Victoria BC science fiction book club discussion

Discussion thread for chapter 3

So, I'm done the third chapter.

I think the writing style in this story was my least favorite thus far, but that said, I really enjoyed the content. Perhaps is was the references to poets that I have not read that threw me off. It was a nice little history lesson of the universe where this story is set.

Now we know what happened to Earth. It seemed like it took years for the black hole to consume the planet, but it seems to me that I heard that that kind of catastrophe would take hours. I'm certainly not an expert on planet consuming black holes though.

Sad King Billy. There were references to Monaco-in-exile and Windsor-in-exile. Is Sad King Billy the monarch of both kingdoms? Anyone have any insight?

What about Silenus calling the Shrike forth with his writing. Do you think he actually did, or is this a coincidence?

I agree for the writing style. I felt it wasn't at the level of the second chapter and definitely not at the level that the first chapter was at. I do like that we get to see very different people's different lives. It was nice to learn what was happening with old Earth and learn how the universe is/was.

I don't recall the Monaco-in-exile and Windsor-in-exile bits, but I do believe Sad King Billy was exiled. So likely he is one of those two. Sorry no further input input on that. :(

I could see that he may have been doing it. I don't know (or remember) if he knew he was summoning the shrike but I would not be surprised if he knew and was doing it intentionally. So far of the three stories, he's the one I wouldn't trust. Even his name, Silenus, makes me think of a snake.

Something I had noticed through this chapter is that we seem to be having a character from every life style or type of career. Politician, Religion, Military, Arts, etc. (I forget what the others were off hand).

Yea, I agree that Silenus does seem rather untrustworthy, and in a different way than Hoyt is. Silenus also seems rather chaotic. Hoyt too perhaps, but more from the pain/stupor he's always in.

I figured that the exile part of Monaco/Windsor-in-exile was because the original locations of those kingdoms no longer exists since Earth no longer exists.

Also, Silenus' house with the rooms on different planets was pretty cool.

Forgot to post when I finished this chapter, but here you go.

Funny, I really liked the writing style of this chapter, more than the first chapter especially. Communication via curse words amused me.

I enjoyed the commentary on how the masses aren't interested in one of the most beautiful works ever written (but gobbled up romantic, wistful musings on the past).

It's funny, Silenus doesn't seem that trustworthy, but I'd rather hang out with him than a lot of the other pilgrims.