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Sleeps With Monsters: Revisiting Michelle Sagara’s Chronicles of Elantra

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Sleeps With Monsters: Revisiting Michelle Sagara’s Chronicles of Elantra

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Sleeps With Monsters: Revisiting Michelle Sagara’s Chronicles of Elantra

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Published on September 8, 2020

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Revisiting Michelle Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra

I’ve been revisiting some more old favourites.

Michelle Sagara has been writing her Chronicles of Elantra series for the last fifteen years. This year sees the publication of the first of a pair of prequel novels, The Emperor’s Wolves. I had the opportunity to read a review copy, and it sent me off to re-read all fifteen of the Chronicles of Elantra, starting with Cast in Shadow.

Those fifteen books (Cast in Shadow, Cast in Courtlight, Cast in Secret, Cast in Fury, Cast in Silence, Cast in Chaos, Cast in Ruin, Cast in Peril, Cast in Sorrow, Cast in Flame, Cast in Honor, Cast in Flight, Cast in Deception, Cast in Oblivion, and Cast in Wisdom) are a satisfying combination of contemporary-feeling secondary world city-based fantasy, and go-big-or-go-home epic. Every single volume has a relatively self-contained arc (at least one major problem, and major frequently means fate-of-the-world, is solved in every one) but the series as a whole has continuing arcs of growth and change for its cast of characters, and especially for its protagonist, Kaylin Neya.

Kaylin is a private in the Hawks, the city of Elantra’s investigative police force. The trouble she encounters isn’t always—or even usually—related to her job. In addition to being a cop, Kaylin’s also possessed of magical powers related to the marks on her skin that appeared when she was a child: powers she doesn’t understand, and which no one else really understands, either. Although history records the previous existence of other people with those marks and similar powers, it doesn’t really record a lot else. Kaylin’s marks, and her tendency to leap to the defence of the underdog, gets her embroiled in a wide range of potentially world-ending trouble.

Kaylin’s grounding in the everyday—her concerns for her success in her chosen profession, her occasional pettiness, her connections with a community—means that, while she’s vitally important in solving world-ending problems, the narrative never puts Kaylin into the role of a chosen one. Even if she is chosen, she doesn’t do things because of fate, or destiny, or special powers: she does it because she’s got a job protecting the people of Elantra, essentially a vocation, and her skills and talents let her do more than she might otherwise be able to do.

As the series has advanced, Kaylin has acquired a wider circle of friends and allies, and in part, these are what give the books fresh interest and appeal with every new volume. More people bring with them more problems and concerns and their own ways of seeing the world—and Elantra, for all that it’s a single city, is a wide weird world indeed. Ruled by the Eternal Emperor, a shapeshifting Dragon, one of only a handful of Dragons remaining, Elantra is home to the immortal (and violently political) Barrani; the winged Aerians; the great-cat-like Leontines; mind-reading Tha’alaani, and humans. As well as the Shadow that dwells, trapped, in Elantra’s heart.

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The Emperor's Wolves
The Emperor's Wolves

The Emperor’s Wolves

Kaylin’s friends and allies include Ybelline, the leader of the Tha’alaani; Bellusdeo, a former warrior queen, current displaced person, and last living female Dragon; Severn, whom she’s known all her life and who has his own guilts and secrets; Teela, a fellow Hawk, an extremely unusual Barrani lord, and a power among her own people in her own right; and eventually at least one sentient building, one cranky and very old Dragon librarian, and a round dozen youthful Barrani who are not exactly entirely Barrani anymore, and whose political maneouvring means that Kaylin will have to finally get to grips with the kind of politics and etiquette she hates. Among others.

(The Emperor’s Wolves is the story of some of Severn’s secrets, and also stars Ybelline, so it’s a prequel novel that I can entirely get behind.)

The Chronicles of Elantra are enjoyable, entertaining, engaging fantasy novels that always leave me feeling satisfied—and rather reassured, despite occasional horrible things happening, because somehow, it all comes mostly right in the end.

What have you guys been reading lately?

Liz Bourke is a cranky queer person who reads books. She holds a Ph.D in Classics from Trinity College, Dublin. Her first book, Sleeping With Monsters, a collection of reviews and criticism, was published in 2017 by Aqueduct Press. It was a finalist for the 2018 Locus Awards and was nominated for a 2018 Hugo Award in Best Related Work. Find her at her blog, or find her at her Twitter. She supports the work of the Irish Refugee Council, the Transgender Equality Network Ireland, and the Abortion Rights Campaign.

