tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post2962262591831210090..comments2023-08-27T10:28:30.200+01:00Comments on Temporarily Significant: But but but...You're reading it wrong. Again!Ben Aaronovitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-35282400081131528642017-01-31T20:25:53.307+00:002017-01-31T20:25:53.307+00:00I missed the "ginger" bit when I read th...I missed the "ginger" bit when I read the description of Dr Walid, and assumed his race based on his name (I kind of pictured him like chef Tony Singh, who's Scottish with Indian parents). I was veeery confused by his conversation with Peter about going back to Oban for Christmas!<br /><br />I think if the doctor had changed his first name but not his last I'd have picked it up sooner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-47724725206404699932016-07-21T23:18:25.235+01:002016-07-21T23:18:25.235+01:00Eh, well, there's a significant Gaelic-speakin...Eh, well, there's a significant Gaelic-speaking Asian community in the Hebrides so Scots would tend to assume Walid was one of them.whitehoundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13440444397818905990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-29608762073060685442014-09-02T10:23:54.033+01:002014-09-02T10:23:54.033+01:00I saw the Middle Eastern name, plus ginger hair, p...I saw the Middle Eastern name, plus ginger hair, plus Scottish accent, and was a little confused, as gingery hair plus Middle Eastern names is not a combination I've encountered before (the Scottish part was fine). I figured he must have been bi-racial, or potentially had changed his name upon converting, or had parents who just liked the sound of the name, or any of a number of possible reasons, so I've been waiting for an explanation to crop up (admittedly, I'm only about halfway through book 2 so far). But now I know the reason; thanks for explaining. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16067579486486417735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-1780492322794525822013-08-17T14:10:38.701+01:002013-08-17T14:10:38.701+01:00It doesn't help that in the Italian translatio...It doesn't help that in the Italian translation Dr. Walid is described as a "lively and energetic" - or something like that - "man in his fifties"...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07564312338497606999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-29671694462123446052013-07-31T16:49:43.393+01:002013-07-31T16:49:43.393+01:00I think I liked the idea of him being a scottish a...I think I liked the idea of him being a scottish accented asian more than the idea of Robin Cook. But Authors get to choose, while as a reader I can mentally edit the character to suit my preference and there's nothing authors can do about it; so I'm going for Hardeep Singh as being wrong both religiously and ethnically, but having a great character that would make Walid a really good screen presence when the TV series happens.Angel Jemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08915392156232711695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-89907288903601211752012-12-30T23:27:11.179+00:002012-12-30T23:27:11.179+00:00I'm going to have to raise my hand and admit t...I'm going to have to raise my hand and admit that I had completely missed him being white.<br /> <br />Living in Scotland, I'm used to second/third generation migrants with Scottish accents. And I took "gingery" to be in the vein of "Spirit and liveliness; vigor." (Dictionary.com). Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04602589454586876709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-59854601455581470492012-12-20T04:09:09.895+00:002012-12-20T04:09:09.895+00:00Hmm.. Couple of comments. I too thought he was a M...Hmm.. Couple of comments. I too thought he was a Middle Eastern or Pakistani Scot. Go to Edinburgh (yes, I realise not the Highlands), and there are tons of them with good Scottish accents. Took my American girlfriend quite by surprise! (Although not as much as the Brummie Indians). Even after the reference to all his Kirk-going relatives it took me a while to figure he must have been a convert. <br /><br />Secondly - and this is probably not your fault - there are a few typos in the US Kindle version, but more irritatingly, in the first two books your character is Leslie, and in the third book she is Lesley. As you can imagine, it REALLY REALLY bothered me. What happened? I assume the US spelling police unilaterally decided to change it (until the third volume?).<br /><br />OK rant overRGHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12613072866986826769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-50111073180942753882012-12-05T21:41:52.376+00:002012-12-05T21:41:52.376+00:00Chiming in on Caro's comment. I accepted her c...Chiming in on Caro's comment. I accepted her challenge for thinking of three towns in Scotland. The only ones I could manage at first were Muir Island and Brigadoon. :/ She said she meant ACTUAL places. (Librarians are so picky.) I did finally think of Aberdeen and we figured Loch Ness had to have a town nearby....Susan the Neon Nursehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10828391913360231551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-5149968806213890922012-12-04T23:40:07.647+00:002012-12-04T23:40:07.647+00:00I think, for Americans there are several factors. ...I think, for Americans there are several factors. One is, until Harry Potter, many people (and most of the kids) had not been exposed to ginger as a a concept. Not the hair color, and not the negative stereotype. What the kids have done with it in the Harry Potter fanfiction is amazingly horrifying--it's like Rowling gave them a new stereotype which they are prone to overuse. Anyway, ginger might have not registered as a hair color. If you's said red or strawberry blond, it would have imprinted. <br /><br />Next is Oban. I'm old, and I had to go look it up, as geography is not one of my strengths. Coming cold onto it, a good many people might assume it is a Middle Eastern sounding name. I mean, for most Americans, the task of 'Name three cities in Scotland' is probably not possible unless you include Hogsmeade.