Cinders & Ashes 3: Discussion Blog!

Awwwwwww! Those two are adorbs together. And I feel that Leonid wants to make sure that Serxio is safe!

You are most definitely not alone hun!

you are not alone!!!!!

No, you are for sure not the only one 100%!

So not alone

I'm definitely going to make them dance together. I don't know if they're a couple or just the best of friends or...? They will show me.

yes please please PLEAAAASE let them be a couple by the end of the story!!! You know we all want it! You know Leonid and Serxio want it too!!!
Leonid was SO offended when Serxio mentioned he was going to court a lady! and he outright said he would go and find Serxio that night! He is clearly jealous though neither of them have realized their feelings yet.
If Leonid really wants Serxio to stop breaking women's hearts, the only way is to steal Serxio's heart himself!

Thalanil is... complex and hypocritical. He loves Finn to pieces and that will only grow. But yes, you see his flawed arguments big time.

And I laughed my ass off with the Pikachu face, b/c so accurate.

Sorry this turned out rather long. Thalanil is also terrified of his big bro whom he loved and idolized. Whom he though was dead for who knows how many centuries to not only find him alive, but trying to tun his friends against him, kill him and take his throne all at once. and said brother is a death mage and is probably stronger then Thalanil. As soon as his brother took off after trying to kill him, Thalanil "ran" home and put up a impenetrable magic wall to keep him safe from said brother.
Fear is ruling Thalanil, and he just found out he has a son, whom he needs t keep safe.
Spoiler :

Thalanil also contemplates latter on towards the end of the book, that keeping knowledge of death magic probably isn't going to be good for Finn or effective.

So a few other observations.
"completely ignores the suffering of the people just across his border" - Thalanil is the King to an empire that is on the verge of starvation and collapse because all the malignant growth, his people are suffering and dying, he has nether the time nor resources to help anyone else. Finns going to save a day.
"- forbids Finn to talk to his former family and friends" - Finn is immortal and all his human friends are going to die in a few more decades, his father is trying to protect him for that impending pain and sorrow by trying to mentally prepare him in advanced, sadly that's not how the heart works.
"- denies Finn answers to most of his questions" - He wont answer his questions on death magic because if the other fae learn of it in the wrong way it could get Finn killed no matter his dad is the King, and that terrifies Thalanil, it could also turn the nobles from Thalanil and that could get them both killed.
"- threatens to kill Finn’s boyfriend" - Honestly - threatens to kill Finn’s boyfriend only does this once and that had more to do with the big angry human barging into the gardens with a very powerful fae weapon drawn. He goes from I'm going to kill you to banish as soon as Finn asked it of him.
"- Use threats to keep Finn by his side, just like Finn’s stepfather did" - Um maybe I missed that but Thalanil not once made any threats to keep Finn close to him. And stepdaddy has done a lot more then just threaten.

I hope these comments helped to shine a little more light on things. Thalanil is not perfect or a saint, but simply a Monarch who empire is in a state of collapse has an evil brother out to kill him, and son who is in a very dangerous position. That's a lot of things to fear putting a lot of strain on his shoulders.

I understand Keith's gut reaction b/c she knows the truth that Thalanil doesn't, which is that things will only get better if Thalanil stops doing what he's doing. But your understanding of Thalanil is spot on, I mean totally on. This is where he's at without the understanding that his positions are, not logically, but b/c of the story with its HEA, wrong. But what you've laid out here is what's in his head.

What can I say I'm good at reading people and clearly that extends to fictional ones too lol. But I have to hand it to you, you gave your characters a deep and nuanced personalities. Also I'm not sure is Keith has finished reading the book yet. I finished it in two days I just couldn't put it down.

(i finished the book now)
Oh but I do understand why Thalanil does what he does! I never said I didn't. I do empathize with him to some level. He's very afraid, and he is trying to do what is thinks is best.... and yet, he is still dead wrong.
He does redeem himself a bit in the end when he agrees to research Death Magic. And we know the ball will happen, so hopefully that means he will let Finn go and see Rohan (unless Finn goes without his permission??)

About the threat on Rohan's life to keep Finn at his side, it was made at the end of the previous book and is still crystal clear in Finn's mind: "He had given his word to his father that he would stay in exchange for Rohan’s life. All he would be doing if he ran away would be putting Rohan in danger again, and not just Rohan."
Sure, Thalanil isn't the monster that Finn's stepfather is, far from it, and Finn does enjoy his company. But he still used a threat to keep Finn near, and Finn is afraid of leaving because of it. It's not that different from the threat to reveal he's fae if he leaves Tanglewood, and I hope Thalanil will realize that soon and take back his threat.

King Tearlach is one of my fav characters for many reasons. And yes, Christopher is not "good" but not "bad" either. Not if he's shown love and kindness. It will turn him, like Caemorn, off the wrong path. Or that's what Finn. thinks.

The next release date isn't until September. I know! Groan. But these books are twice the size of Vampire's Club and I have two big new serials beginning between now and then so... I want to also give myself some relative downtime. I haven't really had that since the pandemic started.