The Rifter
Apr. 12th, 2015 02:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkThe last few days DD said that she wanted to avoid any news about the NHL and Pens in particular. When I asked how she was planning to do that, because I knew I wouldn't manage, she recommended me a book (series): "The Rifter" by Ginn Hale. I enjoyed it a lot!
I really liked the pacing, the order of the "current" and backstory timelines (that didn't even feel like backstory until the first half.) That Kahlil met Jath'ibaye before he, and the reader, realizes that Kahlil = Ravishan worked very well for me, and the rest of the revelations.
I only found the timetravel aspects and how it worked a little confusing, which is better than what often happens. Kahlil got to keep his memories of his timeline (Basawar without John) because he was in Nayeshi when John changed history by crossing over, right? The issusha'im remember because that's what they do, and Ji remembers because she was one of them. If Ravishan hadn't died in Umbhra'ibaye there would be two of "him" when Kahlil comes back, and Kahlil would still have his memories - but only up to that point, probably? I'm not sure I understand why Kahlil's body changed, so it might still. (That would be an interesting AU.) I also wonder who taught Kahlil to use the Gray Space like he does, because in timeline II it takes Jahn to teach Ravishan and none of the other ushiri'im seem to know the technique, but Kyle seems to be able to do it too regardless. Self-taught? Probably.
I'm also not completely sure about the time Kyle spent on Nayeshi. How often did he go back to Basawar, and why? Opening the Great Gates is pretty serious. Maybe only once, to save Rousma from Umbhra'ibaye, but then how did he know when?
How seriously did he take his guard duties, and how did he perform them? Iirc he lived with John for a while, but he didn't know Bill and Laurie, who John has known for a long time. That last part makes so little sense, especially since he seems to have cared so little for John's privacy, that I more or less assume it's a mistake by the author.
(Rousma from Kahlil's timeline must still be in Nayeshi, right? All alone.)
I liked the magic system, it's used very effectively and in different ways: Gray Space, and the living bones. The Eastern witches are a bit more nebulous, and I don't think the question of how exactly they relate to the ushiri'im was answered. It was mentioned that their bones react similarly to many things, but they seem to have different abilities, and it seems to be mostly but not strictly along gender lines. A large part of it can be training, but there's also some natural inclination, like with Pesha.
The living bones are great, the perfect kind of creepy. And then there's the Rifter, with completely unique abilities.
Exactly how Nayeshi and Basawar fit together is lampshaded, but not explained.
I'm a bit more confused about their religion. So the Payshmura train a Kahlil to search for the Rifter and bring him over, and then they, what, torture that Rifter until he destroys what they want him to destroy? The Rifter is an incarnation of their god Parfir, but it seems like there are different views of him: while the kahlirash'im worship him, the priests in Rathal'pesha seem to think of him more like a tool. No wonder there's been conflict. I think they said five Rifters have been killed so far? It says it's the year 183 of the Divine Ushsho'shokri, but we never learn what that means. Maybe he was an especially revered priest; it seems too recent to be the time of the last Rifter.
We never see Parfir interfere directly, which I found interesting. There's not even proof that he exists, apart from the Rifter, who seems pretty human and not especially enlightened.
What I disliked about the worldbuilding was the way Basawar treats women. It's fantasy, copying this aspect of all things from our world is lazy. It might make a bit more sense (on the surface) if it's connected to the Payshmura fearing witches, but that's not really made clear.
I like that there are strong regional differences, that makes sense. And that it's not just "the guy from outside comes and immediately starts with enlightened reforms," but that the seed of it was already there, even the technology and stuff.
I like the main characters on their own, mostly. John is pushed into an impossible situation and does the best he can, but he's afraid of taking responsibility, so he creates Vundomu's Council etc., and his plan for breaking up with Ourath Lisam (who he did screw up with) is "I'll walk into his trap and let him attempt to kill me because that'll make it easier." So smart. He is brave when pushed into a corner, but it's harder in everyday life. It makes sense though that he concentrates on restoring the environment, with his close connection to the earth. No wonder he's scared of his own powers, they are pretty scary even without all the "the Rifter destroys the world" legends.
