Stellar Veil Of Shadow

[Stellar]

Hello, dear readers. You will be reading this post because you have finished the second book, Veil of Shadow. Before I get down to the business part of this post, as with Hidden Sunlight, I will post a bit of random story trivia. Once again, if you aren't interested or don't care, you can skip to the end of the bullet points.

• poor Lindani had a rough ride in the second half of the book. In the original draft for his arc, there was a good chance he was going to be killed in the Brotherhood rescue attempt. I wrestled with the concept for some time, but ultimately decided he had to make it out. The substitute for that was having Kenji see two friends executed right in front of his eyes. War is a very messy business.
• the naming of the planet before Dagen's Grace - Yahet - was a hat-tip to the ancient and noble race of the Yehat from the old DOS game StarControl 2. My mind must have been subconsciously focused on this, because maybe a half-dozen times in the final chapter's draft, I spelled it the latter way. One of the betas picked up every instance, the other didn't spot a single one -- funny how the brain can gloss over pronouns like that, isn't it?
• the girl in chapter 6 who helps Mira was (at the time I wrote it) the only co-worker from my employment that knew I was writing a book. She asked if I could add her as a character, and since Janaya is pretty damn cool, I did just this. She loved the fact she got Mira to slice up a bunch of bad guys with a katana; greater context be damned, it was just fucking awesome. To this day, no-one else I work with has any idea I've written two Tolkien-length science fiction novels, and that's the way I intend it to stay.
• who amongst you realised that the incident at Taiqing is a paradox? Specifically, it is a bootstrap/predestination paradox, otherwise known as a causal loop. Causality is a basic function of reality that means everything needs to have an original cause, and a consequent effect. This paradox occurs when there is no original cause, only a loop of effects all preceding and proceeding one another. Consider this sequence:
  • a) through the ability to augur, the Herald foresees humanity's defeat in battle at the planet Taiqing
  • b] an arbiter taunts Shay with this information, provided by the Herald, in a vision: Taiqing is important!
  • c) Shay leaves a message for Konstantin, informing the military of Taiqing's apparent relevance
  • d) because of this information, an ambush is planned at Taiqing, because it seems to have strategic value to the alien enemy
  • e) the ambush fails because of hubris and other technological factors, and the human forces are massacred, providing fodder for the augury

After reading the above, ask yourself: where does this information first begin?

• this one was a complete fluke, but the day that Konstantin declares martial law is November 11, which is also the day the armistice for the First World War was signed. Even more so, because it is exactly 400 years to the day; 1918 to 2318. How's that for coincidence?
• there was a clue to the real identity of Guiterrez a little earlier on than chapter 19's reveal, but it was well hidden. Who remembers him giving a speech in Paris before a great big crowd, in chapter 17? That speech was performed in the Place de la République, at the centre of which lies a bronze statue of Marianne, the avatar of the French republic. Surrounding the statue are three smaller ones, personifying none other than Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.
• speaking of the premier, Anton Guiterrez was a man of Hispanic descent who rose to the top administrative role on Earth in the year 2318. In another random bit of coincidence, a man by the name of António Guterres is the incoming Secretary-General of the United Nations beginning in 2017, a solid 301 years before the story starts. What is this madness?! Must be the Illuminati. 
• my favourite chapter is still probably chapter 6. Mira is totally an addiction, and everything from him fearlessly skydiving, to killing bad guys with impeccable finesse, to making love like a teenage Casanova, was just a dream to write and explore. He is such a satisfying complex personality that says so much with so little -- if I could make an entire book about him being awesome, I probably would.
• Mikom's fate was planned from the start. She is the toughest bitch you ever met, and her age has little bearing on her ability to survive. In combat she could best anyone from their home of Otsin, Yugan and Ralot included, and though she suffered a LOT of damage, she survived the encounter at the telutuk hive by falling off the tree-bridge ... into the water, far below. Remember: I never actually said she died, or showed it happening. Don't believe ANYTHING unless it's stated definitively.
• the kitten did actually receive a name! I just never had a good time and place to reveal it. So, you, the audience, is none the wiser after a couple hundred thousand more words. The next book will say it, I promise!
• conversely, the ship was never destined for such an intricate role in Shay's part of the story. It evolved to the point where my long-time beta threatened me to not treat Liberty as I did Morgan from Hidden Sunlight (i.e. sudden and brutal death) or she would be very upset with me. Uh, yeah. Jury is out on that one, since I left it ambiguous at the end of the book.
• just what is the deal with the Mishith and the 'blood and stone' thing and how they have physically changed from before they were Sundered? I can hear the questions already, and Shay recognises the moment he meets Yugan, that this creature before him does not fully resemble the image of Dagen that Shay saw on Elkos. There are probably a few of you wondering what the hell is going on with this part of the story. This is all very important stuff for the final part of the trilogy, where the remaining gaps will be filled in, and all questions answered. Suffice to say that the Dagenith are all that's left of a truly enormous civilisation that puts humanity to shame. Yugan has some very large shoes to fill.
• for the record, there were twelve official Star Wars movies in my canon version of events. Hopefully Disney won't try to sue me or anything, but I'm expecting another three to be made after Episode IX, just to prove me right. C'mon guys, get filming. Also, Mira thinks Samuel L Jackson is the coolest motherfucker in the room, because of the purple lightsabre and also because he had the focused analytical nous of a powerful swordsman and tactician. Anakin? Man, Anakin was stupid. He never thought things through. All Mira could consider was: If I was him, Palpatine would be in a dozen different pieces on the floor of that building and the Empire would never have happened. What a moron.

