[book_fanatic]

In prologue, when two bridge-burners are conversing. It is said that sorcerer's are panicking and losing control "down there". It is also said that "They are all new, untested. This could scar some of them for ever". Still it is said that "Hardly the need for a whole cadre of mages, just to sniff out a few wax-witches". Isn't first two sentences contradictory to the third one? Moreover, as is mentioned bridge-burners are elite. Wouldn't it make more sense that bridge-burners have properly trained personnel?

 Screenshot (590).png (81.11K)
Number of downloads: 0

[champ]

Not really.

It could be a whole new cadre down there.

Also with regards to your last point, it doesn't mention that it is a cadre of Bridgeburner mages.

[book_fanatic]

champ, on 21 March 2018 - 09:23 AM, said:

Not really.

It could be a whole new cadre down there.

Also with regards to your last point, it doesn't mention that it is a cadre of Bridgeburner mages.

 Screenshot (591).png (78.96K)
Number of downloads: 0

But according to this conversation, I think the cadre belonged to Bridge-burners.

[champ]

He is a Commander.

He commands many Divisions/Units other than the Bridgeburners.

Try not to get too caught up in it.

[Macros]

Also remember, the timeline is not important.

And these events will be clarified in later books and you can retrofit the events then to make more sense of who and what is going on

[Nevyn]

The commander in question is the commander of the 2nd army. He came up through the bridgeburners, who were an elite division within it, but he also commanded other divisions, including the mage cadre.

As for the statements being contradictory, not really. Imagine you had a bunch of untested soldiers with access to heavy artillery being assigned to sweep an area of light resistance. And in the first sign of resistance they overreact and basically flatten the whole neighbourhood. It is like that. The allegation is not that the mage cadre are unable to deal with the threat, it is they are panicking and overusing their powers to deal with a relatively small threat.

[book_fanatic]

champ, on 21 March 2018 - 10:46 AM, said:

He is a Commander.

He commands many Divisions/Units other than the Bridgeburners.

Try not to get too caught up in it.

Macros, on 26 March 2018 - 12:42 PM, said:

Also remember, the timeline is not important.

And these events will be clarified in later books and you can retrofit the events then to make more sense of who and what is going on

Nevyn, on 26 March 2018 - 02:13 PM, said:

The commander in question is the commander of the 2nd army. He came up through the bridgeburners, who were an elite division within it, but he also commanded other divisions, including the mage cadre.

As for the statements being contradictory, not really. Imagine you had a bunch of untested soldiers with access to heavy artillery being assigned to sweep an area of light resistance. And in the first sign of resistance they overreact and basically flatten the whole neighbourhood. It is like that. The allegation is not that the mage cadre are unable to deal with the threat, it is they are panicking and overusing their powers to deal with a relatively small threat.

Thanks. Looked like a silly question...

[Gorefest]

book_fanatic, on 29 March 2018 - 06:03 AM, said:

Thanks. Looked like a silly question...

Nah, it's just that there is a lot of subtext and deliberate withholding of information, which means that it will be nigh on impossible to distill any real conclusions from the prologue upon a first read. The event is just meant to set the scene, to plant some seeds. It mainly tries to convey to you as a first-time reader that you are dropped in a military setting, in an empire where a shift in momentum and power is under way, and that there is sorcery in this world which is accepted and widespread although apparently the current rulers are trying to control it, or repress it where they cannot. No need at this point to try and second-guess things or figure out all the intricacies, just absorb the general vibe and you'll be fine.