Zergrinch Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Well, if this was going to be a trilogy, this would be where you'd be getting Empire Strikes Back, so to speak. Otherwise the effect would be way too cheap, no? There's gotta be some stakes. Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Okay, I'll answer these in turn, since they all deserve some kind of response. From Zergrinch: Try as I might, I could only find one or two typos. Where? I don't remember. So kudos! I sincerely hope you are not giving cliffhanger lessons to the other authors here. Regarding the codicil, I think it should be appended to the end of Coupe as sort of an epilogue. Also, one question regarding Coupe codicil, tangential to the sequel Riposte: Spoiler - kept hidden, just in case. As they play, 1. Thank you but my in house editor would probably disagree with that low number of typos. I did try to get rid of them when re-editing for the castle edition; To say the least, he is kinda persnickety about such things. And it's not a good idea to get one's tiger angry at one. 2. Not formally giving lessons, but if anyone wants to ask... ; and 3. Actually, the Codicil is actually going to be added at some point in the near future, as sort of an epilogue. In fact, sooner or later, all the main stories will have codicil chapters added on. Got to give a little to fill in the gaps now and again. As regards the spoiler question, I will simply point out two key things that all stories and life experiences should readily back up: not all stories have happy endings, and some things as planned don't always happen when the unexpected crops up. Best laid plans and all that. Good dramas require tragedy as well as comedy and suspense and, well, drama. Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergrinch Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Point taken about drama, but there is also conservation of detail that I, as a troper, have come to expect. Hence the question about the siblings in a sly way to decipher whether they are going to be Chekhov's Gunmen or not. I am currently leaning towards NOT, despite Alan's assertions to the contrary, because the amount of words devoted to the event I referenced far outweighs the seeming violation of the law of conservation of detail. Plus, it is in fact something I would expect as part of the hero's journey. As an aside, are you by any chance a fencing aficionado, or was this research. (Here, I'm leaning towards option 1, hrhr.) Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Chekhov's Gunmen - what an obscure... hey, wait a sec. I don't know what that is. Lemme read.... Uh, if such were the case, I could not confirm or deny such as fact, supposition or trademark infringement, per se. However, the concept intrigues me. I shall have to consider with great amounts of snacks and tonic. In all seriousness, there is a plan. IF you want to find out what the plan is, you'll still have to wait and read. Oddly, i did briefly teach a "Jedi" fencing class at my home town YMCA summer youth program. I still have some of the original sabers, and have made a few for friends since. Benji went out one day and came home with an old foil that has a slightly wobbly cocquille. I was trained in both FIE and kendo styles as a kid to curb my, uhm, shall we say, anger management issues. When you have to trade shinai hits and bokken blocking with marine aviator candidates, you learn quickly to keep your sharp tongue and temper in check. Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Ahhh Love the martial arts still waiting chapter I (eye) LOL Now it could be I missed it and will have to take a look I have been laid up and also trying to get stuff done in time for winter. Yeah it's august but we are in for it again. Our trip was cut short by a rude slippery rock and my ankle trying to go in two directions at once. next year I am revenging myself with a jack hammer! Tell the admins to get I up! LOL or maybe I will LOL for now peace I have been re-reading so I make sure I am not lost. Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Norris Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Tell the admins to get I up! I've been told I'm too old to ... Wait! Shouldn't go there... Chapter I (eye) is on the schedule. D'Artagnon and I discussed how we would present them. So it's definitely going to be posted, um, shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 I've been told I'm too old to ... Wait! Shouldn't go there... Chapter I (eye) is on the schedule. D'Artagnon and I discussed how we would present them. So it's definitely going to be posted, um, shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Herald Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 Chapter 21 continued at D’Artagnon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergrinch Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 I was bored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 Robby: gasp - Kenny?! You've gone to the ginger side?