Gates Of Fire Excerpt

[Alysha]

Excerptedfrom A Passion for Leadership by Robert M. Gates Copyright 2016 by Robert M Gates. Excerpted by permission of Vintage. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Also, at the CIA and Defense I supposedly could tell people what to do, whereas persuasion was my only recourse at A&M. However, while I could give orders at the CIA and the Pentagon, no successful leader of either ever did so; on the big issues, like the budget, the list is long of directors and secretaries whose ambitious plans crashed and burned because they failed to consult and persuade the intelligence professionals and the uniformed military to go along with their plans. In sum, when it comes to the fundamentals, these three organizations have much in common.

Another reality would-be reformers face in the public sector is that almost every career employee has some form of job security. While most think of tenure as lifetime job security for university faculty, in truth, except in dire budgetary circumstances, the uniformed military and civil servants have significant job protection as well. While firing people has become more difficult in the private sector, it is still relatively easy (especially if incompetence, mistakes, or misbehavior have been documented) compared with the public sector. Unlike in business, those opposed to an agenda for change or reform cannot easily be fired or even moved out of the way to another job. As a result, most civil servants who are opposed to change or reform can simply outwait the reformer. They were there when he arrived; they will still be there when he leaves.

My commentary and notes, with additional book quotes, are below the pasted excerpt. The video, text, and artwork credit are pasted below as well. I did not go too much into the political troubles that Jaehaerys was having at the time because this excerpt seems to want to focus on this precursor to what Alysanne later executes.

George has said some of his sources for character/world building inspiration is based on Native Americans. I detailed a bit in this essay about Bears: Jon and Val, however, I want to add a reminder here about roads. The White feather-Bear Clan of the Hopi Indians has listed this as one of the signs of Armageddon, or, end of the fourth world:

8. I do find it interesting that fire-woman Alysanne has a Darke Red Shadow that follows her as her sworn shield. This Jonquil mock fighting against a free folk woman make me wonder of this is a female, lesbian, version of the tale of Florian and Jonquil. Ser Florian, better known as Florian the Fool, is the main character in a tale about falling in love with a maiden named Jonquil. He is one of the many legendary heroes of the riverlands from the Age of Heroes. In this version, Jonquil Darke is the partner to a possible Florian, which is a flowery sounding name that is common with the free folk. Just speculation, though.

I have started a book club re-read for the older works of George R.R. Martin for purposes such as research, scholarship, and teaching. I own all copies of material that is used for this book club. If you have not yet read a story listed, please check with your local bookstore for your own reading material to purchase (Indie Bookstore Finder or Bookshop.org). The full list of GRRM stories outside of the A Song of Ice and Fire series that I have read can be found on this page here.

It takes a while to transcribe and then note each story for research purposes, even the really short ones, so the main book club page will be updated as each re-read is added. Make sure you subscribe for updates.

If you prefer to listen to a podcast that gives synopsis and analysis of stories written by George R.R. Martin, please consider the new group A Thousand Casts to accompany your ears. Twitter or Podbean.

They rode on through sunset, and slow dusk, and gathering night. When at last they halted and dismounted, for the night even Aragorn was stiff and weary. Eomer only allowed them a few hours of rest. Even the elves slept and Merry lay flat next to Aragorn, stretched upon his back. All was silent, and there was no sign or sound of living thing. The night was barred with long clouds, fleeting on a chill wind, when they arose again. Under the cold moon they went on once more, as swift as by the light of day.

Hours passed and still they rode on. Merry nodded and would have fallen from his seat, if Aragorn had not clutched and shaken him. The Riders of Rohan, weary but proud, followed their tireless leader into the night, for great was their need which drove them through the night. The miles went by. The waxing moon sank into the cloudy West.

Their path led them through the encampment, where men were beginning to stir. Eomer and the Riders were hailed with friendship, but for Grima there was no greeting beyond dark glances and hostile eyes. Upon Aragorn, Merry and the elves, the Rohirrim stared openly, for they appeared as figures out of the legends to them. At the foot of the walled hill the way ran under the shadow of many mounds, high and green. Upon their western sides the grass was white as with a drifted snow: small flowers sprang there like countless stars amid the turf.

