CincyKris

I think Kalian learned more in this chapter than all the previous ones put together. I like Tyren, I think he'll be an ally.

I enjoyed this chapter, especially the ending! I'm gaining some respect for Kalian, he sees the need for a plan to deal with Lex. I hope the training will go as well as I'm anticipating. The king came off as a bit of a buffoon. Buffoons can still be dangerous.

Well the lordling is finally showing a glimmer of maturation and intelligence, just as he is realizing he is in over his head. It appears that Lex is more than just a dumb, abusive jerk. He is a dumb, abusive, power-hungry jerk with connections. Let's hope Kalian gets his head out of his ass quickly enough to save himself.

I agree 100% with @drsawzall, Kalian is a pathetic spoiled brat. He's lucky Talon is interested in him.

I vote for the sister too. Still lacking respect for Kalian.

I'm trying really hard to stick with this, but I have such a difficult time feeling any sympathy for a person that would choose a monster like Lex, when he doesn't have to! This is not an abused spouse who has few options! What an idiot! If he really does marry Lex, I hope he gets exactly what we know will happen. He has a choice.

I couldn't agree more. I stopped reading this the first time around because I was fed up with Kalian's cowardice. He now has power and allowing someone he doesn't like in the first place control him was not enjoyable to read. I'm currently reading I hate this town and am getting over myself and learning to appreciate people who do not have my "take no crap" personality. I thought it was time to give Kalian another chance.

We are getting closer and closer to the big day! Will Mithras let the Earth vessel find the planet? If so, will they make contact before or after the lottery? What will happen with Evan and Thad? What memory is Mithras blocking from Ned? These and other questions answered in our next episode of La Tombola! 😁 This really does resemble the old serial shorts shown before movies -- Buck Rogers, et al. Great job! One actual question though, I thought you stated that as the original spaceships were approaching the planet 500 years after leaving, earth was coming out of a nuclear winter. That's why I assumed the new ship was derived from the Mayflower or Speedwell. What gives?

My initial thoughts are that Alec is living in an expensive house of cards. Looks good on the outside, but one gust of wind and it's laying in a pile. It doesn't sound like he ever told off his parents. He just left and cut off contact. Maybe he wasn't capable of that type of confrontation at the time. Maybe he still isn't. I still have no sympathy for his mother, illness does not transform a bad person into a good person. Because Alec is so different from me, I have to keep reminding myself that he wouldn't react the way I would. That you have me invested in a character I normally wouldn't identify with, says a great deal about your writing.

I had to work late and opened my tablet to 100 new notifications! WTF?! I assumed @Carlos Hazday must have dropped a surprise chapter, you know he's such a comment hog! But no, then I read the chapter and figured it out. @Mrsgnomie just wrote one of the best, most heartbreaking chapters I've ever read! I'm desperate to find out what happened to Lars. Is he as screwed up as the parents? Does he have survivor's guilt? A somewhat similar case (not twins) was on the news in Cincinnati a couple weeks ago. One kid singled out for punishment and abuse, the others treated well. The boy has permanent damage to his feet and legs due to standing in the corner for days at a time. The parents are in jail awaiting trial.

I think that is a given. Once it was established that there was a real connection between the weather (floods, droughts, temperatures) and the sacrifices to Mithras, I figured this planet was alive and sentient.

Since Thad had a “special” dream, I’m pretty sure he will be either chosen as the sacrifice, with Evan holding the knife, or the opposite. I agree that Ned will probably be reunited with Peter soon. I’m not forgetting the looming contact with the spacecraft. It seems the storylines are converging.

Finally! I’m so happy Dan wasn’t as closed minded as we thought (or closed lipped)! I wonder if old George was being truthful or hiding something?

I appreciate the response, and it assuages my fears that the extreme treatment of the last Arexian was a plot device. I still think the soldiers got what they deserved. Did they really think a being as powerful as Castle would just quietly back down from a heavily armed, aggressive military unit. Should be have been happy to be "incapacitated" and taken to who knows what torture? Not to mention the fact that he still believed he was living in his 1000-year-old dream world. The fault in the bloodshed is not with Castle, but with the captors. I resent Black for his outrage to the terrible result of a terribly executed terrible plan. You have created a protagonist I care about! I'm looking forward to finding out where (or when?) Castle and Sergey went to when they vanished.

My first reaction to the gory events are that it was unavoidable and predictable given the circumstances. Why are they treating this VIP like a hostage and prisoner? Why weren't the first moments after awakening filled with explanations, food, and rest? In what universe would an advanced society treat someone this important so terribly and so stupidly? It makes no sense. What advantages would treatment like this get them? I'm not sure if this is a criticism of the characters motivations or of the author. I will be patient, as I have been for all the preceding chapters, but I hope there will some sort of reasonable explanation for their inexplicable behavior, other than a convenient plot device. That being said, we learned a lot more about Castle, his abilities, and his history.

In an earlier chapter we were told that the settler's supply ship imploded and the other two settler ships left. A computer virus was installed before they left earth. The approaching ship must be from wherever the other settlers ended up. They were apparently able to mine ore to hold onto or rebuild their technology. Did they destroy another planet?

Dirk (and his bear) didn't just lose their mate, it appears that Dirk is the one to pull the trigger! I don't know how he will fully recover from that. Hopefully the assumed outcome will not happen, those shifty authors are known for that kind of behavior.

I saw the chapter a little differently than the earlier comment. Bouncer's actions seemed more play than aggression to me. I only read about Ases being bipedal, not having three legs. I don't think he is ignorant of space travel, I got the impression that the up/down comment was an old debate they argued many times during their time together. A smart move to bring a bit of their shared last to their present situation. Essell is certainly going to try to figure out if his mother influenced Ases. It is the last line I am puzzling over Not even to add days we no longer had on a task we no longer needed to do.

I just went back and looked at the last chapter, I was thinking of Bill, who runs the website!

No one else has voiced my guess yet. Bob saw more than a cat in the well, maybe he went in after it to stop someone else from seeing the body? Maurice witnessed something but has been terrified to talk about it for almost 50 years. That info is still there, folks with dementia lose short term memory, not long term. Also, maybe the love interest is George? Do we know how old he is?

I love the idea of a simple wedding at the pack meeting. And with Vincent's travel abilities, the honeymoon has no limits. As for the traitorous cop, I hope the FBI telepath is better than him!

Tears for me too! The entire conversation between Eric and Andy had me teary and on the edge of my seat. Eric has come so far from that first meeting, and so has Andy. The mention of the infamous "chicken curry incident" had me laughing. Great chapter!

I wonder if Yevgeny will resurface in a few decades when CJ takes office? What about that hangar with the old cars? Will that show up again?

Anyone who has read Boss Nanny (and that really should be everyone!) knows how this relationship ends up, but it is wonderful to be involved with the birth of Jay & Loe. Great job!

I’m so proud of Essell! He has come so far from the self-entitled (from mom) and self-absorbed (from dad) training from his parents. He is finally his own man! And I guarantee that Bouncer knew what was going on. I can’t wait till Essell figures that out!