The enigmatic anti-hero (and main protagonist) of the series, Azoth is the jaded product of a childhood spent on the streets scrounging to survive. Originally he is part of the Black Dragon Guild, a poorly established group of adolescent thieves, divided into 'Bigs' and 'Littles' (young children and adolescents). During the part of the novels spent in Azoth's youth, he is considered a 'Little'. There is quite a measure of foreshadowing in the strongly antithetical relationship between Azoth and Rat, the Fist (or second-in-command) of the Black Dragon who is out for revenge against Azoth for slights against him. Even though they have both seen the cruelest side of the world's face Azoth chose to temper himself with a sense of justice, rightful vengeance and mercy whereas Rat fell to corruption and sadism. Early on Azoth displays the characteristics of a just young man born to the wrong circumstances. It has been discussed that the theme of the night angel is introduced during the initial book in the first three characters: Azoth, who represents vengeance, Jarl, who represents justice, and Elene/Doll Girl, who represents Mercy. These two influential characters shape Azoth to be who he is. Eventually the perceived weakness of inaction is left behind Azoth as he adopts his new persona of Kylar Stern. Azoth means quicksilver aka mercury.
Famous quotes containing the words list of the, list of, list, night, angel and/or characters:
“Shea—they call him Scholar Jack—
Went down the list of the dead.
Officers, seamen, gunners, marines,
The crews of the gig and yawl,
The bearded man and the lad in his teens,
Carpenters, coal-passers—all.”
—Joseph I. C. Clarke (1846–1925)
“Shea—they call him Scholar Jack—
Went down the list of the dead.
Officers, seamen, gunners, marines,
The crews of the gig and yawl,
The bearded man and the lad in his teens,
Carpenters, coal-passers—all.”
—Joseph I. C. Clarke (1846–1925)
“Do your children view themselves as successes or failures? Are they being encouraged to be inquisitive or passive? Are they afraid to challenge authority and to question assumptions? Do they feel comfortable adapting to change? Are they easily discouraged if they cannot arrive at a solution to a problem? The answers to those questions will give you a better appraisal of their education than any list of courses, grades, or test scores.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)
“I would that there was nothing in the world
But my beloved that night and day had perished,
And all that is and all that is to be,
All that is not the meeting of our lips.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 3:2.
“Do you set down your name in the scroll of youth, that are written down old with all the characters of age?”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)