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Happy St. Patrick's Day! Chapters 37, 38, 39 and 40

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I was spending time with my family, so the upload is a little later than usual today. Sorry about that, but hopefully you'll enjoy them.

I've seen a few concerns surrounding the pacing of the story. I totally understand that it's difficult reading the story piecemeal like this, and my hope is that it will all come together to create a good story. Others have pointed out that the story is too slice-of-life. I won't apologise for this, because I enjoy the Crafting and the relationships. There will be action, but it's not the main focus of the story.

Now, I know you all love cliffhangers. This isn't so much of one, as it is a promise for something greater. I've been planning this out for a while, and hopefully the execution works. I teased a part of it at the end of Book 3. Coach might be the final piece of the puzzle.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think. :)

Brian

Comments

Deko

Thank you!

OnionRings27

Thanks for the chapters!

Kiwi

Thank you for the chapters 🙂

Fearghal Flynn

Happy St Patrick’s Day Brian - hope it was a good one. Sláinte!

Benjamin Hartmann

I really like the slice of life character the story has…Very enjoyable letting your mind wander 😊

Morten Bork

I am here only for slice of life. Don't stop, please.

Kiwi

Yas!!! I was hoping Jack and Anthony would get up the ranks from helping with the machine….. can’t break up the dream team.

Laugh92

Anyone else getting blank pdf's? The words show up when I export to word but the pdf's are completely blank. Tried redownloading and same thing is happening.

Thomas Todd

Thanks for the chapters! I always love reading them but it's never enough, always want the next batch straight away

Kiwi

Hahaha Sal is a sneaky shit, finding materials under his bed 🙄 😂

Heather Herren

Thank you for the chapters. Hope you have a wonderful St Patrick’s day!!

Casey

I thoroughly enjoy the slice of life. As long as there is some action occasionally, which you've covered with dungeon runs and such, that helps me. It doesn't all have to be action action action. There were so many one liners in here that really made me laugh out loud. Thanks.

Aaron

Every time new chapters come out, I quite literally stop whatever I was doing and go read them.

Pickled Rick

#Edit Suggestion (Spoiler Warning) Chapter 40: If you're able to help them them out in any way, then it more than makes up for the building and material costs." - Them is repeated here unnecessarily.

Pickled Rick

Great chapters to celebrate St Paddy's day. If only I could find such cool things under my bed!

Pickled Rick

If its not your reader have you tried scrolling up. You might be at the end of the chapter which normally contains a couple of blank pages. It was all fine on my end once I fixed my text size.

Naotsugu97

Thanks for the chapters! The time skips are necessary. Just imagine writing out a recovery routine in the hospital. “Breakfast was eaten, Sal read his tablet for an hour, then napped. Lunch was endured, then Sal did two appraisals for the hospital, read his tablet for an hour, then mediated until supper time.” Rinse and repeat X 21 chapters! Ugh!!! Besides, stories always flow better in novel than serial. Also, I like the slice of life. I wouldn’t be interested in another fighting xianxia novel or isekai. There’s quite enough of those already. Lol!

Kiwi

I wish Sal took the time to show Quest Jackle. Because at this stage Quest probably believes the elixir machine is the first ever mythic grade.

Pickled Rick

Sal is still trying to keep that under wraps. While I think Quest is a safe confidant the best way to keep a secret between 2 people is if one of them is dead.😂

Scott Gable

Could you imagine if the healers found him walking out of his sub space storage

David

I don’t trust Quest at all. His Dumbledore routine is paper thin.

Kiwi

I’m still shocked Quest didn’t push for that answer, obsidian glass under the bed? Come on Quest 😂

Glen Adams

I honestly prefer the SoL stuff. Its one of the reasons I love this series as well as Warformed.

Kiwi

True, but maybe diagnosing Quest having a heart attack on the diagnostic chair would be good proof of concept and would help see if it works 😂

David

Why are they treating him like a child, a soldier, or a prisoner who has to obey every instruction given? Worse, he just goes along with it like he can’t stand up and walk out of the infirmary.

Ron Blondeau

Great chapters. Don't worry about the pacing, its spot on. I like the focus of the story. Its about a gifted young man who is going through intellectual, moral. and social growth. I won't badger you about Sal's lack of a cuddly relationship with Devinity and Fabi, lol. Keep up the great work and have a happy St. Patrick's day.

Kiwi

I don’t think there’s anything nefarious about Quest, I think he just wants the best possible outcome for everyone. But as the saying goes, “you can’t please 100% of people, 100% of the time” so some of the stuff he does may come across as sketchy.