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergrinch Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Any more corrections? The way it's set up, I can change anything, except lightsaber color in 5 seconds (that would take 15).That's how bored I was Revision 2: Edited September 21, 2015 by Zergrinch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellio Lee Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 So, have just finished Coupe and I have to say that I thought it was fantastic. Very well written, Robby/Robyn's voice is identifiable and original (who doesn't love a smart mouth?) and I may be a little in love with Kenny/Kay... but I wouldn't want to fight Robyn for him. haha. I'm sure I mentioned before when commenting on Last Place but you're owed an insane amount of kudos for creating a magic system that makes sense and appears to be abiding by it's own rules. It's a trick that many fantasy books I've read don't seem to be able to pull off. The story itself is a ripping yarn in the best possible sense and tears through at a good pace - allowing just another time for the the more "intimate" moments. Really @D'Artagnon, it's a wonderful story and I look forward to reading the rest. (Now that I've see the running order I'll read them in sequence!) D'Artagnon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Norris Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 While I have made every effort to place the stories in what D'Artagnon says is the running order, there is a bit of confusion with the Riposté series. Both Changelings (the numbered chapters) and Werewolves (the alphabetical chapters) are one story-arc. Yet they are also separate stories in their own right. One may read them in the order presented, that is, Riposté-Changelings 1 through 11, then Riposté-Werewolves "A" through "J" (note to self - still waiting for "K"). Alternatively, one may also read them as Changelings "1" then Werewolves "A", and so on. I chose to read them in the alternative manner, because I love finding the easter-eggs D'Artagnon hides in his chapters! D'Artagnon and Ellio Lee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Yeah, I once tried to keep thing simple, but that didn't work too well. At any rate, the next TWO chapters of Riposte are almost finished. That pesky real life stuff keeps happening and getting in my way. Plus all these ideas for other stories, which naturally happen after Riposte in the continuity. GROAN! I started Bolt as a relief valve for some of that pressure and there will be another part of Bolt (Glen's story) out soon. And the much griped about Tales of the Canterbury Knights and Secret Lives of Parents (ToCK and SLoP respectively) will be having their appearances within a few months. I really need to finish some things before starting others, LOL Anyways, once Pensacon is over (today) I will be back at the story making. Besides... we met Mercedes Lackey, and Benji got three books signed by her, two that were from a series we only read the first book of, and his original copy of Magic's Pawn (the story of the gay Mage Herald Vanyel Ashkeveron). And she was the absolutely nicest person! Anyways, we're about to head out to go see a Steven Universe panel (yes, I know, but if you give it a chance it does have it's own charm, and the story does become intricate) and a later panel about "From Dragons to Werewolves: Fantasy Creatures in Writing" workshop. at the Saenger Theater (the con sprawls, lol) and maybe some lightsaber teaching later on. Sigh, a Woof's work is never done! PS: There may be pictures... embarrassing as that may be! Al Norris and Ellio Lee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 An update, sort of. Previously said: Anyways, we're about to head out to go see a Steven Universe panel (yes, I know, but if you give it a chance it does have it's own charm, and the story does become intricate) and a later panel about "From Dragons to Werewolves: Fantasy Creatures in Writing" workshop. at the Saenger Theater (the con sprawls, lol) and maybe some lightsaber teaching later on. Sigh, a Woof's work is never done! Day Three, not good. Well, we missed the Steven Universe panel at the Grand Hotel convention center because the room was packed when we got there. Late. So we had "themed" lunch at the hotel restaurant. Then a very crowded trolley ride to the Saenger. We were 45 minutes early for the Fantasy Creatures in Writing panel... because we were in the line for the Stranger Things panel by mistake, hung around in the theater lobby thinking we'd just slide in... nope. Denied! There was another line and they told us we'd have to got all the way to the end and might not get in even then. So we bailed down to the Pensacola Little Theater to join in with the lightsaber training class for the kids... and my back completely locks up with spasms that left me stuck back first into the corner, covering my face so the kids wouldn't get freaked out. All that going up and down stairs, ramps streets, plus almost lock step walking around on the vendor floor with that enormous and often rude crowd...ouchies. Got home, self medicated, slept. Went to work that night, took most of yesterday off. Feeling better. Woof back to work on writing stuffs. Al Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellio Lee Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 I want to like your post @D'Artagnon, but after such a sour sounding day it seems like I'd be "liking" how awful it was. Shame about the SU panel - love that show! Benji, Al Norris and D'Artagnon 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 No Worries. We were really dragging at about that time. although there were a lot of costumes i'd wished we could have gotten pics of. There was a guy who did a jar jar binks makeup that looked fantastic. There