Actually, normally, this book should have been written for another thirty or forty chapters, like this: Little Klein gradually eliminates interference, fights against sabotage, and Manipulation the Fate of the Utopia's Marionette until the ritual is ready and he is promoted naturally. In the process, the stories of other people can be developed to make the whole book more complete.
That was my the Original thought too, but later I felt that such a development would be an insult to the villains' intelligence. Zaratul couldn't just sit there and wait to die, Adam and Amon couldn't just wait for Klein to advance, or try to interfere with him with repeated, low-intensity tests, as if they were playing a game.
Their necessary choice is to create an opportunity to unleash all their power, either by confronting Klein directly, or by having Verdue perform a ritual to release Mr. "The Door" when Klein is powerless to stop them.
Once this opportunity arises, it will inevitably develop Storm, without any easing. The conflict will completely erupt, with each side exerting all its strength to achieve its own goals, pushing the tide to its highest point.
This explains why the pace suddenly quickens in the final part of the seventh film. This is an inevitable development after Adam gets involved. It's a choice that any intelligent person on the opposing side would make; they can't let Klein prepare in an orderly and leisurely manner.
That makes sense.
Let's get back to the title of this film, " The Hanged Man ".
Its main meaning comes from the interpretation of Tarot cards, and I have given it two of the most obvious meanings:
First, one must voluntarily sacrifice oneself or pay the price.
Secondly, when facing difficulties, don't struggle in vain. Instead, look at the problem from a different perspective, calmly examine yourself, think about the future, and patiently wait for things to happen.
Regarding the first point, since the seventh book, those who made sacrifices include Roselle, Mr. "Door", the Ancient The Sun God in the background of the story, Alger decided to give up important things and pay the price, as well as the implied, only indirectly revealed, Little Klein, the " True Creator " and Adam.
Little Klein finally inherited the Celestial Worthy's legacy in a certain sense. This was not only due to using the " Curtain's " ability to separate and complete himself, but also because of his deal with the " Deng Shen ".
If the True Creator and Adam were to unite, one or even both of them would inevitably have to relinquish some of their ego, especially if Amon had not yet handed over the first Blasphemy Slate.
Therefore, the cross and the " The Hanged Man " in the final scene are Psychological Suggestion to this.
No matter how despicable, indifferent, or ruthless Adam may be in other ways, He did not shirk His responsibility in this matter. Since He could not gain an absolute advantage, He was willing to sacrifice something.
This also corresponds to the opening statement: all things possess divinity, which both looks down upon all living beings and transcends human nature; it possesses both, with both good and bad aspects.
As for the second meaning of " The Hanged Man," it is hidden in the events of the seventh book. The most obvious example is Little Klein's behavior when he is ambushed and in dire straits. Of course, this is not the most important part. The most important part is the content of the "I" part: when Klein lives from a different perspective, as each "I" lives, looks at problems, and thinks about the future, Little Klein divinity rises, but his humanity remains.
Besides these two points, there are also Alger's dilemma and decisions, Audrey's struggle with the Psychology Alchemists, and so on.
Well, I actually considered having Alger sacrifice himself in this volume, and adding Fors as another character, all revolving around the "Door" storyline. But then I realized, when did I add a Western Continent storyline for Alger...? What's going on...? So, I had to settle for second best and have him completely abandon his past and his status. As for Fors, she's just too salty, so salty that I don't even know how to get her to go on an adventure...
I wrote about the other aspects of the seventh book a few days ago in my March summary, so I won't go into detail here. I can only say that I was very satisfied with the relatively relaxed pace, different perspectives, and different narrative techniques in the beginning. The intense ending in the latter part was caused by the clashes between the characters. They had their own thoughts, their own choices, and their own Fate. As a Author, I can't say that this is the best way, but I have to respect it.
When a story has developed to this stage, and the Fate of the characters have intertwined and converged into a torrent, it signifies the approach of the end.
Two more points. First, Mr. "Men". The sacrifice of Mr. "Men" was foreshadowed for a long time, so in the end it was presented with only a few simple actions and a sentence, without any extra sentimentality or unnecessary cumbersome descriptions. I think that's good. All the words are contained in that choice.
Secondly, there's Zaratul. To be honest, I the Original hoped for a major battle; there always has to be a major battle at the end of a book, right? But after Little Klein used the Deng Shen to achieve his ascension, his strength and status were reversed, and with Roselle's backstabbing, I really can't imagine how Zaratul could possibly turn the tide or engage in a tug-of-war. If, in Utopia, Zaratul might have been able to create a miracle in such a situation, after his hasty escape the first time, losing his Marionette and the initiative, I don't think it's necessary to force a new narrative about him.
Of course, I've never liked giving villains flashbacks before their deaths, which resulted in Zaratul, who was always Concealment and mysterious, not having enough backstory and his character not being fully fleshed out, which is a pity.
This is also a problem I've been trying to solve: bosses are always habitually made too strong, resulting in them not having many opportunities to appear. As a result, when they finally come out to finish things off, there is a lack of continuity and emotional buildup, making it difficult to create the desired impact and explosive feeling.
I hope Amon can provide me with a solution to this problem.
Alright, that concludes the summary of the seventh book. It's safe to say that this one has the highest subscription rate, with the last few copies around 65,000, while it usually stays around 59,000, with a low of just under 57,000. It's not surprising that the average subscription rate has been rising since the beginning of Mysteries Books, but it's very rare for subscription rates to rise with every book. For me, this is a first.
Well, the title of the eighth installment is easy to guess. " The Fool," starting with " The Clown " and ending with " The Fool."
As usual, I'll take a three-and-a-half-day break. Today will be half a day, plus Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Updates will resume on Thursday, April 9th at 12:30 PM. Hmm, I had the ending scene planned before I started the book, but I still need to think about how to develop it, as well as the battle of wits with Amon.
Finally, since I've made this a separate chapter, I'll also take this opportunity to ask for your monthly votes!
Also, I recommend a book called "My Cell Prison," which is also in the occult and Cthulhu style (you can tell from the author's name, it's the guy in the yellow shirt, Fatty).
Reborn as a cell, wielding the power of the Prison Codex, I arrive in a parallel world where the ancients have awakened.
Steam civilization, terrifying space, the eternal night of the old king, and alien demons outside the city.
The gates of Fate have been opened – Crusades, libraries, control, machinery, and mysticism will serve as a new system for human development and growth.
The anthem of humanity is an anthem of courage! The indomitable knights gallop across the world ruled by ancient kings, reclaiming the freedom that belongs to humankind.