Keven Leigh

I perfer the slice of life style personally. It's what drew me to the book. You can't find anything close to like it.

Jacob Meyers

I love the notes of humor in this chapter set. It came through really well which can be difficult sometimes when writing. There are even a couple of spots that I might highlight when the book actually comes out and add to my collection of quotes. Fun stuff keep up the good work

BaguaBrady

These chapters were really interesting. On one hand I felt a bit sad we didn't get to soak in the real satisfaction of the exilir machine win with the pivot to his injury On the other and bigger hand, I think the shift in pace and setting while the machine has a tangible consequence was very well done. Story felt like it took a moment to breathe.

Rex Gerlach

I think it’s great he had a set back, those are needed for growth. It is cool to see the development and the world building. The hard thing is that things do not always work out. Sometimes things happen that cannot be recovered at that time.

R. Maxwell Steele

Thanks for the chapters. As a rule of thumb if the MC is bored and frustrated, so is the reader. if that's narratively necessary, I can understand that. But you asked about pacing and as far as pacing goes, that's the current vibe. Not sure why we got Sal's boring side of the story sitting around doing nothing. When we could have had Fabi/Upgrade's side of things wrecking dungeons and building the mask. Ultimately the format of weekly chapter releases is extremely painful during filler chapters, but won't be as torturous when it's all said and done, the same chapters in a book won't have the same pain. So I have to suck it up and wait til next week for the good stuff.

BrianJNordon

I wrote a chapter where Sal was sick of the treatment and just walked out. It read like angst incarnate and put me into a narrative corner with limited options. I get that you're frustrated, but I won't take heed of rules of thumb. I'm writing the story the way I feel is right for the characters, and I'll miss the mark sometimes. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Frilas

I give up. I was really desperate to see the appraisal of the elixir machine before I stopped reading, especially with how it was used as the cliffhanger the last weeks and how last week's chapters felt like something was happening. I enjoy the interaction focus, but I despise the intentional delay of seeing the elixir machine's result. I mean, come on, in what world would Sal spend a month in a hospital without being forcefully restrained? I managed to read 37/39/38/40, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed 38 missing. Even the order change didn’t make a difference in what’s happening… 40 chapters and nothing has happened, and instead of finally seeing the results of the machine he spent all that time on, he just made new plans, going against the intent of making something for his guild. Just my final rant as I’m going to do what I did with Discord and fully leave here as well. Good luck, and I’m going to be excited for the books.

John Curtis

I love the crafting parts more than anything else about the story. I really like it when he uses his crafting stuff to fight, like in the first book with the tournament. I would also like to see more of him with his friends talking about things or just hanging out.

R. Maxwell Steele

No worries. You have to create tension to relieve tension. We are all just overly invested readers caught in the unrelieved tension portion of the story. I'm sure when we see the whole picture it we will love it as much as we loved the earlier books. Right now we are just caught in the moment spiralling.

dark phoenix99

I don't get quests ability. He has the system ability but everyone is using it? It would make sense if he is using the ability and sort of breaking down everyone by stats, that he has some special perception, but how does everyone else have it? Divinity is a frustrating character. The vague handwavy way she talks around her visions. Like oh, you've unlocked an interesting new version of the future. God forbid I give any actual details. I do wonder if she coached Sal into what to do with his crafting project after he complained to her about not being able to negotiate with Quest. I wish she was more proactive and Sal pushed a little more. The convo they have in their chapter together is basically one that should be happening all the time. Sal is world changing but she never seems to actually help him how to optimize that. She just reacts to whenever he invents something world changing and goes. "yup, did it again Sal!" For a precog she is really passive. I get its a hard power to write, but doing too little, when she's as accurate as she's been shown to be, is as big a problem as being too active. Coach does seem to have an interesting power and Sal, with it, might be even more op than he already is. Can't wait to see it. I feel at this point, not getting a read out on the elixir machine is just deliberate trolling. It's been 7 chapters since he's built it. Come on! The pacing bothers me a little bit but not a lot. Your writing is really decompressed. It reminds me a little of Brian Michael Bendis back when he was writing ultimate spiderman. Issue 13 is a famous issue. The entire comic is a single conversation between peter and mj where he tells her he's spiderman. And it's great. I like the long crafting scenes and skill design scenes. I like watching characters figure out their powers. Action is cool, but I favor competence porn, and for most of these characters, combat is not where their competence is at. Watching Sal invent and change society and work around the corruption and limitations of the system is more interesting than dungeon runs unless they're big deals. Tower Run that's a big chunk of book 3 was awesome. But so was him designing perfect and figuring out what it did. For all that though this set of chapters is kind of frustrating. Almost nothing is happening. Crafting and skill designing is still proactive, if not action. This is very passive. It might read better once the book is done, but in small chunks of chapters, it's not great.

