Stellar

You need only do what you feel you would like; I don't ask any more than that Nor do I expect that every single chapter will be 'enjoyable' from the perspective of offering the ideal reading experience, in terms of emotions, language and structure. In my mind there is a trade-off between some parts of the story being regarded that way in order to let other parts be set up to have extra punch. Those moments are key, because they will be plot defining, often quite unexpected and momentous. There were some places in the story that I slogged through writing but knew it had to be that way in order to create the framework for what were subjectively more interesting and more exciting events. Ah, well, yes, I think I have noted in response to other reviewers that I have a tendency towards very different atypical use of the English language - the reasons for this can be glimpsed on my profile page too. That tendency does set me apart and cannot be easily 'turned off'. It results in those same alien and exotic ideas being described in a very abstract metaphorical way, sometimes because it's how I best express myself and sometimes because there *is* no literal description that would fit the given scenario. Then again, sometimes vagueness is intentional and sometimes it isn't - this doesn't help very much, right? Though, when it counts, I try to make it explicit and obvious as I can to the audience. Be aware that editing a post has a time-limit attached to it. After too long, it will be locked and the text in it will be permanent. Reviews are indeed cast in stone and I have to go over them with a fine-tooth comb to make sure it's perfect before I post a review or a reply to one. Thank you

Thank you for your positive comments I wish to add that you can still discuss the story in the appropriate thread, which is viewable on my forum and linked from the bottom of most chapters. The sequel is probably more open to this, however, as it is currently being written and will have fresher dialogue going on. Please feel free to stop on by and add your voice. Once again, a long detailed review! No problem for me, I enjoy seeing how much thought my fiction has provoked. Let me see what I can add to your thoughts - how do you know that Chris had *not* told John about his relationship with Charles? Though it isn't mentioned in the correspondence to one another, that doesn't mean John did not know, as the emails were mostly business oriented. Lucere was a model world in many senses, including civil rights. That's not to say there was no homophobia - it's one of those things that is hard to stamp out completely - but more along the lines that discrimination was not part of the cultural and legal structure of the day. - oh, the arbiter quite a mysterious creature, isn't it? Most of what you suggest here about Mira and sharpelings (including procreation) was covered in my response to your review of Chapter 9. With regard to the arbiter, the direct communication can occur because of *what* the arbiter is, unlike the more basic kill-or-be-killed interaction with the average sharpeling. Considering that same response mentioned above, the assumption that Mira was once a human before he was a sharpeling is a flawed one. That sharpelings could breed (and yes, they do reproduce) necessitates some proportion of their population never having experienced 'humanity'; HOWEVER ... *all* sharpelings are by definition mutated humans, so they possess latent human DNA -- they are still essentially people underneath all that twisted armour and claws and savagery. Just not people that are in control of their own perceptions or actions; not any more. - the reasoning behind Shay being the one to enter the house was given during the chapter itself. He and Mira were the only ones small enough to fit into the ventilation. They were after information, not busting open the mansion in some kind of raid. While Mira has picked up on speech quickly enough, he definitely cannot read and would not be so much use on a fact-finding mission, despite his ability in combat. So that role had to fall to Shay. - the security fence thing. Once again, the fence isn't faulty. It just isn't a barrier to the likes of Hartley's forces. Konstantin knows this, Lily knows this -- they all know it. There's simply nothing they can do about it. Regardless of how vulnerable the house may be to the Liberators, it is still safer than much of the rest of Aurum. The urgency of the mission to Mersenne is predicated not just on beating Hartley to the information but also because the protagonists do not know when Hartley will learn that his lone assassin and assault squad failed -- and consequently send even more men to finish the job. They want to reach the endgame first and this requires risk-taking. The alternative is complacency, which is worse in the longer term because it would certainly end up with them defeated or dead. - uh ... yeah ... Morgan and Carlos? Uh .. what? Hahahaha. That is so not gonna happen. I mean, really!

Okay, another long review! There's a lot of posited questioning here, so I'll try to respond to some of it. - regarding the extent of Shay's 'power' and how it affects other people and sharpelings, that's still a point of contention as of Chapter 13. All I will say on this matter is that Mira *is* different from the others in Shay's life with regard to the 'being cured' concept, and this fact is a defining one/ - you are correct in that Hartley's military band has the knowlege to circumvent the security fence. While Konstantin knows this, there is effectively nothing he can do about it since he is not aware of how the enemy achieved that bypass. It is something beyond Konstantin's influence and knowledge, and while it certainly is a concern, he sees little point on focusing on it when there is nothing he can do to change that. - just why does Hartley want Shay dead? Well, part of that is from the 'if I can't imprison and control him, I'll make sure he's dead so no one else can' philosophy and the man's decidedly sociopathic tendencies. The rest of it comes from Hartley's longer term goals, which are still somewhat murky and will be revealed later in the plot. - you hazard quite a few guesses around the Volkov experimentation and stasis. Most of it will be explained in future, but on the matter of 'becoming like Shay': the idea of using the machinery at Volkov to replicate the treatment that happened to Shay isn't realistic, given it would require not just operational knowledge of the Hoffstadt chambers themselves, but also a laboratory-created tailored genetic virus that Shay was embedded with way back in 2104. Konstantin may know a fair bit about medicine, but he is still a long way behind being able to repeat what actual doctors and expert geneticists would have done originally.

