Emperor of Thorns (The Broken Empire, Book 3)
Chapter 35
by Mark, Lawrence,The chapter opens with Jorg, the protagonist, enduring an uncomfortable camel journey through the Margins of the Sahar Desert. He exchanges threats with his unruly camel and reflects on the beast’s hostile nature, contrasting it with horseback riding. Jorg and his companion Marco are part of a caravan led by Taureg drovers, including a man named Omal, who offers unsolicited advice. The journey was arranged by Michael, a Builder-ghost, hinting at the hidden influence of these ancient entities. Jorg’s sarcastic demeanor and sharp wit are on full display as he navigates the physical and social challenges of the trip.
Jorg engages in a tense conversation with Marco and Michael, revealing his knowledge of the Builder-ghosts’ factions. He speculates about their motives, suggesting some support the Prince of Arrow for emperor while others seek to eradicate all life. Michael, an enigmatic figure with unsettling eyes, dismisses Fexler Brews—another Builder-ghost—as insignificant, calling him a mere “gatekeeper.” Jorg, however, sees Fexler as a potential ally with a “third way” that diverges from the destructive paths of the other factions. The dialogue underscores the political and existential stakes of the conflict between humans and the Builder-ghosts.
The Margins are described as a desolate, fissured landscape teeming with hidden dangers. The caravan includes Taureg traders, drovers, and Ha’tari mercenaries who protect them from nocturnal predators. Around a campfire, Jorg questions Marco about their mission and the motives of Ibn Fayed, a powerful figure who initially opposed their journey but now allows it. Marco, a banker with limited understanding of the Builder-ghosts, seems oblivious to the deeper implications of their travel. Jorg’s suspicion grows as he notices Marco’s unusually heavy trunk, hinting at hidden secrets tied to the Builders’ technology.
The chapter closes with Jorg’s realization that Marco’s trunk might contain Builder artifacts, given its excessive weight. This triggers a memory of a similar heavy object from his past, suggesting Marco’s involvement with the Builders is more significant than he lets on. The journey through the Margins, fraught with physical discomfort and cryptic revelations, sets the stage for further intrigue as Jorg pieces together the true nature of the forces at play. The chapter blends action, dialogue, and world-building to advance the overarching plot while deepening the mystery surrounding the Builder-ghosts.
FAQs
1. How does Jorg describe the experience of riding a camel compared to a horse, and what does this reveal about his character?
Answer:
Jorg describes camel riding as vastly different from horse riding, emphasizing the animal’s height, disdain for riders, and unnatural gait designed to throw passengers off. His vivid description (“lurching you first forward and to the left, backward to the right…”) highlights his discomfort and irritation. This reveals Jorg’s impatience and disdain for situations outside his control, as well as his dark humor—he threatens to eat the camel’s liver, showcasing his tendency to respond to adversity with aggression and sardonic wit. The passage also underscores his adaptability, as he endures the journey despite his clear preference for dominance and efficiency.
2. What does the conversation between Jorg and Michael reveal about the Builder-ghosts’ motivations and limitations?
Answer:
Michael explains that the Builder-ghosts lack consensus on whether to exterminate humanity, comparing their disunity to the human Congression’s failure to elect an emperor. He notes that wiping out all life would require near-total cooperation, which they currently lack. This reveals the ghosts’ fractured priorities: some advocate for peace (to prepare humanity for serving machines), while others seek annihilation. Jorg’s probing questions (“what stops them from wiping the slate clean?”) expose his strategic mind, as he gauges their threats and weaknesses. The dialogue also hints at the ghosts’ internal hierarchy, with Michael dismissing Fexler Brews as a “maintenance algorithm,” suggesting divisions in their ranks.
3. Analyze the significance of Marco’s reaction to Jorg’s knowledge of the Builder-ghosts. What does this imply about their relationship and Jorg’s tactics?
