Spoiler space More soldier space
Still more spoiler space Yet more spoiler space And, for good measure, even more spoiler space . . . . . Although Ray doesn't come out and say the Oracle of Aal is dead, it is at least suggested in ACI that if not dead it can no longer see into the future because we're now at the end of everything and it could go any which way (I am paraphrasing of course). Although I am very curious to see how this all plays out in Ray's universe it strikes me that an often common theme in fantasy series is a transition away from times of magic and really fantastical stuff to the end of magic, or prophecy, etc. Don't mean to imply that any particular implementation of the notion is bad or unoriginal (or that Ray is going to kill off magic), just rather noting a hint of commonality of theme. I don't think I've ever read a fantasy series that goes the other way, e.g., where the characters begin an age of great magic, prophecy and fantastical stuff rather than hearing legends of one or ending one. Tolkien ends with the era of magic ending. Brooks began with the magic largely having been lost. Jordan the same. Goodkind seems to have gone there and looks to continue to be doing so. Martin's legends are of those who did such great things his current characters think of those ancient vanquished does as fairy tales... Just a few examples, but has anyone thought about this before? Why is the age of magic and what have you always ending rather than beginning?
