[ch'arlz]

One of SE's authorial tics is the use of "boiled leather" (sometimes boiled-leather) in depicting a character's accoutrements. Doesn't bother me really, but I'm keeping a count as I reread the series. As I suspected, the frequency is increasing, with a 400% increase in instances from GotM to DG!!! The periodicity is therefore increasing from ~.15 usages per 100 pages to ~.48 per 100 pages!

GotM /
DG ////
(where a / = 1)
----------------------------
Boiled leather count in GotM = 1+
(all cites to Tor MME 2005)
1. p. 183
"boiled leather cap bearing the City Watch insignia" in describing Circle Breaker.

close at p. 460 (not counted as a usage)
"Despite the hardened leather armor, the feel of a woman pressing against Crokus's back..."
-------------------------------

Boiled leather count in DG = 4+
(all cites to Tor MME 2006)
1. p. 21
"bronze-banded boiled-leather scabbard"

2. p. 316
"All well armed and armored in boiled leather."

3. p. 318
"...a sideways thrust that pierced the other man's chest, through boiled leather, ...

4. p. 482
"Ornate boiled leather armor had appeared, ..."

see also at p. 375 (not counted as a usage)
"...leather stretched and punched or boiled in huge blackened pots."
----------------------

I think this statistical evidence firmly establishes the seriousness of this inquiry.

- ch'arlz, feeling a monograph coming on

[GanoesParan00]

umm. . . maybe he just likes boiled Leather? i have no idea where your going to. clear it up a little for stupid all me?

[Dolorous Menhir]

Didn't this thread get closed down?

[Folken]

I closed it because they weren't talking about the book anymore...but dude seriously what do you plan on gaining from this discussion?

What exactly do you want to know? He uses the phrase "we must needs" a kagillion times during the novels as well...I laugh every time I read it but...yes...what do you plan on gaining? lol

[GanoesParan00]

he is comparing the amount of times "boiled leather" was mentioned in GotM and DHG

[Mezla PigDog]

The word "precipitous" is used a lot in Memories of Ice, actually. In each book, I always notice one word or phrase that seems to be used more often. Or maybe I just think it is.....

[ch'arlz]

Jen said:

What exactly do you want to know? He uses the phrase "we must needs" a kagillion times during the novels as well...I laugh every time I read it but...yes...what do you plan on gaining? lol

Gain? I wasn't aware that was a criterion for posting in these forums. :confused:

As I said in the original thread, it's just a tic I noticed while reading the series and probably nobody else cares. I don't think I've ever encountered the phrase anywhere else, however, and, istm, its usage seems to be increasing. That's all I was trying to document.

btw, "we must needs," while archaic, is not uncommon, viz:

Quote

Miracles are ceased; and therefore we must needs admit the means, how things are perfected.

- William Shakespeare

-ch'arlz, there goes the monograph

[GanoesParan00]

Quote

Miracles are ceased; and therefore we must needs admit the means, how things are perfected.

. . . . . . . Didn't take Grammar class I see there.

[ch'arlz]

Ganoes Paran;200138 said:

. . . . . . . Didn't take Grammar class I see there.

yeah, i guess we can't all be Shakespeare.

[GanoesParan00]

*sigh* what a shame to behold

[Sir Bob]

i have also noticed the phrase "gods below" poping up a lot also a lot of things seem to be made of burlap. so there you go!!

[GanoesParan00]

Gods below. which gods are those?

[Aptorian]

Hairlock and those chaoscreatures running about while Quick and the puppet where having their conversation in GotM

[GanoesParan00]

Oh really. so Death's realm is up in the clouds?. . . .nice

[Imperium Corruo]

Well boiled leather is a realistic choice for cheap, basic armor. So what do you expect?

[GanoesParan00]

lol. Around page 116(?) in HoC. It mentions Boiled Leather

[Chiblade]

Yo, Ch'arlz, I think it would be far more useful if you turned your list making mind toward something like, oh say, listing all the military strategies and manuvers(sp?) used by Erikson in the series and catergorizing them by culture they were used by and on and the effects.

I'm sure far more people could use a thread like that than one that lists instances in the series of the ancient worlds most common method of producing cheap and reliable armor.

[ch'arlz]

ch'arlz doesn't live here anymore.

[Whiskey Freak]

well i wouldnt say that a "boiled leather" reference used.. am i reading this correctly? 4 times in book is out of hand. especially since the book in question is dealing with a band of refugees and soldiers on the run looking for anything they can use for armor. boiled leather armor would be a good choice.

[weaverbird05]

Right - boiled leather is cheap, light-weight, and provides a good basic armor in desperate straits. It's kind of the fall-back for soldiers on the march and on the move.