<br /><br />And frankly, there are probably even a few younger American readers who might not know that a Highland accent is a reference to Scotland.<br /><br />So your description included enough clues for readers on your side of the pond, but not this one. <br /><br />The details of the cultural mix of London/England/United Kingdom make fun and tasty bits in your novels. Sometimes we don't have enough cultural background to get all the references. I tried to imagine all of the characters while ruminating about this and decided that the other character folks might have trouble visualizing was Peter's dad. Are there cultural markers I've missed there, too? I just assumed he was white or partly so,but I could be wrong, eh?Carohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17020598172012580039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-57409004883074575172012-12-03T08:00:13.199+00:002012-12-03T08:00:13.199+00:00Given that red hair is found in parts of North Ind...Given that red hair is found in parts of North India / Pakeistan, I hadn't seen 'ginergy' as necessarily excluding a South Asian ethnicity (and I'd evidently missed the other references). While I'm happy to have been corrected, I'm not happy to now be seeing Robin Cook. I think I'll endevaour to see Colin Tierney instead.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743224874913780744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-7255927213763742002012-11-29T14:56:57.854+00:002012-11-29T14:56:57.854+00:00I missed the ginger reference, but then again I go...I missed the ginger reference, but then again I got so hooked on the novel that I read it all in one sitting and finished at 6am, so I doubt that helped. I did have the sense that I didn't know what Dr Walid looked like when I was reading the later books, I guess it's because he is a supporting character so he isn't around that frequently. But I like the fact that none of the characters are excessively described, it means there is actually space for the plot to go somewhere :)Anniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08070109402535488820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-72497733265078068882012-11-25T10:50:09.421+00:002012-11-25T10:50:09.421+00:00I listened to the audio books. Instead of my eyes ...I listened to the audio books. Instead of my eyes running over words and getting ahead of myself, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's excellent narrating lets me pay attention to the little things. I've never imagined Dr. Walid as anything but a ginger. Danicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13235434337590404066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-12689306764085104472012-11-22T09:55:22.411+00:002012-11-22T09:55:22.411+00:00Like you Peter is used to converts, Nightingale ha...Like you Peter is used to converts, Nightingale has known him for ages, Seawoll wouldn't do a double take if you paid him and Lesley follows the lead of Peter. <br /><br />I overestimated the obviousness of the point I was making. That's life I suppose.Ben Aaronovitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-88051922359254937802012-11-22T09:31:41.530+00:002012-11-22T09:31:41.530+00:00I registered "gingery" and understood he...I registered "gingery" and understood he was ethnically Scottish but religiously Islamic. Possibly you needed to have a character do a doubletake to reinforce this though.<br /><br />As an (ex) Londoner converts to Islam are not alien to me, though none of the ones I'm met have changed names. Perhaps less cosmopolitan readers found it harder to understand?Paul Martell-Meadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685931121617390462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-80673810570231375672012-11-11T17:43:26.589+00:002012-11-11T17:43:26.589+00:001. I'm not sure your central assumption -->...1. I'm not sure your central assumption -->'As-in all matter spiritual can be scientifically verified.'<-- holds in the Follyverse.<br /><br />2. Dr Walid converted when he was a student (spoiler) time before he discovered the existence of Newtonian magic.<br /><br />3. Lack of evidence does not seem a bar to belief in this universe I don't see why it would be different in the Follyverse.