How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Someone has tied up your magic. A binding is usually done to keep a person from, or from, causing harm." She frowned at the teacup in her hands. "I've never seen it used to harness like this. It's like a part of your has been locked away." (9.127)
Maybe Sam's binding spared him a traumatizing childhood of seeing dead people like that kid in The Sixth Sense, but it definitely doesn't do him any favors as he tries to navigate the truth about his power. It might have been easier if he'd just been able to crush Douglas from the beginning. Of course, then we wouldn't have a story, so maybe that's a bad idea.
Quote #5
"There are many levels of necromancy, ranging from weak to strong. At the weak end, the end you are probably at, you are more of an antenna. You draw whatever spirit or ghost is around toward you, but you have no real control. The next level up has that as well as the ability to broadcast. Essentially, you can communicate with various smaller entities as well as summon. After that, things get interesting." (19.145)
What Douglas doesn't know is that Sam is actually closer to the higher end of the necromancy power rating than the low. As a result, things do "get interesting" when the binding is removed and Sam's powers fully unleash themselves.
Quote #6
I felt like Douglas was giving me a dual lesson. Sure, he was showing me how to raise a zombie, but he was also showing me exactly what he was capable of. I could just as easily become the one doing jumping jacks. (20.87)
Don't be fooled—Sam's "training" isn't about Sam at all, but rather about putting his power in a nice little goody bag for Douglas. In the end, Douglas's manipulation of the zombie is an object lesson in how he's clearly the one who holds all the cards.