Empire Of Exiles--Interude I, Chapter 1 & 2

[Erin]

Here is a thread to discuss!

[Justin]

I'll start. I've only just gotten to ch.2, though, so I may not be back until I finish that chapter to avoid spoilers. :)

Anyway, two small things.
1. I thought it was interesting that interlude I (the two brothers) was written in present-tense. I thought that was interesting and was wondering about why Erin decided to do this, especially given that the rest of the story seems to take place much later. It does set a different tone, and helps it stand out against the regular chapters.

I'm not a writer, really, but I've done some play by post role playing over at rpgcrossing. Almost everyone over there writes their characters in present tense, and that is how we usually do it in live (in person) roleplaying. I find it pretty hard to write in present tense, though! I'm much more comfortable writing fiction in past tense--not sure why--and often find myself going back to edit what I've written to get it into present. Reading it not a problem, but I do notice it!

2. I *love* the description of Archivist Superior Amadea Gintanas. Speaks four languages! Translates ancient texts! Knows how to preserve a variety of ancient treasures against the elements! Can level a worktable! Makes a perfect cup of coffee! Soothes heartbreaks! She's my hero thus far.

[Michael]

First I want to say I love the names in the front of the book. I know fantasy names get thrown around so much, so having a place to go to jog your memory is great. On that same token, I am frightened to use it. At first I thought of it like "hey, a nice intro to the person to better understand everything." Then I looked up the 1st person I see "The Usurper". I mean you find it out a page later, and I'm sure tons of thought went into the whole thing. But I now have a fear of thinking something like "who was that shoe shiner again? Ah 'Nephew of the insane barbarian whose terror was so great that people refuse to say her name' ...crap"

I was expecting the 1st chapter after the Interlude to be something like an Arrested Development kind of a thing "Well, you might be wondering how I got into this situation", enjoying the time skip much more though.

First note, "I'm really curious if Karimo will continue to be cryptic throughout the book." Also, end of chapter 2, "ha!"

I have a guess with one of the characters so I don't want to talk about it too much in case some might see it as a spoiler, but with some math and the clues, I think I know what's up.

Love the spiral and whole magic setup, curious on if the sorcerer's of stories are the "fireball" kind of people or just this magic portrayed differently.

Been loving the character interactions, especially the staff. Super easy to tell them all apart and easily make mental pictures.

Chapter 2 was impossible to stop on, finished chapter 3 in the same sitting but won't discuss any of it here.

Current favorite character is Zoifia, followed by Amadea, and then, funny enough, Karimo.

[Erin]

Justin wrote:.
I thought it was interesting that interlude I (the two brothers) was written in present-tense. I thought that was interesting and was wondering about why Erin decided to do this, especially given that the rest of the story seems to take place much later. It does set a different tone, and helps it stand out against the regular chapters. "

Present tense to me creates a very tight, tense almost claustrophobic feeling--what matters is now and here and what's right in front of you. And that to me suited this conversation where the two brothers are locked in this small room with Redolfo's execution looming over them. As much as Turon is trying to figure out answers to things well beyond Redolfo, Redolfo is always pulling the focus back to now and here and himself. I honestly wrote this very early on--I don't even remember now if it was initially meant for this book or something I realized fit together with the world of the Imperial Archives!--and it came out this way. But I think that's why: this happened long ago, but it is small and close and tense in a way that is carried by the present tense.

I gave the comic artist Jorge Santiago Jr, (who illustrated the scene on the bookmarks that I promise are going out this week if you signed up for pre-order swag) an advance copy to read so he could do some fan art, and I felt very guilty when he started sending me happy portraits of Karimo. Oops.

[Jonn]

I enjoy the first chapters and I am really looking forward to the rest. Busy week for me but I will have more to say once things settle down.

[Justin]

What a great explanation, Erin, thanks! Agreed, tense and claustrophobic is spot on, and it works beautifully for that section.

Other thoughts on these chapters: I work in academia, and there's something delightfully familiar about the denizens of the imperial archives. I mean, if you swap out the synchronizing affinity magic for hyperreactive, overworked people with myopic focus and questionable social skills, and I think we're pretty much there! Looking forward to exploring that place more.

And, as a biology guy, I'm digging the Orozhandi and their thermal eyes. I'm struck that for all the various snake people in fantasy stories, I don't remember authors making a lot of pit organs and heat senses (let me know of examples that I don't know about!). It's neat to see something analogous to this appear in these horned people. It sets up some neat potential encounters. They also seem to have a pretty well-developed culture, which will be neat to learn more about.