Ep. 28: Malice Chapters 21-40

Welcome back to another exciting episode of The Reading Rainstorm! Join hosts Kevin Wolf, Thomas Wolf, and Tim Sanders as we dive deep into chapters 21-40 of "Malice" by John Gwynne. 

In this episode, we kick things off with our usual segment, "What Are We Drinking?", where we try out some new and interesting beverages. From mango peach tea to sparkling lemon lime, we share our thoughts and reactions while having a bit of fun.

As we delve into the chapters, we discuss the intricacies of the plot and character developments. We debate the idea of the "chosen one" trope and how it’s portrayed in the story, drawing comparisons to other epic fantasies like "Wheel of Time" and "Dune". Corbin’s journey and growth take center stage as we analyze his actions and the unfolding events around him.

We also touch on some poignant moments, like Corbin’s interactions with his father and his evolving combat skills. The discussion takes some interesting tangents, including the hypothetical scenario of having a big cat as a companion instead of the classic direwolf.

Towards the end, we share some recommendations outside the fantasy genre, such as the science fiction series "The Three-Body Problem". As always, we wrap up with updates about our website and where you can find more content from The Reading Rainstorm.

Thank you for joining us on the journey.

https://www.thereadingrainstorm.com

Transcript

I got the mango peach tea sparkling lemon lime. That one is fucking good though. I want to trade for the fantasy vibes Why did you open it? Yeah, now we gotta play Kevin's not in the game. I don't know the rules Producer on the set because man he thinks he's he's just trying to host the show now Kevin has to pretend open history while the rest of you guess what we're drinking. I Was working on that while you were picking the energy drinks Shut up you son of a bitch. This is the reading rainstorm. Look at the camera God damn good. This is the reading rainstorm

As Per usual we're gonna start the show with what are we drinking? Do you try it yet? No this way I want to wait I want to wait for Kevin's first attempts because so I was listening to the podcast By the way everyone at home the website is up is live I spent 40 hours working on this so go ahead and throw your critiques anywhere you want You can email us up email us or throw it on the Instagram probably best ways to reach us anyways, listening to the most current show that has been produced I Had a reaction to this drink and I went to the gas station to pick up our drinks for today And I had to get another one for those of us that are brand new. We always

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Drink some sort of caffeinated drink Tom and I and started it get your aura

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Pretty addicted to caffeine. Yeah

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At this point I feel like if I just stopped drinking caffeine I die

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Let's just before we get into more caffeinated conversation. Yeah, give me give me a little sippy sip Kevin 10 out of 10. I would do that. It's so good Yeah, we're back with the Celsius fantasy vibes sparkling Mandarin marshmallow edition

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When it says marshmallow edition doesn't actually mean like a marshmallow flavor it did marshmallow the artist I think sponsor What is the whole it's the whole smell spelled differently by the artist? Yes I mean, yeah, but it's also you know, this is good. I feel like the question is still valid It's not just marshmallow edition though. It is sparkling Mandarin marshmallow sparkling Mandarin edition It's delicious. Here I am being a peasant with my sparkling lemon lime. I should have just bought even look at the When you see these two drinks, which one are you gonna go for like I'm just no that being said if you're going for advertisement alone Like this is still delicious and it tastes just like a Sprite 7-up type deal. Yes, I'll see That are these a quick trip only no, they're all over the place. No, so I picked mine up at the BP today. Gotcha There's No quick trip on my way to dropping Oliver off at daycare, which is just surprising. There's one BP and

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Something red not that's not quick trip Like I don't know for those who are listening in the south quick trip is the equivalent to Wawa. Yes. It's Bucky's Oh god, no, that's like his own thing. That's like a hundred and fifty pumps. They serve brisket and Compared to Texas. I think Bucky's say Wawa or a Stop-and-go. No There's something in the east as well. That's that is nice. Well, I was in the east I don't know what's on the west like California area. I don't know what's what they got going Jackal fuel sells their the Celsius stuff there. That's where they were first in

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In anyways, but Wawa, no, no, no, no, no that name Wawa Wawa Wawa Okay, just throwing it out there. All right opinions in today's episode of reading rainstone. We are gonna talk about

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The faithful to fall in malice chapters(...) Stop at the beginning of 41. Whoa. Wait, I read through 40. Yeah Yes, I don't what chapter we start start on 21 21 21 to 41 20 stop at 41 stop at 41 to the beginning or 41 End of 40. I really wanted to get a pen and paper out and actually write down the character names I'm starting to get them. So I mean, but obviously Veritas princess in the fair

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Those princess

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Prince Prince not there and Veritas those two obviously hand-in-hand with each other Corbin Colwin daft Those three and then gar and then there's a one that pops up every now and again I want to call him kill Bane because I know a kill Bane but

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Starts with a K. Crellis. Yeah, he pops up like Randomly and I can't remember who he is. That's Crellis is Veritas his brother then there's Castiel who Not cast a cast. Oh, who is John? John McClain's best friend. Yeah, McMcMcClain's McQueen McQueen McKean McKean McQueen I don't know. You know, I think one of the reasons I get so messed up reading these two is because of me It's actually these conversations that are throwing me off That being said at least you knew that they were all from different areas. I have a map on this

