It’s not that uncommon in places where there are beliefs in magic and/or magical rituals, for instance in some areas in Latin America, possibly it existed long ago in Europe and it has been forgotten (since Illustration age, nation states changed many things, burial procedures and customs one of them).
This one I did not know, but I know of the opposite (kind of): if you live far away from your ancestral home, you take some of the local soil wit you so that it would be put on your coffin wherever you will happen to be buried. If you can’t be buried in your ancestral home, it is as close as it can be.
Leyton seems very trusting, but I guess after enough famine winters the bad guys kill each other off. There’s a very bad reason _why_ “He looks OK” is how a decision is made in this situation, and it’s not childish trust.
Yeah, Leyton will send a letter. I hope the plans for the new boathouse, greenhouse, other greenhouse, and Playboy Grotto pool that Tibbles is supposed to build are at least drawn with a ruler.
Gravesoil is an important token in a variety of cultures. There’s various traditions and superstitions.
I hope Leyton’s second home has a good library. Scarlet’s only remaining comfort is the pursuit of knowledge.
That just makes her emotions consistent, instead of insanely all over the place.
Killing off Julius was a bad idea anyway, and even appearing to kill him for the drama of bringing him back into the story later is “substandard” writing. To put it politely.
I don’t agree that it was a bad idea, much as I hate it having (apparently) happened. The Scarlet of the first cover page has been through a LOT, and we are still in a character-development phase. Turning a perky 6-year-old into a grimly determined late teen, as I judge that Scarlet to be, doesn’t just happen.
'phoon
+1 to that. A lot of us expected or predicted him to survive, in my case because I thought he might be the motivation behind her quests. We got surprised there. Personally I think that is good writing. This is just not a funny or happy part of the he story.
Vicious Sand
I also thought Julius was going to live, as a “give her a reason to fight” angle. Yes, cover Early 20s Scarlet looks like a typical “Defend my mountain” girl, but I never liked that. Younger Scarlet’s adventure story has no reason to last that long, even if Novil’s spending a massive amount of time ignoring the main plot. Walk to the freaking house and flip a flipping switch. Simple as that. It’s after that when mountains crack and seas boil. How does a little girl fight against a sky of flying barracuda? How does Scarlet wage a desperate battle against walking telepathic seaweed?, etc etc. There’s a lot to do AFTER she gets back to the Machine, and she’s walking off the side of the chessboard entirely. Not enticingly.
I must confess that I – reluctantly – saw this coming, too; their alliance felt just to be good to be true.
I explained this to me as a plot twist the author used to explain the somewhat extreme motivation and singlemindedness regarding “saving the world” which I expect Scarlet to show in due time and which has been hinted at several times in the story…
16 thoughts on “A Sky Full of Stars 102”
Matthew
My heart the Art is killing it.
Amazing use of tone to really sell the emotion.
ToBeFree
+1
Chuck
Taking a bowl of gravesite with you is a tradition I’ve never heard of.
Poyntre
It’s not that uncommon in places where there are beliefs in magic and/or magical rituals, for instance in some areas in Latin America, possibly it existed long ago in Europe and it has been forgotten (since Illustration age, nation states changed many things, burial procedures and customs one of them).
Vicious Sand
They don’t have the luggage to properly rob the grave. Or the shovels. Or the Doctor Frankenstien equipment and knowledge.
No One of Consequence
This one I did not know, but I know of the opposite (kind of): if you live far away from your ancestral home, you take some of the local soil wit you so that it would be put on your coffin wherever you will happen to be buried. If you can’t be buried in your ancestral home, it is as close as it can be.
Vicious Sand
Leyton seems very trusting, but I guess after enough famine winters the bad guys kill each other off. There’s a very bad reason _why_ “He looks OK” is how a decision is made in this situation, and it’s not childish trust.
Yeah, Leyton will send a letter. I hope the plans for the new boathouse, greenhouse, other greenhouse, and Playboy Grotto pool that Tibbles is supposed to build are at least drawn with a ruler.
The_Pink_Spartan
Gravesoil is an important token in a variety of cultures. There’s various traditions and superstitions.
I hope Leyton’s second home has a good library. Scarlet’s only remaining comfort is the pursuit of knowledge.
Crystalgate
Scarlett is really not doing well. The art is selling this fact way too well.
Vicious Sand
That just makes her emotions consistent, instead of insanely all over the place.
Killing off Julius was a bad idea anyway, and even appearing to kill him for the drama of bringing him back into the story later is “substandard” writing. To put it politely.
Graybeard
I don’t agree that it was a bad idea, much as I hate it having (apparently) happened. The Scarlet of the first cover page has been through a LOT, and we are still in a character-development phase. Turning a perky 6-year-old into a grimly determined late teen, as I judge that Scarlet to be, doesn’t just happen.
'phoon
+1 to that. A lot of us expected or predicted him to survive, in my case because I thought he might be the motivation behind her quests. We got surprised there. Personally I think that is good writing. This is just not a funny or happy part of the he story.
Vicious Sand
I also thought Julius was going to live, as a “give her a reason to fight” angle. Yes, cover Early 20s Scarlet looks like a typical “Defend my mountain” girl, but I never liked that. Younger Scarlet’s adventure story has no reason to last that long, even if Novil’s spending a massive amount of time ignoring the main plot. Walk to the freaking house and flip a flipping switch. Simple as that. It’s after that when mountains crack and seas boil. How does a little girl fight against a sky of flying barracuda? How does Scarlet wage a desperate battle against walking telepathic seaweed?, etc etc. There’s a lot to do AFTER she gets back to the Machine, and she’s walking off the side of the chessboard entirely. Not enticingly.
doclbn
I must confess that I – reluctantly – saw this coming, too; their alliance felt just to be good to be true.
I explained this to me as a plot twist the author used to explain the somewhat extreme motivation and singlemindedness regarding “saving the world” which I expect Scarlet to show in due time and which has been hinted at several times in the story…
frigid
Damn, this poor girl is going through it.
Llywenna
They’re just planning ahead, that way if Julius rises as a vampire and comes looking for them, they’ll have some grave dirt to make him a bed.
Poll
Characters
Ariana Carolus Athamas Baako Bolin Cyril Evelina Ferrus Gale Nenawa Gavin Carolus Iona Jehona Shardyk Julius Mirkning Kala Silverspring King Protos Lauro Levon Goldwood Leyton Wayt Luitpold Marik Marton Princess Elodie Raymond Reto Mirkning Reva Scarlet Carolus Silvana Mirkning Tibor Frey Viola Vreni Yerim Zach Ilkin