#bayaz

[shylo-vitari-apologist]

This shot reminded me of the lil move Bayaz pulls in LAOK. Perhaps it’s unfair to Qifrey to compare him to The Archmage of Predatory Loans but I’ve been told he’s also into freak shit so

[andreai04]

You carry on. That's what he’d always done. That's the task that comes with surviving, whether you deserve to live or not. You remember the dead as best you can. You say some words for them. Then you carry on, and you hope for better.

[volpestarks]

I’ve been deeply enjoying Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law. What a brilliant cast of characters.

who is your fave?

[mask131]

Briefly getting back into Abercrombie's "First Law" world. I don't think I ever posted about this, but when I read the original trilogy I have to confess there was one thing I thought was a bit too much... It was making Yoru Sulfur an Eater.

I don't entirely and objectively oppose myself to it, but... The balance-seeking part of my mind can't help but being offended by what feels like doing way too much and thus ruining a perfect balance.

Bayaz and Khalul forme a very nice complementary duo for the trilogy. One very present and seen, one unseen and far away from the plot. One protagonist but revealed to be vile, one antagonistic but turning out to be better than one would believe. Both having their own way of dealing with the loss of magic and maintaining their political presence - money for one, religion for the other. And more importantly, each one breaking one of the rules - one by creating Eaters the other by using demonic powers.

Sure, Bayaz turning out to have broken two of the three laws is used to cement his role as the depraved villain, ultimate big bad and full hypocrite... But I feel it is just over-doing and over-weighing on a character that turned out to be worse than everybody and nicely vicious already. I don't believe there was a need to have Bayaz have Eaters himself - rather than making him an hypocrite for denouncing Khalul's Eaters-making, I believe it rather would have been truly funny if he was sincere in his revulsion when it comes to Eaters and being offended by Khalul breaking the Second Law... When himself he is far worse of a monster and is actively trying to break the First Law.

[fippydarkpaw]

Taravangian vs. Bayaz chess game. The geriatric battle of the ages.

[konmatfl]

Bayaz frowned around the room. "Where's Maljinn?" Quai swallowed. "She left." "I can see she left! I thought I told you to keep her here!" "You didn't tell me how," muttered the apprentice.

- The Blade Itself

"Is Ninefingers down there?" The Dogman's eyes were wide and wet, and his mouth opened, but he said nothing. "I told you not to let him do anything stupid," Bethod forced through his gritted teeth. "You didn't tell me how."

- Sharp Ends

Seems like Bayaz didn't learn Bethod's lesson.

[firstlawincorrectquotes]

Bayaz: As King of the Union, if you have any suggestions for the betterment of society, feel free to put them in this suggestion box.

Jezal: That's a trash can.

[xserpx]

‘Logen Ninefingers, then. The one they call the Bloody-Nine. I have heard stories about you, even shut up here in my library.’

Logen winced. He could guess what sort of stories the old man might have heard. ‘That was a long time ago.’

‘Of course. We all have a past, eh? I make no judgements on hearsay.’ And Bayaz smiled. A broad, white, beaming smile. His face lit up with friendly creases, but a hardness lingered around his eyes, deep-set and glistening green. A stony hardness.

Logen grinned back, but he reckoned already that he wouldn’t want to make an enemy of this man.

— The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

‘Your name hasn’t always been Lamb, has it?’

He looked at her, and then away. Hunching down further. Pulling his coat tighter. Thumb slipping out between his fingers over and over, rubbing at the stump of the middle one. The missing one. ‘We all got a past,’ he said.