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One I got a map in the book to when the King said you've all traveled great distances to be here Tim thought they were in each other's don't vote with me piss off. Right? So On the Kindle. I don't know how I messed it up But I read it on the Kindle's going back and forth between the map and where I'm at

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Really not it's really not easy. It is easy. It's just not convenient. So this entire time I thought all these guys from like the same neighborhood town like(...) adjoining neighbors, I'm just getting more and more angry that(...) Corbin is not talking about the Giants Like this is big. What the fuck aren't these warriors talking about Giants? Well, it's because the Giants didn't invade what Corbin was. Yeah, exactly, you know, so spoiler alert They're all from different places. I Don't even know if it's a spoiler. I think I'm just an idiot I mean that well, I mean when the is the map to scale on the Kindle probably not because like oh, no I had to zoom in like

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I'm about I'm about there but this far apart from each other scale. That's the question Well, I mean this far apart on the Kindle. I guess like right next to each other, right? That's question John Gwyn I know you're listening hit his back

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When he does I might(...) It'd be fantastic, but that's the map we're working with I'm gonna let's go up front

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Well

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So Honestly in these last 20 chapters so reading these 20 chapters, I essentially if I were to do this again I think you could honestly skip the first 15. I don't know about skipping you could skim the crap out of them. Um,

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It skimmed the crap out of them for sure. Yeah, I wouldn't skip them They did give a whole lot of like it started off with Corbin and started like his first where he's a coward Yeah, and then like kind of explains it, right, you know, right, right. I'm following me there with Veritas liking them, you know, you kind of see why he likes him, you know, he's a good dude

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The first 20 chapters really set up the characters like(...) So they they make you(...) When the shit starts happening they give you the reason to care. I think like the biggest this is a complete contradiction To our last that I'm aware that's because these 20 chapters but that much better. That's just it though. It took sorry Go on. I think the biggest thing that they led us on to story building wise was Jael and Kestel like that was like the biggest thing that had the most context up to this point Everything else like like you said nafair and veritas. What did what did veritas really get out of nafair?

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That made him like him. He ran through a fire like It took on a giant no prior to that Become a man. Right? Veritas is only like 19. So the fact I'm aware I'm both but the fact that there was like you're my man like they're even knew what he was about though Hey, I know what you're about son Yeah, I like it But maybe maybe in the fair had a dream about him like maybe that their new Veritas was gonna come maybe I mean But their bond is pretty loose. I think like so to swear a blood oath to each other like I still I will follow you Well, I mean that yeah, yeah I mean nafair did save him from the giant and veritas jumped through a fire when no one else would correct I mean, but you gotta imagine the why oh the why behind so how would you know about the ants?(...) I? Won't go back to that. Like that was dumb. That was The ants yes, they did all these things which solidified it But there was no like rationale to why like it just happened Well, I mean you gotta yeah I would say you gotta imagine what it would be like to live in that time to see a giant and then a wall of fire and then Your one person jumps through to try to get your back. Yeah, I mean I would a wall of fire I mean even just but take it from Veritas aside He just met an affair like a fair bot in a fair his bond is like still for me. Well, he is the king's son No, I know. I know there's he's got some things that I'm missing I got and then there's a Set about coming to your back Yeah, when you're in a bit like when you start a fight somebody coming in and helping you like the battle buddy thing No, like there's a whole lot to be said about battle buddies Unfortunately for Veritas he had to at some point taking the theorem no matter what he was going to be because of the prince Oh, yeah, yeah, like I guess You're my boy totally get it and agreed. Yeah, the whole honor bound thing Tim So I was thinking about that though. So yes, these last 20 chapters did make the first 15 more tolerable It's just hard to like it's as I hate when I suggest a book to someone and be like you just got to get through Like the first five chapters like this one It's like you just got to get through the first 20 chapters my buddy who recommended me this book One of the reasons that I picked he was like, yeah, the first books a little slow. Yeah I didn't know he meant that slower for the first 20 chapters. Yeah, you know, cuz when he's like, it's a little slow There's still stuff happening

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But it's a bit slow and then from I'm told from here it yeah, so I mean we're about to get to some good conversation I just want to get these parts these talking points out of the way for sure. I will say that Well there was I do when I was looking up a little bit of information. I was trying to find a wiki not no spoilers Of course But there was a YouTube video and the title was the first 38 so you don't have to oh, yeah in reference to the chapter That's funny. Yeah, that's actually really funny with what you texted the group Yeah, I have I have it written down right here. And then that's it. That's I can't remember What is it you have written down for the really fell in love with the book on chapter 38? Chapter 32 is when I started to enjoy the book chapter 38 is when I found love 38 was the first that was the war that was the first encounter. Well, they reference the ants again in the in chapter I know that yeah, that was with we're just fighting the Giants and Giants and Giants Yeah, it turns out if you just throw enough people at something you'll win good strategy guys Yeah, and that's that now that is that is a conversation for us. Just just hold on to that thought, please But yeah, the only thing I think would have held and you know It's really funny is we heart on Dragon Doom. We harped about timelines being inconsistent The only thing that may have made the first 15 chapters a little bit easier to get through is if maybe we started out in The Rowan field with Corbin and Corbin would have flashbacks to being beaten up as a child Like that would have been a little bit more interesting. Nah more expeditious way to get to it. Yeah. Yeah, okay However, we all really suck at keeping time straight. I'm gonna go straight with just hard. Nah. Oh my goodness Oh, I did have something to say about caffeine too. And that's a really shitty cup of coffee is worse than not having coffee Thank Oh God, I don't I don't like

