The Nearing End

The latter half of chapter twelve sees circumstances curiously reversed.

Sorwa's sections become more and more about his inward struggles with his perceived duties to Yatwer, his desire for Serwa, and his fear of being found out as a non-believer by either Moenghus or Serwa. All of this is enfolded in Serwa's giving quick history lessons as the three travel through a series of ruins on their way to the Nonmen kings.

On the other hand, the history textbook quality of those sections following the Army of the South in the Great Ordeal remains, but their content lights up with the flash of battle and sorcerous cants.

The effect of switching the external/internal roles of the two sections is a sense of progress. This sense is perfect, since with only two chapters of The White-Luck Warrior left, it's a good way to go about bringing things to an incomplete climax.

However, because of all of the grim and horrifying actions of the Sranc, the reveal that Moenghus and Serwa are this series' Jamie and Cersei was watered down for me. All the same, Bakker's treatment of the reveal of their coupling and how Sorwa happens upon it is enough to keep the revelation's essence impactful.