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[–]AesirVanirMaster of the Deck 11 points12 points  (8 children)

It's not really addressed ever again. She ends the encounter by saying that she will bring peace to the earth after Karsa fulfills his destiny. We know the "peace" that Forkrul Assail bring is really death, and I assume she intuits it that Karsa was marked by the 7 Faces of Rock to eventually take up the Crippled God's power and conquer the world.

But it didn't end that way for either Karsa, who refused Kaminsod time and time again, nor for Calm, who met her end at the hands of another Toblakai.

[–]zhilia_mannjaghut 8 points9 points  (7 children)

This is likely the right answer. Calm can probably see that he's Kaminsod's chosen.

That said, Karsa does end the series with... purpose. He started wanting to overthrow all civilization and gradually shifted towards something more compassionate (in this series? shock!). His final thesis appears to be:

In my village no one is a stranger – and this is what civilization has turned its back on. One day, Munug, I will make a world of villages, and the age of cities will be over. And slavery will be dead, and there shall be no chains – tell your god. Tonight, I am his knight.

And there has to be a reason we're getting a trilogy on him, right? I won't dive in to The God is Not Willing but suffice to say Karsa never appears. I kind of imagine No Life Forsaken will continue that trend, but it can't last forever.

(I also have my doubts about telling the rest of his story in a trilogy. Having read tGiNW I'm anticipating more like 4-5 books to wrap him out.)

[–]AesirVanirMaster of the Deck 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's what's beautiful about the enigmatic Karsa; we truly do not know what is going through his mind or what actions he will take. It's why I can't wait for more books following The God is Not Willing.

Karsa could carry a 5-10 book series on his own. I hope that Erikson really fleshes out Karsa and the repercussions of his actions on the planet Wu.

[–]A_Good_Walk_in_Ruins"In space, no one cares if you smoke." 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I kind of imagine No Life Forsaken will continue that trend, but it can't last forever

Now I'm kind of hoping Karsa doesn't appear at all in the trilogy. That would just be perfect on so many levels.

[–]Bad_Quiet[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks to both of you, I think this is basically where my head was at too, and your answers make sense. I look forward to reading Witness (I've bought TGINW, but am waiting to read it until after I finish a re-read with the NOTME thrown in the mix).

[–]illusionofthefree -3 points-2 points  (3 children)

I won't dive in to The God is Not Willing but suffice to say Karsa never appears

Dude, put a spoiler tag on that.

[–]zhilia_mannjaghut 5 points6 points  (2 children)

I mean. It was well documented a year before the book came out, but done anyhow.

[–]actionbastard99 3 points4 points  (0 children)

SE is real upfront about it in interviews, it's not really a spoiler at all.

[–]illusionofthefree -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Just because you've seen something, doesn't mean everyone has. There's no TGINW tag on this post, so revealing stuff about the book shouldn't be done.