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Light roast I don't like it. I try to like it, but I'm a dark roast guy. So I Have cut out sugar and the only time that I drink energy drinks is During these no mr. Four scoops of pre-workout(...) That's not sugar I bring this big there. Mr. Stanley thermos of like Stanley before Stanley girls were thing

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Coffee and I add ice to it and I just like take a shot of black coffee. It's an hour I want to know how things like that pop off(...) Like the Stanley and the Starbucks I was at work one day and all of a sudden I got new cars like news article after news article about bitches being crazy(...) Stanley mugs that looks super inconvenient to carry. Yeah, it's the Starbucks edition Like how does like this like that's like I want to know how we can market the show like that So we just like randomly pop off like everyone just starts downloading the show anyways back to the real thoughts

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So that thought that I told you to hang on to about just throwing ants and bodies it turns out if you throw enough bodies at people See he said that So that I mean that's that's one little bugaboo I have right now with our star child one like I don't think you have to be told that you're the star child I think you just are so I don't think he's the star child. I know that's what I'm getting at Like we're it'd be fun. It'd be more fun if he was just because they would be a good plot twist for me But I mean it doesn't like there's a lot going against them right now Is it a plot twist because you think there's no fucking way he is the star child Yes, so like the fact that it actually just kind of goes with it. That's the twist. No, no, no, it's not a twist Exactly. Like this is not a twist. Yeah, actually Please M9 Shyamalan Exactly like it's too on the nose is like I'm the star child I am the greatest thing that has ever walked this planet like and everyone everyone reading is like nah. No, it's Corbin Nah, hey, nah stop it in the thing(...) It's Corbin so it'd be it'd be interesting if they just like flip the script and said you know what? And if there's actually the good guy he was right all along Cuz at this point like if I was a king I'd be the king of gray I'd be the gray king because everything's a shade of gray There's no right and wrong to the ants you're the bad guy to the to you the answer the bad guy like Honestly, I don't think there was a single book who has like called out or had the the main character call themselves out as being the The chosen one and then actually happening. Yeah, it's always like someone stumbling into it, right? I feel like if you are the chosen one like people just Will trust you instinctively and or you might try to save a life every now and again like Corbin does regularly What do we got against the there what are some points against the there being the star child I'm gonna go back wheel of time Hey Rand, you're the dragon reborn. Oh, I am. Yeah, Rand. You're the dragon reborn. Okay There is a whole bunch of I don't want to be uh-uh He never says he's not he just doesn't want to be it and then he's oh, there's another sign Yeah, I guess he doesn't know there's another sign goddamn Heron's. Oh another son. God damn it. You know, okay I am I went straight when I started reading this and the fair and what in the fair and whatnot I went straight to dune the queasants Hatterack and like how he gets visions and whatnot He's gonna fulfill this prophecy another one. I like those he is this is straight up dune The the story arc of him. So if it does follow through with it, I'm like, okay Well, so there's two examples where you're like, hey, this guy's the chosen one and there's not a Planning from the Benny Jester it's and his mom and everything else to go into spawning the chosen one I saw two examples, so I'm still winning Yeah, and honestly, there's there's plenty of examples in in literature We're like the best person for the job is the one who doesn't want the job because then you know, they're They're gonna handle the power with great responsibility. I don't know. I just yeah, but what if the theory is the star child(...) So you said what do we have against him? Yeah, just doesn't he feel like an icky character? Like that's a really weird way of phrasing it. But doesn't he feel like you know, I know you have kids. Yeah Thank you. I was gonna say I'm not quite there in parenting. Doesn't he feel like not The star child though the the chosen one. He's absolutely not well, there's two chosen ones But like here's the thing are you gonna come out and tell someone like you're gonna be the what's more They say the the avatar for the god of death But no you're gonna say hey, you know You're gonna be the avatar for the good guy and then slowly say hey you're doing this for good reasons Like you're you're friends with Giants because it says you are gonna be friends with Giants and then they're gonna be like Then they're gonna be like it's like selling you drugs a little bit Like yeah get them high on this and then give them the bad stuff later The only thing they there has going where I go. Oh, maybe he is is the angels that went This is the eye But yeah right at the end the angel wings like whoever is like leading him to this self-fulfilling prophecy of you know Hey, I know the prophecy so I'm gonna get a giant to befriend him, but then he turns into an angel He's able to perform Magics elemental and that could be a glamour. He might have wings, but they might not be angelic wings But with a glamour, let's make him look speaking which glamour shows up in Patrick Ruth versus book too But with the glamour they might look angelic interesting. Yeah, so where we stopped I did not want to stop I did not know I wanted to like no God last night I set up in my study upstairs My fault is this that it's a corner of a corner that I have with a chair in there And I literally sat there with nothing to do and I'm like, oh, yeah, it's a study. Don't short sell yourself. I Have a study. Yeah, so good luck stopping at chapter 40 because that's when things like well Hopefully really start if they're still listening. I'm hoping that they did stop. Yeah, I mean, yeah

