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Originally Posted by RosemaryKirstein
I’m glad you brought that up, Charlie (it was inevitable that someone would bring it up, actually). The fact is, when I now look back on that scene, I find it disturbing, too. Torture is dreadful, appalling, wrong – and it’s one of the horrors of our modern world.
So, why did the “good guys” use it in my book?
There are a couple of things to consider when asking that question.
The first is: the date.
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OK, fair enough. Actually, though, the scene bothered me even when I read it the first time. Which was in 1989. Less then than now, certainly. And certainly there's no way Rowan could have done it. It's simply not consistent with any other part of her character.
On the other hand, I wasn't particularly bothered by the blowing up of the Wizard's Keep. William is a 14 year old boy, and I know what I was like at 14 (which was a very long time ago indeed.) One is reminded of one of my all time favourite quotes from Jamie on
Mythbusters - "Jamie want big boom!" However, I was not then, nor am I now, an expert on the explosive power of black powder, so can't comment on the technical accuracy. (And honestly, I don't think it is at all critical to the story, so I don't want the discussion to focus on that.)