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Darkness Visible (2011 novel): Difference between revisions
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It is set in 1895, in a world which is identical to our own history except for one key fact: there are people, known as venturers, who can travel instantly between locations by tearing holes (Thresholds) in the fabric of reality. However, Thresholds are not entirely safe, and a bad one will cause unreality to leak in from beyond the world, with potentially fatal consequences.
The book follows the exploits of [[Blue Blood|Lord]] Henry Lewis, a Warden responsible for keeping an eye on Threshold activity in [[London Town|London]] and closing dangerous Thresholds before they cause any trouble. However, his job has become more than usually difficult, because someone or something is opening a lot of very dangerous Rogue Thresholds, which can kill or [[Go Mad
In the middle of a particularly nasty crime scene, Lewis runs into [[Ambiguously Gay|William]] [[Tall, Dark and Snarky|Marsh]], who shows the latent talent to become a venturer. Lewis is ordered to teach Marsh, but the two have more than enough reasons to dislike each other, and things are tense.
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* [[Beleaguered Bureaucrat]]: Sir John is essentially helpful, but always snowed under with paperwork, especially once the proverbial really starts to hit the fan.
* [[Bilingual Bonus]]: The bit of dialogue in French during the scenes in {{spoiler|St Petersburg}} is never translated, since you can get the gist anyway. French speakers will of course get the full meaning.
* [[Black Comedy]]: The characters are not immune to cracking jokes about death/ in deadly situations:
{{quote|'''Lewis:''' ‘I would only ask that the next time you cut a man in half, you do so on somebody else’s lawn. It does make a frightful mess.’
'''Lewis:'''‘This is the worst birthday present I have ever had.’ }}
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* [[The British Empire]]: Mentioned, obviously. Lewis states that his job before he joined the Wardens was guiding people to India.
* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: {{spoiler|The pyroglycerine trap which Lewis disarms becomes very significant a bit later. Also, keep an eye on Marsh’s silver cigarette case.}}
* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: Robert Marsh, who [[Go Mad
* [[Cool Gate]]: Reality Thresholds, the means by which venturers travel instantly between distant points. Also, used wrongly, the main problem facing the characters.
* [[Costume Porn]]: Particularly with anything worn by Marsh, who is an [[The Dandy|extravagant dresser]] to say the least.
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* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: Marsh and Lewis don’t have the best relationship to begin with. It gets better, but it isn’t until after the horrors of {{spoiler|Wandsworth Prison}} that they really start to become friends.
* [[First-Name Basis]]: By the standards of the era, at least. After Marsh and Lewis {{spoiler|save each other’s lives at Wandsworth}}, they go from “Lord Lewis” and “Mr Marsh” to dropping the titles.
* [[Go Mad
* [[Hannibal Lecture]] / [[Motive Rant]]: The leader of the Dark Tide gives Lewis and Marsh one of these. It [[Shut UP, Hannibal|doesn’t work]].
* [[Heterosexual Life Partners]] – Lewis and Marsh.
* [[Homage]]: The author is very evidently a [[Discworld|Terry Pratchett]] fan. The little reference to a “solitary, optimistic man selling sausages in a bun” is an homage to Terry Pratchett’s C.M.O.T Dibbler, in line with the idea that there are Dibblers across the whole multiverse. The name “Albert Spangler” is also an homage to Pratchett – the author tried to make the character the sort of man whose identity Moist Von Lipwig would probably have stolen. The line “I cannot recall who it was, but I am sure a great man once said that those who are about to die will laugh at anything, and I have certainly found it to be true.” refers to Vimes musing “We who think we are about to die will laugh at anything”.
* [[Ho Yay]]: And how! There are strong hints that Marsh was one of Oscar Wilde’s “boys” and there is a growing degree of ho-yay between him and Lewis. They show intense care and concern for each other’s safety. Oh, and they like ballet. A lot. However, this might be more to do with being [[Gentleman and a Scholar|Gentlemen and Scholars]]. When Lewis {{spoiler|proposes to Amelia}}, he is thinking how much she looks like her brother, and she is often described in comparison to him. The homosexual undertones are even lampshaded:
{{quote|‘Yes, this will be a much gayer house now you’re on the mend.’
Never has a gayer trio returned home from a night at the ballet. }}
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He bent beside me and scooped me into his arms like a child.
‘By God, Marsh, I could almost kiss you for that little performance,’ I said, with a huge smile on my face. }}
* [[Hurt
* [[I Owe You My Life]]: Lewis and Marsh, each several times over by the end.
* [[I'm Cold... So Cold...]]: One of the first signs that Lewis is pushing himself too hard is that his coat no longer keeps him warm.
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* [[It Got Worse]] – After the events at {{spoiler|Wandsworth Prison}} take Lewis to the edge, we really don’t think it can get worse. And then there’s {{spoiler|Hyde Park}}...
* [[It Has Been an Honor]]: Marsh says this, word for word, just before they {{spoiler|take the plunge from the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral.}}
* [[I Warned You]]: Word for word, twice. The second time is a callback to the first.
