I had a quick look around and couldn't see a topic for the purpose of discussing the new wizcast, so I thought I'd create one here. It's the first Q&A one and also it's the first one with new material about the books -Uptown Local and the Introduction having of course been published elsewhere. So, you know, I listened to it, <STRIKE>and and maybe took a few notes (*dork*) </STRIKE>, and now I have Thoughts.
And since I'm quite sure I'm not the only one*: a topic.
Briefly, this Q&A answered questions by Peter Murray, Mitchy and Nathan (hmm, funny how those names all sound familiar. I love fandom.) and covered ground on whether Annie knew her grandmother was a wizard, including tidbits about wizardly families, the Song of the Twelve, aliens in the YWverse and DD's Trekverse novels, some of the process of writing the novels, titles, arcs, and what's going to happen in the next podcasts.
Vaguely in order of the things DD mentioned:
Sulamids
Diane mentioned them as being a "multicameral" species, which they're also referred to as in the Concordance. She goes on to say we'll be seeing more of them in War, which will be cool, in the context of the problems they have as a consequence of being multicameral, specifically that it leaves them open to certain attacks from the Lone Power. Now, when I heard that I thought "OMG OVERSHADOWING " and made a note to check the Concordance. However, having done so, the entry on Primary Overshadowing states that "there are some multicameral species, like Sulamids, which seem immune to the effect. This may have to do with unusually high wizardly power levels."
So clearly it can't be overshadowing that's causing the problems for them. I am therefore going to be real interested to see what other forms the LP's attack on a multicameral species could take. Also, the whole idea of multicamerality is interesting, don't you think? Multiple brains which don't really communicate all that much? It's kind of creepy too. Although I expect it would lead to having rather swift reaction times- or, possibly, slower reaction times; say you see a ball flying at you, you have to absorb that with your eye, send that infomation to your eye brain, from the eye brain to the hand brain, and then the hand brain has to send instructions to the hand to catch it. Hmm.
I'm also kind of sad that we won't be seeing Filif much until the as-yet untitled Book Ten.
Callahans
Just quickly, DD mentions that Ireland until quite recently was very accepting of the idea of wizardry, or people with access to some kind of magic; meaning consequently that Annie knowing her grandmother was a wizard wouldn't have been much of a culture shock. Does this mean that the Callahans were living in Ireland, that Harry's an immigrant? I had always had the impression that he was American and Annie had moved to Ireland rather than the other way around. Although he does apparently coach soccer (something about the offside rule... I feel it's best not to investigate too far, don't you? Anyway, referencing Holiday) and I have never got the impression that Americans are all that enthused about soccer. Whereas in the UK, well, football is apparently quite big? *wink*
Story Arcs
Okay, we've known for a while that DD has been arcing comfortably since Dilemma and being picked up by Harcourt in a way that she hadn't been comfortable doing earlier. But there was one specific thing she said that I'm actually going to quote from that made me go all "glee!"
What arc is this? I mean, you know, we should be able to recognise it and, if I'm thinking correctly, there are only a very few possibilities and, well. Heheheh.
-Nita and kernel-working
-Carmela and the speech- although actually I think this was an Alone thing?
-Dairine and issues with power and specialising
-PONCH.
So, the Nita thing is a possibility except I personally see that less as an arc than as a development of a new talent for Nita- it's not really a plot point, because as a plot during Dilemma it was really resolved by the end. It's been seen in Alone and Holiday and was fairly important, for example, in Holiday, but there aren't really any unresolved issues with it specifically (unless we're missing something). It's been more of an auxiliary to a main plot.
Carmela... the more I think about this the more I'm sure it really originated in Alone, so it's not this.
Dairine and her issues with power and specialising... this definitely started in Dilemma, and definitely touched on in Holiday and Alone. So... well, it could be. But you all know what I really want it to be, don't you?
Yeah, that's right. I want it to be Ponch. Well, sue me, I really don't think it can be anything else. Besides, I think she must be incredibly sick of me asking her the same question every chat.
Mind you there are a couple of other plot arcs out there that come into consideration; Nita and the dream-thing (although that's more recent than Dilemma) and, possibly, Nita herself changing specialisation somewhat. But... yeah, I think it's Ponch. :P
Other more shallow thoughts:
-130 000 words! Yeah!
-I am going to be very interested to see what else is happening to the sites. Also, props to Lee!
-A Wizard of Mars podcastings!
