Talky, Talky, Talky...

It's always been my one complaint about El Neil stories.  Great set-up, filled with endless exposition.

Yes I know there's a lot of incomprehensible backstory to wade through.  But this conversation is going to end sometime, right?  It's been a long time since I read the novel, and I honestly don't remember.  Maybe it was just 200 pages of talking heads, which is why I blotted it from my memory?

If we're looking at say a crime detective novel from the 1930's, there's a lot that the writer can take for granted.  Even today someone who uses the term "piece", "heater", "roscoe", you know that they're talking about a gun.  We don't have that here.  This is an entirely different universe where over a millenium of history has passed by and we've missed it.  Personally, I'm glad he's explaining things and bringing us along as the story continues.

It's always been my one complaint about El Neil stories.  Great set-up, filled with endless exposition.

Yes I know there's a lot of incomprehensible backstory to wade through.  But this conversation is going to end sometime, right?  It's been a long time since I read the novel, and I honestly don't remember.  Maybe it was just 200 pages of talking heads, which is why I blotted it from my memory?

If it's been a long time since you read the novel, you're a luckier man than I am, because as far as I know this is the first publication in any form.  You may be confusimg it with the previous novels, Henry Martyn and Bretta Martyn.

If it's been a long time since you read the novel, you're a luckier man than I am, because as far as I know this is the first publication in any form.  You may be confusimg it with the previous novels, Henry Martyn and Bretta Martyn.

You could be right - it's been  a long time since I read the Martyn books.  But all that backstory about Phoebus Krumm, the under-flourine love shack, is awfully familiar.  Maybe it's a detail in one of the other novels.

If it's been a long time since you read the novel, you're a luckier man than I am, because as far as I know this is the first publication in any form.  You may be confusimg it with the previous novels, Henry Martyn and Bretta Martyn.

You could be right - it's been  a long time since I read the Martyn books.  But all that backstory about Phoebus Krumm, the under-flourine love shack, is awfully familiar.  Maybe it's a detail in one of the other novels.

Indeed, the living standards of the Immortal School  (including Frantisek, the then and current Jendyne ambassador) are covered in the previous books, especially the first -- I haven't reread my copy of Bretta Martyn in some years as it's probably in a poorly labeled box in the attic -- I've got to get things organised around here, hopefully in preparation for the move to New Hampshire.  Phoebus was not yet an initiate of the School, until after the deaths of his wives.

I know there's a lot of story background to wade through here. Doing the page-at-a-time uploads makes it seem longer than it is, though, and we're nearly through it.

When faced with a story needed a lot of background explanation there are two ways to approach the matter: 1) Explain everything as quickly as you can up front, and proceed with the action; or 2) Start with the action and drop in bits of back-story in the form of flash-backs and short conversations (old character informing new character) along the way. Neil chose the first course. Please be patient.

Oh, I'm actually enjoying this. The vibes between Lia and Phoebus and Frantisek are fun to watch. I don't think Franty enjoys the prospect of praying to a black hole!

At this point, I'm only reading because it's in my RSS feed.

It's slow. If I could keep reading continuously, it probably wouldn't seem so slow, but the 3 per week pace, where a single conversation takes two weeks to complete, doesn't help with reader comprehension of WTF is going on.

Then go back a page, bookmark it, and come back in a week or two.
Go back a page so you have an actual comic number, not the current comic, to bookmark.

Of course, you'll miss out on the opportunity to be involved in the commentary that way.

One more page for the Conference Room Scene, then you'll never have to look at those stained-glass walls again.