Rkench

Is Bennett truly dead yet? Petras made that prophecy a couple of times. The necromancers used the images from the prophecy against Crowe. There was even the hallucinated scene of Crowe talking with Bennett’s corpse in a grave full of bodies, But I don’t think we have confirmed Bennett’s death yet.

Such a heart wrenching story played out with an economy of words. I am also a Ken. And I am still coping with the loss of my parents, especially my mother who passed four years ago. Dementia played a role in both of their deaths, but fortunately was not serious until the very end. Still. I understand the living loss. In Mom’s case it was harder because COPD had robbed her of her vitality and mobility about a decade before she passed. I am glad you included the crucial party scene. It reminds me how some of my family have helped keep me sane (ish?) where others seem determined to tear apart our once close-knit family ripping it link by link. You’re right. Annie is a great character. I could use someone like her. Thanks, as always, for sharing your voice.

Thanks for that. Several of Walt’s favorite artists were Jewish, including his top songwriters the Sherman Brothers. Other prominent Jews in his life included the man who came up with the first merchandising of Mickey and one of his top lawyers who Walt later made a VP at the company. B’nai B’rith named Walt man of the year in 1955, an honor he accepted in person. Walt had many faults and flaws, but there is no evidence he hated Jews, women, blacks or gays.

@Thomas Wells All three parts of the saga are well worth your time. If you haven’t read Spirit Wolves yet, I’d recommend reading that next. A huge amount of Light at the End of the Tunnel revolves around Caleb trying to redeem his actions in book one. It was touched upon in Shadow, but barely.

What a great tale involving characters I can care about. Central to the story is a truly good cop confronted with surprising and sometimes morally ambiguous choices, while grasping unexpected changes. A strength is police writing from someone who actually knows and understands procedure. Leon/Jamie is a great protagonist who only grows more interesting After things take a metaphysical twist roughly following the first third or so of the tale. As others have said, there is plenty of opportunity here to dig deeper into abilities and a world we barely scratch the surface of in this installment. Not a criticism. I just hope there’s room in any sequel to grow Mike the chef/cop/super boyfriend and others. He’s too smart and intuitive not to know and learn more.

Wow. Just heard the news. One of my favorite authors on this site and on nifty (where I first encountered his work many years ago). Now Justin will never finish telling Richie about his new life as a vampire. So sad for all who knew and loved Comsie. I only emailed back and forth a couple of times. I wish I’d gotten to know him better. Pleased his work will live on. Seriously, I’m bummed to hear this. One of the first authors of the genre I came across that was a real writer. ✍️

What a beautifully told tale. Ostensibly, a murder mystery. At its core, though, is a saga of the heart with well-established annd earned elements of mysticism. Our narrator and main character knows much of loss and angst and despair, yet retains a goodness and an optimism that allows his spirit to commune with animals. Circumstances reunite him with the man he shares a soul. How their reunification unfolds is delightful. I’ve always been leery of those who dismiss different perspectives and wisdoms out of hand, as one main character appears to do at first. Yet, this beautifully told tale reinforces my belief. No one knowledge is bad or wrong, or for that matter perfect. Opening up to other insights rewards, as does following along the journey presented here. I guessed, correctly. a good amount of the whodunit. That my answers were on point did not in any way lesson the appeal of enjoying how this plays out. Well worth your time. @Libby Drew: this is the most rewarding of the excellent stories you’ve penned and posted here to date. Many thanks. 🙏

What a thoroughly charming beginning to a solid-built relationship. I truly enjoyed meeting these guys and spending time with them. Perhaps personal experiences play a role, but I was never confused about what happened to Jess at then fountain. His reaction made me believe he’d passed out or hallucinated. I’ve talked with men with that sort of PTSD before, and briefly was on a medicine that caused me to lose myself like that momentarily. It only happened a couple of times til we realized the cause. But it’s a feeling I pray I never feel again. Helpless, unfocused and out of control. Thank you for this story. It may be my favorite of yours I’ve read so far.

I quite agree: your opinions are just as valid and important, and I appreciate hearing them. I found your writing to be as involving as ever. Touches like Fanlit mentioned (black/white names and heritage but not good at hoops, for example) efficiently delineate and create characters you can care about. The circumstances of Evan’s guilt are darn close to universal. Jordan’s/Your reasoning is well structured and convincing. I’m pleased you gave the teen the wisdom of ending his speech with no expectations anyone would use it to renounce their faith. I’ve long had my own reasons to question and to struggle with what being a man of faith really means. Jesus clearly taught us to love one another and give up wealth to care for our less fortunate neighbors as ourselves, yet a denomination just spent millions on a Super Bowl ad, and an enormous amount of “Christians” are against social services for the poor and want to slam the door on immigrants brave enough to cross half a continent while leaving lives and family behind. Do they not forget Jesus himself was of meager means and a bit of a migrant at the time of His birth? Ultimately, for me, through all of that human hypocrisy and divine discretions (indiscretions?) about what’s true my faith holds strong. It may defy logic, especially as one whose very sexuality is the subject of persecution, but that’s where I stand. Who does or does not gain entrance to heaven, what that ethereal paradise is or is not like, when our fates are determined, where non-believers fit in, or why we can’t truly know now are — to me — unanswerable mysteries or are they how God keeps us guessing? I also cannot and do not accept an all-knowing and loving creator would cast out billions of otherwise good-yet-flawed creations for being unbaptized. Am I right? I may never know In this or any other life. I suppose a leap of faith is just that. Thanks, as always, for sharing.

Quite a solid start to what appears to be a sadly short addition to your saga. Once again you make world-building and pithy dialogue feel effortless. I like Dante even though I know he’s making vague threats to our delicious power couple. The scene with his niece helps in no small amount.

I’m in tears at this beautiful vignette. I find myself wanting more. My own brother was not allowed the chance to accept or reject me for close to 8 years after I accepted myself as gay. My mother forbade me from telling fearing my brother and father would cut me out of their lives. I’m pleased to say both rose to the occasion. I insisted everyone know once I met the man I wish I was now married to. Long story that. My brother always has made him feel welcome. My brother and I are too dissimilar in personalities and interests to be the closest of friends, but I’ve never doubted he’d have my back. I’ll have his. He’d have acted a bit like Robert if he met my Ed under similar circumstances. I’m so proud of my brother for overcoming the beliefs he grew up with.

@drpaladin Always brings with him tremendously insightful and helpful comments. I appreciate when he weighs in on stories I read/follow.

The hurt through the last 2/3rds of that chapter is palpable and devastating. We know now Mark was the only other not under the curse. No wonder Grey felt so betrayed and forlorn. Hmmmm. I think the forest did more than just “seem to respond” to his anguish. I also appreciated his wolf’s wisdom a bit earlier: His animal spirit is here rejecting barbaric and cruel animalistic behavior. Even though you’ve implied they hadn’t spoke much for a while before meeting Dave, it seems wolf and Grey helped keep each other sane.

Thanks for a very well thought out and reasoned response. I didn’t actually miss that descriptive detail. What’s to say Dave isn’t also Hispanic or Native American or Arabic or Pacific Islander or black or any number of other descriptive labels for persons of color? I’m all caught up and you have revealed more over the later chapters. And that’s good. There’s still a lot of room for you to paint in the canvas as you see fit. I don’t assume the default is Caucasian. Unless an author tells me it is. All my best!

And your writing is very much appreciated. It’s immeasurably brave to share your own personal creative spark nakedly, knowing full well people could easily trash or poke fun. Good reading involves suspension of disbelief. Keep at it