Comments on: A Mighty Fortress – Snippet 18

By: KenJ

KenJ — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:16:02 +0000

I could see some of the other cells not forming a monastery but rather becoming involved in politics (from behind the scenes or actively) or just keeping the knowledge of the truth “in the family,” and not trying to make changes themselves but rather setting groundwork to support change by others. There are many options they can have pursued including keeping the secret to themselves and having it die with them.

By: Rekes

Rekes — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:41:07 +0000

And Plato said “Where do democracies come from? Why, they evolve from oligarchies! And where do oligarchies come from? They evolve from Democracy!”

More or less.

Anyways, Siddarmark screams of interference so it would be impossible to surprise me in their regard short having Staynair reveal himself as Sir Roderick Ponce von Fontlebottom the Magnificent Bastard… or as an Arch Angel.

By: jgnfld

jgnfld — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:58:57 +0000

@21 I think Siddarmark sounds much more like an oligarchy than a republic.

By: Peter Z

Peter Z — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:49:01 +0000

That doesn’t count, Robert. DW only referred to Pooh’s rising from the dead, since he hasn’t died yet as my daughter can testify to, that was clearly a fictional referrence on David’s part. As all of us SF junkies need to keep in mind, we must separate the fictional from the real……now let’s get back to discussing this retrograde society found in some distant alternative future without involving any extraneous trivia.

By: robert

robert — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:46:34 +0000

#15 Off subject, but…Peter we already have Pooh and therefore Tigger when we get into a David Weber book.

By: AVD

AVD — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:42:52 +0000

I suspect the whole other areas is too much of a wild card to be relied upon. I suspect the only other group we’ll ever see is in Siddmark (a republic. seriously, if you have a nation where the truth is known, then the chances of getting a Rebublic is much higher. Could also explain their willingness to help Charis indirectly as well. No other nation we’ve seen shows the correct signs. Course, could be the members are really small and haven’t told anyone outside their tiny monastery. in that case, they are effectively useless as a card.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:32:30 +0000

And we don’t know how widely Shan-wei spread her followers or how well they held up over the centuries. There could be pockets of people who know the truth in every realm, maybe even in Zion itself (that would have been difficult to pull off). attempts to radicalize the peasantry more very well be blunted by others.

Then lets not forget the greed of secular rulers. Even if they believe they will still want their spoils, and if they believe they aren’t getting it they may (quietly) through a monkey wrench into the G4′s plans.

By: AVD

AVD — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:35:04 +0000

hmm. We haven’t seen anything from them yet. would be interesting to see to say the least.

By: Rekes

Rekes — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:23:28 +0000

Yes but separating the conflict from pastoral hands would lends itself as a precedent to removing the Church from government at more sectors. Naturally, the counter culture will be zealotry; most likely in Harchong where a large uneducated populous can be radicalized at low cost.

By: Peter Z

Peter Z — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:50:08 +0000

Maybe, Rekes, but I prefer to think of it as God can love you regardless of the Church you go to or the idiocy of the pastor you happen to listen to.