ReaderPaul

It was a tie on stories. @Geron Kees story, "Here Be Dragons, Charlie Boone!" and @Backwoods Boy story "The Jock and the Bookworm" tied for my favorites. But all on the list are by great authors. I would rather be in Daylight Saving Time year around instead of switching.

Well, Ian is living on the island. The guys can visit, and I bet Kiernan would like visiting there, as well. Speaking of visiting, have the guys retrieved their spacesuits on Captain Nema's ship and visited Oumuamua again since "Do the Stars Have Hearts, Charlie Boone?"

This is another fascinating story in the Charlie Boone universe. While this can be read as a stand-alone story, and considerable enjoyed, it is helpful to have read some of the previous stories for additional background. That said, if you have not yet read any others, go ahead and read this one. You will then almost certainly want to go back and read many others in the series -- as in all of them. Every story I have read by Geron Kees has been good. This is no exception. Charlie and Kip meet a potential client for their business, Arno Coldat. After hearing his story of rooms in an old mansion which will not stay renovated, they and their fellow associates at Third Planet Inquires take the case and begin work. Strange events happen. The more they learn, the more they are aware of what they need to learn. The culmination is a trip to South America, in which several things are explained. Well worth reading. Be aware, as with all of Geron's stories, this will inspire you to think, as well as be entertained. This story inspires more thinking than the majority of stories by Geron, and it is very well worth it.

Beautiful story.

It was established in a previous story that Nicholaas is around a thousand years old, possibly just slightly older. Nicholaas is the oldest human the elves seem to know about, based on the reading of the previous Charlie Boone stories, unless Max has been holding out on that info as well. Nicholas looks about 30 to 35 years old, according to a previous story, when he was thinking of partnering (or more) with Ronja. Robin has been tight-lipped on the subject of age other than himself or Nicholaas, but it would not surprise me if he knows of some humans who are up to 400 years old -- or not. And @Geron Kees has not enlightened us on how many and how old Robin's kids are, but has said that in 800 years, he surely must have some. (That was in response to a previous question I asked in a comment about two or three stories back.) Pacha'ka is several lifetimes old in human terms, but he said a few stories back that he is entering middle age for his people, the Kift or sometimes Kifta. Mike, that travels with Pacha and Bobby and Kontus, is in his mid-twenties, while Mike's boyfriend Bobby is in his eighties chronologically, but looks about twenty-four or twenty-five due to the time he spent on Kanthakos, that dark world where about two weeks passed for Bobby while the time passed from 1957 to 2019 for everyone else. (See, "Light My Roamin' Candle, Charlie Boone!") Hey Geron! Any chance of a romance between Pacha and Chirka? If there is, it should only take about twenty more Charlie Boone stories to come about.

I have to agree with @Ivor Slipper in that I had not expected Max to show up in this particular tale. But as I think about the story, I am less surprised. It was good to see Dollen the bartender, and Chirka'ka, again. I was not clear if Ragal, Casper, or Uncle Bob were with The Four and Browbeat, Horace, Amy and Robin, or not in the lower level. I would be interested in the answering service Third Planet Inquires uses. It is Irving, or a paid service? As The Four (Charlie, Kippy, Ricky, and Adrian) grow in their skwish, and it continues to grow, the parents and siblings of The Four must also be being stimulated in their skwish. Ricky's younger sister and even younger brother would be especially able to be sensitized to skwish. But Adrian's mother probably also works around persons with some skwish in her job as an editor at Ornament Graphics ("a division of Northern Industries," one of the companies owned by Nicholaas, as established in the second Charlie Boone story) would be exposed perhaps even more than some of the others. It's time to have another side story, this time another Pacha'ka Adventure, featuring Kontus discovering other hidden power users among the Trichani people. After all, it was hinted that Kontus is a power user, though not consciously aware of it yet. With Pacha and Max available, as well as others, Kontus has plenty of possibilities in learning skwish/the craft/ka/the power. Good story as usual, @Geron Kees.

Well, I was not expecting to see Ian. And Reudi -- no end of surprises to him. Licensed as a water pilot in South America? And Browbeat -- his sensitivity to what is happening is continuing. Geron, this is increasingly fascinating.

