Ilona Andrews

[Lilliana]

Oh, I totally agree with you! Ilona and Gordon have brilliantly written Ghastek as likeable so I forget that he works on the 'other' team. But when I see how he has respected Kate in a lot of ways, I wonder if he would turn on her. But, whatever direction Ilona and Gordon write his character will be interesting, of course. 

[Kate]

In the spoiler chat that Ilona and Gordon had, they said that: Ghastek is VERY power-hungry. He's very good at hiding it, but I think Gordon said something along the lines of, "he has big plans." So I suspect Ghastek would do what's best for Ghastek, regardless of the fact that he does like Kate. If being nice to her goes against his best interests, I don't think he'd hesitate to sell her out.

[mtomni]

Did I miss what happened to Grendel?

[Pfefferminztee]

In the spoiler chat that Ilona and Gordon had, they said that: Ghastek is VERY power-hungry. He's very good at hiding it, but I think Gordon said something along the lines of, "he has big plans." So I suspect Ghastek would do what's best for Ghastek, regardless of the fact that he does like Kate. If being nice to her goes against his best interests, I don't think he'd hesitate to sell her out.

So maybe he will use her to get Roland down and all his lackies. Then he'll be the most powerful of the people. But yeah, I agree with you. He is an opportunist.

[Kate]

mtomni, Andrea has Grendel at the end of Magic Bleeds.

Pfeff -- I wouldn't call Ghastek an opportunist. Just VERY pragmatic. And with a very long-term plan.

[ArtAngel]

I know Kate always seems to think that Nataraja is the mastermind and that Gastek has no idea what he is up to, but I'm not convinced. I agree that Nataraja is the mastermind, but I'm convinced that Gastek has a very good idea of what he is up to and is just giving him enough rope to hang himself with... a void at the top in the People's palace would be very good for Gastek. I wish I knew more about Rowena so I can figure out where she is in all of this.

[Has]

I agree about Ghastek being an opportunist. I think he is close to guessing if not has guessed Kate's background by now. He has his vamps watching her closely so he will use her in his power plays against Nataraja.
What I find interesting is Erra's comments about Roland's melancholy about losing Kate- I don't think Voron was honest about the reasons why her mother fled with him. I also think this would be a fantastic twist if it was true!

[Lilliana]

That would be an interesting twist.

It doesn't register in my brain, but did Voron actually see Kate's mother die?

[ArtAngel]

That is something I've been wondering too Has. Is Roland as evil as we thought? I believe he did lots of bad things, but in a life that long anyone would make lots of mistakes and with that much power they would be far reaching mistakes. Was there another reason why he killed her mother? Did Voron raise her to kill to protect herself... or maybe because he was in love with her mother too? So many questions... What really happened?

[Has]

I think Roland is very ruthless and is ambitious but I also he has to be multilayered instead of the being the big bad evil guy, which is way to cardboard cut out villian. I think Kate has to realise that and my gut feeling is that Voron manipulated the situation to get revenge back on Roland and what better is to twist his own daughter against him- I loved the juxtaposition of Erra who is the woman which Voron tried to turn Kate into. I also find it interesting Hugh has held back as well - even though I suspect he has information/proof of Kate's background.
I think the confrontation between Roland and Kate will be very twisty

[Lilliana]

Has - I like the way you think -- I had some of the same thoughts but couldn't quite put them into words as well as you did. 

[Salarika]

Erra keeps referring (sneeringly) to Roland as a builder-type, whereas she's definitely into kicking over the anthill. Or she was. I was never sure all through MB whether Roland had sent her, or whether she saw a chance to kill someone and went awol. They almost sound like avatars of the original forces of order and chaos, and now chaos is out of the picture. Hmmm.

[Good Mazoku]

I think Roland may have sent her, or not. The main point is if he did, he didn't send her because of Kate, but because the Pack is getting too big and organized and might represent a problem someday so better take care of it now. So, whether he sent her or not isn't really that important, but the thing is that her being taken out of the picture won't go missed and Roland might decide to take a closer look on Atlanta now. Hugh will also be more suspicious, but I'm curious what will happen with Neemah if he decides to take matters into his own hands. *har har har* 

[cherie]

All this speculation about Roland... and I just want to know if Andrea and Raphael will sort themselves out!

[Pendle]

I was rereading the last fight yesterday and came across something interesting that I hadn't noticed the first time round.

After Erra dies and when Curren picks Kate up, there is a vampire watching them... and Kate breaks Erra's blood ward with her own blood so Curran doesn't get hurt again. I wonder if Gastek is piloting that vamp? I have a feeling that he will definitely notice something like that...

I did notice this, but I thought the vampires were in retreat. Though knowing Kate’s luck, this will probably come true.

And Ghastek is already suspicious of Kate’s magical abilities, if the conversation with Andrea in Magic Mourns is anything to go by.

What I find interesting is Erra's comments about Roland's melancholy about losing Kate - I don't think Voron was honest about the reasons why her mother fled with him. I also think this would be a fantastic twist if it was true!

I like this idea. When I read, I figured the same as Kate, that the melancholy was because she got away before she was neutralized.Could be interesting.

I just want to know if Andrea and Raphael will sort themselves out!

They’ll be fine. Especially once Andrea starts working at Cutting Edge with Kate, there were two desks afterall!


Though I did pick up on one interesting snippet Ancient or not, (Erra) was still a human.

I feel almost vindicated but mostly confused. Who the hell do you have to sell your soul to, to live for six millennia?