Laurie J. Marks: Water Logic

[rachelmanija]

This was way, way better-constructed than Earth Logic, more intellectually satisfying but less emotionally intense. Great plot construction and excellent stories for Zanja and two newish characters, the ex-soldier Damon and the new politician Seth. Clement's story was interesting but didn't get as much screentime; other characters made a big impression when they were onstage, but weren't onstage much.

There were lots of excellent individual scenes and revelations, of which my favorites involved the herding dogs.



Zanja's time-travel dilemma: does she try to save her own people, at the cost of everything that has happened since -- reminded me of a story I read recently on "Real Live Preacher," about a man who found out, late in life when he was a grandfather, that his own father was an unknown stranger who raped his teenage mother. He could not forgive the rape or say that it was worthwhile in some cosmic sense. It was a horrible, damaging crime that should never have happened. And yet without it, he and his children and grandchildren would not have existed.

Zanja's choice, already bitter, must have felt so much more so when she realized that the water witch made the exact opposite one: save her own people and let the chips fall as they may. I wonder if we've really seen the last of Zanja's tribe.

I was pleased to discover that pre-colonization Shaftal had significant problems and was not some earthy, magically balanced Eden in which the G'deon ruled and was always right. It makes Karis' reluctance to exercise her immense power make a lot more sense.

Not only is there internal conflict, but the non-Shaftali tribes are ignored, patronized, and discriminated against; they may not be openly persecuted, but if they can't get life-sustaining help from their own country's ruler without creating a huge elaborate plot involving time-travel, there are problems that pre-date the colonization. I assume this will figure largely in the next book, given that the exact same problems are continuing in the present day. I wonder if Karis will get more in touch with her giant-tribe identity, since in political terms they seem to have more in common with the other marginalized or extinct tribes than they do with the Shaftali/Sainnites.

The revelation that the Shaftali and the Sainnites are genetically the same people was interesting on a thematic level. The Sainnite invaders must become Shaftali people, but the Shaftali were originally Sainnite settlers or conquerors. It sounds like the various tribespeople were in Shaftal first, but were conquered or displaced by the Sainnites ages ago, until those people believed themselves to be the native people. So there are cycles of the colonizers becoming the colonized: it's not an isolated occurrence. That seems much more significant than the interpretation that the same people should not war against each other, for of course that has occurred throughout history for various reasons. The new history seems unlikely to substantially affect the peace process... but it might lead to more justice for the tribal people.

I would guess that will be what the next book is about. Perhaps the murderous air witch has some very genuine grievances. Maybe she's angry at Karis for abandoning her tribal heritage. That would be interesting.

Comments

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I was a little confused by this book despite enjoying it and need to reread it soon once I have brain. I'll try to remember to return once I have something to say about your fine comments.