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So, okay So some of the signs of him being the star that from the book the star child is He's gonna be a friend of Giants. He's gonna ride a dragon and or a giant lizard Yeah, he and he's gonna wait. No evil guy is gonna befriend the father, right? There's there signs of the bad guy, too(...) Who do you who thinks the Kings assistant the one that everyone's getting bad feelings from is on the side of?

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The evil who's this who is our evil characters I have this Avness is the only true like not on a character that we've gotten so far Everyone's getting bad vibes from the Kings the Kings Assistant the Kings have this Avness the King of Kings not Brennan's guy. Well, it's a Qalis is King a Qalis is Yeah, bear toss That's not his that's not that guy Anyways, everyone's the guy who reads the book the guy who reads the book and says of all the signs that are about to come Heim(...) Anyways, this is where a character flowchart would be great Yeah, you look for it on the website because I am gonna put that together actually because yeah They're I'm is this this being a reader of their stories the storyteller, right? I think that's his name Anyways, whatever I have to look this up and get back to you But anyways a Qalis is right-hand man Who is the guy who can read the book and tell about the prophecies that are about to happen? I think he's working for the evil Not there's two gods the god of doom and gloom and the god of creation They say it's like a such an a aos aos. Yeah, I get mixed up with the first law trilogy - yo son of a gun Aos We have I call I called like the bad guys instead of the union the the Shanka I actually have it written right here Logan was a syrac one of the barbarian men who come out and save Veritas and McKellen. He's just looking for his pot. Yeah, like if Logan was in here, he'd be a syrac We're doing it live. We are doing this live Whatever just wait until you ask go back a little bit when you said you're not there yet Wait until you ask another grown man if he needs to go potty Your job is interesting and you're like fuck. I shouldn't have said that. Oh boy. Whoops. Oh boy Anyways, I think the guy's working. I think he's the really he's in cahoots with the the Forbidden Island and Is really leading the Dalin. Yes the Vint Allen and I think he's really leading the fair on I think they're all working together behind the Aquilas is back. Well, yeah that the dude knows the prophecy He knows that he needs to do these certain things. How did he gauge his interest in in drakes and dragons? Oh, let's make him fight them like oh, okay Like he's totally so as I'm reading that completely completely agreed giant lizard thing. He's like I want one You're like, shut up, dude, right and then fast forward and you're like I am the star child. Well, that's why he wants one

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They're totally leading him on I got a feeling at some point they're gonna get him to kill his father That's my biggest plot twisty thing like that's gonna be the turning point where he realizes he's not the star child and I don't even know if it's gonna be A realization for nathair. I think he's gonna continually continue thinking he's doing the right thing I think so too. I mean what evil guy goes in and goes this is the wrong thing to do But I'm gonna do it exactly know there are like you said earlier shades of gray Yeah, I called out I called that out to you and a fair killing the father right here you did. Yep(...) You did you absolutely did I'm on board If you go way back and there's some hidden there's some hidden footage because we bathtubbed this show a few moons ago(...) But Kevin pulled someone's doozies out twice twice Kevin pulled some(...) Doozies out in the last two books we read where all he's like, yeah, I think this is gonna happen and like four books later What In this book the other one that I have predicted is Veritas is gonna fight and kill Krellis his brother And I think in the last scene we had with him leaving his kingdom. I got real close Yeah, he called out his father in front of everybody and then left on bad terms and I was jealous though Krellis his brother. Yeah, Krellis is just a book dude Like why he's not gonna pick up a sword against Veritas Krellis is Veritas his older brother who handed him off to Nefert and said go to him But they didn't leave on bad terms. They did when he left the castle his older brother's like you better watch what you say and Then kind of like Jovial like go get him tiger like one of those like awkward moments. Hmm Feeling there's gonna be bad blood there I find that's gonna be a little bit hard to bust up more than obviously the one the bad blood that's already started between Castiel and Nefert and Castiel and J. Oh Jael. Yeah, that's not Castiel Castel well, yeah, they're off to go to what the vanguard. I forgot what those guys names are. Oh No, no Yeah, those two are gonna go join the

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The the gadre the gadre I'm assuming that's something similar to being at the wall up north like We're just part of the army now. I've read too many fantasy books. Yeah(...) We want to be the premiere fantasy YouTube podcast Place we need to we need to get our the names dates and things straight out on somewhere where we can reference it because we Suck right. I'm really I'm really waiting for somebody to start raging at us. Oh, I'm sure and if you are raging at us rage At us on reddit or or instagram or instagram or in the comments on YouTube. Yeah, we'll rage back(...) You're right