Ravishan/Kyle/Kahlil is a bit more difficult, and actually two people. Both curious, not that good with discipline but also not exactly leadership types, very loyal. Ravishan is more religious, they both are naturally outgoing but Kahlil is more closed off because of his past. A strong need to be active and do something, and not the type to sit down and think everything through thoroughly in advance, to the point of being reckless sometimes. Very confident in their abilities and aware of the position that gives them, and willing to gamble on it.
And their relationship has SO MUCH drama and angst, wow. Without it feeling artificial! It just happens. (Except that there's also no real reason why Basawar should frown so heavily on homosexuality other than adding drama.) So much pining between Jahn and Ravishan, with both of them young and kind of lost and drawn to each other. Then the angst, with Jahn being taken to burn on the Holy Road (because he killed Ushman Dayyid to save Ravishan) and Ravishan defecting from the Payshmura to save him. (And then we almost get a Romeo and Juliet situation, except John would have had to watch...) They can finally be together! - in theory, because then their duties to the Fai'daum separate them. John/Jahn becomes Jath'ibaye, Ravishan almost dies and John goes a bit crazy and full Rifter (but he's still human), and then thanks to Fikiri's manipulations John accidentally kills Ravishan. OUCH.
Then John sort of loses his mind and destroys the Payshmura. Ji saves him, Jath'ibaye spends the next several years building Vundomu (and doing stupid shit with Ourath), never manages to forget Ravishan - and suddenly Ravishan is back. Kind of. Well, Kyle is, Ravishan from an alternate reality but with most of Ravishan's memories (eventually.) They sort of manage to get their shit together, and then Kyle is captured and tortured, John sacrifices himself to save Basawar from Loshai - but Kahlil saves him, happily ever after! Kahlil took in Ravishan's holy bones, so he should be immortal now too, I think. They'll be the stuff of legends.
I think the part of their relationship I most want fic about is Ravishan slowly figuring out that Jahn is the Rifter, and then when he thinks he's lost Jahn to the Rifter. (That's what Yuletide is for! Hm, I could probably get away with nominating Ravishan and Kahlil as one character for Yuletide...)
The other characters are also great. I liked the villains: Ushman Dayyid is a very believable unpleasant character in his role. A corrupt church, yep, happens easily. Same with corrupt nobles, some of the gaun'im conspiring for more power for themselves isn't far-fetched at all. But Fikiri and Loshai are probably best. Fikiri, the boy fated to die but John saved him, only for Fikiri to later become his worst enemy. And Loshai, Laurie: she may have gone crazy and been willing to destroy a world with millions of people, but if anyone has a right to go crazy from suffering... Trapped in an oppressed position in a foreign world, her husband shot, stripped to her bones that are washed with the blood of her murdered baby, the voices and many realities of the issusha'im in her head... Poor Laurie.
I liked Ji Shir'korud, and her son Saimura: I liked his "coming out" and his brief affair with Fenn, and if there was a kinkmeme someone definitely would need to write Saimura/Fenn/Jath'ibaye, or at least Saimura and Fenn fantasizing about it. I liked Wah'rao, and Alidas, and Pesha.
I'm trying to be careful with names, btw: John for how he thinks about himself, Jahn for his early time in Basawar, Jath'ibaye for later, and from Kahlil's PoV depending on when. Similarly, Ravishan for John's dead lover, Kyle when John thinks about Kahlil, who only thinks about himself as his title. But sometimes it's not quite clear or maybe I mix it up.
Tl;dr great book, and I hope there'll be stories.
I really liked the pacing, the order of the "current" and backstory timelines (that didn't even feel like backstory until the first half.) That Kahlil met Jath'ibaye before he, and the reader, realizes that Kahlil = Ravishan worked very well for me, and the rest of the revelations.
