Bahzell and Leeana's relationship

Optimist.

We will still be arguing it years for now. Someone will be claiming it was retcom.

Enjoy,
T2M

KNick wrote:Would that involve "Schrodinger's Treecat" then?

Wrong new book. They rechristened LAMA, because they can't figure out if Hector is alive or dead. And the argument is still going on and probably will continue until February or March.[/quote]

Karthak wrote:

PeterZ wrote:I agree with the reviewer that the romance wasn't explicitly written about. I disagree that a romance was not both telegraphed and inferred from other character's interactions with our lovebirds. Although I would have preffered to have read about it, I won't t say that development was a surprise.

Rereading the book right now, and I have to say that if you miss just a few words here and there, you really get the impression that they haven't seen each other for 7 years.

Maybe different readers are naturally more attuned to different details. This forthcoming romance was as obvious to me as Christmas in December, and at first, I was horrified. On first reading of WRO, I thought Bahzell was going to get caught up in some social/political scandal by Leeana coming to him for advice, etc., and they were seen by the wrong person & their interaction misconstrued by that witness, etc. Fortunately, that's not the way it played out.

Bahzell definitely has feelings for Leeana when they first meet, but they are not nearly as strong as the (strictly platonic) feelings he has for Zarantha in OOS or Kaeritha in WGO. I don't think his feelings for Leeana are clearly communicated to the reader because I don't think they are clear within Bahzell's own heart and mind for a long, long time... (repression much?)

There are a few passages in WMC that I have read a little differently each of the four or five times I've read through them, such as the conversation in the stables at Hill Guard between Leeana and Doram Greenslope:

"I'm one as spends a lot of time around horses--and coursers--and their riders, young Leeana. Could be I've heard a thing or two passing between a certain wind rider I might name and his courser, or between him and his wind brother while they were seeing to their coursers together. And it might just be, you know," he turned his head, meeting Leeana's eyes levelly, "I've heard a story about why a certain young lady ran away from home that's not much like the ones I hear in town."

and later in that same conversation:
"I don't think any lass as had the heart and courage and love to make [that decision] is going to do anything with her life that could ever cause shame to those as love her."

On the first several reads, I assumed (as Leeana herself assumes) that the overheard wind rider is her father, and the choice that shouldn't cause shame was the choice she already made, the choice to become a War Maid. However, Bahzell is also a wind rider who uses that stable, and could easily have been overheard struggling with his own feelings for her. Doram could just as easily be referring to Leeana's future choices, which will be seen as shameful by some, but not by anyone who knows and loves her.

After all, once the deed is done, the Bowmaster family members who are shocked and surprised are ... no one.

Karthak wrote:During the seven years that passed between Wind Rider's Oath and War Maid's Choice, did they actually meet with each other more than very briefly? When I first read the book I got the impression that they hadn't seen each other for years. It just seems a tad ridiculous to me that they went from barely any contact to...how did that reviewer put it?:

"the female lead turns 21, then confronts the male lead over mutual feelings of attraction that apparently stem from the conversation they had when said female lead was 14 years old. The point had been made, repeatedly and at unnecessary length, that her visits home were few and far between, so there wasn't even the excuse that the romance developed off-page. At the end of the conversation, they are sleeping together, and are married by divine blessing the next day. And she gets a magical horse of her own so she can ride hand-in-hand with her new husband. And they can all talk to each other."

I really liked the book, but some parts just made me raise my eyebrows.

Apparently for the benefit of the quoted reviewer -- not the illustrious forum commentator -- the author needs to use a better grade of clue-by-four. May I commend to the attention of the author the use of classic Vermont and Northern Railroad ties. Vermont and Northern made a deal with several local quarries whereby which the quarries got their stone hauled for free, but in return would provide Vermont and Northern with its supply of indestructible railroad ties.

Indestructible? Stone is like that. I forget if the ties were granite or marble, but a reasonable stock of them might be available.