R. Maxwell Steele

Yeah patreon is for the super fans. We get just as mad or worse (usually worse) but stick around. However, even if you bail on the patreon, I'd bet money when the book comes out and you read it, you will be surprised how it all comes together.

R. Maxwell Steele

Wasn't perfect an evolution of conditioning? So if conditioning helped your body prep for powers and then perfect does the same even better (as well as interacting with foreign elements like potions to super heal). So seemed like the perfect ability was going to help him adapt to his powers. Then when it sent the essence to his eyes, I really thought the perfect weave would use the figment essence's creation power to fix his eyes. But somehow it's just making him do random things better but failing to help him physically. Maybe he needs to downgrade and just use the condition weave?

Kiwi

The other POV like in book one where upgrade had just finished with the core then spoke to Forge was really cool to have.

R. Maxwell Steele

Same. Most people are trying to get though the week thinking about the weekend, meanwhile, I literally spend all weekend thinking about Monday chapters.

Kiwi

The appraisal for the elixir machine can’t be too much of a surprise, it’s Mythic Grade. Has Alchemise, Genesis, and Refine. We know it will bulk make the elixirs. All that’s kinda missing is the name of the machine and the dimensions. We’ve already had the descriptions of the abilities. There may be one or two surprises but nothing drastic I’d say.

Kiwi

It’s only my assumption I could be way off. It may also be Mythic and can evolve. That would cause crafting chaos.

C

Me too. That group build was really cool everybody's skills coming together for a massive project. I still want to know what those runes will do!

Kiwi

I love the crafting but the skill weave stuff fascinates me slightly more.

Kiwi

I do love love love the fact the Jack and Anthony took part and may get a bump in ranks now that it’s been hinted.

Chris Hoopes

Thanks for the chapters. We got a three week timeskip. Hip hip hurray! In all serious though I think this works. It's still feels like they were intentionally keeping him in confinement. It let's other things move forward around him. Fabi, Upgrade, other Saviors, Sals dad's appraisal. I'm not sure how to feel about a LITRPG quest system being brainstormed at the end there but the rest is pretty great. I'm looking forward to what comes next, hopefully book 4 edits are done soon and you can focus on 5. Thanks for the hard work. Cheers.

Frilas

I joined Patreon in July last year, and the only time I had a serious issue with Book 4 was the after-party part that was rewritten. I’ve spent a lot of time theorizing in Discord and am on my 5th full reread of the released books, not to mention all the times I’ve spent going back to look stuff up in discussions, so I’m very obviously quite obsessed with the series. My problems started with Book 5, and looking back, most of my comments have started to turn negative since then. The reason I’m saying nothing happened is because it truly is the case. The interactions are great, but Chapter 40 is close to half the book. How much buildup until something actually happens is going to come? Time-wise, it’s been less than a week, and now we’re starting to see time skips. 1-37 chapters = 3 days, and 37–40 = 3 weeks. In my opinion, Book 5 is currently missing an actual goal the story progresses towards. Book 4 had its ups and downs, but it always gave off the feeling of moving towards a planned-out ending point. Book 5 is all over the place and mostly a repeat of old lessons we’ve already had repeatedly in previous books. Heck, I could make a whole barrage about how that scanner can’t possibly have the cypher ability if it’s made out of obsidian glass based on the first part of Book 2, but that would be a repeat of what I used to point out about the rooted ability of the first elixir blueprint.

C

They aren't treating him like a child. They are treating him like a patient, and a patient is suppose to follow protocol. They haven't asked for anything unreasonable here. "Let us monitor your eyes to make sure you are not killing your self while also giving you plenty of rest" is not an abnormal request.

nin10do

I believe it’s probably higher than mythic already myself as Sal has accidentally injured himself by using all of his abilities at the highest grade and then adding the following flooding of essence as Sal has not been able to get access to the project.

dark phoenix99

There is still a lot that we don't know. What were those runes that were added to the vials? They drained an abnormal amount of energy according to sal and they seemed pretty experimental. I would also say that knowing the elements and knowing how they fit together are different. Crafted devices seem more than the sum of their parts. When Sal made the murder drone it didn't exactly come out the way he expected. Interactions matter.

