Watership Down in Alloy of Law?

[legacyblade]

Ok. Either I've grown to expect pop culture jokes, or there is a reference to Watership Down near the end of alloy of law.

Near the end, when Wax comes upon Wayne reading a book he "traded" for, it says

"It's a pretty good book," Wayne said, flipping a page. "You should try it. It's about bunnies. They talk. Damnedest thing ever."

Waxillium didn't reply.

"So, was it your uncle?" Wayne asked.

"Yes."

"Crud. I owe you a fiver, then."

For those of you who've never heard of watership down, it's a book about talking rabits. It's used to comment on human nature and government. A psychic rabit (yes, there's a psychic rabit) is nicknamed "fiver" in the book.

Am I going crazy here?

[CrazyRioter she/her]

I noticed that too, I'm not sure if it's intentional or not, though it may well be.

[happyman he/him]

Yeah, I spotted that as well. It seems likely Brandon was thinking of a specific book when he put it in, and "Watership Down" is the one that popped into my head when I got to that part. Somehow it just fits Wayne; it's logical, in a somewhat twisted way. We're certainly not alone in thinking this, either; the TVTropes entry for Alloy of Law links from AoL to Watership down as well.

[pmj812]

yeah, I assumed that it was a Watership Down nod as well.

[legacyblade]

Alright, glad others thought the same as I did. It DOES fit Wayne pretty well, it was just surprising (and highlighted to me what a nerd I am )

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

Could be a Peter Rabbit book too... that's where I first went when I saw that

[Jbryce]

I noticed it too, and my first thought was Watership Down.

[Arcanist Lupus he/him]

Considering that the main characters are named Wax and Wayne, I think it's entirely possible that Brandon stuck a reference to Watership Down in here. Especially as Watership Down is a book that could conceivably exist on Scadrial in this time period. (Can you imagine Wayne picking up Jurassic Park?)

[Deus Ex Biotica]

... did dinosaurs ever exist on Scadrial?

Because the idea of Preservation and Ruin bickering about the merits of ending the Cretaceous Period is awesome.

(I, also, assumed it was Watership Down, and was deeply amused by Wayne recommending it.)

[dyring]

Doubt there have been any dinosaurs;).

Almost baseless speculation inc.

Always assumed the world of Liar, where Adonalsium shattered was the world where life evolved in the Cosmere. Then the different shards choose other lifeless planets, such as Scadrial, Sel and so on, and created life there, making more worlds. Using the humanity on the "original" planet as a base. Would explain why life is somewhat simular on all the planets, instead of having one of the shards go off and make sentient flowers as the higher lifeform on one planet.

So on all planets but the Liar one, life is a rather new thing as such things go, counted in thousands, possibly tens of thousands of years, but not millions.

[Deus Ex Biotica]

I had been assuming that as well, right up until the possibility of Wax and Wayne reading Jurassic Park came up. Now, I am desperate for a way this might happen.

... maybe someone could start putting Koloss spikes into crocodiles?

[Shadeshadow227]

I had been assuming that as well, right up until the possibility of Wax and Wayne reading Jurassic Park came up. Now, I am desperate for a way this might happen.

... maybe someone could start putting Koloss spikes into crocodiles?

 

I would pay to see that.

[Eccentric Hero he/him]

Minor BoM spoilers

That might be why Wayne was asking if kandras could become bunnies.