Rkench

Don’t sell yourself short. The satire is evident and well-played, but you’re still creating characters worth caring about.

Your feeling Probably started with this passage from Chapter 5. Mine did:

A brief new chapter in the Booneiverse. Pleased to see @Geron Kees back in top writing form. Much of his work brings a smile to my brain because the default assumption isn’t apocalyptic or distopian. Bad things can happen in the Boone stories, and not every ending is a happy one (The Beltracians come to mind)but it is comforting to have stories unfolding among a group of beings with genuine empathy and care for each other and a sense of wonder. Merry Christmas, Charlie Boone!

Amen. (No pun intended. Ok. Maybe a little intended). I appreciated how you approached Father Matthew. Be it a Father, father figure, friend or freak sometimes a quiet conversation and a simple message can help break through the chaos. This is my first introduction to your writing. I needed something “light” or “lighter” as the last couple of stories I absorbed on this site really were weighing on my mood. Your descriptions overall seem fine, and you fill in the pieces as you go. Too many writers bog you down in quicksand layers of dense detail all at once. It dismembers and buries any sense of momentum. Here’s an extremely high tech check: throw your description into an AI image generator. See how closely it comes to what you’re trying to convey. I have fun doing that sometimes. I agree it does. I am about to pick another of your stories to start next. Interested to know if you’re always as strong with parallel writing as you are writing Sky especially. I am a sucker for well-executed parallel writing and snark with heart.

I love this story and Geron’s storytelling never fails to bring a warmth to me. Jem is a likable protagonist from the first page, one not afraid to embrace the wonder of his truly remarkable world. Once Jem-kind meets Bzup the tale truly takes off. The patient unfolding of how the little alien grows to understand the big ideas of what the humans, and Jem in particular, are about is as compelling as I could possibly imagine a first contact between species could play out. Although the stakes are higher and the world view and tone are quite distinct from his marvelous Booniverse, Geron makes the twists unfold logically and wraps up this story not only at a satisfying point, but leaves me begging for more set in this world. And If ever you were hoping for the science in science fiction to be grounded in plausibility and not just interchangeable with magic, his writing is for you.

Thanks for all you give through these (and other) stories, Geron. I hope you are back to full strength and feeling great soon!

This is an extraordinarily good story mixing compelling adventure, battles and romance with some solid world-building and even more than a few touches of the magical. Jihan, the reluctant consort himself, is a delight to read as this successful merchant “plans and plots.” Clearly a man of both smarts and savvy. His problem-solving to get what he wants and keep those he loves safe is a large part of the story’s strengths. His Allies start with his big sister, Andiya, who is equally crafty and not afraid to stand up to Kastan, the Imperial Prince warrior who forces Jihan into a marriage aimed at protecting his empire and his heart. I won’t spoil more but will say look out for Yoru and Neith. And everyone would wish for a shadow as compassionate and lethal as Firuz.

This is my Second time through this wonderful story. Jihan, Firuz, Andiya and Kastan are among my favorite characters of any story I’ve read on this site. I am also partial to Neith. Would love to see more of them at some point. That said: Kastan has made several comments and references to Jihan being short-tempered. I realize at this point in the story Kastan only knows a small part of the picture, but while he is certainly emotional, Jihan is acting in a crafty, cunning and calculated way here. I guess it can seem impetuous because he doesn’t hesitate once he has a plan. Andiya calls him much earlier “my brother who plans and plots” and that’s just how he always operates when cornered. Disappointed that Kastan doesn’t appreciate that. A short- tempered Jihan would have bitch-slapped Nisa down many chapters ago, and I would have applauded it. Andiya came close.

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.