Katharine Kerr hosts a Deverry Q&A discussion

I'm not sure if members can just go ahead and add topics, because I'm new at this. So, if you can't, and if you'd like us to discuss something we're not discussing, then post a message here.

Don't forget, you guys can ask me questions about the books. Doesn't have to be me asking you. Are there any plot lines or characters that didn't finish within the series that you wonder about, just for example?

Did you tell us anywhere how Rhodda came to have a son by Cal?

Did you find that some story elements changed during the writing, and characters developed in radically different ways than you originally intended, or did you start with the idea more or less fully formed (e.g. a complete outline in your head right at the beginning) and filled in the details over the next 20 years? Was it difficult to keep things consistent from one book to the next?

I was looking at the Maelwaedd Family Tree and noticed that Pertyc Maelwaedd's son Adraegyn abdicated and then disappeared. I don't recall seeing Adraegyn's story - have I just forgotten, or is it one of those pieces that was left unsaid? Did he face the same dilemma as Rhodry - watching all his family and friends grow old while he never seemed to age? Of course, his father had openly married an elven woman, so he didn't have to hide his true ancestry.

If I've remembered everything correctly and done my math correctly, at the end of the Silver Mage, Dallandra is only about 150 years old because of all the time she spent in Evandar's world.

I don't remember how long the elven lifespan was before the Horsekin invasions but I seem to remember it being something like 700-800 years.

Given that the normal elven lifespan out on the grasslands was around 400 years, that the elves are clearly about to settle down (which might tend to protect them from some of the rigours of life on the grass that shortened the original lifespan), and that it was said that working with the dweomer tended to prolong the dweomer worker's life, Dallandra might easily have another 400-600 years left.

And given that you've mentioned you might just have a book about Deverry set in the 1700s or so... might Dallandra be part of that book? even if only as a brief mention?

Yeah, it's true, I can't bring myself to completely let go of one of my favourite characters.

Adraegyn eventually did abdicate and go to his mother's people in the Westlands. I'm not real sure how the rest of his life played out, though. Probably routinely. Generally if I can't see what happens to a character after his part in a book, nothing much did happen.

M, Dalla probably spends the rest of her very long life (as you've figured out) as the adviser to Prince Dar in his new role as "king of the Westlands and ally to the kings of Deverry." She'd fill the same role as Nevyn did with Maryn, but one hopes more sucessfully. Calonderiel probably dies long before she does, since he didn't have that time in Evandar's world. I would imagine that they'd have another child or two before he dies, though.

Not a topic request, but there wasn't really a category for this. I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to host the Q & A here and to answer our questions, since November 7 is fast approaching.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more participation, but I think it is possible that the forum needs more time to be discovered. I know I just stumbled upon it when doing a google search.

Ian, well, if I knew how to extend it, I'd add a week or two. I had no idea if anyone would be interested when I set this up.

:-)

Katharine wrote: "M, Dalla probably spends the rest of her very long life (as you've figured out) as the adviser to Prince Dar in his new role as "king of the Westlands and ally to the kings of Deverry." "

I think what I'm really curious about is if Dalla ever figures out how to deal with Cal's jealousy. Because it's a recurring theme in her life (Aderyn became so jealous he drove her away), I figure there must be some reason it comes up again.

Or maybe there's no better reason than "that's the way a lot of people are."

I have hope that Dar is more successful in his personal life because he's more grown up than Maryn was before he came to power and because he's already had a long, successful relationship with Carra.

Dar strikes me as the sort of person who may not really enjoy the decisions he has to make on a personal level but with the ability to suck it up and get it done. Good qualities in a ruler.

I doubt if anyone can deal with Cal's jealousy but Cal, and it'll probably take him another life to do it.

Yes, I think Dar will do fine as "king of the Westlands," esp. with dweomermasters around to remind him of his real identity.

I think Dar will do well as while he never takes himself to seriously he also steps up to the plate when I is nesacary.

Hey, this set-up is still working. We can go on discussing if anyone wants to.

Katharine wrote: "Hey, this set-up is still working. We can go on discussing if anyone wants to."

YAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!

Having received some positive reinforcement, I am more than eager to keep going.

Trevor wrote: "I think Dar will do well as while he never takes himself to seriously he also steps up to the plate when I is nesacary."

Cool