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rage will be like Yeah, you're probably right. I Mean, yeah people I mean I do I mean this the point I take this seriously this is this is fun stuff to talk about and this stuff we take seriously clearly is not names and dates because names dates and places Things Things these books are actually made up of know the events though. We're good at events. I guess we're yeah Clearly we're into the event you pass the railroad tracks. You've got That's pretty good, oh(...) Man lordy lordy lordy. All right, so how do you think Corbin's training is coming? I'm not allowed to say on the subject really but I really thought he was gonna be a storm was an interesting addition I'm telling you a storm dies. We revolt.(...) I would have not finished this book if all those wolves died I it would have been a moment I've had several moments and other books where something happens and I Have to put the book down for like a week to a month in the case of Harry Potter I haven't finished it yet Dumbledore dies if you haven't read it. I mean, I feel like that's old news At what point do we stop having things be spoilers? True. Yeah, so I mean again Corbin I thought he was gonna come out of the gate a lot stronger than he Currently is and I don't know if I like it or dislike it how that scene played out with him kind of just watching This scene unfold in front of him without doing anything which see other than the calling the King's justice for When all the wolves died? Well the he runs back into the wolves the wolves notice and recognize him. He kind of like saved his little buddy and then(...) Death and carnage what I'd like is that Corbin is a very slow like(...) Everything he's doing is slow, which I don't like but I do like that it makes sense because it baby steps, you know, like when he gets called out at Rowan field and Because of all his combat training that he's been having he steps forward laces his foot does a jiu-jitsu throw and pushes the guy Yeah, you know, yeah, and then just stands there and just goes. Oh shit. I did that Right because it makes sense because he ran away So he's not gonna be this big badass where sometimes they just go after all this combat training He's you know doing this and that and rolling and yeah, no, he doesn't throw and then he freezes like oh fuck(...) Boy, that's just something that something Gar said to you that I actually live my life by is like you gotta He had no faith in himself So like we got to build up that that skill and faith in yourself And then your emotions will eventually take a backseat because you actually trust yourself and your body Remember our conversation earlier today where we were talking about having faith in yourself. Yeah. Yeah, I Asked Kevin him burst me naked oil wrestling who wins and he looks at me last I go I win

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No matter who you're fighting you're looking at the guy and you're like I'm gonna win But there's there's that's I mean like that's that could be false confidence at that point 100% but sometimes What that falls? He even a minute win loser draw He's like I'm going in with the winning attitude like throw the rock up against me naked oiled up wrestling Realistically, is he gonna win? But in my head? I'm like, I'm gonna beat him You even saying in your head that you're going to beat the rock

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Fucked up. How did I get here? I Mean if you're like good for you if that's what you're saying in your head like never

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That's some serious false confidence and that shit will get you killed or No, no, no, if you're going up against the rock you're gonna I mean if it's a if it's a battle to the death You're dead. All it takes is what one time? Yeah for those I've seen the little Giants. Yes. Yes. Yes Yes, yes one time one time, but I think in the case of Corbin in it's it's it's not thinking It's knowing that you have the skills to back up what you're about to do Yeah with that in that regards I do enjoy the the progress with him seeing him go from his sister saving his life to not like his life But saving him to I want to know like the come to Jesus moment with his dad to Being like this like hero type person that he's I agree I love that scene with his dad where he's like, I'm gonna show you how to talk to people(...) When guard chuckled I chug I was like and when he's living when Corbin under his breath was like When Corbin was like the use of words, huh or the power of words power of words, huh? And then he brought it up again again. Yeah, it was a good good power of words moment. Hi dad This isn't gonna be another one of them power of words situations. Is it I was referring to the come to Jesus moment I was referring to same same scene. But yeah, yes, actually same scene just a little later But when he throws his in the water, I'm like does you disrespect your mother? What do you throw in the water? It's yours like water boarded him twice and then threw him against the wall inside. Oh, yeah. Yeah, stop lying stop lying Yeah, yeah Parents know kids parents know or that was fucking great. Oh, yeah back to the the story in the woods though When when Evan is decides to trample pups, I mean Even if Corbin wanted to act I don't think he was gonna beat a horse Full charge and tilt like oh, yeah What like what could he really really what like the only thing he could have done is what he did save one This is true. No, I guess I don't hate it. Okay. Oh, yeah I know same like I wish none of them had to die like that was a very like in the back of my head Like I knew they were gonna die Yeah but at the same time I was kind of hoping that Corbin would then had like an army of woven and be like You know the puppet master. Yeah

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Yeah, but I suppose like this these things I mean if you if if you were walking through the woods and a mama bear Mauled your kid and died because of it and then you saw the cub sitting there I'm pretty sure you'd have the same reaction like these things are monsters to these people. That's true Matt, but may I take a tangent on this? So Corbin gets a wolf in cub a woven. Yeah, which is which is pretty bad super cool. Are they like direwolves? I'll call my mind they are massive direwolves. Yep, but there's only one book that I've read where someone has a big cat For a companion and that's just that'd be sick drifts. Whatever. I'm like, so I was like why not a big cat? Yeah