A glorious struggle! Uh, I'm flattered .. I think? I would be the first to admit my prose isn't for everyone, but I hope that navigating your way through it is as rewarding as it can be for that effort.

Ah! Well, that is one of many possibilities. Shay is a wanted person, so to speak, though at this point in the story he still does not realise how wanted or by whom. The problem with the guardianship issue is that Lucere's legal status (and that of all the other colonies) is considered to be null and void. There is no precedent for people arriving from another colony because those worlds are all ruined, have no people and are disconnected from Earth -- as far as the home world understands it. So Earth's law is the prevailing law for these refugees, doubly so since they have been accepted and provided for by the federal government since they arrived. Konstantin already has adopted the two boys in a figurative sense before arriving at Earth so your words aren't untrue, but Mira had pre-empted this by calling himself 'Andersen' right as they arrived. This implied a direct family relationship to Shay. While Konstantin could still claim to be an adoptive parent, he had to explain this situation away and also wanted the premier to formally recognise him as their guardian, just so he can ensure their protection under the law. Thank you The story of these two takes up an extraordinary amount of my spare time, but I do not regret it. It is worth every word.

Well that was probably the safer thing to do, right? Heh, well, the second chapter is being written.

Hey Sammy, thanks for reviewing! I'm really glad you are enjoying it so far. I don't doubt that my English might be a little difficult for a non-native speaker, as there is the tendency to use very poetic or metaphorical language and odd structure that would make it harder to read. The difficulty does sound like it has been informational though, so that is a positive. Yes, there are a few arcs of story I wish to have introduced and in motion before Shay and Mira 'step onto the stage' if you will. Yugan is going to have some importance attached to him too, though Shay will still be the central character, despite the delay in narration around him. Thank you so much for your comments. Though I am rather curious how you found Hidden Sunlight on GA and what brought you here! With any luck the next chapter shall not be too far off.

Do not fear, your comment shall not be missed. I am well tuned to any reviews posted and make sure to respond to pretty much everything these days .. but let me say .. wow this is a heck of a long review No matter, detail is good! I appreciate time taken to tell thoughts. I'll try to address your questions/thoughts in the order they've been listed. - Shay didn't need to ask what the virus did because he already knew from his own observation that it involved the mutation of humans; he's a very smart boy and given the events with Leon in the latter half of the first chapter, he had already linked sharpelings and the virus together before he knew what the creatures were. Additionally, his cover story to Konstantin did not require him to ask because it was implicit that he already knew. Shay's claim was to be from a remote town in western Aurum, and he even says: "We were cut off from everything. I mean, we knew the disease had happened, but it never made it to us. So we were never exposed to it. I guess that's why we don't have it at all." Konstantin accepts that as an explanation at that point in time, despite his unexpressed doubt over the fact that it is possible though very unlikely. - the question of the date was something Shay was quite wary over, because he was still trying to figure out what was going on without drawing too much attention to his own situation. Asking about the month would provoke some curiosity, not to mention questioning what year it was. Simply put it didn't seem important enough for him to risk his cover and potential danger by exposing his very unusual lack of knowledge about the post-apocalyptic world, when he could just wait for an opportunity to discover that on his own. - sex has been explored and does get elaborated upon more in the latter chapters of the story (judging from the fact this review is of Chapter 9). I tried to keep true to the tone of the characters and their romance and I'd like to think I succeeded. - when the incident with the armed men occurs, Konstantin is left with a very limited number of options, just as he was presented with very few palatable ways to enter and explore the LPHC to begin with. Staying at Lorentz would more than likely have resulted in him being killed and the data they collected captured, so with a lack of better options he had to return to the estate in Palatus to formulate what to do next. Bear in mind also that Carlos had essentially been rescued by Mira during the events of Chapter 4 and looked after by the adults; he more or less owed them his life and was in no position to return to his former group after the death of his uncle and cousin, being a traitor to that group. Lily was not in any danger there on her own with him; she's a lot tougher than most give her credit. Federico was also in the garage during Chapter 6, not in the laundry where Konstantin initially left him. So, not knowing the whereabouts or makeup of any antagonists who could attack the estate, and with Leon's group basically leaderless, Konstantin was in a position of having to take the initiative and pursue any leads to make things happen, rather than sitting on his hands and getting nothing accomplished. It's a hell of an ask for anyone to make those sorts of decisions and there aren't many clear-cut wrong or right answers. - with regard to Shay and the 'energy', you'll find more about that in the coming chapters, so I won't talk about it at risk of spoiling the plot. - that 'scream' you mention as well - no, it wasn't Mira, though that doesn't mean he couldn't have somehow been involved with whatever made it Mira doesn't communicate with the sharpelings as such, not through anything more than basic body language (which mostly consists of aggressive/combat stances anyway), though again, that's not to say communication is impossible with the correct parties involved, so to speak. Yes, sharpelings can reproduce - Mira is the best example of this. He never experienced life as a human before he met Shay - he had been a sharpeling his entire existence prior. It's part of the reason why the physical act of speaking is so hard for him to get to grips with; he's never done it before - ever. - read on! There are plenty of answers in the chapters after 9. I welcome any and all correspondence -- and thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed and positive response.