About the Author

Liz Bourke

Author

Liz Bourke is a cranky queer person who reads books. She holds a Ph.D in Classics from Trinity College, Dublin. Her first book, Sleeping With Monsters, a collection of reviews and criticism, was published in 2017 by Aqueduct Press. It was a finalist for the 2018 Locus Awards and was nominated for a 2018 Hugo Award in Best Related Work. She was a finalist for the inaugural 2020 Ignyte Critic Award, and has also been a finalist for the BSFA nonfiction award. She lives in Ireland with an insomniac toddler, her wife, and their two very put-upon cats.
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Omniforce
2 months ago

On the note of Lift always cursing in interesting ways (by Rosharan standards at least), of all the potential interactions that I would love to see in some alternate universe where the Cosmere and Wheel of Time crossover, Lift and Elayne exchanging curses they’ve learned would probably be hilarious.

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jer
2 months ago

Well, I sensed it coming. Thought Lift was going to get stuck in the spiritual realm, but now we have:
Dallinar and Navani
Shallan, Renarin, Rlain, and did she have any of the unseen court with her?
Mraize and Iyatil,
and now poor Gav.
Shallan was always going to go to the spiritual realm considering that was her quest… but now?

I also wonder what the sibling is going to think about what just happened with Navani…

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2 months ago
Reply to  jer

Are Dalinar and Navani still connected to the Stormfather/Sibling in the Spiritual Realm, and if they can relay messages to people in Urithiru and / or use them as some form of anchor to get back? What I am really interested in seeing is where all these people end up – together, each alone, or as several smaller groups? Spread out into different locations / parts? Perhaps in unconventional groups, forcing enemies to work together?

Why do I feel poor Gav is going to be lost alone, no one realizing he is there? Alternatively, I think it might be interesting if he finds himself with the Ghostbloods, who start to train him/take him under their wing. 

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Brian Howard
2 months ago
Reply to  jer

Also, Testament, Pattern, Tumi, Glys, and Mraize and Iyatil spren. I’m not usually the dude that always needs to point out spren are characters too, but those ones specifically will be important here I think

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jer
2 months ago
Reply to  Brian Howard

Howard!

Yes, Thank you! Absolutely spren are mc, this is Roshar afterall!

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2 months ago

That is sad. Now we know why Lift did not want to physically change. She hoped that her mother would return. But Lift was afraid that if her mother returned and Lift grew physically, her mother would no longer recognize Lift.
      

I take it that Wit or Design was the “Navani” that Lopen saw. What happened to Shallan, Renarin and Rlain? And Mraize and Iyatil? Did those 5 (plus Gav) also get stuck in the Spiritual Realm?

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Jean-Marc
2 months ago
Reply to  AndrewHB

Eating the Chouta made me think that Lift is masquerading as Navani and I assume Wit will be Dalinar

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2 months ago
Reply to  Jean-Marc

good point about Lift and eating. I did not think that Wit would put a Lightweaving on Lift. Your theory that Lift will masquerade as Navani and Wit will masquerade as Dalinar makes more sense that just Wit and Design.

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Jean-Marc
2 months ago

Who else gets the feeling that Gavinor is going to pop back out as a fully grown adult?

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Gingeriffic
2 months ago
Reply to  Jean-Marc

I suspect Brandon has a heartwarming moment planned in the Spiritual realm where Gav gets some closure with Elhokar, similar to Kaladin / Tien in RoW.

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2 months ago
Reply to  Jean-Marc

Not only will Gavinor return to the Physical Realm as a fully grown adult, he will encounter a Shadow (not sure if Shadow is a Cosmere term) or Splinter of Gavilar in the Physical Realm. The Splinter of Gavilar will take over the body of Gavinor (in the same way a Fused takes over the body it enter; the only difference is that I think if one is able to eject Gavilar’s Splinter, Gavinor could get control of his body/mind. It will be this Splinter of Gavilar in Gavinor’s fully grown body that will be Odium’s champion and fight Dalinar. Dalinar will be able to fight Gavilar as Dalinar will have seen Gavilar’s true intentions in the Spiritual Realm and will have the willpower to fight Gavinor.

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Michael
2 months ago
Reply to  AndrewHB

MY GOODNESS. Yes I want this outcome so badly. goodness, that would be *story*.

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2 months ago
Reply to  Jean-Marc

Yup! 100%.

