The problem with Aason

I like Aason. I really do. He is a curious combination of brilliance and child-like demeanor. However, a lot of times he gets in the way because Rei and Rome are responsible for all the action and I can't have him exposed to danger.

My solution in Part 3 of Rome's Revolution and in The Ark Lords was to send him away a lot. Fridone took him once, before he was reunited with Binoda then the grandparents took him again. I expressed my guilt over always getting rid of him through dialog between Rei and Rome. Several times, Rei asked if they were being poor parents by always sending their child away. Rome always pointed out that it was for his safety. She never mentioned the fact that also the author had trouble dealing with his presence in action scenes.

In the new book, Rome's Evolution, I had a similar problem and found a similar solution. I sent him away with the grandparents. However, this turns out to be a tactical mistake for the parents but you'll have to read the novel to find out why.

Aason's reward for all his patience is he gets to be the star of the following novel, which takes place 17 years later, called The Milk Run which should be out by the end of the year.