Aww, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Don't be afraid to voice yourself on here, I love hearing from readers.

I very much understand how the naming will be somewhat confusing to begin with, since the naming mechanisms are developed directly from the race's past itself and thus have a particular style to them, the meaning derived from that associated history. To clarify these terms for you (and for any others who are reading this thread): Otsin is the village/settlement in which Yugan and his tribe live. Their world is Dagen's Grace, named after the legendary ancestral figure that the Tale of Sundering talks of. While their race as a whole is called the Mishith, those originating on this particular planet call themselves Dagenith when they wish to specifically identify themselves as being from this world. Since their isolation from the end of the previous age, those two terms are largely synonymous, as the Mishith of Dagen's Grace are not in contact with others from different worlds -- nor do they even know if any exist. However, the terms *DO* have similar but different meanings and the attached cultural connotations can alter a spoken implication accordingly. Consider a (rough) human analog to be the difference between describing someone as an American and describing them as a New Yorker. The -ith and -ithi suffixes are plural and singular pronoun modifiers, respectively. The plural pronoun is only capitalised when referring to the demographic in its totality; otherwise for just a group or multitude of individuals (two or more) it will be lower case. The singular pronoun is never capitalised and is gender neutral. Also, the singular suffix is sometimes used as a diminutive for children or as a social endearment. They are not insectoid. They are humanoid (or possibly anthropoid, but that's just a quibble over the precision of the terminology) in that their basic musculoskeletal shape resembles a human one; i.e. walking upright on two legs, possessing arms and a head in the same general format that a person does. However, their physiology is functionally different in a number of ways; some of those I have already outright mentioned, others will become more detailed as the plot progresses. The pointed vagueness is deliberate, as like Shay's image -- whom *I* have a very good mental picture of but have yet to give *you the reader* much more than a cursory description in the text after a whole freakin' book -- Yugan's exact appearance isn't the thing of primary importance. That said, things will become clearer, I can promise! I say that a lot, don't I? Hah! I can't blame you for asking I must add that Hidden Sunlight certainly was not the last we shall see of Lucere, but yes! New scenery, exotic locations and whatnot, for me to blow up and send all kinds of people to their death in! Uh .. just kidding! Except, not really, because ... um ... it's gonna happen here and there. Re: the ears. The comparison to cats, again, is not without some truth to it. For the Mishith, just like a cat, the ears are an obvious visual cue of telling another's emotional state. Perhaps the most obvious one. Lastly, I'm not going to say exactly when Shay will make his first appearance. Ah that accursed plot secrecy! You will have to wait and see on that count.

There will be tension aplenty, I can promise you, though this story will be functionally a bit different from the predecessor. Shay and Mira are on Earth, but I caution to add they may not appear quite as soon as expected. Of course, the 'why' of this I cannot elaborate upon, though the reasons will begin to emerge soon. You are right -- the premier certainly is not saying everything. She is, after all, a politician and all such people have their own interests. The question is an open one: where does Ms Lebaredian fit on the scale? Or perhaps a better question would be: what does that scale, the political climate, *really* look like without the window dressing?

Earth is not a ruined world like the rest of the colonies, but it does have problems of its own. Politics and all the inherent manipulation it brings makes it a messy business, as bad as war in many respects. I will try to be consistent and frequent, but I'm no longer going to estimate chapter completion dates, because it *will* backfire if I do Cliffhangers .. oh boy, I can't even talk about that.

Hey Stephen, welcome to Book 2! There will be several intersecting arcs of story. Konstantin and Yugan are two of those, as is the first scene, though for entirely different purposes!

The title says what it is about. This is the Official Discussion Thread for Veil of Shadow, the sequel to Hidden Sunlight. Here it lies, in all its glory!