Meghan B

Is it weird that I've loved the last couple weeks of chapters? I had to read last weeks chapters a couple times because I liked them so much and I'm going to do the same to this weeks chapters. I'm also excited to meet Coach!! Can't wait. As always, thank you for my weekly dose of seratonin!

Zeletavska

Frilas isn't exactly an unknown quantity in this community. He has sent over a thousand messages in the Discord and has had dozens of conversations with Brian. I am quite confident that some of Frilas' comments have had an impact on the story. I know many would agree that Frilas is one of the best authorities on the minutiae of the the magic system of QA. That being said, I'm also most likely the person who has argued with Frilas the most over all this time. And I find myself somewhat agreeing with him here. Given the fact that book 4 was setup to books 5 and 6, these 40 chapters do lack the momentum that I've been expecting. The only things with the appropriate amount of presence in this book, given their setup, are the Mythical Blight Jackal and the Silverson Arts. This book is nearly halfway over and Sal has attended a grand total of 2 classes, and slain 0 demons. His guild has barely made any progress in the initialization process, Sal has attended 0 outings, there has been no tension from the Delver's guild, and there has been no tension from Rob even though Sal has a Blight core. The end of year portal expedition will be next book, so there is really nothing in this book that is really 'driving' the story. Books 1, 2, and 3 relied on the class activities (tournament, excursion, tower) but considering we just skipped a substantial amount of class time, we're lost to what is coming later in this book. Don't get me wrong though, I am optimistic about the rest of the book! Just wanted to jump in here since y'all are missing a lot of context in the buildup of what caused Frilas to choose to back out.

Robert Smart

Thanks for the chapters. I gotta be honest I kinda forget the quest system exists. Is it just the status page that Sal can see? So it can quantify changes to this body and mind? With his new dron we’ve seen changes directly to his abilities. But levels and consequent spendable generic aps or levels improving skills appear to be absent. That said, I kinda like that, so maybe don’t bring the system back?

Dawn Zeleznik

Great chapters, as always. Thanks for the work and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Aaron Johnson

I like the chapters but why is he so passive? My dad broke his leg and had to spend a week in the hospital so he was climbing up the walls trying to get out. Sal is in a world where he should be healed in an hour, has already shown himself to be impatient, and he only starts pushing at the week mark and 3 weeks before he goes rouge? He didn't even craft the door, wall, or the entire room into something else and walk out just pushed their schedule by crafting stuff sooner. It just seems like to minor of a reaction from Sal.

Pickled Rick

I think Brian has written both Upgrade and Quest as two people with a personality that would never turn against Quest Academy or it's students. I have always thought the day Bastion come back it's going to be someone like Forge who betrays them because one of the sympathiser guilds kidnaps a family member. Seems like it would need to be someone in crafting that can either steal or rebuild all Sal's tech so Bastion can have a level footing. That first attack and reveal would be a great way to explore a Sal driven purely by rage when he normally crafts from fear, joy or inspiration.

Max

I'm unsure how I feel about how Upgrade is handled in this batch of chapters. I would have assumed that she would send Sal a message first and apologize, not that Sal must approach her. Also, I think Upgrade should face some consequences for Sal's injury.   Maybe you like my suggestion: 1. Sal has a message from Upgrade when he can open his eyes. (That would show us Upgrade's concern better than what you currently have in chapter 39. Her feeling bad is more like an afterthought.) 2. Show that Upgrade is facing some consequences 3. Keep Upgrade's first and third message to Sal. But maybe change them to an update on what she is currently doing to tease/banter a little with Sal (because this teasing/bantering is an important part of their relationship so far)   Upgrade: Hi Sal, I'm so sorry that you got injured. I do feel bad. As I should. I pushed you to go beyond your limits because I was excited to see a Mythic-Grade. It was a shit thing to do, and I'll apologise properly to you in person. I would love to visit you and keep you company, but I'm currently not allowed to do so. The doctors are concerned that you overwork yourself again if a fellow crafter sparks an idea for a new build.   Upgrade: Btw it's your fault that I have to attend lectures on how to create a safe environment for my students in my free time. You will have to invite me to a fancy dinner to repay me for that.

Max

A question for chapters 39 and 40 Why is Quest the one to limit/restrict Sal in the hospital?   I know that Quest is concerned for Sal's health, but he has always been supportive and an enabler in my memory.  It would make more sense to me if he wanted Sal back in the field as soon as possible but set the requirement for the doctors to release him first.   Also, maybe it would be good to have a psychotherapist to have a look at Sal.  Going blind due to the use of your powers is very scary.  I would love it if that were one of the next chapters, but I think at least mentioning that a psychotherapist released Sal would be necessary.

