So, the thing that is really standing out to me is that although I loved Bab a great deal, and felt such sympathy for Vivika and Galea, not to mention Dhinal and Strings... I’m not actually that mad at Kees.
I think I still like Kees.
I mean, wow, I did not see this ending coming, and that is *not* who I thought Kees was, but... I would absolutely like to read more stories with her featured. I think that is a testament to how well you have given life to your characters throughout this story, that a reader is able to want more of all of them even though Kees has done something pretty monstrous.
I am very glad there is more story coming with Dhinal and Strings. This doesn’t feel like the end for them.
What an excellent serialized short story. Really. I think you should be very happy with what you have done here. And most importantly (from my selfish perspective as a reader!) keep writing! I really think you have something special with these characters.
The fact you think you still like Kees, despite all she did, makes me feel as though I succeeded in my intention. I find that many stories make characters out to be either good or bad, at least up until relatively recently, when there has been an interesting and increasing exploration of ‘real’ fantasy characters. Very few of us are evil, and very few of us are saints, after all. To put someone—Kees—in a situation where she felt morally obliged to do something terrible, then make is so I had to hide exactly what she was doing from the reader, as well as the other characters, was certainly a fun and complex problem.
Another fun thing was hiding tiny little hints at what is to come in the larger trilogy, small pointers which will reward the reader. To plan something that large, that far in advance, is also an interesting task although, with hindsight, I wish I had saved a copy of the stories with these little things highlighted for me! I keep having to go back and skim through to find things I know are…somewhere!
For Kees, Dhinal, and Strings, this story is essentially just a prologue (as, I suppose, all of The Tales of The Lesser Evil are! One very, very long prologue). The reader of the larger work to come doesn’t need to read these Tales, as I am striving to make the two independent of the other, but they would certainly get more from the work as a whole if they read them all, whether before or after I publish the longer work.
I have to thank you, for reading and for commenting—it has been such a great experience for me, receiving your thoughts as you read it. I’ve had others read and comment on my work before but, as I’ve never serialised anything until now, I’ve never had those thoughts given in this fashion, which I really appreciate—to comment on something when you’ve only read a portion of it is very different to commenting after reading the whole. I found it perhaps even more useful and, as I’ve mentioned before, the points you highlighted, those things the writer (me!) put in a story, hoping someone likes and notices them, made me very happy indeed.
I shall reply properly when I can, but I just wanted to say a massive, huge thank you for your comments and for reading. I've looked forward to each and every one, which is quite a special experience for the writer, thank you.
Kees! Kees what did you do?!
I knew Bab didn’t take his own life.
So, the thing that is really standing out to me is that although I loved Bab a great deal, and felt such sympathy for Vivika and Galea, not to mention Dhinal and Strings... I’m not actually that mad at Kees.
I think I still like Kees.
I mean, wow, I did not see this ending coming, and that is *not* who I thought Kees was, but... I would absolutely like to read more stories with her featured. I think that is a testament to how well you have given life to your characters throughout this story, that a reader is able to want more of all of them even though Kees has done something pretty monstrous.
I am very glad there is more story coming with Dhinal and Strings. This doesn’t feel like the end for them.
What an excellent serialized short story. Really. I think you should be very happy with what you have done here. And most importantly (from my selfish perspective as a reader!) keep writing! I really think you have something special with these characters.
I am so glad I found your Substack!
The fact you think you still like Kees, despite all she did, makes me feel as though I succeeded in my intention. I find that many stories make characters out to be either good or bad, at least up until relatively recently, when there has been an interesting and increasing exploration of ‘real’ fantasy characters. Very few of us are evil, and very few of us are saints, after all. To put someone—Kees—in a situation where she felt morally obliged to do something terrible, then make is so I had to hide exactly what she was doing from the reader, as well as the other characters, was certainly a fun and complex problem.
Another fun thing was hiding tiny little hints at what is to come in the larger trilogy, small pointers which will reward the reader. To plan something that large, that far in advance, is also an interesting task although, with hindsight, I wish I had saved a copy of the stories with these little things highlighted for me! I keep having to go back and skim through to find things I know are…somewhere!
For Kees, Dhinal, and Strings, this story is essentially just a prologue (as, I suppose, all of The Tales of The Lesser Evil are! One very, very long prologue). The reader of the larger work to come doesn’t need to read these Tales, as I am striving to make the two independent of the other, but they would certainly get more from the work as a whole if they read them all, whether before or after I publish the longer work.
I have to thank you, for reading and for commenting—it has been such a great experience for me, receiving your thoughts as you read it. I’ve had others read and comment on my work before but, as I’ve never serialised anything until now, I’ve never had those thoughts given in this fashion, which I really appreciate—to comment on something when you’ve only read a portion of it is very different to commenting after reading the whole. I found it perhaps even more useful and, as I’ve mentioned before, the points you highlighted, those things the writer (me!) put in a story, hoping someone likes and notices them, made me very happy indeed.
Thanks again!
I shall reply properly when I can, but I just wanted to say a massive, huge thank you for your comments and for reading. I've looked forward to each and every one, which is quite a special experience for the writer, thank you.