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Dressed here we go. It's just durst drizz it like however you want to say it I don't care. I don't judge but like the dark elf. Why can't we have a big cat? Honestly, that would be a badass companion right and like make all the dogs like, you know to shame because the cat can you know? Whatever, but it'd be a different it'd be a different way of entering battle though Yeah, you'd have to be a snake. I have not read any of the durst drizzet books. Whatever however you want to call him I haven't read any of the dress elf books of drizzet, but knowing that he's got a cat I'd imagine he's a sneaky motherfucker Yeah, he's a dark elf, but like he doesn't have to be a sneaky person. Well, he doesn't have like orbs of dark Yeah, he's basically Ranger. I'd imagine him being basically he is he's like the quintessential Ranger. Yeah, so stealthy stealth attacks Yeah, I mean words of darkness You're not gonna be a stealthy person and have a dog as your as your Battle companion. I'm just saying like the wolf has been overdone like I'd like to see more I'd like to see a variety man's best friend. I know I get it. I'm giants ride bears I understand the loyalty and all that other stuff. I'm just saying it's my tangent is I was like, what if it was a cat? It'd be cool. It'd be cool Realistically speaking. I'm more of a so one I'm more of a dog person than a cat person. Yeah straight up fair enough, I think it's coming from wolves and dire wolves and all that are closer to Regular dogs than cats like if you think of a cat, they're super like I do whatever I want, right? You don't train a cat. That's what I'm saying. Like they're intelligent. Yeah, whereas if you had like Here he had a cougar He's not gonna be able to train it like he's training the dog I know someone's thinking of their cat thinking my cat is not fucking intelligent. I get it. They're funny. Okay, sorry

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You can't train a cat can't put a leash on a cat. I mean you can but You know, I mean, I mean I walk my cat Norman, but again, there's from a majority from a majority standpoint Yes, there's dogs that act like cats and cats is that like dogs? Yes for sure. But yeah, right and that's just it I think the the whole the whole Canyon ship would be totally different like as a cat you'd have that respectful distance Like you wouldn't be buddy buddy and in battle I'd imagine that cat just randomly coming out to save your life and cutting some throats and then just walking away like nothing You haven't read any drizzled none of it Gwen Weaver When a beer Gwen, I'm gonna beer. Yeah Gwen waiver Gwen. I don't know fuck it. I'm not doing it. What happened that happened all the time All the time. Yeah, he doesn't it's to the point where he doesn't even have to think it's just like up Cats gonna get him Says what I'm saying, like you wouldn't have to think about it There wouldn't be that you would just have that weird relationship. It would be a different way of writing it Yeah, I think be cool though. It for sure would be clever. It hasn't been done enough. I agree Okay, big cats big cats and fantasy. Let's let's have it. The only other one that I can think of is he man(...) What about why you know? Well, I know is a cat

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There you go. It's all they're all cats. You know what?

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Oh Man, but I am very curious to see I mean has it come up in these any of these these prophecies too about the avatar of I Want to say alien but the avatar of the creator sure whatever having a companion We'll get these names down and why why the Giants as the the witch said the girl that is apprenticing Corbin The healer

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She's a healer Everyone was an elemental at one point like why did the Giants are the only ones that creating stuff? like the Giants made the the weapons out of the fallen star the Giants made the Woven and the drakes and the lizards and riding bears They just do everything. Why would we need woven and well, they're still more in touch with nature than we were Yeah, it's kind of like the civilization as we get farther and farther True But I'd imagine the humans would have done something when they did have their end to Elemental powers back when everyone was immortal and back when everyone had the ability to shape the world the way they saw the way that I understood The elemental powers were was kind of like being a druid. Yeah, what you can't be a druid in the middle of the city

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You saying humans gave up their abilities. Yeah sooner Whereas boys they made giants embraced it What if they made the cities with their elemental powers, but then again? Well, then eventually they grew soft and so then they'll come back You know the same I feel like if we as you see a feet tall and had elemental powers We'd have a total different all look on life Corbin in the city. He's in even said that the The Giants made the city that they lived in Yeah, but they don't still live there. I understand that but like what the hell I'm saying back in those ancient times Everyone had those powers. Like what did the humans do? Just out of curiosity. It's not like it's not like whatever. It's just whatever but the way I understood it is The gods gave them they're obviously immortal and they had the ability to shape the world as they needed So they had the powers of earth wind fire water, whatever they could shape things and change things. They knew things All right. So that's Corbin I'm really curious how Cohen is gonna make her like debut on the battlefield because she's about she's gonna She's like the way she just like ah

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Throws it hits right above the guy's head as like I only hit what I aim at like damn girl And my D&D terms that I'm accepting Corbin is gonna be the classic warrior. Yeah, you know lighter clearly She's absolutely gonna be a rogue. Oh, yeah, she's gonna be sneaky. She's gonna be well Yeah, think smarter for sure I mean obviously being a smaller framed person next to those Giants and literal Giants like yeah She's gonna have to think way smarter distance more rangy attacks for sure Do you think we'll see that out of her this book or no? I feel so speaking of that then Tim and I also a sidebar on the way up here to do this recording Both agreed that we want to finish this series now. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's totally this it's like it's yeah for sure So I think we're gonna see Cohen in in the next book or two

