Nachdem der zweite Band der Khaavren-Bände "Fivehundred Years After" auch geschafft ist, bin ich mittlerweile so weit, daß die überdehnten und umständlichen Dialoge mich nicht mehr nerven, sondern sie im Gegenteil zum wahren Genuß werden und ich mich über jeden besonders gelungenen unnötigen Satz freue. Und genau wie im ersten Band sind es wieder Pel und Tazendra, die dem ganzen noch die Krone aufsetzen:

Tazendra gave a cry upon seeing Pel, and embraced him with an exuberance that simultaneously raised the doorward's eyebrows and threatened the Yendi's ribs. He nevertheless returned the embrace as well as he could before disengaging himself and paying Tazendra a thousand compliments.

"So," he said at last, "you have been seeking me?"
"More than seeking you," said Tazendra. "I have found you."
"Well, you have," said Pel. "And yet - "
"And yet?"
"Well, I wonder - "
"Ah! I recognize you so well in that!"
"Oh, to be sure."
"But tell me what you wonder."
"Oh, I am about to."
"Begin then."
"I wonder why you have been seeking me."
"Why else, but to find you?"
"Yes, yes, I understand that, only - "
"Only you wish to know why I wanted to find you?"
"Yes, Tazendra. You have guessed it. I wish to know why you wanted to find me."
"Oh, as to that - "
"Yes?"
"I will tell you."
"And at once, I hope."
"Why, this, this very instant."
"Then I am listening."
"I wished to find you because I wish to learn what you know."
"You wish to learn what I know? But surely you must
understand - "
"Ah, ah! You know that understanding is not something I do well."
"Oh, but this is something you will understand."
"I am skeptical."
"I know you are, Tazendra, and I assure you that it is a mark of intelligence."
"Do you think so?"
"I am convinced of it."
"Well, what must I understand, then?"

.. und so geht es noch weiter, seitenlang. Oh dear, eigentlich wollte ich ja etwas anderes lesen, aber um "Paths of the Dead" komme ich wohl doch nicht herum, wie es aussieht, da nicht nur die Dialoge süchtig machen auf Dauer. Ah well.

11 Februar 1887

Emily Webb

wird geboren. Nach ihrem frühen Tod bei der Geburt ihres zweiten Kindes ermöglicht es ihr der Spielleiter, einen Tag aus ihrem Leben noch einmal zu erleben und sie sucht sich ihren 12. Geburtstag aus.

(Thornton Wilder, "Our Town", 1938)

09. Februar 1962

Leo Fortier

der Serienmörder, der von Temperance Brennan überführt wird, wurde an diesem Tag geboren.

(Kathy Reichs, "Deja Dead", 1997)

It was a bitch wind, knife sharp and cutting, and it blew
bad and cold.

And they came with it, scurrying and skittering, like yellow
leaves and old newspapers, from a thousand places and from nowhere at all.

They came in their suits and their tee shirts, carrying rucksacks and briefcases and suitcases and plastic bags, muttering and humming and silent as the night.

It seemed like the bitter fall wind brought them there.

Perhaps it did.

----------

The first wind of winter blew from the North, and it had ice and rime on it's breath.

It was dirty and sharp and it cut like a razor, and if it touched you, you could wash and wash until your skin was tattered and bloodied, but you'd never be clean again.

It scattered them into the night, the quiet ones with death in their eyes.

But they left more tentatively than they had come, as if they had seen something unholy inside themselves, something they would never be able to forget.

And they left slowly, one by one, with reluctance, leaving the safety of the light for the chill uncertainties of the darkness.

It seemed like the night sucked them up, took them into it's dark heart.

It seemed like the darkness swallowed them ...

Perhaps it did.

(Neil Gaiman, "The Sandman Library II - The Doll's House", 1990)

29.Januar 1962

Andrea Saint James

wird von ihrer Mitbewohnerin Annie Wilkes ermordet.

(Stephen King, "Misery", 1987)

29. Januar 1981

Herold Prowse

der üble Ehemann von Wavey Prowse kommt auf See in einem Sturm ums Leben.

(Annie Proulx, "The Shipping News", 1993)

24. Januar 1856

Jungfer Henriette von Grieshuus

das einzige Kind von Junker Hinrich wird geboren.

(Theodor Storm, "Zur Chronik von Grieshuus", 1884)