Theories and Deep Dives
Hardcore Craft Sequence fan? This is the place for you. Here you can find spoilerific analysis, wild theorising and speculation, and deep dives into character, place, and plot.
Series Masterposts
Need a reminder of the plot of the Craft Sequence before reading Dead Hand Rule? You’re in luck - the first eight books are all summarised neatly here.
Unnecessarily in-depth articles about very specific things
Nine books in, yet no world map for the Craft Sequence. I am here to change this. Today, let’s look at Northern and Southern Kath. Beware terrible blob-maps.
A nerdy deep dive into demographics of POV characters in the Craft Sequence (updated for Dead Hand Rule).
With 50 POV characters across 9 books, who has the most narrative page-time in the Craft Sequence so far? Who are the ‘main’ characters, and what does that mean for the story?
Third in the skazzerai series. Tara has learnt a lot about the demonic space spiders en route to the Craft world, but it isn’t until the end of Dead Country that she finds out their connection to her old nemesis Alexander Denovo - and what he did in the desert.
A magical storm showing every possible future now only shows one: the end of the world. What did Tara and Dawn see in the edge storm? What does that mean for the rest of the Craft Wars trilogy?
The end of the world is coming. Tara and her allies are gearing up to fight the skazzerai, spider-like creatures from deepest space - but how much do they (and we) know about this great enemy? Here’s everything we find out in the first half of Dead Country.
Choice of the Deathless is the first of two unconnected choose-your-own-adventure text games set in the world of the Craft Sequence, set several years before the novels. This article looks at the different chapters of the game, key characters, and the awards you can win through different choices - everything you need to know is right here.
We’ve looked at almost every reference to dragons in the Craft Sequence, so now we’re bringing out the big guns - figuratively and literally. Read on to see how dragons act as magical jumbo jets and also corpse WMDs - yes, literally.
In honour of Tor Books’s 5th annual Dragon Week, here’s an unplanned article about EVERY SINGLE dragon reference in the series. Part 1, because it turns out there’s way more than I thought. YOU’RE WELCOME.
In Quechal mythology, the skazzerai are demonic spiders at the end of the universe spinning webs between the stars. We have evidence they’ve visited the world of Craft before ‘to eat’ - and it looks like they’re going to play a part in the CRAFT WARS endgame. So, what’s the deal with the space spiders?
In ‘honour’ (cough) of the Platinum Jubilee, let’s do a deep dive into everyone’s favourite Camlaander, GAL.
Who – and what – is she? What are the Knights of Camlaan? Will we see her again? And what is her secret heritage?
The Grimwald family have their (literally) shadowy fingers (in every proverbial pie in the Craft Sequence.
Who or what are they? What do they want?
The major twist at the end of Three Parts Dead is deftly built up through clues and foreshadowing - here is every single one. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Skazzerai / Space Spiders
In the final part of ‘Untangling Dead Hand Rule’, we look at what happens AFTER the ancient space skazzerai arrives: why the herald HAD to be who it is, why Elayne is eternally a badass, and the importance of Saint Abelard.
In part 3 of ‘Untangling Dead Hand Rule’, let’s examine what exactly is going on within the Argent Library. We’ll look at the stories of Kai, Mal, Dawn, and Tara.
In part 2 of ‘Untangling Dead Hand Rule’, we recap the final battle and look in depth at what happens to Caleb Altemoc, Izza Jalai, Temoc Almotil, and the King in Red.
The skazzerai are coming for the Domain. We’ve been talking about them for a while, and the Craft Wars book thus far only confirmed what we suspected: our characters are counting down the days until an enormous demon space spider reaches the world, and they’re running out of time.
But what do they want? And how are they conencted to Dawn?
Billionaire. Nightmare artist. Philanthropist. Eberhardt Jax wants to make his mark on the world. It’s clear he’s integral to the overarching plot of the Craft Wars quartet, linked to the skazzerai, the gray men, and the end of the world.
But who exactly is he? And what does he really want?
Throughout Wicked Problems, we meet strange bland men, shells for brutal metal weapons. But what exactly are they, and who controls them?
How are the Grimwalds involved with the skazzerai - and what do they know about the end of the world? This is everything you need to know after Wicked Problems.
Third in the skazzerai series. Tara has learnt a lot about the demonic space spiders en route to the Craft world, but it isn’t until the end of Dead Country that she finds out their connection to her old nemesis Alexander Denovo - and what he did in the desert.
Alexander Denovo looms large over the Craft Sequence despite his early death. As his influence comes back in the Craft Wars trilogy, we ask: who is he, and what does he want?
A magical storm showing every possible future now only shows one: the end of the world. What did Tara and Dawn see in the edge storm? What does that mean for the rest of the Craft Wars trilogy?
How Magic Works
The death of gods is integral to the Craft Sequence, forming the plot of the first book and the entire background of the series in the God Wars. But, how do gods die? How do you kill a god? The early Craftsfolk had similar questions. This essay outlines the answers they uncovered.
Craftsfolk are necromancer-lawyers, and as such a significant part of how they perform magic is via a strong argument, and asserting their truth onto reality. This essay looks at the magical components of a Craft argument.
Shaping reality and underpinning all magic in the Craft Sequence are words and belief. We take a deep dive into how this works in the Craft Sequence with examples from across the series.
How does magic work in the Craft Sequence? Two forms of magic, the Craft and Applied Theology, work on many of the same principles with some key differences - one is the magic of the people, and one is the magic of the gods. Part one of a series.
The Story So Far
Everything you need to remember from WICKED PROBLEMS before reading DEAD HAND RULE. Craft Sequence version of Avengers Infinity War.
Everything you need to remember from DEAD COUNTRY before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters, plots, and the importance of the book for the rest of the series.
