Continuity drift - Lara and soul gazes

[Snark Knight]

So my local store let me pick up my preordered copy of Twelve Months when it came in this week, instead of the official release day.

I noticed something odd in an early chapter - on the way out of Harry and Lara's first date, she asks why he's avoidant of eye contact, and he explains soulgazes like it's her first time hearing about that.

But Carlos already did one with her, to scare himself out of attraction to her, back in White Night.  And she seemed to know exactly what he was doing, telling him it wasn't going to scare her off.  That seems like a miss for the betas not to have raised ... might this be another deliberate hint of something hinky going on with the continuity?

[Lord Kinbote]

Good catch.  I didn't remember that incident, but I was a bit perplexed in reading the preview that Lara had never heard of a Wizard's ability to soulgaze.

Maybe it was awkwardly done to inform new readers and foreshadow their upcoming soulgaze.  Maybe this time, we'll get some info on what Lara (or maybe Fitz) sees when soulgazing with Harry.

[Mira]

Good catch.  I didn't remember that incident, but I was a bit perplexed in reading the preview that Lara had never heard of a Wizard's ability to soulgaze.

Maybe it was awkwardly done to inform new readers and foreshadow their upcoming soulgaze.  Maybe this time, we'll get some info on what Lara (or maybe Fitz) sees when soulgazing with Harry.

Very odd, also one has to wonder about Margaret, did she avoid soul gazing Lord Raith?  Or did she not avoid it, and was so alienated by the White Council she didn't care what he was or what he had done?  At least until she met Malcolm.  However Lara has been around the block a few times, so it does seem implausable that she had no clue about soul gazes.  Was she totally ignorant of the soul gaze between Harry and Thomas?

[g33k]

... Maybe it was awkwardly done to inform new readers ...

This, I think.
Jim usually includes some new-to-Dresden exposition in every book, and this seems like an example.

I read the Amazon early-release chapters, don't have book in hand yet.  But I kinda-sorta thought Lara was trying to elicit Harry to talk more, in hopes of gaining more insight.

Insight about Harry.

Insight about Soulgazes in general:  her just knowing they exist, 'gazing on Carlos... these hardly make her an expert!

Also, plenty of people will play the "novice" card -- when they aren't -- for a plethora of reasons.

[Mira]

This, I think.
Jim usually includes some new-to-Dresden exposition in every book, and this seems like an example.

I read the Amazon early-release chapters, don't have book in hand yet.  But I kinda-sorta thought Lara was trying to elicit Harry to talk more, in hopes of gaining more insight.

Insight about Harry.

Insight about Soulgazes in general:  her just knowing they exist, 'gazing on Carlos... these hardly make her an expert!

Also, plenty of people will play the "novice" card -- when they aren't -- for a plethora of reasons.

Or she is trying to stall.  Since it was mentioned in an earlier book that Carlos soul gazed her and his reaction, no matter what it was.  Though it sounds negative, he must have mentioned it to Harry.  No, it doesn't make her an expert, but she may be afraid of what Harry might find out about her, or what she might find out about Harry.  Is a soul gaze even possible with a full vampire?  Does Lara have a soul to gaze, or is she like a full blooded Fae,no soul so no soul gaze possible?  What is important here is context, I find it hard to believe that Lara doesn't know about soul gazes, or even more implausible hadn't heard of them, so what is she playing at?  Does she want one, or does she not want one? And either way, what are her motives?

[Snark Knight]

Is a soul gaze even possible with a full vampire?  Does Lara have a soul to gaze, or is she like a full blooded Fae,no soul so no soul gaze possible?

Thomas was fully activated as a vampire when Harry soulgazed him in Blood Rites.  His species status is the same as Lara's.

So it works with WCV ... but I'd guess it would be worse with Lara since she's in harmony with her demon, compared to Thomas restrainig his.

[Mira]

Thomas was fully activated as a vampire when Harry soulgazed him in Blood Rites.  His species status is the same as Lara's.

So it works with WCV ... but I'd guess it would be worse with Lara since she's in harmony with her demon, compared to Thomas restrainig his.

  Not really in my opinion.  1]  Their mother set it up, so that might affect it. 2] In the soul gaze a lot of human Thomas remained, remember the mirror image struggle between the very weak human with glasses verses Thomas the vampire with the Hunger in control. 

[g33k]

Carlos 'gazed Lara.
I presume Harry could, too.

[Mira]

Carlos 'gazed Lara.
I presume Harry could, too.

Which means that Lara is lying to Harry if she does claim to be ignorant about soul gazes, not the best way to start a relationship.

[GreenMysticalUnicorn]

I have a feeling a few key beta readers have left in the last few years the ones who really pick up on tiny things.

I remember the good old days of these old forums and Jim and prescille and so many close to Jim were active here. There was a trust in Jim’s writing, everything felt so deliberate and thorough. And while the story is still very strong (12M is a favourite) I can’t help but think the tightness of the writing since PT is gone. It’s small things but then again Justine being on the island in cold days but it being the entire plot point for battle ground and the Jim claiming in an interview actually she wants nfected then.. it could get really plot holish and messy if they don’t tighten things up and pronto. More is at stake.

[Mr. Mouse]

I have a feeling a few key beta readers have left in the last few years the ones who really pick up on tiny things.

I remember the good old days of these old forums and Jim and prescille and so many close to Jim were active here. There was a trust in Jim’s writing, everything felt so deliberate and thorough. And while the story is still very strong (12M is a favourite) I can’t help but think the tightness of the writing since PT is gone. It’s small things but then again Justine being on the island in cold days but it being the entire plot point for battle ground and the Jim claiming in an interview actually she wants nfected then.. it could get really plot holish and messy if they don’t tighten things up and pronto. More is at stake.

I think this is a problem generally with series that a) have more than a dozen books and/or b) have large gaps between publication dates. Then there's the fatal flaw of doing a "untold story from earlier" book, which Jim has avoided doing ... so far.

[Griffimus]

Jim usually includes some new-to-Dresden exposition in every book, and this seems like an example....

This is about the only thing I dislike about the Dresden files books.  After the first 6 books explained the "Blue Beetle" to us over and over and over I was like "Yeah Jim, I already freakin know this....."   If someone starts reading a book series at the end they deserve to be lost and not clued into the small details..

[Mira]

This is about the only thing I dislike about the Dresden files books.  After the first 6 books explained the "Blue Beetle" to us over and over and over I was like "Yeah Jim, I already freakin know this....."   If someone starts reading a book series at the end they deserve to be lost and not clued into the small details..

That's what I call "filler," but at least we know the story behind the Blue Beetle and finally that plot thread was resolved.  What pisses me off is the dozens of other plot threads that have been left dangling. 

[Mr. Mouse]

This is about the only thing I dislike about the Dresden files books.  After the first 6 books explained the "Blue Beetle" to us over and over and over I was like "Yeah Jim, I already freakin know this....."   If someone starts reading a book series at the end they deserve to be lost and not clued into the small details..

It's funny. In the first book of a series the author is enjoined not to make a lot of digressions to explain characters and situations as distracting from the action and anyway the mystery builds engagement and suspense. In later books you get the main character asked a question on page 2 which causes him/her to consider the appearance and previous interactions with multiple people for four pages (to inform new readers what longtime readers already know) and then a reply of "no" when the reader has forgotten what the question was.

[GreenMysticalUnicorn]

That's what I call "filler," but at least we know the story behind the Blue Beetle and finally that plot thread was resolved.  What pisses me off is the dozens of other plot threads that have been left dangling.

Surly these will be resolved though