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There's a dog

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Goofus Yeah, so I'm curious. I can't wait to see Cohen's debut

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Under the battlefield. Is there any other specific characters that we're interested in right now or any other? I'm all in on Corbin right now. Like yeah, I think I'm a big fan of Castell still really I'm a big fan of Veritas I just like I'm really sad that he's following around the dark star Castell as he's running out of where running out of his town because he's yeah You just choked the hell out of somebody yeah, he's another like power of words type person he tried he really tried He held it together For a good long time until he couldn't pull and Jael just pushed him too far. Wait a second Do you think that there's gonna kill Veritas? I don't think Veritas is gonna follow in the therapy becomes the dark the dark prince I think you will really yeah in the other way around No, I think you said if there's gonna follow Veritas Do you think the fair is gonna have to kill Veritas there is gonna have to kill someone is it? I'm still on board with it being the king, but I'm curious if he's gonna kill Veritas. I have a

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feeling

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Veritas and Corbin I'm gonna hook up at some point there it is in Corbin. Oh sure. I'm gonna go the other way I think Nefara and Veritas are gonna trauma bond like they're gonna they're both gonna kill their dads Yeah, I think that's what's gonna happen with Evanus and the there and then it's gonna lead in the fair down the dark side Evanus has already sold himself to the dark side. Correct. Okay, he's gonna kill Baron or brave Whatever so and then Veritas is gonna kill his dad and Nefara is gonna try to kill his dad I real real short now Veritas is relationship in this there you think it's gonna hold all the way through. Yes I do you think they're gonna be battle buddies till the end of time? Yeah, nope They're gonna have an obi-wan Kenobi. No moments. You were my brother I think you have I have the high ground And leave him for you know dead on a I don't think I don't think this turmoil with Veritas his father is as bad as you think it's just he didn't he's like you left the child and you came back a child He's like damn it dad. I'm a man now. So I don't think it's that bad. I don't think it's more pants Yeah, I don't think it's that bad. I think Nefara and Veritas are gonna have a falling out Because I don't think you I don't think you can be the big bad guy and have a right-hand man But not that it doesn't really work so well in the dark side either not as loyal as Veritas is yeah So yeah, that's my big one. And okay, so we've done a lot We always do a lot of guessing on who's gonna die first and whatnot because that's a bit a bit You know, it's like it's fun to guess on but who's gonna be our first hero who's gonna have the first heroic moment like it's like a big moment mean like mithir it kind of I knew you were gonna say that but no like Bigger than that like a really big heroic moment

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I've been team Corbin this entire time. I'd be stupid not to throw his name in the rest Let's be very I guess more specific which one of the main characters because I would argue that the the

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Giant that saved Veritas his life in the battle. That was a big We have to break it down on who's the main characters then Oh, just go in point of view characters as the main characters or Corbin down even more Corbin I would say point of view carries the main characters. Yeah Corbin Cohen Castell Veritas nathair and that's it. That's a lot of main characters There's even more than that. But out of those five will say who's gonna have the first like super heroic moment Corbin's coming Technically, I mean castell had a really cool one where he you know, took out a giant to save McQueen McLean McCain John McQueen and just held a dude by his throat up against the wall. Yeah But like say let's say a plot altering one Potentially and this is this is a long shot I haven't had a lot of time to think about it So you guys can think about it and you can post it somewhere throw it on Instagram or something So I feel like the down below comment question Maybe maybe if I can define a little bit better what which main characters plot or arc is gonna set off the book first You know like yeah like in astronomy archives They're kind of like different books that have different characters who like have this big moment. Yes We'll go with characters gonna have their their big and has his big moments in a high storm I want to say Corbin is kind of out of my eyes book one. Sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead I'm gonna say Corbin is funny Corbin I think could be the one but I think he's gonna be kind of a long for the ride and other people's plots So I don't think it's gonna be Corbin. I want to say it's gonna be I don't even know Yeah, I think Corbin's is gonna be in book two or three because I feel like he's the long long game character Castell is about to join the guard I want to say so out of the two of them that I'm thinking of it's Corbin or nathair Yeah, I mean, I mean but also like the two and realistically those two are one of them is the evil one Yeah, I really want to say nathair cuz I like Corbin and I'm team Corbin all the way Yeah, that'd be wild if it's switched on us though, and then Corbin becomes the evil guy Corbin was actually the dark one That would be you

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Yeah, not gonna happen. Yeah His he would have to have something really dark happen to him like his entire family getting killed in front of him because Peter I mean I could that's what I'm saying like he wants to save life right now. He's not he's not about just ending it Okay, so Corbin for you. It's it that seems like the easy bet isn't a fair or Corbin. I think I mean there's the others are doing stuff, but they're the ones that are