Everything you need to remember from RUIN OF ANGELS before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters, plots, and the importance of the book for the rest of the series.
Everything you need to remember from FULL FATHOM FIVE before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters, plots, and the importance of the book for the rest of the series.
Everything you need to remember from FOUR ROADS CROSS before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters collide, and my gods it’s a fun one.
Everything you need to remember from THREE PARTS DEAD before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters, plots, and the importance of the book for the rest of the series.
Everything you need to remember from LAST FIRST SNOW before reading WICKED PROBLEMS. Characters, plots, and the importance of the book for the rest of the series.
All Theory and Deep Dive Posts
Caleb and Mal are apparently “twin grails” and factor into the vampires’ plan - but what does that mean? How does it link in with the knights we’ve met across the series, immortality, and the Twin Serpents?
I was in a wedding earlier this year, which naturally means it’s time to give Craft Sequence characters wedding outfits. Featuring kilts. You know you want to read it.
I’ve got more speculative blob-maps for you, this time looking at the Old World. It’s almost twice as long, despite fewer textual sources. Enjoy.
Nine books in, yet no world map for the Craft Sequence. I am here to change this. Today, let’s look at Northern and Southern Kath. Beware terrible blob-maps.
A nerdy deep dive into demographics of POV characters in the Craft Sequence (updated for Dead Hand Rule).
With 50 POV characters across 9 books, who has the most narrative page-time in the Craft Sequence so far? Who are the ‘main’ characters, and what does that mean for the story?
The skazzerai are coming for the Domain. We’ve been talking about them for a while, and the Craft Wars book thus far only confirmed what we suspected: our characters are counting down the days until an enormous demon space spider reaches the world, and they’re running out of time.
But what do they want? And how are they conencted to Dawn?
Who is Mal? Caleb’s manic pixie dream girl from Two Serpents Rise, who then terrorised the city and was seemingly vaporised, appeared to be a one-and-done antagonist, yet she is back in Wicked Problems. Who is she, and how has she come back?
Craftsfolk are necromancer-lawyers, and as such a significant part of how they perform magic is via a strong argument, and asserting their truth onto reality. This essay looks at the magical components of a Craft argument.
Billionaire. Nightmare artist. Philanthropist. Eberhardt Jax wants to make his mark on the world. It’s clear he’s integral to the overarching plot of the Craft Wars quartet, linked to the skazzerai, the gray men, and the end of the world.
But who exactly is he? And what does he really want?
How are the Grimwalds involved with the skazzerai - and what do they know about the end of the world? This is everything you need to know after Wicked Problems.
Wicked Problems has so many characters meeting up, hooking up, fighting (...up?) that we need an update to the character connections post - so here's even more ways characters know each other.
Something is wrong with Tara Abernathy’s timeline… but is it a purposeful point, or author error? I’m still not sure, but let’s take a look at the problem and *theorise*.
This is one of those way-too-deep-dives about something that is ultimately probably a typo rather than a grand conspiracy, so if that’s your jam then strap in.
Dawn is possibly the most important new character we meet in Dead Country - yet we learn perishingly little about her. Who exactly is Dawn? And is ‘who’ even the right question?
The Craft Sequence is a sprawling series with characters showing up in different narratives and meeting all sorts of characters. This somewhat crazy article tracks the connections between the main characters in a conspiracy theory style wall.
Our upbringings shape us, for better or for worse. What was Tara Abernathy’s childhood and upbringing like? How did it shape the woman she became? Part of the Tara Deep Dive series.
The end of the world is coming. Tara and her allies are gearing up to fight the skazzerai, spider-like creatures from deepest space - but how much do they (and we) know about this great enemy? Here’s everything we find out in the first half of Dead Country.
We’ve looked at almost every reference to dragons in the Craft Sequence, so now we’re bringing out the big guns - figuratively and literally. Read on to see how dragons act as magical jumbo jets and also corpse WMDs - yes, literally.
In honour of Tor Books’s 5th annual Dragon Week, here’s an unplanned article about EVERY SINGLE dragon reference in the series. Part 1, because it turns out there’s way more than I thought. YOU’RE WELCOME.
Tara Abernathy is the main character of the CRAFT WARS trilogy, and a major protagonist of the CRAFT SEQUENCE series. But who is she? How does she develop over the series so far? This introduction to Tara Abernathy starts our new character deep dive series - check it out.
Dead Country narrows the focus of the sprawling Craft Sequence in to our first main character: Tara Abernathy. This is sort of a review, but mostly a love letter to Tara, her arc, and how it mirrors the experiences of readers - with some added necromancy.
We are DAYS away from the (US) release of Dead Country, the first Craft Sequence novel in six years and the start of the Craft Wars, a capstone trilogy for the current storyline.
Which means only one thing.
It’s time for WILD speculation. Read on for 16 theories of what we might see in Craft Wars!
In Quechal mythology, the skazzerai are demonic spiders at the end of the universe spinning webs between the stars. We have evidence they’ve visited the world of Craft before ‘to eat’ - and it looks like they’re going to play a part in the CRAFT WARS endgame. So, what’s the deal with the space spiders?
Shaping reality and underpinning all magic in the Craft Sequence are words and belief. We take a deep dive into how this works in the Craft Sequence with examples from across the series.
In ‘honour’ (cough) of the Platinum Jubilee, let’s do a deep dive into everyone’s favourite Camlaander, GAL.
Who – and what – is she? What are the Knights of Camlaan? Will we see her again? And what is her secret heritage?
Everything we learned about the CRAFT SEQUENCE from Max Gladstone’s March 2022 Reddit AMA.
I’ve got more speculative blob-maps for you, this time looking at the Old World. It’s almost twice as long, despite fewer textual sources. Enjoy.