Mary

As I am preparing the new site, I am putting in links and stuff. I don't often have much time anymore to read and was pulled into this one. Ricky, trying to categorize this one as a 'Romance', 'Comedy' or 'Growing Up' is difficult, so we are going with the 'Romance' but it is so much more.

If anyone needs a fun, afternoon read during this hot summer, I highly recommend 'A New Trek' by Ricky. 

Kyle,
 
For me, Hugh, is simply one of the hardest stories for me to read by you.  Because I know what that moment of shinning promise was leading to.  And it breaks my heart.  Hugh and his new family are all the families in the RU America that are being destroyed by Ashwood's grab for power and hatred.  But he is the face of it and that hurts.  A lot.
 
Knowing the challenge presented by another author to write the piece, and in how little time you wrote the initial draft and what you crafted showed the skill at writing you have.
 
Thank you.

Hey everyone,
MultiMapper has posted chapter 5 to UA7: Pioneer this afternoon on his sites, http://brokenbard.com/ and http://bentandtwisted.us/

I highly recommend this story and especially this chapter. 

And please, he loves feedback either here or by email. 
Mary

Treat, treat, treat!!! 

Oh yeah. It was a treat!  

Spider grabbed my heart the first time I read chapter 1, and unfortunately with MultiMapper's library of 'In Progress' work, it doesn't get enough updates.  Like Holiday Handoff, the Hurt series, the Shadow of a Soul, and all the iterations of Vincent (we know him as Bug here) in Frontier, UA7 and now Metamorphosis. 

Thank you sir for your dedication to this advocation. 

Mary 

Wyatt, 
I am sorry for not seeing this last year.
Mike, Eric, Sam and the Unholy Trinity are in Metamorphosis and APOC, with the occasional guest shots in the other stories written by Roland, Ken Barber, Eric Aune and Al Norris. 
Multimapper and the other authors have been doing a wonderful job keeping their presence in RU alive.
Thank you for reading,
Mary

My five year old son.
Who was exposed to catsup by my superintendent from Tennessee; who cared him for while I went back to the United States from Greece for my mother's funeral when he was two.
I have never broken him of that habit. Catsup on tacos, eggs, heaven help us, steak...
He did live to grow up, serve two hitches in the Army, get a Bachelors in Engineering, a Masters, marry, become a step-father and now has a three year old running him ragged.

My brother, his uncle, well he would have given the five year old kid a mixed alcoholic drink to wash it down with. 
And laugh.

I allow that one of my best friends handed over his brunch recipes to me to copy and he happens to be gay.
But my introduction to Brunch was by my father and was an event to be enjoyed.

Though after we returned from Greece, watching my father's face as my son dumped catsup on Eggs Benedict was precious. Both lived through the experience.

After reading several Revolutions Universe (RU) stories with no science fiction elements, it was fun to be back to reading what has been my lifelong favorite genre.  (Don't get me wrong; I like the non-fantastical stories as well.)  Wolfwalker is a good writer and kept things interesting through chapter 9 (all that is available right now).  I liked Nate and was expecting him to eventually mellow down his dislike for humans.  Maybe this can still happen, indirectly via Alterans in general, as he has allowed the Winds to blow in the timeline he was now part of.  I'm not quite sure what all that means, but I'm hoping Wolfwalker tells us soon.
Richard and his grandmother, at the end of chapter 9 -- had we met them earlier?  It seems that Richard has suddenly become very significant, perhaps as a self-realized Altaran (prime?), without any of their hatred.
It  is that hatred toward humanity, toward themselves (even if they won't admit it) that is both fascinating and hard to read.  I accept that the Altarens are no longer human, but to deny humanity is to deny their history and foundation. It is hard to accept protagonists as heroes when you know they would hate/despise you on sight.  In terms from the Clan Short Universe (CSU), the Altarans are almost exactly the opposite of the Mikyvis.  The Mikyvis still love humanity and strive to be part of it -- the first high race not to leave their originating species.  The Altarans on the other hand, returned the hatred some humans had on other groups of humans -- returned it as hatred upon all humans.  (Sure, genocide against you might do that...  ) But it has gotten to the point where they hate humans who they should recognize as natural friends and allies.
So I'm looking forward to finding out whether the Altarans become heroes, remain xenophobic neutrals, or turn to the "dark side" as villains.  With the rising Winds and Richard, Wolfwalker has perhaps given his protagonists the means to change their hearts.

