Talk:Kirth Gersen

Personality mischaracterization?
I would hardly call Kirth chivalrous. He is indifferent to Lugo Teehalt's problems and he doesn't save the reunion party from Treesong, he merely uses it to draw him out for a clear shot. He makes no preparations beforehand to protect the partyers. The best that can be said is that he doesn't intentionally harm innocent bystanders. The only altruistic act I can recall is when he rescues Pallis Atwrode, and even that served to capture Beauty Dasce.

Also, he isn't be a sociopath, but he is a monomaniac. When he buys the chess automaton (I think it was in The Face), it's one of the few things he does that has no connection with his goal. After his mission is accomplished, he has no idea what to do with the rest of his life. Clarityfiend 20:54, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

The chess automaton is in The Book Of Dreams.

As to chivalry, Gersen put his body on the line for Alusz Iphegenia when the Tadusko-Oi would have made a sex slave of her; he would have accomplished this by diplomacy if necessary but had no qualms about confronting the hetman physically without heed for the consequences, which might have been severe for all he knew of local customs. He is far from indifferent to the fate of Drusilla Wayles. Similarly in The Face he deliberately sets out to protect Jerdian Chanseth from "Darsh love", and they are not yet even prospective lovers at that point (though they become such in short order).

I didn't call Gersen a sociopath - quite the opposite: he could very easily have been one given his peculiar background, but he rises above it.

I agree about the reunion party (I didn't write that bit!) - he was after a clear shot at Treesong and had no particular concern about the partygoers.Captain Pedant 22:30, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Another case of couples arguing about money?

 * the pair split up, chiefly because Alusz Iphigenia cannot understand why the now-wealthy Gersen does not subcontract his dangerous and horrifying life's work

This makes it sounds like they were just bickering about money! The issue, of course, was not financial, but that of his character. TresÁrboles (talk) 04:33, 28 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Not bickering about money, bickering about safety and convenience. —Tamfang (talk) 16:35, 28 May 2010 (UTC)