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Bondsmagi
ravelle — Thu, 06/26/2008 - 14:18
Quote:
If the Bondsmagi are so all-powerful, why don't they rule the world?
Well, who says they don't? As if they'd be open about it...consider-- if they don't rule the world, what might be holding them back? Is their power perhaps not as omnipotent as they'd have others believe? Or do they suffer from internal strife concerning the destiny of their organization?
Why are the bondsmagi nor ruling the world? If someone guesses the right answer and posts it here, I'll buy them there tickets to see the Locke movie (if/when it happens :P).
Re: Bondsmagi
Locke — Tue, 07/08/2008 - 18:22What would be the point? They get payed enormous sums of money for their services already. If they ruled the world they would have to put up with a bunch of extra responsibilities. Setting up new governments, civil unrest, taxes etc.. They are already in a good position, why ruin it?
Re: Bondsmagi
JoeX111 — Thu, 07/17/2008 - 18:16I imagine that the Bondsmagi aren't nearly as powerful as people believe them to be. Supposedly they destroyed the Therin Throne (or some major city, cannot recall without the book right in front of me) just to prove their might. But just as Locke and company are masters of misdirection, I imagine their greatest act to establish themselves as all powerful was a lot of smoke and mirrors, which will eventually be uncovered by our heroes when they finally face off against them once and for all.
Re: Bondsmagi
quix — Tue, 07/29/2008 - 18:31*nods* I imagine the Bondsmagi are just as involved in politics as they want to be and appear to be as little involved as they want to be. They appear to be quite skilled in controlling both minds and bodies, so it doesn't seem like a difficult stretch to see that they could easily decide the course of the events of all nations without stretching out their necks or drawing any attention to themselves. They're in the best of all possible worlds at the moment. ...enter Locke Lamora :)
So true. If I had
CoupeDeGrace — Mon, 04/19/2010 - 06:14So true. If I had super-human abilities the last thing I would be doing is sitting in an office all day trying not to screw up an empire.
"I suspect this is all gonna end in screaming and drowning"
That's a good point... Indeed
TheSpider — Mon, 12/06/2010 - 00:42That's a good point... Indeed why bothering ruling the world in public when you can enjoy yourself and still rule it in secret (in some fashion)?
However I've always had a problem with magic in Fantasy. It is always very tricky to introduce such an element. It always creates major headaches for the author. So I'm eager to read RoT to learn more about the magi and to see if Scott's explanation holds.
For instance, I've been reading LoLL again (for the umptieth time). I already see some major problems. For instance, at one point the Falconer talks to Locke in his head and seems to be able to hear what's happening around Locke. If it is so, how come Locke and Jean were able to keep their plans secret?
I mean really, magic is always such a pain to explain... Often it only works if everyone has magic (like in Harry Potter) or if the rules are incredibly strict about what sorcerers can do and cannot do. So far I'm not convinced. That's the only thing that bothers me in the Gentleman Bastard sequence.
Spider, i agree that i'm not
Sabetha — Mon, 12/06/2010 - 20:05Spider, i agree that i'm not a fan of magic in books. It makes things too easy. So I'm interested to see how Scott will tackle the issue, but I know he's not about to go mad with the magic side of thigns. I don't think it's his style.
When you said 'he could hear what was going on around Locke' were you referring to the time they were all shouting 'richer and cleverer than everyone else' just before Locke pretended to be the Grey King in front of Barsavi? Because at that particular point I was under the impression he was nearby and overheard the natural way. I also can't recall a time Locke actually responded telepathically with the Falconer (correct me I'm wrong!). I don't know for sure obviously, but i think the Falconer can put a thought into your head rather than rifle through your actual thoughts, if that makes sense. Just a one way communication system.
It just occured to me that the Bondsmagi can probably communicate telepathically then, which is going to be a right pain for Locke when he comes across lots of them ;-)
When you said 'he could hear
TheSpider — Tue, 12/07/2010 - 23:46When you said 'he could hear what was going on around Locke' were you referring to the time they were all shouting 'richer and cleverer than everyone else' just before Locke pretended to be the Grey King in front of Barsavi? Because at that particular point I was under the impression he was nearby and overheard the natural way. I also can't recall a time Locke actually responded telepathically with the Falconer (correct me I'm wrong!).
Yes I'm referring to pp. 275-276 of the US version.
"I can hear you shouting," came the ghostly voice of the Falconer. "Have you all gone completely mad?"
This is inside Locke's head. I don't think the Falconer is around. The GBs are in the cellar of the temple.
I was working from memory, so
Sabetha — Thu, 12/09/2010 - 09:56I was working from memory, so I looked it up in the book (keeping in mind I have the Uk version!) and it reads: The Gentlemen Bastards were hidden away in an abandoned storefront in the fog-choked Rustwater District, just a few blocks north of the Echo Hole.
I assume (and I'm only assuming) that the Bondsmage was lingering nearby to keep half an eye on him, as he had to stay near Locke during the whole Barsavi fiasco to stop him from getting hit with weapons. I still stand by my point that the telepathy is one way communication rather than a way to read minds. :-)
Oups.. You're right. They are
TheSpider — Thu, 12/09/2010 - 16:37Oups.. You're right. They are not in the cellar but in the Rustwater district. The Falconer must have been close enough to hear them.
I did not think that the Falconer could read their mind; we know he can't. But I was wondering why he could hear what's happening around Locke. Now this makes more sense if he was close enough to hear them.
And I think you're right; this means that 2 bondsmagi can communicate that way! Nightmare!
Oh, sh*t, I just realised two
Raistlin — Wed, 02/23/2011 - 15:41Oh, sh*t, I just realised two Bondsmagi could just communicate telepathically, now I seriously wonder how Locke and Jean are going to pull through THAT in book 3, with all the strange stuffs with Bondsmagi. With every new book, their mission or plan is just getting more and more complicated and insanely difficult, and I love reading characters achieving seemingly impossible goals. And when I think about it, from a certain perspective what an HONOR it should be to be even considered worthy to hire as a person without magical power by Bondsmagi.