It wasn't that Darcy Andrews disliked the launch preparation. As with many aspects of his career, he knew there would be steps to take. There was always a checklist to follow. Criteria to be marked off. Permission to be given. Calls to be made. All sorts of minor stuff that was the routine paperwork du jour for any regular space transit. Nor was it that he was in the hot-seat for this flight, because he wasn't. He wished he was, it was true, but just being a part of this was a pretty big deal by

In the aftermath of Lucere, the worst seems to be over. However, the apparent calm is deceptive: Shay Andersen is sought by many forces -- both human and alien -- who wish to either control, embrace or destroy his power. This collision of fate will mark the ending of an ancient chain of events that will test his will to the limits.

Happy Birthday Bee. Have an awesome day

I have on occasion read fiction involving incest, but it takes something interesting and special to hold my attention if you're going to tackle a topic like this. I don't know, I think it's just a matter of individual tastes as Myiege says.

The problem is that, once again, you are shifting the parameters of discussion somewhere else in order to frame your own point in favourable terms. Other taboos have already been mentioned and acknowledged, including subsequently by the OP. I said so myself that these taboos exist, a post or two back, in a direct response to you. So, if the extent of your response is that 'bestiality exists and I pointed it out!' then you still have not addressed the substance therein. Additionally, incest remains the main topic of this thread -- something that I am repeating, yet again, as are other posters, but you are not engaging in that discussion. Everything I have said is grounded in logic and not in appeals to emotion or spurious covert character assassination and name-calling. I don't think you are truly interested in making a point and having a civil discussion, or you would have responded to other quite rational talk still occurring here instead of just inflaming this point with me. I believe you are actually a troll who is more interested in having the last word than real dialogue. I do not intend to play that game, so I will not respond to you any further, regardless of what you say to or about me. Good day, miss cupcake. *wipes his hands* But I do so enjoy a life and death struggle for the truth With regard to sibling incest versus cousins, that would make a lot of sense as there would be more of those commonalities and thus more points for it to happen. It is curious, I wrote quite some years ago a fantasy mythology for a world I was creating (well before I had read George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire) with one of the most powerful royal families unwittingly engaging in incest. The family tree ended in a rather creepy rectangular block shape and produced what was probably the most insane and viciously tyrannical boy-king their world had ever known, who nearly ruined everything due to his psychosis. Dollars to donuts, he could have been Joffrey Lannister's twin brother. It's an interesting topic from several standpoints and I definitely think it deserves some exploration in fiction. Though with the brother-kissing thing ... yeah. Eww. I could never think of mine that way.

Which original post? The one that Sasha, the OP, made? No, Sasha's post was was quite clearly about incest -- which is what the topic is focused on. Or maybe you are referring to your own post, the one that you made about dolphins and sex that is a complete tangent to the original topic and is in no sense validated since you have (retroactively and conveniently) claimed you lost the information to do so? While I appreciate anyone who is in a meaningful discussion having their say, I have little time for those that employ oblique ad-hominem in the form of passive aggressive commentary that adds nothing to the current discussion. You are also directly contradicting yourself and at this point, frankly it is embarrassing. Unless you have something interesting and useful to say, I'd suggest returning to Sasha's topic.

Then why are you engaging in this discussion if you want to make a point but don't intend to provide any supporting proof when a deconstruction of your logic is given? Why keep responding if you'd rather this end? There are other taboos out there, sure. That I would not question. Yet this thread is (mostly, it seems) about the significance of incest as a historical/cultural/social 'forbidden behaviour' and the reasons surrounding it.

The problem with that whole concept is you are equating a human mentality with an animal's perception. Humans share these concepts with one another because we are engaged in a mutual social construct and we have easily communicable thought processes. Sign language is essentially a straw man, in this instance, that has nothing to do with an animal 'giving consent' because sex, accessibility to sex and social attitudes to sex being translated interspecies can be a hugely different can of worms.

Awww, haha! I'm glad you are enjoying it! Thanks for stopping by.

Thank you once more! The epilogue was more or less a bit of a summary but yes, more a signpost pointing to the road ahead. Oh, but there is SO much more to come! It excites me - and intimidates me - knowing what I will have to produce to tell that story. Here's to the future, indeed.

Thank you! Apologies to my own time taken responding, but here we are. Carlos' motivation was possibly the lightest character exploration anyone got on the protagonist side of things, excepting Morgan who was deliberately a smaller part. He had though, a rather problematic childhood even by Lucere's pretty terrible standards. Shay was his own personal sign from above, his own chance at self-redemption. He wanted to change himself for the better and help those around him in the process, and he is perhaps the most heroic person in the story because of his sacrifice; Mira's devotion notwithstanding - or debatable! I love that you found this part of the story so strong! Any character demise always makes me feel guilty, to varying degrees, but meeting understanding as it comes the other way is a good thing!