The Unbreakable Vow

[Barry Arrowsmith]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2" <carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> Carolyn:
> Well, we are back to Spying Game I and II are we not? Just how 
> stupid is Voldie, or is he really a master of deep bluff and counter 
> bluff?? Could well believe he has a highly unpleasant range of 
> controls operating over his DEs, but both his 'slippery friend' and 
> Wormtail still seem to imagine they can negotiate or evade him in 
> some respects.
>

Spying Game... yerrs... mind you, it's not his fault he's a numpty,
it's more the limitations of the genre. Coming up with a truly
Supreme Evil Being that will lose (hopefully believably) is not exactly
a common-place in fantasy. And it's not claimed that he's all that
smart anyway (not many of 'em seem to be, maybe excepting Hermy 
and perhaps Lurkio) just that he's good at magic.

Back in PS/SS it was pointed out that logic isn't a strong point with
wizards, so perhaps it applies to intelligence too. In the real world,
half the characters in the books would probably be in remedial
classes doing paper-cutouts and learning "Socks first, shoes *after*.

> And how successful could a completely paranoid killer be in 
> understanding the way DD's mind works? 

Depends how much original thinking is/was actually going on 4"
above that hairy chin. If it turns out that he was just following a
preordained script as some believe......
> 
> It would be fascinating if she really was investigating such 
> subtleties of terrorism, surveillance and control, though hope is 
> currently at a low ebb. I fear that she is as surprised at reader 
> cynicism about DD as she is shocked at Snape worship.
> 

Probably. Also bound to be a bit puzzled there's a fair percentage
of the thinking readership that aren't particulary worried if young 
Potter cops it in the neck, or are fervently hoping for a Weasley cull,
or... well, fill in your own unfluffy, unPC but potentially more 
entertaining event as substitute for what many fear may be a
cloying slush-fest. Ugh.

> Carolyn, definitely in favour of all the old forms of man-management.
>

Oh  yes. 
If they cause problems, nuke the bastards.
So satisfying.
And permanent.

Kneasy