I think each person who has posted has brought up valid points. Some of the best stories I have read have been a mix of the viewpoints expressed. At one point, I was asked by a relative who used to write romance stories for some suggested story titles and plot ideas. One I proposed was, the title "Bye, Bye, Black/Byrd." Plot: A bisexual man, Mr. Blue, is very attracted to two people: Mr. Black, and Ms. Byrd. Which will get Blue? While improbable, it could, in theory, happen. I have read some very good books where people do ordinary things, for the most part -- go to work, pay bills, take care of the kids, get the vehicles repaired, go grocery shopping (growing up, the men and boys in my family did most of the grocery shopping; all of us shingled roofs, we all put up sheetrock on the ceiling for better insulation in that old house; we all carried water from the spring to the house, etc.). Sometimes, even books about the seemingly mundane can seem escapist. IMO (In My Opinion), some of that might be seeing things from a slightly different angle that we are used to. there is room for all of it.

Reading takes a bit of time for most people. However, as part of his magic mechanic talent, Rick and Charlie could probably work together to give Browbeat the ability to read English, and with Charlie's vocabulary. Add Robin to the mix, and Browbeat could learn to read and speak several languages. Of course, @Geron Kees might save the discovery of that talent combo for a future story.

Wonderful! I am curious, however, on how the folks of Third Planet Inquiries explain the beam to non-skwish users in their traveling. Or will Robin put it in a coating of negative light so only Charlie, Robin, and company can see it? After all, Charlie's second presence and Robin working with him could extend it to the rest of the group. Additionally, Rick's and Horace's and Amy's sensitivity would also allow them to be aware, I think.

Quoting from this chapter: Charlie nodded. "You're doing fine." He frowned. "I was thinking we'd go back to talk to the pizza guy and see if we could learn from him of any local experts on the house or the Oshtàpày legend. But...I think we're beyond that now. All a local could tell us would be local interpretations and stories. I think we're arriving at the idea now that Tasker brought our friend here somehow from the same island we just witnessed in the vision." Kippy nodded. "That's an assumption, but one I agree with." Rick smiled. "You know, we could always go to Engris, visit a spirit dome, and call for Tasker. He could tell us the story, himself." Charlie nodded. "That could possibly work. And if it comes down to that, we will." He smiled. "But Murcha has Lollipop engaged just now, and we'd have to pull the ship off a contracted run. I'm really not willing to do that unless we have to." Kippy laughed, noting Charlie's look. "And?" Charlie smiled. "And, I'm enjoying the hunt!" He turned to Robin. "Aren't you, my dear Holmes?" The man laughed. "Indubitably, my dear Watson." "So, then what's next?" Browbeat asked. He sighed, his face aglow with pleasure. "This is so fun!" Charlie looked to the small flyer with interest. "What do you think we should do?" "Me?" Browbeat laughed. "I don't know. I think we have to wait on the nishpah to tell us more." Kippy's eyebrows danced upwards at that. "Nishpah?" Browbeat turned to look at him. "Uh huh. That's what we call these types of life on my planet." Ricky and Charlie are forgetting that both Uncle Bob and Robin have been to Engris, so could teleport the guys to there and then try to call Tasker. No need to involve Murcha.

Ah, not me. I love Geron's plots. And @drsawzall does great plotting and stories, as well. If he and @Geron Kees ever teamed up, what a story it could be! Or for that matter, @Backwoods Boy, if you and Geron ever teamed up wonderful as well. But cooperative story writing is quite a challenge, and it might be something none of you have time for, in the present.

Okay, @Geron Kees and @Backwoods Boy -- We have established that the older guy, the pizza cook, is named George. The younger guy is named Jordan. Geron, you said that one of them might have more information later -- much later. So the group may be going through or in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, again sometime, for a mystery? A future story?

