Been a minute since I picked up 'The Killing Moon', but the character dynamics were what stuck with me. There’s Ehiru, the main Gatherer. He’s this priest whose whole purpose is to collect dream-stuff and grant a peaceful death, but he’s got this rigid moral code that the plot systematically dismantles. His apprentice, Nijiri, is almost a fanatic in his devotion to Ehiru and their faith, which creates this intense, sometimes uncomfortable dynamic. Then you’ve got Sunandi, the diplomat from the rival nation. She’s all pragmatism and political savvy, a perfect foil to the two devout men. Her presence forces everyone to question their entire worldview.
Honestly, the tension between these three is the core of the book. It’s less about good versus evil and more about three fundamentally decent people operating with completely incompatible definitions of truth and righteousness. The supporting cast, like Ehiru’s superior and Sunandi’s political contacts, serve to heighten that central conflict. What I found compelling was how none of them felt like a plot device; they were all trapped in the machine of their own beliefs.