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Josh
2 months ago

Can’t someone else be Dalinar’s Champion? It’s not specified that it has to be Dalinar, just assumed. I feel like *anyone* showing up would be better than defaulting.

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JakeWinterScones
2 months ago
Reply to  Josh

Yeah, this is what I was thinking before. At first it could be Adolin. But then I feel like it could be Gavinor all grown up and wise. But we haven’t spent so much time with little Gav to find it as satisfying I think. So, I’m just guessing, maybe Dalinar does show up himself, older and wiser, and he wins in the most unexpected way. Like, I think we’re all assuming it’s going to be a big bloody fight. Maybe it will start out as one and then evolve into something more.

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Nina
2 months ago
Reply to  Josh

I feel like *anyone* showing up would be better than defaulting.

I want to see the look on Todium’s face when The Lopen shows up as Champion and announces that the Contest will take the form of a chouta-cooking competition.

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Muswell
2 months ago
Reply to  Josh

The agreement was “We each send a willing champion“.

Arguably, if someone else rocks up the spirit of the agreement is met (which is important) but not the letter unless Dalinar is able to make contact somehow and specifically nominate someone to fight as champion.

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Alex
2 months ago
Reply to  Muswell

Could this be how Kaladin gets roped in? Since Dalinar specifically asked him to be his successor at Urithiru, could that be interpreted as “Backup Champion”?

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Charm
2 months ago

I actually think Gavinor needs to return as a baby and relive his childhood without unmade terrorizing him. Maybe Dalinar and Navani as parents, maybe Adolin and Shallan or even Jasnah as single parent! That kid deserves better. And Lift can ruin his royal upbringing all over again.

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bleb
2 months ago
Reply to  Charm

I agree that would be best case scenario for Gav but I think it is unlikely. I think he’s coming out older and angrier. I think his vengeance against Moash is gonna be a big part of who he is

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JakeWinterScones
2 months ago
Reply to  bleb

Some part in me hopes Gav doesn’t grow up. And later, he somehow gets buddied with Moash during his redemption arc. And, much later, when we think there’s going to be some reconciliation, we just might hear the first F bomb dropped in the entire Cosmere: Fuck Moash, then sentences him to death or some torture.

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2 months ago

Is there a specific place fixed for the contest of champions? If not, why does it have to be on Roshar? It could be in the spiritual realm.

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2 months ago
Reply to  birgit

Good point, I had thought of that as well, but I believe they agreed/expected it to be at the top of Urithiru.

Not sure if that is locked int he contract or not.

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Avlost17
2 months ago

Didn’t someone, probably Wit, say something about how you could lose track of time in the Spiritual Realm and years could pass for you but only moments or days pass on Roshar? If so, then I can see Gav definitely experiencing years passing and becoming Odium’s champion when he finally gets out, being in his teens or maybe even older. I was never on the Gav as Champion theory team, but I really do think that’s going to happen now.

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Daladin
2 months ago

Who’s body was it at the explosion site? Also can *top* of urithiru potentiually mean spiritual realm? Is there wiggle room there without a realm explicitly mentioned?

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bleb
2 months ago
Reply to  Daladin

The body is the Malwish guy. The third fake guard with Mraize and Iyatil

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John
2 months ago
Reply to  Daladin

Third redshirt Ghostblood from Scadrial that was with Mraize and other Ghostblood Izail(sp?)

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2 months ago

Drew:

Given what we now know about Ala the Seon, does a Ghostblood Sleepless even exist? There is this WoB that Ghostbloods wouldn’t recruit a Sleepless:

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/387/#e12657

and Hoid certainly seems far too cordial and helpful towards the Sleepless in this scene, as well as completely unbothered by their spying.

But I have to say that I find it a bit annoying, that after all his security concerns, Wit didn’t bother to monitor Shadesmar during the already dangerous attempt to visit Spiritual Realm.

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Jean-Marc
2 months ago
Reply to  Isilel

Hoid discovered a sleepless masquerading as one of his pens in RoW, and that was the true traitor in the Shadesmar arc. That sleepless was working for the Ghostbloods

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2 months ago
Reply to  Jean-Marc

Yes, there was a Sleepless spying on Hoid. And we thought that they were a Ghostblood spy, because Mraize appeared to know information from private Seon-enabled conversations between Wit and Shallan. But now we know that no middleman was needed for that leak, because Ala themself was the spy.

Additionally the WoB that I linked in my previous post pretty definitely states that the Ghostbloods wouldn’t recruit a Sleepless.

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