An encounter with a villain... ----- Chapter 9. Oasis' gut seethed with nausea and acid fire, staring at the urbanely smiling face. Though different in detail, the smile, the cadence of that voice was all too familiar, and brought back echoes of the nightmare on Hyperion Station. Through the other part of herself, the not-quite-separate yet not-quite-merged Kimberley, aka "K", she got fury and fear that intensified her reaction. I'm actually trembling, so furious and terrified that my body's [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 8
May 25, 2021 By 3 Comments
Oasis and Wu get an assignment! ------ Chapter 8. "Oh, that's just perfect," Ariane said, and Wu Kung thought he could see the sarcasm dripping from the last word. "Maria-Susanna's a Shadeweaver, or on her way to being one, Byto might have been killed over Hyperion, and Fairchild's disappeared in a way that indicates he's already got allies." "Yeah, it's just a cornucopia of great news," DuQuesne said, grinning blackly. "What about on your end, Captain? Got anything to take the edge off?" She shot a [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 7
May 24, 2021 By 9 Comments
Simon gets a date, gets some news, and gets an idea! ----- Chapter 7. The door chime finally drew his attention; Simon said "Come in," absently, while still focused on the tri-display in front of him. "Since you were taking a break today," Oasis' voice came from behind him, "I thought we might –" Feeling his face flaming scarlet, Simon hit the off control on the little console. But by the raised eyebrow and widening grin on Oasis' face, he knew he'd been a split-second too [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 6
May 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment
DuQuesne conducts an interesting experiment, and a discussion with Orphan about a dead Champion... ------ Chapter 6. Orphan held his head slightly tilted, one hand absently stroking his crest on that side. "Please repeat that, Doctor DuQuesne. I want to be sure I understand what you are asking." "I want to find out if I can read your mind – with your permission. Telepathy, in other words. The ability to directly make contact with another mind through no physical intermediary or technological aid such as the [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 5
May 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment
There's been a murder, and DuQuesne was right there.. ----- Chapter 5. "You're back!" Ariane exclaimed as DuQuesne appeared in the doorway. Then, seeing how the massive frame sagged, she ran to him, caught his hands in hers. "You look terrible, Marc." "I feel terrible. Klono and Noshabkeming, I feel terrible." The way he muttered off the outmoded Hyperion curses without so much as a selfconscious twitch told her just how bad it was. She exchanged glances with Wu Kung, as her bodyguard helped DuQuesne in, and saw [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 4
May 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment
And it's time to introduce a new complication... ----- Chapter 4. DuQuesne watched as electrical sparks crawled around Davia's hand, and pretended not to see the tears trickling down the young-looking face. They were sitting in a private meeting room. The main part of the debrief, summarizing the events of the last year or so from the crew's point of view, had taken quite a bit of time, but Ariane had decided that the more personal parts of the debrief, especially the revelation that the Hyperions were gifted [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 3
May 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Time to move on -- and meet a new Hyperion! ----- Chapter 3. "That is … unwelcome news," Simon said, studying Wu Kung with a sour, sinking feeling in his gut. "You are certain?" The Hyperion Monkey King grimaced. "Why do people always ask that? Would I say it that way if I were not? Yes, I am certain, as certain as you could tell me that I am wearing my robes! I can see your soul, and you have damaged it badly, about as badly as Ariane's." He raised both eyebrows. "Why are you upset, though? I thought you did not [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 2
May 19, 2021 By Leave a Comment
We continue, this time with a new point of view... ----- Chapter 2. Malvchait, Master of Forces, was in a black mood. It was not merely the inexplicable, embarrassing defeat that the Molothos had suffered, although that was undeniably a part of it. Still, he had only followed the orders of his superior – Faction Leader Dajzail of the Molothos. The worst of the humiliation had landed squarely on his carapace, not Malvchait's. At the same time, it was certainly the human undercreatures who were to [ Continue reading... ]
Shadows of Hyperion: Chapter 1
May 18, 2021 By 2 Comments
And we begin the fourth novel in the Arenaverse! ------ SHADOWS of HYPERION Fourth in the Arenaverse Series Chapter 1. "Ariane! Ariane, wake up!" The voice was vaguely familiar, echoing out of the red-tinged blackness of pain. "Ariane, can you hear me? Dammit, where's Gabrielle?" "You don't look too well either, Marc. Sit down!" That… that was Oasis. Marc? She made an effort to open her eyes and say something; a vague moan was the [ Continue reading... ]
On Writing: The Problem of Series, OR Why Isn’t This As AWESOME As The Last One?
November 7, 2017 By 8 Comments
It's happened to all of us: we find the first book in a new series and it's awesome – it's filled to bursting with cool imagery and characters and concepts, and we race through the book and then come to the end, saying "what? But I want MORE!". And then we get the sequel, and that's … a good book. I mean, maybe it's a really good book. But somehow there seems to be something missing, it's just not quite the slam-bang awesome you remember from the first book. But hey, authors can have off days, right, and this was still pretty good. So you [ Continue reading... ]
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