Now this is where I say, again:

This ... is how I tell a story. Thank you for sticking with me and reading it, if you have made it this far. If you want to say 'thank you' to me for writing it, there are three things you can do:

1. I dislike the reputation system on here and I think it's flawed, but it's the only material way of measuring 'approval.' So I would ask that if you loved Veil of Shadow, then please go through and like each chapter and the story itself if you have not already done so. Any registered user can do this. If you don't, I won't be upset or anything, but anything that helps raise my profile as an author is valuable to me, as well as being a token of thanks.    Reputation is one of those ways.
2. The other way is to simple tell me what Veil of Shadow was like to read, for you. Seriously. Send me a PM or write it here, whatever you feel you'd like. I love hearing from people about my work, what they enjoyed, what they didn't and why. Reader reaction gives me enormous satisfaction. Don't be shy, I won't bite or be rude.
3. Both of the above, not just one or the other. 

I also want to give thanks to my betas for all the work they have done for me over the past three years. Cassie, Marc, Olivia and Dayne -- you guys have helped immeasurably and I could not have completed this to the quality I desired without your input. You have my thanks for what you have done.

 

Lastly: yes, there is going to be another sequel -- you hardly thought I was going to stop here, did you? Whether or not I begin on this sequel straight away or go to something else first is anyone's guess. I have some notes, and some ideas, but a lot of it is still up in the air, floating in the ether, you could say. I will not know how it looks for sure until I sit down and begin that incredibly visceral consuming process of creating it. One that will, with no doubt, take another few years of my life.

 

But, that is what is required, and that's what I'll do.

So, there you have it.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Stellar

[Stephen ODonohue]

Hi Stellar, I enjoyed Hidden Sunlight immensely and am looking forward to continuing with Veil of shadows. Just a question... on the second last paragraph you say 'Mira picked up the kitten'. Did you mean 'Shay picked up the kitten'... or did I miss something ?

Stephen.

[Stephen ODonohue]

Hi Stellar, I enjoyed Hidden Sunlight immensely and am looking forward to continuing with Veil of shadows. Just a question... on the second last paragraph you say 'Mira picked up the kitten'. Did you mean 'Shay picked up the kitten'... or did I miss something ?

Stephen.

[Stellar]

19 hours ago, Stephen ODonohue said:

Hi Stellar, I enjoyed Hidden Sunlight immensely and am looking forward to continuing with Veil of shadows. Just a question... on the second last paragraph you say 'Mira picked up the kitten'. Did you mean 'Shay picked up the kitten'... or did I miss something ?

Stephen.

 

Hi Stephen, thanks for reading!

 

What exactly are you referring to? I'm not sure which chapter from which book this is in reference to? If you can provide a little more detail, I can answer your question.

[Stephen ODonohue]

Hi Stellar, sorry about that... I thought the comment we're attached to the particular chapter I went to comments from. I'll have a look and see if I can find it again. In the meantime, thank you for these brilliant works. I haven't read anything for years that have enthralled me as much as Hidden Sunlight and Veil of Shadows. Have you started (or finished) the (final ?) Sequel ? I hope so because you have me now.

 

Stephen.

[Stellar]

On 12/01/2018 at 12:07 AM, Stephen ODonohue said:

Hi Stellar, sorry about that... I thought the comment we're attached to the particular chapter I went to comments from. I'll have a look and see if I can find it again. In the meantime, thank you for these brilliant works. I haven't read anything for years that have enthralled me as much as Hidden Sunlight and Veil of Shadows. Have you started (or finished) the (final ?) Sequel ? I hope so because you have me now.

 

Stephen.

 

Comments generally are made at the bottom of the chapter you wish to comment on, although in my end notes, I usually include a link to a discussion thread in my forum -- this is the thread for Veil of Shadow since that was what you were reading at the time. My guess is that you probably followed that link without realising and accidentally posted here instead of on the chapter itself.

 

No harm done though, so don't stress about it.

 

Thank you, I am glad you are enjoying my work so much! Unfortunately, the third and final part of the Aspects of Dawn trilogy does not yet exist. Veil of Shadow was finished in early 2017, and after a bit of consideration I decided to take a rest from the Faustian work of producing that series to write something different instead. This is why I am currently producing a new fantasy novel called Spirit of Fire, and when that is completed (hopefully some time during 2018!) I will have to, again, decide what comes next. One of those options is indeed to write the final part of the trilogy, but it is not the only option.  So there will be an ending, don't you worry. I just can't tell you when you'll read it, yet.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Stellar