<br />Ben Aaronovitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-89611602955204505712012-11-11T17:15:04.408+00:002012-11-11T17:15:04.408+00:00It seems like a world with overt magic would end u...It seems like a world with overt magic would end up having a 'one true religion'. As-in all matter spiritual can be scientifically verified. In this case I'd say Shinto and other similar religions win, the rest sorry, try again next continuity. <br /><br />So in other words, why the heck is Dr. Walid a convert? Though I suppose Sufism might jive pretty well the reality of this universe. Maybe it's a tradition of magic even. But it certainly isn't the obvious choice.Ian Monroehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16953610792430204523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-35844752192002445562012-11-08T18:17:33.222+00:002012-11-08T18:17:33.222+00:00The "gingery" registered as "ginger...The "gingery" registered as "gingerly" and I imagined him to be a small, wiry and animated Arab who had been adopted as a child into a Scottish family, hence the accent. :-) The stories our minds immediately make up to explain a contradicting perception are really interesting. Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525211350245471090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-35867873978402041002012-11-05T21:02:10.842+00:002012-11-05T21:02:10.842+00:00It's been MANY years since I read the Belgaria...It's been MANY years since I read the Belgariad and I knew that was CeNedra after the second epithet. She worried about being perceived as flat-chested too. (Sorry. Entirely agree with ranter. ) Rather unusually for me, I think I actually took all the descriptions of the characters to heart (and about half of the suggestions for Peter are too dark, since we know he looks like Obama).<br />I'm not much help even with American actors, but more of your lot look like people instead of Botoxed cybermen. And are allowed to have regional accents, despite the UK being smaller than the US.<br /><br />Hold a good thought for the elections tomorrow, I'm left of left-of-center (I believe that makes me a damp Tory in your money, I know) and miserably worried.<br /><br />LauraJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09903583499215247315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-65635566420452249452012-11-05T20:59:00.307+00:002012-11-05T20:59:00.307+00:00All that is true and yet I thought the ginger aspe...All that is true and yet I thought the ginger aspect would be a clue. I'd forgotten about the other use of the word gingery.Ben Aaronovitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-41874151025054566142012-11-05T20:19:08.535+00:002012-11-05T20:19:08.535+00:00I confess, a Ben Kingsley-alike was what I imagine...I confess, a Ben Kingsley-alike was what I imagined. Growing up in Scotland, accent and ethnicity are not particularly coupled there *at all*. Katie Leung (Cho in those daft Potter films), were you to hear her voice shorn of her image, would doubtless put you in mind of a the stereotypical Weegie. For some reason, Scotland is blessed by wiping the slate clean that way. Besides, yon ghostie refers to him as a Mohamedan and since he's from a period and social class which would be more likely to perceive Islam as an ethnicity ...fhtagnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04909875175827381775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-27771369524988724162012-11-05T14:34:17.876+00:002012-11-05T14:34:17.876+00:00Oh and if not Pickup, persuade Sylvester McCoy to ...Oh and if not Pickup, persuade Sylvester McCoy to go ginger for you ;)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14569732807130090838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-9712073386838534962012-11-05T13:48:51.546+00:002012-11-05T13:48:51.546+00:00Did I mention she had red hair? *mimes shooting s...Did I mention she had red hair? *mimes shooting self in the head* <br />Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04042245059432754325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-85448024005483015742012-11-05T13:18:16.329+00:002012-11-05T13:18:16.329+00:00That was Cenedra in the Belgariad and I claim my p...That was Cenedra in the Belgariad and I claim my prize.Ben Aaronovitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-24028014143465045852012-11-05T12:57:48.166+00:002012-11-05T12:57:48.166+00:00Cast David Tennant, he could use his real accent, ...Cast David Tennant, he could use his real accent, and he wanted to be ginger...<br /><br />But seriously, for maximum impact, go with an audience-viewpoint character about half-way through who does a comical 'but...but...' double take at being introduced to the Dr. Bonus points if Peter admits to being amused every time it happens. This is one way to cement Walid's actual ethnicity in people's mind's eyes. (Stops, counts apostrophes.)<br /><br />Just for the love of god do not do as one fantasy novel I had the misfortune to read did. This author had apparently been told to use adjectives as often as possible, however he only had a limited number of said adjectives, which got very repetitive and tiresome within two pages. "The little queen" "the tiny queen" "the petite queen" OVER AND OVER AND OVER, OH MY GOD, I get it, she's TINY. Christ almighty, give it a rest. <br /><br />Sorry to rant, I'm better now.Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04042245059432754325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1763010932242315938.post-80342432803029430412012-11-05T12:26:46.077+00:002012-11-05T12:26:46.077+00:00The stuff about university hasn't been in the ...The stuff about university hasn't been in the books yet.Ben Aaronovitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827057173097312360noreply@blogger.com