Max

I really enjoyed the conversations we had in these chapters. I just wish you added a line or two about all the people who visited him. Last week you told us there was a long line of people who want to see him. This week there were Divinity, Dr. Bob and Quest. We don't need all the conversations in the chapters but knowing they existed off-screen would help. Because I’m thinking that Sal’s friends are kind off jerks at the moment. He is super bored, isolated, afraid he falls behind and nobody pays him a visit?

Sam

Maybe it's the long line of healers

Sam

Think it's the stats Cooper from his first dungeon showed him, the ones that included dexterity and spirit

R. Maxwell Steele

Yeah and as far as rights go. Seems like the current version frames it as the school has all the rights and the students zero. Previously it felt like the students had the rights. So instead of Sal convincing Quest which seems off, shouldn't it be Sal's decision and Quest should be convincing Sal? Like my doctors and school can't dictate my medical choices. And Sal is an Ace negotiator. So it should be Sal deciding what makes sense to him (between zero help or daily check ins and not even entertaining unacceptable outcomes like full on medical prison).

R. Maxwell Steele

Exactly. After my Covid induced heart attack, they tried to keep me for a week, I was out of there in a day. And when I upgraded to better cardiologist, he says I made the right choice and the faster you get up and moving, the faster you recover. But maybe the students are military and have to follow orders? Because at least for me, I have rights to refuse bad calls. In real life you gotta be your own medical advocate if you don't want to get steamrolled.

Max

Not sure about that. If you show self-harming behavior I’m not certain if you should be allowed to decide for yourself. But I also believe Sal should be free to decide how to spend his free time so long as it will not hinder his healing.

R. Maxwell Steele

Inadvertent self harming behavior like accidently shooting yourself with a nail gun, is much closer to what's happening here than what that concept usually implies such as cutting or suicide attempts. Nobody would imprison a construction worker for shooting his foot with a nail gun. They would just patch him up, tell him not to be an idiot and send him on his way. Especially if the worker could show that he had designs and means to create nail proof boots to use going forward.

Max

maybe, but I would still expect his friends to visit him if he is already three weeks in the hospital and he is allowed to receive visitors.

R. Maxwell Steele

Was the demon slaying using silverson arts in the previous book? (I don't remember where the books start and end).

Max

I hope we will see some of Sal's plans for his guild in the next few weeks. He had a lot of time to think about that. Because currently I don't really know what he wants to do with the guild. Can someone maybe remind me what he mentioned in the prior books about his plans for the guild?

Kiwi

Something in me tells me the month in the infirmary will have a drastic change, by this I mean it sounds like Sal is staying the number 1 saviour which would cause animosity between the competitive high achievers (spectre, Erika and others we haven’t met yet) who will be pissed he done nothing for a month and still kept his place. This in turn will cause a divide in the saviours.

Kiwi

A part of me wishes it’s Sals grandad and uncles who tries to kidnap him (that’s if there is even an attempt to kidnap Sal in the works at all) haha it would be cool to see what Petro meant when he said he was considered the failure compared to his brothers…… How powerful are they and how do they compare to Sals abilities.

Kiwi

I do agree Quest and Upgrade are hard coded Quest Academy supporters whose loyalty will not be swayed in any way.

Kiwi

I’m surprised Sal is thinking about getting a different implant instead of Perfect. But going by how perfect has work in the past, it’s probably best it’s an ability that isn’t left on continuously.

Zeletavska

Yep, Sal had a basic foundation to the arts while staying with his parents last book. The end of book 4 was when Sal got the training manual for the Silverson Arts.

dark phoenix99

Make awesome equipment and unlock their potential with skill master. He'll have people beating down his door.

5haun

Thanks for the chapter Brian! These were awesome. While those people are fair to feel how they do about the pacing, just wanted to say I really enjoy the pacing of this story. It may have some slice of life, but IMO the rate at which things change and improve for Sal and the Gang is awesome and pretty fast. To that point, I can’t wait to see what happens with the Elixir Machine, and now I can’t wait to see about the Myth Mask, which is doubly cool because it seems a project Fabi and Upgrade are going to mastermind, and then the Coach + Cypher + System project! Idk how you come up with such cool concepts.