I only found the timetravel aspects and how it worked a little confusing, which is better than what often happens. Kahlil got to keep his memories of his timeline (Basawar without John) because he was in Nayeshi when John changed history by crossing over, right? The issusha'im remember because that's what they do, and Ji remembers because she was one of them. If Ravishan hadn't died in Umbhra'ibaye there would be two of "him" when Kahlil comes back, and Kahlil would still have his memories - but only up to that point, probably? I'm not sure I understand why Kahlil's body changed, so it might still. (That would be an interesting AU.) I also wonder who taught Kahlil to use the Gray Space like he does, because in timeline II it takes Jahn to teach Ravishan and none of the other ushiri'im seem to know the technique, but Kyle seems to be able to do it too regardless. Self-taught? Probably.
I'm also not completely sure about the time Kyle spent on Nayeshi. How often did he go back to Basawar, and why? Opening the Great Gates is pretty serious. Maybe only once, to save Rousma from Umbhra'ibaye, but then how did he know when?
How seriously did he take his guard duties, and how did he perform them? Iirc he lived with John for a while, but he didn't know Bill and Laurie, who John has known for a long time. That last part makes so little sense, especially since he seems to have cared so little for John's privacy, that I more or less assume it's a mistake by the author.
(Rousma from Kahlil's timeline must still be in Nayeshi, right? All alone.)
I liked the magic system, it's used very effectively and in different ways: Gray Space, and the living bones. The Eastern witches are a bit more nebulous, and I don't think the question of how exactly they relate to the ushiri'im was answered. It was mentioned that their bones react similarly to many things, but they seem to have different abilities, and it seems to be mostly but not strictly along gender lines. A large part of it can be training, but there's also some natural inclination, like with Pesha.
The living bones are great, the perfect kind of creepy. And then there's the Rifter, with completely unique abilities.
Exactly how Nayeshi and Basawar fit together is lampshaded, but not explained.
I'm a bit more confused about their religion. So the Payshmura train a Kahlil to search for the Rifter and bring him over, and then they, what, torture that Rifter until he destroys what they want him to destroy? The Rifter is an incarnation of their god Parfir, but it seems like there are different views of him: while the kahlirash'im worship him, the priests in Rathal'pesha seem to think of him more like a tool. No wonder there's been conflict. I think they said five Rifters have been killed so far? It says it's the year 183 of the Divine Ushsho'shokri, but we never learn what that means. Maybe he was an especially revered priest; it seems too recent to be the time of the last Rifter.
We never see Parfir interfere directly, which I found interesting. There's not even proof that he exists, apart from the Rifter, who seems pretty human and not especially enlightened.
What I disliked about the worldbuilding was the way Basawar treats women. It's fantasy, copying this aspect of all things from our world is lazy. It might make a bit more sense (on the surface) if it's connected to the Payshmura fearing witches, but that's not really made clear.
I like that there are strong regional differences, that makes sense. And that it's not just "the guy from outside comes and immediately starts with enlightened reforms," but that the seed of it was already there, even the technology and stuff.
I like the main characters on their own, mostly. John is pushed into an impossible situation and does the best he can, but he's afraid of taking responsibility, so he creates Vundomu's Council etc., and his plan for breaking up with Ourath Lisam (who he did screw up with) is "I'll walk into his trap and let him attempt to kill me because that'll make it easier." So smart. He is brave when pushed into a corner, but it's harder in everyday life. It makes sense though that he concentrates on restoring the environment, with his close connection to the earth. No wonder he's scared of his own powers, they are pretty scary even without all the "the Rifter destroys the world" legends.
Ravishan/Kyle/Kahlil is a bit more difficult, and actually two people. Both curious, not that good with discipline but also not exactly leadership types, very loyal. Ravishan is more religious, they both are naturally outgoing but Kahlil is more closed off because of his past. A strong need to be active and do something, and not the type to sit down and think everything through thoroughly in advance, to the point of being reckless sometimes. Very confident in their abilities and aware of the position that gives them, and willing to gamble on it.