Earlier today, I saw a picture of a road and a series of wells. For some reason, I thought of this story. The wells were dug in such a way as to help control the wind. There were posts, as well. I have a hunch that Horace and Browbeat are going to be important in the development of this story. Since Charlie is using goggle, which is how The Four -- Charlie, Kippy, Adrian, and Ricky -- first contacted Max, then indirectly Frit and Pip -- (See "It's The Gayest Christmas Every, Charlie Boone!") -- and reference has been made to elf links given Charlie by Frit -- we could be in for a proverbial wild ride! Obviously, Robin has been learning things by association with Nicholaas, Max, and Keerby, plus Horace, AND his 800+ years of life. Plus, Ragal's influence in the lower level of the previous story probably has helped Robin's observational powers -- already honed by his 800 years of experience -- even more. I predict Robin -- and Amy -- have some important things to do in this story beyond what we have seen so far. At times in my life I have had flashes of correct sudden knowledge or prediction. Not often. But enough to make me wonder -- At least with Geron writing the story, we are sure of more fascinating flights of fancy, feelings of familiarity, friendship, fascination, and fabulous force of featured fable from the fertile field of Geron's genius level fruitful, fully functional intellect.

When I read the following, my eyebrows went up: They were facing a grand window in the rear of the vaulted roof, circular and about eight feet in diameter, installed beneath an eyebrow set into the rear roof. The window was slightly concave from their side, and made up of triangles of glass in a wooden frame set in a geodesic pattern, and looked like the view from the inside of a multifaceted diamond.... I consulted dictionary dot com and found that definitions 3 and 5 of "eyebrow" were not familiar to me. Thanks for inspiring an expansion to my vocabulary knowledge. Fascinating. I will have more to comment on later, I'm reasonably sure.

@wildone -- as a reader, I like the way you have been doing the Weekly Wrap Ups. However, @astone2292 has a good suggestion, should you decide to try some variations. Questions might include what he listed, but with a cautionary note if the question might get into politics or subject matter that would run contrary to GA guidelines. Possible questions could include Aaron's suggestions-- A--- What was everyone's favorite story this week? B--- Favorite line from a story this week (touching, funny, or simply awesome)? I might also suggest -- C--- Which story you read in the past week has the most surprising plot twist? D--- Which had your favorite one or two characters in it, and why (if that can be explained without giving the story away)? Please keep up your good work.

I doubt there was a Screen Extras Guild at that time.

The cook is named George. We don't have a name for the younger guy.

I don't have a photographic memory, but close to that.

I have an idea of what they could do. Call in Ronja! With her talents of reconciliation and interpretation, Horace and Amy could help translate to the wood spirit her ability to work out a compromise all could live with. Or, perhaps call in Kiri from Twombly. Her eye of the world ability might help in this case. Interesting continuation of the story.

Well, I had just read the story, and thought -- Robin Hood -- National Robin Day -- sure. But March 3 was also also National Jackson Day, and so far I haven't seen anyone in this story named Jackson. Is Ricky's younger brother named Jackson Travers, @Geron Kees?

Well, I had just read the story, and thought -- Robin Hood -- National Robin Day -- sure. But March 3 was also also National Jackson Day, and so far I haven't seen anyone in this story named Jackson. Is Ricky's younger brother named Jackson Travers, @Geron Kees?

Hey, @Geron Kees -- Since Ricky is the magic mechanic, maybe he could help one of the other guys to learn to teleport -- Adrian or Kippy, perhaps. Or, perhaps Ricky and Robin could work together, and figure out how to give Ragal or Casper the ability to do the negative light shielding that Robin can do. Or, since Ricky and Charlie are able to connect on the set-up-teleport pathways, along with Max and/or Robin, as seen in previous adventures, perhaps Ricky and Charlie -- or Horace -- could develop drawing-teleport powers, where they can teleport someone they know to them -- as in, draw Kippy to where Charlie is, or draw Browbeat to where Ricky is, or someone else -- as long as they knew them. How about that? Wouldn't drawing-teleporters be a possibility on the "other-side-of-the-skwish-coin"? Or a pushing-teleporter -- able to SEND someone they know to another location they have been? After all, Horace developed a type of summoning power in the lower-level adventures. This is going to be a wonderful story -- I already can tell!

Looking at https://nationaltoday.com/march-3-holidays/ it is, on March 3, National Robin Day, Canadian Bacon Day, Caregivers Day, and several others. Great start, @Geron Kees!

What a delicious idea! I love it! And of course, after the successful launch in Boston, they will need to establish a Makarovian Royal Burgers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where MIT is. Now for either another chapter of Makarovia or three chapters of Ark II, followed by Blueblood, followed by more writing, and... and ,,,