T W

I've loved the story so far but a couple things that I'm sad we have forgotten about or skipped due to this time skip (it's not super clear how long he's been in hospital atm) but assuming it's at least a week since salv is demanding where coach is after getting told a week initially, but we've skipped the dungeon run on day 3 where Barry was supposed to see jackal and we've missed the scav run with them too, as it stands right now almost everyone knows about jackal besides Barry who I would argue is one of salvs closest friends divinity only knows through visions

T W

this is the part that bothered me about the latest chapters is we have skipped the dungeon run with divinity and barry which was suppose to happen on literally day 3 of returning, and the scav run 1 week in :(

Patrick McCoy

Can some one shame me I had such a busy week that I forgot about new chapter till now I need to be shamed 🥲

Sye Olmstead

I still don’t understand the power system. How can some little girl with the Predator power just completely gain the strength of a Commander and their power but that doesn’t hurt them at all. Yet Sal can’t even use his father’s power without slowly going blind even faster than his dad? Balancing seems all over the place

JJB4345_80_815

Thank you for the chappies! I actually prefer the slice of life and thoughtful approach to situations. Friendly possible edits Chapter 38: Quote: "Our staff did your check-up a few months ago, but you haven't been into us since then. /Quote been into us ==> been in to see us Chapter 39: Quote: I genuinely think that this is my new dorm. They've probably given my one to someone else. [/Quote] given my one ==> given my current one / given mine (or another more appropriate variant thereof

JoeO

Thank you! Enjoying the ride. If Sal uses system like Quest, can he see/interact with demon weaves (Book 1 - general assembly)…which would be absolutely broken. See commander, knot weave, repeat.

Kiwi

predator was an innate ability, the down side of Sals ability as skill master is his body didn't have any of the skill he uses from birth so he isn't use to them. Like Quest said about skill implanting they will be at a level of innate as if they had them from birth.

Chris Bagby

Sorry it has been a tough week! I haven’t had time to comment. I like the life and time that is given to characters and story. I also love the event and time spent in creating. But I would like to see a group our favorite hero’s hit tough dungeon together! I’m sure in time we will get there! Just being patient and giving appreciation ! You’re doing great keep writing!

Bryan Swanson

Brian - for the last chapter and maybe the chapter where Sal talks with Doctor Bob, do you think he would try to negotiate Roche into a Healer Masterclass for his guild with the Scan device he builds. We know he is thinking about the guild and funding master classes and it felt reading those chapters a perfect spot for Sal to go full negotiator

Sam

I had this thought too. Jackal to attack the demons while sal is off to the side wearing camouflage and knotting weaves

Robert Crews

I'm sure upgrade and fabi are having fun but Sal needs to join up

Dennis Smith

Recently discovered the series and really enjoying it. Just started book 3 but something from book 2 is bothering me; when the Bastion mind-controller kid was sent after Sal it never made any sense. Sure it exposed the infiltration and that is what everyone immediately focused on but they were primarily trying to recruit Controllers, no one ever stopped to ask why they were trying to take a shot at Sal. I hope this gets addressed at some point because I just can’t stop thinking about it.

Crystal B

I always thought since Bastion isn’t going after the high number kids they were trying to drag down some they thought might be good. People keep trying to get Sal to move to controller

Lumpenhans

Normally I don't like fillers and interlopes, but I just wish there was a chapter about the doctors and the new scanner. I really enjoyed the last few chapters even if it's slow going and 5 different things are teased per chapter. Thanks for the entertainment

DRA

Do you know when the Audible release dates for your last two books will be

DRA

Who is the female hero in the first book pretending to be a worker on the train?

Sam

Wasn't her name Chantelle or something like that? We meet her again when he arrives at the Gala but I don't have my notes in front of me to confirm.

Chris Collins II

I love this series, but 40 chapters of low stakes crafting with zero action and barely nominal drama is less than exciting.

James Oliger

Im late to the party but I love this slice of life style. I adore the crafting and you've made a lifelong fan with this series

Jack

I'm glad you aren't letting the complaints get to you. Writing and reading have two very different paces. What seems like is months of an arc at writer pace will be just an interesting half hour of reading when done. I agree that the crafting, teamwork and relationship building is where this story really stands out. The way you're bringing the elements of this guild together is fascinating for me. The way that Sal is combining planning, taking advantage of luck, and simple good principles to react with is refreshing and feels very genuine. The reader/writer pacing thing is a constant problem with folks reading ahead as material is created. The other half of the problem is that a writer can be overly influenced by loud opinion. Hearing from readers when something strikes them wrong is very useful, but the challenge is remembering that the quiet comments are probably the most accurate.