Answer:
Marco’s shock (“dry lips parting with an audible pop”) at Jorg’s awareness of the Builder-ghosts underscores his underestimation of Jorg’s knowledge and influence. Jorg deliberately scatters his limited information (“spend them carelessly”) to create an illusion of deeper understanding, manipulating Marco into treating him with wary respect. This tactic reveals Jorg’s psychological acumen: he leverages uncertainty to gain advantage. Marco’s subsequent guarded behavior (“moderated his opinions”) shows how easily Jorg disrupts power dynamics. The scene also highlights Marco’s naivety—he never considers Jorg might be lying, a flaw Jorg notes for future exploitation.
4. What role does the setting of the Margins play in establishing the tone and themes of the chapter?
Answer:
The Margins—a “vast and barren wilderness of cracked mud”—create a tone of desolation and lurking danger. The fissured landscape mirrors the fractured alliances and hidden threats in the narrative (e.g., the Builder-ghosts’ discord). The “twisted creatures” hiding in cracks symbolize the hidden perils Jorg faces, both physical and political. The harsh environment also reinforces themes of survival and adaptability, as Jorg endures the brutal journey. The contrast between the “white-hot blaze” of stars and the darkness of the fissures reflects the duality of Jorg’s world: surface-level civility (the caravan) masking deeper violence (the Ha’tari’s nocturnal battles).
5. Why does Jorg suspect Marco’s trunk is significant, and how does this connect to broader themes of the chapter?
Answer:
Jorg realizes the trunk’s unnatural weight (“more than the two of us!”) and connects it to Builder technology, recalling Gorgoth and Rike struggling with a Builder artifact in the past. This suspicion ties into the chapter’s themes of hidden knowledge and manipulation. The trunk may contain tools for interfacing with ghosts (like the view-ring), symbolizing Marco’s concealed power. Jorg’s deduction underscores his perceptiveness and paranoia—he scrutinizes everything for advantage. It also hints at the broader conflict: just as the trunk’s contents are obscured, the true motives of the Builder-ghosts (and Marco’s role) remain shrouded, forcing Jorg to navigate half-seen threats.
Quotes
1. “Riding a camel is nothing like horse riding. You’re a yard higher in the air and perched on a creature that regards you as an unforgivable insult. The beast’s natural gait is designed to throw a passenger off at each stride, lurching you first forward and to the left, backward to the right, forward to the right, backward to the left, in endless repetition.”
This vivid description captures Jorg’s disdain for camel travel while illustrating the harsh realities of desert journeying. It sets the tone for the chapter’s physical challenges and Jorg’s darkly humorous perspective.
2. “‘It’s very easy to kill most of the people,’ Michael said. ‘And very hard to kill absolutely all of them. To do so would require a consensus, cooperation between all, or almost all, of my people. Rather like Congression. Perhaps on the day you finally elect a replacement for your dead emperor you should start to worry that my kind might find a similar unity of purpose.’”
This chilling exchange reveals the Builder ghosts’ capabilities and limitations, while drawing parallels between human politics and AI governance. It’s a key moment that explains why humanity hasn’t been wiped out yet.
3. “A glorified gatekeeper with delusions of grandeur.”
Jorg’s dismissive conclusion about Fexler Brews represents his tendency to reduce complex entities to their most utilitarian functions. This quote shows his cynical worldview and how he processes information about the Builder ghosts’ hierarchy.
4. “The Margins of the Sahar Desert are a vast and barren wilderness of cracked mud. A fissured geometry stretches across these lands, repeating at ever-larger scales, dust-blown, unbroken by mountain, lake, tree, or bush.”
This atmospheric description of the desert landscape creates a strong sense of place while mirroring the fractured nature of the world’s political and technological state. The imagery reflects the chapter’s themes of harsh journeys and hidden dangers.
5. “For someone who dragged the means to speak to a Builder ghost around with him, Marco seemed to know very little.”
This observation highlights the chapter’s theme of hidden knowledge and the limitations of human understanding. It shows Jorg’s growing awareness of how information is controlled and compartmentalized in this world.