was a little kid dressed like Calvin, lugging around a giant Hobbes. There was a man dressed like Bane (batman character) holding both of his newborn twin daughters and walking around the con. And there was the local group of the 501st Stormtrooper Legion with a full presence. It was fun to see it all. Al Norris and Ellio Lee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 On 2/19/2017 at 11:30 AM, D'Artagnon said: Anyways, once Pensacon is over (today) I will be back at the story making. Besides... we met Mercedes Lackey, and Benji got three books signed by her, two that were from a series we only read the first book of, and his original copy of Magic's Pawn (the story of the gay Mage Herald Vanyel Ashkeveron). And she was the absolutely nicest person! PS: There may be pictures... embarrassing as that may be! Meeting Mercedes Lackey was great! Definitely the highlight of the convention for me. Pictures? Be careful what you ask for... First two are me, last two are Robby. D'Artagnon, Al Norris and Ellio Lee 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurf1953 Posted August 24, 2017 Report Share Posted August 24, 2017 So loved this story, thanks a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted August 24, 2017 Report Share Posted August 24, 2017 You are most welcome. Keep reading, though. The mess isn't over yet. But that... well, I think you know where this is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 I really enjoyed Coupé. It kept my interest throughout, the characterization was great, and it flowed very well. It might not be D'Artagnon's type of humor, but I would have had a scene about midway through. Robbie would be in a fake argument with his Mom. "You know, Mom, this is all your fault. I could be geeking on the computer right now, but nooooo. You had to drag me to the Y to make friends." Spoiler There were a couple of plot points that seemed off, for almost opposite reasons. Maybe these will be resolved in Riposte -- Changelings, which I have yet to read. The first concerns Robby's parents. You establish that they are involved with politicians, then that they were mages, then also time travelers from the future. It is all foundation, though. They never actually contribute to the plot. They could have been average, mundane folks for all the contributions their special talents make to the story. I really enjoyed the loving family relationship between them and Robbie, though. The second point was something that should have been major, but felt rushed and sort of hollow. Unless I missed it, there was no foundation for this second plot point. As Robyn was about to kill the dragon, he says, "Goodbye, my brother Sherwyn. I’m sorry I turned you into this. I love you.” Huh? The remainder of the story doesn't follow up on this either. I know Robbie/Robyn was traumatized by the death of Kay Neth, but still, Sherwyn was his brother, and he killed him. It felt to me like there needed to be more. Okay, there was some foundation, sort of. A couple of paragraphs previous, Robyn remembered (revelated?), "I suddenly knew what this dragon truly was, who actually made it, whose dream gone wrong it was, and, more importantly, how to destroy it." If that was supposed to be the foundation, then the foundation needed a foundation. (Remember, I'm not being negative, just giving my perspective on this element of the story.) We'd seen Sherwin before, in flashbacks to their home world. Robyn was a young boy, and Sherwin I think was in his late teens. We knew Robyn was heir to the throne, though -- Sky Fire had chosen him. As the kingdom was being attacked, Sherwin had rushed to Robyn playing in the woods and told him to warn his father. Robyn did not do so -- he probably could not with an ongoing attack. (Probably kind of moot by that point anyway.) All I can think of is that somehow Robyn's failure to get to his father, the King, somehow led to events that turned Sherwin into an evil dragon. I doubt that, though. It would be a big stretch. I know this post spent a lot more time discussing what I didn't like than I did. But it was a really good story overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnon Posted February 15, 2018 Report Share Posted February 15, 2018 To speak to your comments, without dropping spoilers for other readers I'll point out this: the story is from Robby/Robyn's point of view. we only know and see what he does. So as to the first point you make, and those two individuals you mention, what they do in the background has gone largely unnoticed by him for 13 years, and until he found out a small piece of it, he had no idea of whatever else may be going on in that vein. I know that sounds kind of cryptic, but I think you'll figure it out. Even Joy and Light dance a bit in the darkness. The matter of the second point has a similar situation. We know that Sky Fire choose Robyn in ancient Cerulean. We know that the family situation there was harmonious up until that point. And we know that the Tear of Cerulean has something to do with it. Without going into too great a detail, some things are explained in Riposte, especially some hints about the Tear's past, which mix into what eventually happens with the dragon. I may have said too much, I may have just confused things more. But that... is another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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