Now the companions went forward, past the clear wood-fire burning upon the long hearth in the midst of the hall. Then they halted. At the far end of the house, beyond the hearth and facing north towards the doors, was a dais with three steps; and in the middle of the dais was a great gilded chair. Upon it sat a man worn by age, but possessing a great strength beneath his lined features, as an ancient tree that stands proud when younger saplings might bow before the wind. His white hair was long and thick and fell in great braids from beneath a thin golden circle set upon his brow. In the centre upon his forehead shone a single white diamond. His beard was laid like snow upon his knees; but his eyes still burned with a bright light, glinting as he gazed at the strangers. Behind his chair stood a woman clad in white and sanding around him were a dozen tall men, clad in green and gold.

The trumpets sounded. The horses reared and neighed. Spear clashed on shield. Then the king raised his hand, and with a rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West. Far over the plain Eowyn saw the glitter of their spears, as she stood still, alone before the doors of the silent house.

The host had been riding for two days, pursued by an increasing heaviness in the air heralding a great host of think black clouds following. In the afternoon the dark clouds began to overtake them: a somber canopy with great billowing edges flecked with dazzling light. The sun went down, blood-red in a smoking haze. The spears of the Riders were tipped with fire as the last shafts of light kindled the steep faces of the peaks of Thrihyrne: now very near they stood on the northernmost arm of the White Mountains, three jagged horns staring at the sunset. In the last red glow men in the vanguard saw a black speck, a horseman riding back towards them. They halted awaiting him.

The rumour of war grew behind them. Now they could hear, borne over the dark, the sound of harsh singing. They had climbed far up into the Deeping-coomb when they looked back. Then they saw torches countless points of fiery light upon the black fields behind, scattered like red flowers, or winding up from the lowlands in long flickering lines. Here and there a larger blaze leapt up.

There was neither star nor moon when the Riders came to the breach in the Dike, where the stream from above passed out, and the road beside it ran down from the Hornburg. The rampart loomed suddenly before them, a high shadow beyond a dark pit. As they rode up a sentinel challenged them.

The king and his Riders passed on. Before the causeway that crossed the stream they dismounted. In a long file they led their horses up the ramp and passed within the gates of the Hornburg. There they were welcomed again with joy and renewed hope by Elfhelm, who at once yielded command of the fortress to his liege; for now there were men enough to man both the burg and the barrier wall.

Quickly Eomer set his men in readiness. The king and the men of his household were in the Hornburg, and there also were many of the Westfold-men. But on the Deeping Wall and its tower, and behind it, Eomer arrayed most of the strength that he had, for here the defence seemed more doubtful, if the assault were determined and in great force. Aragorn went with Eomer there, as did Merry who followed along wishing for all the world that no-one would take any notice of him and yet not wanting to be forgot and left behind. The horses were led far up the Deep under such guard as could be spared. Legolas went up to the Hornburg sat above on the parapet where his vantage was best, fingering his bow, and peering out into the gloom.

The Deeping Wall was twenty feet high, and so thick that four men could walk abreast along the top, sheltered by a parapet over which only a tall man could look. Here and there were clefts in the stone through which men could shoot. This battlement could be reached by a stair running down from a door in the outer court of the Hornburg; three flights of steps led also up on to the wall from the Deep behind; but in front it was smooth, and the great stones of it were set with such skill that no foothold could be found at their joints, and at the top they hung over like a sea-delved cliff.

Suddenly from the Dike yells and screams, and the fierce battle-cries of men broke out. Flaming brands appeared over the brink and clustered thickly at the breach. Then they scattered and vanished. Men came galloping back over the field and up the ramp to the gate of the Hornburg. The rearguard of the Westfolders had been driven in.

It was now past midnight. The sky was utterly dark, and the stillness of the heavy air foreboded storm. Suddenly the clouds were seared by a blinding flash. Branched lightning smote down upon the eastward hills. For a staring moment the watchers on the walls saw all the space between them and the Dike lit with white light: it was boiling and crawling with black shapes. some squat and broad, some tall and grim, with high helms and sable shields. Hundreds and hundreds more were pouring over the Dike and through the breach. The dark tide flowed up to the walls from cliff to cliff. Thunder rolled in the valley. Rain came lashing down.

3a8082e126