I decided to explicitly address the "Omega Protocols".  It is a technique by the Alterans to forcibly indoctrinate people into Alteran viewpoints, to the point they lose all memory of their family and who they were.  Originally intended as some sort of emergency measure, Theo decided to use it as a matter of expediency.  Lives were indeed saved, and the folks will become like gods, at the cost of their souls.  A snake once had a similar sales pitch.
So philosophically, it is not only the Alterans hatred of humans which makes them hard to root for, it is also their disregard of human dignity itself.  The Omega Protocols can be thought of as a science fiction implementation of BF Skinner's premise in his pseudo-scientific book, Beyond Freedom and Dignity.  The concept rubbed me the wrong way when I read Skinner's book decades ago, and the same hackles rose as I read Time Quake.  Whether Wolfwalker knows of the earlier book, I don't know.
Somehow, though, he manages to keep my interest even though his protagonists tend to make my skin crawl.  My hope is that the story arc leads at least some of the Alterans past their hatred and arrogance.  If not, as the most powerful group I know about in the RU, they pose a greater thread to humanity than the Army of God.  "We had to destroy the village in order to save it." ...
 

If Janet is forced to kill, then maybe she will start a project to clone... Chase.  More Ferret-Hybrids for the RU.
 
Just saying.

I have read this series fully maybe 10 times.  I totally agree it is incredible and offers many things for a reader to think about and consider.  Besides being just plain fun.
Now if the author will provide us more chapters!

 

It has been an on-going pleasure to work, even a little bit with Al on his stories, and I am so pleased that you all will now be able to enjoy this one too!

It has been an on-going pleasure to work, even a little bit with Al on his stories, and I am so pleased that you all will now be able to enjoy this one too!

Ken!
 
What the freaking .... Now I know why short stories drive me crazy.  I just get hooked into the characters and bam, it is over.  And worse, I can't imagine what is going on, off stage left.  Nope.  

Good work!  Now where is the sequel?

Ken!
 
What the freaking .... Now I know why short stories drive me crazy.  I just get hooked into the characters and bam, it is over.  And worse, I can't imagine what is going on, off stage left.  Nope.  

Good work!  Now where is the sequel?

Being responsible for keeping track of all the characters in the RU, Ivan or Vanya, and his parents are some of my favorites from my very first reading.  I want to see more of Vanya and hope that he is able to contribute to the downfall of Ashwood.  
 
Everyone out there, you have an epic crafted for our anniversary.  Please, come, read and read some more!  
 
All the authors and staff of the Revolutions Universe welcome you to our celebration.

Being responsible for keeping track of all the characters in the RU, Ivan or Vanya, and his parents are some of my favorites from my very first reading.  I want to see more of Vanya and hope that he is able to contribute to the downfall of Ashwood.  
 
Everyone out there, you have an epic crafted for our anniversary.  Please, come, read and read some more!  
 
All the authors and staff of the Revolutions Universe welcome you to our celebration.

"...we never leave a brother behind in battle."
 
Ken, those are very true words.  And from one ex-military person to another, remember them always.  This was moving and a beacon for hope.
 
I want to thank you for the idea, concept and shear hard work you and the PR Team put into this Christmas Story treat for all the Forum Members.  It was a wonderful gift for all of us.
 
Happy Christmas to you and all of yours,
 
Mary

"...we never leave a brother behind in battle."
 
Ken, those are very true words.  And from one ex-military person to another, remember them always.  This was moving and a beacon for hope.
 
I want to thank you for the idea, concept and shear hard work you and the PR Team put into this Christmas Story treat for all the Forum Members.  It was a wonderful gift for all of us.
 
Happy Christmas to you and all of yours,
 
Mary

Eric,

Each time I hear a retelling of this episode, my heart goes out to the men who fought in WWI. You provided a human face to this shinning moment in the war.

Excellent work!

D'Artagnon said it so well.  I can only add, it came at a very special moment to uplift my soul.  Thank you very much Chris.

Dull Lovers BEWARE! Jazz is on the hunt for the Great Shiny.

And wrap up those paws!

D'Artagnon said it so well.  I can only add, it came at a very special moment to uplift my soul.  Thank you very much Chris.

This song holds a very special place in my heart. Whenever I feel bummed out, angry, sad or whatever else, this song never fails to make me feel better. I really want to share that with everyone here and I hope you like it.

"...we never leave a brother behind in battle."
 
Ken, those are very true words.  And from one ex-military person to another, remember them always.  This was moving and a beacon for hope.
 
I want to thank you for the idea, concept and shear hard work you and the PR Team put into this Christmas Story treat for all the Forum Members.  It was a wonderful gift for all of us.
 
Happy Christmas to you and all of yours,
 
Mary