The Not a Book Club Club discussion

This is the first 106 pages or so (in my edition).

Please keep all discussion to the events and speculation from the chapter The Poison Trade to the chapter A Ragged Multitude.

No spoiler tags required.

Please do not discuss events from later chapters/books.

What I've read so far has blended into each other but from what I can separate, not much happened in this section. Logen returns to the north. Jezal and Ardee... reunite. Some other stuff probably happened...

I must say, I really love the Dogman as chief. He's one of my favorite characters.

Really dissapointed that West didn't have a pov in this section. Agree that not much happened but it was nice that Logen finally reunited with his old crew. Looking forward to Logen going up against the feared.

Logen vs the Feared should be nasty.

Not much happened? I don't agree.

The chapter Ghosts was awesome. Logen and his friends reuniting. We now see Logen in his element, and it's both scary and awesome.

Bayaz and his planning has me curious. Did he control Tanner with magic like he did during the contest, or were they simply colluding? Was this what Sulfer was doing for him? Either way the 'rebellion' seems to have been bullshit.

It seems like his grooming of Jezal continues. Not to mention the incident with guards and the peasant girl, all the crazy rumors of his trip and his sudden promotion.

My biggest question remains about Quai. What is he hiding? He talks about vengeance, and tries to get Ferro to leave. I don't trust him.

I do wish we got more with West, but otherwise this book is off to a great start.

Maybe I feel like nothing happened because the first two sections ran together for me because I started early. Just felt like people being put where they need to be for the rest of the book.

I agree, Bayaz is definitely staging Jezal as his own candidate. Wonder what stunt he has planned next? It's a long way from fake competition winner to King but Bayaz seems to be dragging Jezal up the ranks at speed.

So, finally caught up on the first part.

I agree, the Jezal/Bayaz thing just plays out as we thought it might be. Bayaz is preparing Jezal as his puppet king.

I had a feeling about Bayaz's hand in the rebellion, I was just surprised that the peasent army was told to disband.
I think Bayaz knows that the Gurkish have finished their fleet and that the northern campaign won't be over anytime soon.
So my theory was that Bayaz would time the meeting of Jezal and the rebels to be when the Gurkish are spotted. So Jezal could unite with the rebels and fight off the Gurkish and be the mighty war hero, which would aid to his reputation.

And it's interesting that Bayaz met with Isher. Wasn't he the one leading in the race for king according to Sult? If Bayaz would somehow convince Isher to step down and endorse Jezal instead, maybe others would throw in with them as well. F.e. Morovia.

I'm still totally in the dark regarding Quai and what's going to happen to Ferro.
But I think Ferro is in the right place. Glokta had this vision in the first book, where the seed was mentioned, so I guess he will somehow be involved with it, maybe finding it. And then there would be need for Ferro again.

In the north all seems to be pointing to Logen and his fellows against Bethod's family + the Feared.
But I doubt Abercrombie will make this so obvious. There might something happen there.
It will be interesting to see what Shivers does, now that Logen is there.

Mpauli wrote: "And it's interesting that Bayaz met with Isher. Wasn't he the one leading in the race for king according to Sult?"

I believe so. I'm so bad with names, I thought he was just some random lord.

It is on the first chapter. Brock was the strongest candidate with (potential) 50 votes. Isher was at the second position with (potential) 40 votes.

So, Bayaz met Isher...

Being the second in votes would make even more sense, cause it would be easier to convince someone who isn't in the lead to throw in with you.
If Bayaz offered Jezal as a puppet for him and Isher to control...