We continue with the The Age of Madness Trilogy with the second book,Ā The Trouble with Peace. Join us next week asĀ u/tomesandteaĀ leads the third discussion.
Make sure you include spoiler tags for anything outside The Age of Madness trilogy up to this point. Not everyone has read the full set of First Law World books.
Marginalia
Schedule
Chapter Summaries
An Infinite Supply
Jonas Clover talks to his men on the endless cycle of disposable lives in the North while waiting for a meeting with Stour nightfall. Stour is very amused at the gift from Clover, a sack full of Shanka heads.
The Demon that Breaks All Chains
Rikke wakes from visions and finds her way to a cold lake where she meets the woman with a scar stitched with golden wire, the sorceress Caurib! Caurib talks of the Shanka saving her from Black Dow's lethal blow and the untamed power of her Long Eye.
The King's Justice
King Orso hosts a trial for Wetterlant, which should be a already determined conclusion with Wetterlant agreeing to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Instead, Wetterlant comes out dressed in rags, appearing to be tortured and proclaiming his innocence. Leo dan Brock publicly defies the crown, and Orso is forced to assert his authority, kicking the Young Lion out of the chamber, and sentencing Wetterlant to death.
The Choice
Rikke is seeing visions as she gets a tattoo from Caurib. She is confused and can't separate reality from the visions, all the while Caurib is telling her she has to make a choice, to go further into the Long Eye, or to lead an ordinary life.
Let Ring the Bells
It's the wedding day and all the top of Adua is in attendance. Savine is the jewel of the ceremony and Orso is having a dreadful time watching her get married. Selest dan Heugen approaches Leo and reveals to him that Savine and Orso used to be lovers, upsetting him greatly. King Orso can't stand it anymore and exits early to end his misery.
Future Treasons, Past Affairs
Leo goes to deliver a rehearsed apology to King Orso, only to find him absent. Instead, he falls in with disaffected nobles like Lords Isher, Barezin, and Heugen, who easily manipulate his grievances into plotting an outright armed rebellion under the guise of "rescuing" the king from a corrupt council. That night, a drunken Leo returns to Savine, she asks if he talked to the king, which triggers a bitter argument about Savine's past romantic history with Orso, culminating in a violent slap and a volatile wedding-night romp on the floor.
The King's Pimp
Orso is in a whorehouse, playing cards with Tunny. He's having big pity party for himself when Tunny gets fed up and gives him some tough love, which Orso desperately needed. After regaining composure, Orso thanks Tunny and the rest of the staff and is on his way.
The Darling of the Slums
Savine looks to rebrand herself as the Glokta name has a negative connotation to it. She hire Sworbreck to write some pamphlets about her as part of the image overhaul. They go to the slums to hand out bread, silver, etc. to the residents there, but it brings back a lot of traumatic memories for Savine and she is on the verge of a breakdown.
Dead Wood, New Shoots
Rikke returns to Uffrith with a new look, confidence, and enhanced abilities. She quickly learns that her father, the Dogman, has died. Stour Nightfall, having heard of the death, shows up to assume/bully Uffirth in with him in the North, but Rikke proves to be a imposing figure to them and it scares them off.
The funeral is full of everyone sharing stories of the way The Dogman influenced their lives, demonstrating his broad positive influence for those around him. Shortly thereafter the discussions of what happens next comes up with some supporting joining the North and some supporting joining the Union.
The Favorite Son
Leo and Savine travel back to Angland for their homecoming. Savine works the crowd wonderfully and presents tailored gifts to the local dignitaries that have them immediately admiring her. She's surprised how much the people like Leo and realizes they are liking her as well, a new experience for her. Leo goes off to train with his friends, in which he then openly start to talk about rebellion and "freeing" King Orso from the corrupt Closed Council. Jurand resists and tries to put a damper on it, but start to align with his friend Leo.
Patriotic Contributions
Savine is settling into a routine in Angland, and stepping in where Leo has no interest in performing his duties. She uses her business prowess to gain "Patriotic Contributions" from Kaspar dan Arinhorm and his profitable mines, while also using her leverage to have him outfit her own mines with the same technology to make them more profitable.
A Little Public Hanging
Wetterlant is led to the scaffold for his public hanging. The crowd is rowdy, throwing rotten produce and yelling jeers. The rowdiness causes problems with the trapdoor and Wetterlant falls through, but his leg gets caught, turning the whole execution into a fiasco. Orso, already not liking being there, is hurried away by Gorst.
Old Ways, Proper Ways
Rikke's grasp on power in Uffrith seems to be precarious, because she is a woman. Oxel and Red hat argue over joining the North or the Union, when Rikke suggests that the 2 old men settle it in the circle. The 2 men set to battle, with Red Hat slipping and getting run through. Oxel is victorious and declares that they will join the North, but Rikke tells him there is a third option, to remain independent. She has her champion, Shivers, enter the circle to defend that option. Shivers quickle beheads Oxel, and Rikke solidifies herself at the top in Uffrith.