Mark Reads ‘Lioness Rampant’: Chapter 1

In the first chapter of Lioness Rampant, Alanna struggles with her own restlessness and must decide whether to take Coram and Faithful on a new adventure. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Lioness Rampant.

Chapter One: Lioness From Tortall

Wow, this feels different. This is perhaps the longest chapter I’ve come across in the Song of the Lioness quartet, and it’s more emotionally complex than anything else in the series. I’m digging it!

  • So, Alanna and Coram are in Berat! I don’t quite know where that is, but it’s cool that Alanna kept to her word. Her and Coram are off looking for adventure!
  • OH SHIT, THE SHANG DRAGON IS IN TOWN. Why didn’t I make a prediction about him? He was clearly in the last book as a hint towards his appearance here.
  • When the innkeeper asked Alanna how her “honored father” was, I was shocked he would ask her that. DUDE, HE’S DEAD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING. Oh, wait, he means her adoptive father. RIGHT. THAT. WHOOPS.
  • Hahaha, as soon as Alanna said “Trouble?” to Windfield, all I could think of was Alanna turning into Lassie and saving Timmy from a well. Look, I can’t help what my brain does anymore.
  • Oh god, the innkeeper made the Sign against Evil after he saw Faithful. GREAT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN.
  • A vision! I love that Alanna has just given up on being freaked out by visions. They’re so common that she treats them like mediocre dreams.
  • Yes! Maps! With untranslated ruins! This is totally adventure-having shit. She needs a witty sidekick now. Wait, that’s Faithful and Coram. WE’RE ON COURSE FOR AWESOME.
  • Why hello, redhead!
  • No, seriously, why aren’t we taught how to flirt in high school? We are taught none of the totally necessary shit you have to deal with as an adult. Where’s the class on paying bills? Waking up early every day? Cooking quick meals for yourself? Socializing in the workplace? THESE ARE NECESSARY THINGS WE ARE NEVER TAUGHT. GOD.
  • This Liam fellow seems to know too much about Alanna. I shall hold him in suspicion until I find out more.
  • Bless you, Coram. You’re fun when you’re drunk.
  • Oh. Liam is the Shang Dragon. Oh.
  • Hey, when have middle-of-the-night rides ever gone well for Alanna? Never. So I instantly expected something to attack her.
  • I DID NOT EXPECT THE GODDESS TO SHOW UP. Oh, shit, that was unexpected!
  • It’s interesting to me that the Goddess chooses not to guide Alanna specifically, but recognizes that she is unbearably restless while wandering Tortall. Alanna started off this series with so much confidence and purpose about what she wanted to do in life. I’m really into this story now, because Alanna is finding out that the life she wanted isn’t exactly what she thought it would be. So what should Alanna do to feel satisfied?
  • Okay, what did the Goddess say to Faithful? OMG, did he complain to the Goddess about being assigned to Alanna or something???
  • HAHAHAHA, ALANNA FELL ASLEEP ON HER SADDLE.
  • “Don’t remind me I picked this life. I’ve no one to blame but myself.” I actually really like this line, especially as it pertains to the personal journey that Alanna is on.
  • Ooooooh, Liam has a crush on Alanna. OOOOOOOH.
  • Coram being protective of Alanna is just downright adorable.
  • “Life used to be simple,” he told his palms. Faithful jumped up to sniff at Liam’s plate. Probably more boring, too.” AMEN, FAITHFUL.
  • Hahah, YES, Alanna. You tell Coram that there’s nothing wrong with people you consent to touching you.
  • It appears that Faithful and Alanna have just given up all pretense of hiding the fact that they can communicate with one another.
  • Roof of the World??? I WANT TO GO THERE. There’s a place in the San Bernardino Mountains off Highway 18 called Rim of the World, and it is BREATHTAKING and also COMPLETELY HORRIFYING. We used to have Cross Country meets up there every year. One year, our bus broke down on the way up, and one of the Rim of the World High School’s bus drivers came down to get us. He drove like 75 MILES PER HOUR UP THAT TERRIFYING WINDING PATH. Oh my god.
  • Okay, Alanna is definitely going to go after the Dominion Jewel, right? She knows she’ll get credibility from her peers if she does, and it’s an adventure, and a rather unpredictable one at that. There’s no way she’ll turn this one down. It presents interesting possibilities, too, but will Alanna wield this sort of power?
  • “What could Roger have done with the Dominion Jewel?” Coram said, “Thank the gods we’ll never learn.” OH, FUCK, DON’T SAY THAT, UGH, GODDAMN YOU.
  • Claw, you’re getting mighty annoying. You tried to have Coram and Alanna killed? Oh, you’re going to get slaughtered later, aren’t you? There’s no way Alanna is just going to let this slide. Well, and neither will George Cooper.
  • I worried that my prediction for the last book, where I said Coram would die, was going to come true in this book. While he held up his own, he was outnumbered and bleeding. Oh, that would have been one hell of a way to start this book.
  • That being said, this is a great start to Lioness Rampant. We’ve got the seeds of numerous plots, and I really hope Alanna goes to the Roof of the World.

LET’S DO THIS.

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About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
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1 Response to Mark Reads ‘Lioness Rampant’: Chapter 1

  1. Lessie says:

    I was researching came across your post, and am glad I did, thanks

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