The Saga of the Seven Stupids

I've started listening to the Saga of the Seven Suns. I'm one book in, and I can't say I'm impressed. I'm still listening, but so far the basic situation is: some people with cunning and guile are in charge, and everyone else is completely STUPID! Or naive. Or naively stupid. Or stupidly naive. I can't tell because they are all so stupid and naive.

Okay, I'm about to spoil several major plot points, so while I can hide it on my main page, you'll see it on the entry proper. And so:


A rememberer (historian) finds out that an important part of their empires history is not what he thought it was, but a deliberate cover-up. Prediction: The high-ups know this already and he will be killed. Revelation: The high-ups know this already, and he is killed.
Raymond is saved after his home and family are destroyed by fire (he was out at the time) and groomed to be the new prince and next king. Prediction: The fire was staged, and it was set-up as cover for grabbed Raymond. Revelation: The fire was staged, and it was set-up as cover for grabbing Raymond.
Robots of a gone civilisation are still around, can't remember their history, and help people to find out what happened. Prediction: The robots do remember, and instead are there to stop people from finding out the history. Revelation: The robots do remember, and instead are there to stop people from finding out the history.
Naira and Prime (first son of Mage Imperator, head of alien empire) fall in love, and have at it. Prediction: Naira doesn't tell anyone she's pregnant and is taken away for experiments (with bonus of Prime not realising either part). Revelation: Naira doesn't tell anyone she's pregnant and is taken away for experiments (with bonus of Prime not realising either part).
(Predictions that haven't occurred... yet. Ros will turn out to be alive, because his fiance and his brother are hooking up. Naira will get her daughter back, who will be a significant plot point, because of love. Prime gets some real balls and stands up to dad [sigh, that's more fond hope than expectation].)


The main problem is I'm not sure if this obviousness is intentional or not. Did Kevin Anderson mean the audience to be ahead of the characters? If so, that's just frustrating as the characters are behind and we get really annoying as they fail to see what is basic to us. Or did Anderson really think these are amazing revelations and no-one saw them coming? In which case, he is stupid and naive, because they are FREAKING OBVIOUS!!!

Gah! This could be so much better if the characters just had a touch of reality...


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