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Really doing it. I'm gonna say Veritas. I would say based off of age. I'm gonna say Veritas is gonna change the plot. Okay(...) Yeah, I say I would say based off of age and how this books being written that I can tell so far I think it's even a fair. I think this book is gonna be more about nathair and Him becoming whatever darker good. So I think this one's gonna I think this book is actually about him. I Would agree any other cool thoughts?(...) Thought-provoking suggestions something that happened in the chapters that you guys wanted to talk about that we missed. I like the Bandit had bandit dude. Yeah, we're he oh, yeah I imagine him as the red beard guy from Game of Thrones except for Castell is the red haired dude I know this book, but that's how I imagine him. Yeah, I like that scene And he actually honored up there was the blood handshake and a spit handshake happened into this whole book We got every we got all the old. Yeah, all the good old olds in this book pretty good I can't remember his name though the the lead bandit, dude. Maybe it's brave. I don't know Okay, I have brave friend down. It was chapter 32. I think that's it. Yeah, I think I think you're right

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He's the equivalent of like the the sword guy the hand for hire in the First law trilogy. Yeah type character. I'm curious why I'm really like I mean other than honor But he doesn't seem like honor means much too much to him. So I don't know. I'm curious Well, why that why that played out so seamlessly and maybe that's just Corbin's effect on people I don't know. Maybe that's something in the star child. Yeah. Yeah holding his ground. Why is this book called malice? I don't think we've touched base. Well, I don't even think we even talked about the title of this book No, we didn't that we didn't do our normal. Yeah, I did I was looking at the book. I was looking at that word I'm like, why is it called malice? Can you define malice for me? I know It's like anger. Yeah, I mean, yes, I got yeah anger But I think there's more specific than just anger though the intention or desire to do evil like I knew it was evil It's an evil word. I just didn't like that's okay or ill will so what happens This is there's nothing to that we can end on is like what happens when if evil were to win and they were to destroy Everything and there's nothing left to destroy that then like then what I guess we'll find out

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So this is the part in the book - this is part of the podcast here We like to like, you know There's a little something something at the end here and I'd like to incorporate it more into some other parts of the show here but something that I actually Ended up watching with my wife and now I bought the book so that when I catch up on these chapters I got something else to read besides Brandon Sanderson is the three-body problem Really really cool show on Netflix and it's a book which is awesome because they only finished the first book and it ends on kind Of a cliffhanger. So now I want to get all the books and figure out what the hell is going on It's very science fiction. I mean, it's actually pure science fiction. It's no fantasy in there It's it's a total science fiction show and I don't want to give anything away It's just really fun If you know anything about physics and the actual three-body problem Then you have a good inclination of what the show might be about a little bit(...) It's actually been on my list to read Alec told me that I should read it. It's really good show I and like this is the thing I hate about like not having TV is I have no idea when shows like this drop They all of a sudden just happen. I'm like and there's What and what is up with the Game of Thrones actors? Like y'all just hang out with each other now because you're in like there's never just one in a show anymore There's several Game of Thrones actors in the show, but it's good show when the show was rather ever see the movie ghost ship Yeah. Yeah, there's a scene. That's Good nutty. What do you go ship or maybe some nightmare three-body problem? Yeah, three-body problem I think they ripped off the ghost ship a little bit and or Resident Evil also good. There's a little bit of foreshadowing Anyways, if you haven't seen it, it's fucking good. It's good if you really like sci-fi and science(...) Yeah

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Like I told Tim on the way here being a parent of two little children I have about a decade's worth of pop culture that I'm going to be missing out on so I rely on these Conversations just to keep me up to speed and I will never watch them So I have a list that I'm gonna try to get to get through But there's a lot of shows currently that I am behind on as somebody who's been through that. Yeah, you won't ever catch Yeah, exactly. So there's things that you I still haven't seen the Witcher because I just haven't been able to do it. Sure That's it. Yeah Yeah, you got really pay attention in the Witcher 2 cuz they they jump they jump around a little bit anything that makes you fully Devote your attention. I can't do yeah, you will you'll bring it back around. I'm not quite I don't have toddlers yet But when I do I know I know like that's it minor full-blown kids at this point Well, yeah, exactly Wow. These are actually really cool. So something I like to do too is take a little Polaroids We're gonna the show on this check this out and for those listening at home. I'll throw this on the Instagram

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How do we look like we're in the 80s because it's a Polaroid and I have a mustache and he have slicked back hair

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In a Polaroid. Tell me we don't look like the uncles in the 80s tha˙t everyone told to their kids to stay away from All right for you on YouTube, we'll see if you can get up out here one second. Oh Boy oh boy the color of my shirt just doesn't belong in this picture. That's my issue. Oh god I am good far too colorful. Can we hit the end button so I can say what I want to say All right, three minutes left on this next one. So yeah, so Basically, thank you for watching. We are website is now live You can listen to us on our website. The most recent YouTube video will be on our website a little bit of blur about us It's gonna be in constant development. So check it out every now and again, and you'll see some new stuff Check us out on YouTube and then Instagram and we'll we'll chat with you guys on reddit and anywhere you get podcasts Cuz this still is a podcast. That's why our producers here. Oh, yeah, this is the reading rainstorm˙