Um, yeah. So those are my thoughts so far. :P
*except maybe the bit about taking notes. Ssshh.
[edited to give the thread a more general title. Was "Wizcast Discussion (28 July)". --kli.
And since I'm quite sure I'm not the only one*: a topic.
Briefly, this Q&A answered questions by Peter Murray, Mitchy and Nathan (hmm, funny how those names all sound familiar. I love fandom.) and covered ground on whether Annie knew her grandmother was a wizard, including tidbits about wizardly families, the Song of the Twelve, aliens in the YWverse and DD's Trekverse novels, some of the process of writing the novels, titles, arcs, and what's going to happen in the next podcasts.
Vaguely in order of the things DD mentioned:
Sulamids
Diane mentioned them as being a "multicameral" species, which they're also referred to as in the Concordance. She goes on to say we'll be seeing more of them in War, which will be cool, in the context of the problems they have as a consequence of being multicameral, specifically that it leaves them open to certain attacks from the Lone Power. Now, when I heard that I thought "OMG OVERSHADOWING " and made a note to check the Concordance. However, having done so, the entry on Primary Overshadowing states that "there are some multicameral species, like Sulamids, which seem immune to the effect. This may have to do with unusually high wizardly power levels."
So clearly it can't be overshadowing that's causing the problems for them. I am therefore going to be real interested to see what other forms the LP's attack on a multicameral species could take. Also, the whole idea of multicamerality is interesting, don't you think? Multiple brains which don't really communicate all that much? It's kind of creepy too. Although I expect it would lead to having rather swift reaction times- or, possibly, slower reaction times; say you see a ball flying at you, you have to absorb that with your eye, send that infomation to your eye brain, from the eye brain to the hand brain, and then the hand brain has to send instructions to the hand to catch it. Hmm.
I'm also kind of sad that we won't be seeing Filif much until the as-yet untitled Book Ten.
Callahans
Just quickly, DD mentions that Ireland until quite recently was very accepting of the idea of wizardry, or people with access to some kind of magic; meaning consequently that Annie knowing her grandmother was a wizard wouldn't have been much of a culture shock. Does this mean that the Callahans were living in Ireland, that Harry's an immigrant? I had always had the impression that he was American and Annie had moved to Ireland rather than the other way around. Although he does apparently coach soccer (something about the offside rule... I feel it's best not to investigate too far, don't you? Anyway, referencing Holiday) and I have never got the impression that Americans are all that enthused about soccer. Whereas in the UK, well, football is apparently quite big? *wink*
Story Arcs
Okay, we've known for a while that DD has been arcing comfortably since Dilemma and being picked up by Harcourt in a way that she hadn't been comfortable doing earlier. But there was one specific thing she said that I'm actually going to quote from that made me go all "glee!"
I felt free... to start working on an arc, and quite a long one in at least one case, so that one long story arc, for example, started with The Wizard's Dilemma and will only wind up in Wizards at War.
-Nita and kernel-working
-Carmela and the speech- although actually I think this was an Alone thing?
-Dairine and issues with power and specialising
-PONCH.
So, the Nita thing is a possibility except I personally see that less as an arc than as a development of a new talent for Nita- it's not really a plot point, because as a plot during Dilemma it was really resolved by the end. It's been seen in Alone and Holiday and was fairly important, for example, in Holiday, but there aren't really any unresolved issues with it specifically (unless we're missing something). It's been more of an auxiliary to a main plot.
Carmela... the more I think about this the more I'm sure it really originated in Alone, so it's not this.
Dairine and her issues with power and specialising... this definitely started in Dilemma, and definitely touched on in Holiday and Alone. So... well, it could be. But you all know what I really want it to be, don't you?
Yeah, that's right. I want it to be Ponch. Well, sue me, I really don't think it can be anything else. Besides, I think she must be incredibly sick of me asking her the same question every chat.
Mind you there are a couple of other plot arcs out there that come into consideration; Nita and the dream-thing (although that's more recent than Dilemma) and, possibly, Nita herself changing specialisation somewhat. But... yeah, I think it's Ponch. :P
Other more shallow thoughts:
-130 000 words! Yeah!
-I am going to be very interested to see what else is happening to the sites. Also, props to Lee!
-A Wizard of Mars podcastings!
Um, yeah. So those are my thoughts so far. :P
*except maybe the bit about taking notes. Ssshh.
[edited to give the thread a more general title. Was "Wizcast Discussion (28 July)". --kli.
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