And their relationship has SO MUCH drama and angst, wow. Without it feeling artificial! It just happens. (Except that there's also no real reason why Basawar should frown so heavily on homosexuality other than adding drama.) So much pining between Jahn and Ravishan, with both of them young and kind of lost and drawn to each other. Then the angst, with Jahn being taken to burn on the Holy Road (because he killed Ushman Dayyid to save Ravishan) and Ravishan defecting from the Payshmura to save him. (And then we almost get a Romeo and Juliet situation, except John would have had to watch...) They can finally be together! - in theory, because then their duties to the Fai'daum separate them. John/Jahn becomes Jath'ibaye, Ravishan almost dies and John goes a bit crazy and full Rifter (but he's still human), and then thanks to Fikiri's manipulations John accidentally kills Ravishan. OUCH.
Then John sort of loses his mind and destroys the Payshmura. Ji saves him, Jath'ibaye spends the next several years building Vundomu (and doing stupid shit with Ourath), never manages to forget Ravishan - and suddenly Ravishan is back. Kind of. Well, Kyle is, Ravishan from an alternate reality but with most of Ravishan's memories (eventually.) They sort of manage to get their shit together, and then Kyle is captured and tortured, John sacrifices himself to save Basawar from Loshai - but Kahlil saves him, happily ever after! Kahlil took in Ravishan's holy bones, so he should be immortal now too, I think. They'll be the stuff of legends.
I think the part of their relationship I most want fic about is Ravishan slowly figuring out that Jahn is the Rifter, and then when he thinks he's lost Jahn to the Rifter. (That's what Yuletide is for! Hm, I could probably get away with nominating Ravishan and Kahlil as one character for Yuletide...)
The other characters are also great. I liked the villains: Ushman Dayyid is a very believable unpleasant character in his role. A corrupt church, yep, happens easily. Same with corrupt nobles, some of the gaun'im conspiring for more power for themselves isn't far-fetched at all. But Fikiri and Loshai are probably best. Fikiri, the boy fated to die but John saved him, only for Fikiri to later become his worst enemy. And Loshai, Laurie: she may have gone crazy and been willing to destroy a world with millions of people, but if anyone has a right to go crazy from suffering... Trapped in an oppressed position in a foreign world, her husband shot, stripped to her bones that are washed with the blood of her murdered baby, the voices and many realities of the issusha'im in her head... Poor Laurie.
I liked Ji Shir'korud, and her son Saimura: I liked his "coming out" and his brief affair with Fenn, and if there was a kinkmeme someone definitely would need to write Saimura/Fenn/Jath'ibaye, or at least Saimura and Fenn fantasizing about it. I liked Wah'rao, and Alidas, and Pesha.
I'm trying to be careful with names, btw: John for how he thinks about himself, Jahn for his early time in Basawar, Jath'ibaye for later, and from Kahlil's PoV depending on when. Similarly, Ravishan for John's dead lover, Kyle when John thinks about Kahlil, who only thinks about himself as his title. But sometimes it's not quite clear or maybe I mix it up.
Tl;dr great book, and I hope there'll be stories.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-08 01:58 am (UTC)I just finished it about two weeks ago, and I've already begun a re-read. The author did such a great job with world-building and managing multiple timelines/POVs. It lends itself well to re-reading, with tons of foreshadowing sprinkled in throughout the first few books.
Also, I think you've read a few of my Queen's Thief fics on AO3, so perhaps we have a few fandoms in common. Mind if I add you as a friend?
no subject
Date: 2018-01-08 01:07 pm (UTC)I've thought about rereading the books, especially since my flatmate bought the paperback versions, but tbh I'm worried that this time I'll pay more attention to the worldbuilding/timeline inconsistencies and and won't enjoy it as much. Maybe one day. (Also these days I prefer my fantasy worlds with less sexism and homophobia than the real world, not more.)
no subject
Date: 2018-01-08 02:52 pm (UTC)I completely understand not wanting to reread and spoil something you originally really enjoyed. That has definitely happened to me before.
I'll try to reach out to her (her DW seems quiet?); thanks for the suggestion!