{{quote|‘You will see me in this office again, Wilson, even if it is only for sufficient time to say “I warned you” before the world ends!’
‘Very well then, Wilson, stay and gibber in your precious office,’ I told him crossly. ‘But if we fail, consider this as me saying “I bloody warned you!”’ }}
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* [[Sarcasm Failure]]:
{{quote|‘Would it help, perhaps, if I wrote you a list?’ I asked sarcastically. ‘The “Ten Commandments of Venturing”, perhaps. Number one: Thou shalt not tear the fabric of reality without a clear destination in mind. Number two: Thou shalt not open a Threshold which thou art incapable of repairing. That’s two you’ve broken at once, and it is only your first day,’ I said harshly. ‘You know, that list might actually be a helpful aide-memoire,’ Marsh said sheepishly. ‘What are the other eight?’}}
* [[Sassy Secretary]]: Mrs Pound.
{{quote|‘What are the names, Mrs Pound?’ I asked, becoming desperately agitated.
‘I am simply trying to ensure that you understand the difficulty of the task, Lord Lewis,’ the woman said, with a grim sort of smile. }}
* [[Say My Name]]: Lewis yells out Marsh’s name in warning, {{spoiler|causing him to turn just enough to turn a stab wound from a fatal one to something less serious.}}
* [[Scars Are Forever]] – {{spoiler|Marsh is revealed to have horrific scars on his back due to years of beatings from his abusive father.}}
* [[Scar Survey]] – When Lewis is {{spoiler|treating Marsh for a stab wound, he discovers the appalling scars on Marsh's back, and the previously dropped hints about his [[Abusive Father|father]] finally come together}}.
* [[Scenery Porn]]: Usually of the urban variety. There are scenes at {{spoiler|the Eiffel Tower and St Paul’s Cathedral,}} and the chapter in {{spoiler|St Petersburg}} is full of this. Many of the settings are gorgeous period architecture/decor. There are elements of [[Shown Their Work]], particularly in the name-dropping of specific areas or streets in London.
* [[Scotland Yard]]: One of the book’s settings, and the place where all the captured members of the Dark Tide are locked up, since the Warden’s Office isn’t equipped to cope with them.
* [[Shorter Means Smarter]]: Lewis whines about his height (Five feet tall) but makes up for his physical [[Incredibly Lame Pun|shortcomings]] with talent and mental acuity.
* [[Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness]]: Obviously, this is [[Victorian London|Victorian England]]...
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* [[Spot of Tea]]: Inevitably. The characters drink tea even whilst discussing the end of the world, and Lewis goes as far as to use sweet tea as a substitute for [[I Need a Drink|something stronger]].
* [[Stating the Simple Solution]]: Lewis points out that if they wanted him dead, his enemies should have just shot him, rather than setting elaborate traps and tests.
* [[Stealth Insult]]:
{{quote|‘Teaching this lad here?’ Wilson said, turning a critical eye on Marsh, who was as extravagantly attired as ever. His gaze lingered on Marsh’s bandaged right hand. ‘I can see that has been going very well.’}}
* [[Steampunk]]: Averted. It’s fantasy/sci-fi [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness]] set in 1895, but other than the Voidgoggles and other venturing/Threshold related items, the technology is historically accurate.
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* [[Victorian London]]
* [[Victorian Novel Disease]]: Averted! No one dies of this, but then no one needs to: There’s a whole new sort of disease (Void Sickness) which kills people in their thousands. Most of them presume it’s cholera that’s making them sick.
* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Even after they become good friends, Lewis and Marsh like to take pot-shots at each other.
{{quote|{{spoiler|‘I would wager twenty pounds that you and Amelia will have the shortest children the world has ever seen,’ [Marsh] replied in revenge.}}
{{spoiler|‘Yes, I’m ready,’ I said. ‘Sir William, however, could do with a large glass of brandy or a near-death experience to calm his nerves.’}} }}
* [[Waistcoat of Style]]: Naturally, given the time period. Marsh’s waistcoats are particularly lovely, but they don’t tend to survive very well.
* [[We Are Everywhere]]:
{{quote|{{spoiler|‘I ‘eard told there’s more’n two hundred of us scattered round the place now.’ He laughed again; ‘And ‘ow many Wardens ‘ave you got left, m’Lord?’}}}}
* [[While Rome Burns]]: Marsh and Lewis play a duet whilst waiting for news of the man responsible for damn-near destroying London, and they even refer to the trope by name:
{{quote|'''Lewis:''' Nero played while Rome burned; I see no reason why we oughtn’t to be allowed the same diversions.}}
* [[White Shirt of Death]]: Not quite death, but Marsh’s fancy clothes have a habit of being destroyed by blood (his, or someone else’s). When {{spoiler|he loses a finger, his white shirt is soaked in blood, and it happens again when he is stabbed}}.
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[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]
[[Category:Mystery Literature]]
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