"Kai Krad!"
So I've finally gotten to the first of the IKS Gorkon books after having read through the Final Reflection. I have to say I appreciate Krad's thematic style and references regarding the Klingons so much more now that I've read Mr. Ford's work. The Black Fleet, diplomacy as the Art of the Possible, "Only a fool fights in a burning house." (which I guess was Bixby's before it was Ford's, but C'est la vie, the sentiment of the nods are still there). I really appreciate the work Keith has done for this genre, and continues to do. It's amazing and you rock Keith! I loved the previous stories of the Gorkon and its crew and I'm excited about the forthcoming tales I'll soon be reading!
I'm still only a bit over halfway through A Good Day to Die, shortly after the Capture the Flag contest. But the scene in the sickbay with Toq at the bedside of the unconscious Rodek struck a chord with me. Toq seems rather passionate about tending to his friend, offhand I couldn't remember any particular bonding that the characters had previously had, but, it occurs to me that, unbeknownst
to either of them, Rodek and Toq are foster brothers, having both been raised by Lorgh.
Without spoiling anything from my future readings, does any acknowledgment of this connection ever come to light? To me, it seems no wonder there is an inexplicable kinship between the two. It's obvious Rodek knows nothing of his life as Kurn, but Lorgh is the only father that Kurn had ever known. What were Lorgh's thoughts about his adoptive son's transition into Rodek? Surely he must somehow know of it, I doubt there are many secrets to which he isn't privy, he's got connections. Does he know his two adoptive sons are serving together? Did he manipulate things so that this would be so?
It's a strange Dickens-ian sort of twist, but one I rather like, being a fan of Lorgh after reading Art of the Impossible. My heart also goes out to Kurn for all of the crippling blows he's received thus far in the perpetual game. His life is like a strange reflection of his brother Worf's, but far more tragic. I love the enthusiastic spirit of Toq as well, and the idea of these characters forming a bond, some sort of family sown from the seeds of tragedy, it's a very uplifting one. I don't know if any of it will ever happen, but the facts that all the players are there, the relationship that Toq has with Worf, the ties Toq has to the Massacre at Khitomer, the unfounded kinship between he and Rodek, the knowledge Worf has and Lorgh may have regarding the younger characters... Hell, throw Alexander and Jeremy Aster into the mix and you've got a burgeoning house right there, motley and strange as it is. I don't know, kidding aside, there just seem like a lot of personal connections present that neither of the characters seem aware of, and given the conviction of Toq in the scene and the tradgedy of Rodek/Kurn's circumstances in general, the circumstances are rife with possibilities.
So I've finally gotten to the first of the IKS Gorkon books after having read through the Final Reflection. I have to say I appreciate Krad's thematic style and references regarding the Klingons so much more now that I've read Mr. Ford's work. The Black Fleet, diplomacy as the Art of the Possible, "Only a fool fights in a burning house." (which I guess was Bixby's before it was Ford's, but C'est la vie, the sentiment of the nods are still there). I really appreciate the work Keith has done for this genre, and continues to do. It's amazing and you rock Keith! I loved the previous stories of the Gorkon and its crew and I'm excited about the forthcoming tales I'll soon be reading!
I'm still only a bit over halfway through A Good Day to Die, shortly after the Capture the Flag contest. But the scene in the sickbay with Toq at the bedside of the unconscious Rodek struck a chord with me. Toq seems rather passionate about tending to his friend, offhand I couldn't remember any particular bonding that the characters had previously had, but, it occurs to me that, unbeknownst
to either of them, Rodek and Toq are foster brothers, having both been raised by Lorgh.
Without spoiling anything from my future readings, does any acknowledgment of this connection ever come to light? To me, it seems no wonder there is an inexplicable kinship between the two. It's obvious Rodek knows nothing of his life as Kurn, but Lorgh is the only father that Kurn had ever known. What were Lorgh's thoughts about his adoptive son's transition into Rodek? Surely he must somehow know of it, I doubt there are many secrets to which he isn't privy, he's got connections. Does he know his two adoptive sons are serving together? Did he manipulate things so that this would be so?
It's a strange Dickens-ian sort of twist, but one I rather like, being a fan of Lorgh after reading Art of the Impossible. My heart also goes out to Kurn for all of the crippling blows he's received thus far in the perpetual game. His life is like a strange reflection of his brother Worf's, but far more tragic. I love the enthusiastic spirit of Toq as well, and the idea of these characters forming a bond, some sort of family sown from the seeds of tragedy, it's a very uplifting one. I don't know if any of it will ever happen, but the facts that all the players are there, the relationship that Toq has with Worf, the ties Toq has to the Massacre at Khitomer, the unfounded kinship between he and Rodek, the knowledge Worf has and Lorgh may have regarding the younger characters... Hell, throw Alexander and Jeremy Aster into the mix and you've got a burgeoning house right there, motley and strange as it is. I don't know, kidding aside, there just seem like a lot of personal connections present that neither of the characters seem aware of, and given the conviction of Toq in the scene and the tradgedy of Rodek/Kurn's circumstances in general, the circumstances are rife with possibilities.
