientists and potential risks pointing towards Lyra, showing that once again, our girl is in the middle of some big plot.!<

Chapter 2: Their Clothes Smelled of Roses

>!This chapter opens up with a glimpse of Lyra’s daily routine navigating mundane student life, including her many social relationships. Witnessing one classmate, Miriam, react strongly to a letter, Lyra reaches out to the girl. Miriam confides that her family is facing financial ruin, which will threaten her education and living situation. The pair go to a local cafe called George’s and bond through childhood memories. Miriam reveals that her main worries are regarding her boyfriend: she’s afraid he will leave her if her family isn’t rich.!<
>!Leaving Miriam, Pan finally reveals to Lyra about the murder he witnessed the night before. !<

Chapter 3: Lost Luggage 

>!The murder victim, revealed through the contents of his wallet, is identified as Dr. Anthony John Roderick Hassall, a botanist. They also discover a key to a left-luggage locker and decide to go to the police with their discoveries. While waiting at the station, Pan recognizes one of the officers as one of the murderers, and Lyra quickly comes up with a story about a stolen bike instead. Lyra and Pan then retrace his steps from the night before to see if they could find any other clues. They ultimately go to see what, if anything, was in the left-luggage locker. Inside, they find a rucksack and hurry back to the safety of Jordan.!<

Chapter 4: The College Silver 

>!Secretary General Marcel Delamare interrogates a young man named Olivier about a failed operation that seems to have cost a life. During the interrogation, it’s hinted that a girl may have witnessed the murder. Delamare has a visible reaction to this news.!<

>!After hiding the rucksack, Lyra and Pan head to a meeting with Lyra’s tutor, Dr. Lieberson. When discussing topics for deeper study, Lyra is drawn to the Levantine trade. Helping to polish silver,, Lyra learns from Mr. Cawson that roses once flourished in Levant. Later, we see Lyra reunite with Dick Orchard at a pub.!<

>!Returning to their room, Lyra and Pan open the rucksack before returning to St. Sophia’s to read the discovered journal.!<

Chapter 5: Dr. Strauss’s Journal 

>!In the heart of the desert protected by guards, there is a mysterious building described as ancient and red. Many people seek the building for its rumored treasures, but few survive the journey.!<
>!It is revealed that Dr. Strauss separated from his own daemon, Cariad. !<
>!The final entry in the journal is written by someone else, describing an exhausted Cariad returning to Dr. Strauss so they could enter the red building together.!<

>!Dr. Strauss’ description of the pain and grief of the separation resonates with both Lyra and Pan. A big part of the tension between the two is Lyra’s continued interest in the philosophical book The Hyperchorasmians. Pan argues that the book is destroying Lyra.!<

Chapter 6: Mrs. Lonsdale

>!Lyra ponders about the journal and the term "akterrakeh," which seems tied to her recent discoveries about separation and the murder she witnessed.!<

>!We see Lyra and Pan argue again about The Hyperchorasmians: Lyra is captivated by the book's rationality, but Pan fears that it promotes a dangerous disregard for their bond and the existence of dæmons. The rift between them seems to deepen as Pan questions Lyra’s grasp on reality.!<
>!Seeking some sort of connection, Lyra visits Mrs. Lonsdale, the housekeeper. She discusses some of the things that had been bothering her. During their visit, Dr. Polstead pops in and a deep connection is revealed between the two, as they address each other by first name: Malcolm and Alice. It’s shown that the two know more about Lyra, her past, and her family than Lyra knew, but Mrs. Lonsdale refuses to say anything further to her unless Dr. Polstead agrees to it: their secrets were to keep Lyra safe.!<

>!Later summoned to dinner with Jordan College’s new master, Lyra is informed that the money left for her has run out. She is being removed from her room at Jordan and placed into the servant class.!<

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Plenty of discussion topics below, and feel free to add your own!