tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142251318601917690.post4960749868350721240..comments2023-10-20T03:44:49.162-04:00Comments on Empyrean Dreams: Full-Throttle Ahrottl - Chapter 1Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08625886238673898988noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142251318601917690.post-26332347947612993082014-03-11T00:58:56.893-04:002014-03-11T00:58:56.893-04:00There ought to be a corollary to the idea of Chekh...There ought to be a corollary to the idea of Chekhov's Gun ("If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired."): If in the first chapter you have a character anticipate a problem, that problem should occur before the end of the story. I can think of exceptions to that statement, of course. A character could be a chronic worrywart or paranoid, or just addicted to predicting doom (C-3P0). Still, when Maria cautions that they shouldn't stay out too long, I automatically expect some disaster to delay their return.<br /><br />Besides that, this is a great introduction to several characters. I'm getting fascinated over the course of Laine's and my stories about the theme of humans as dualities: a human and their A.I. You can't just have 'a' human character. The fact that a bonded couple have A.I.s that have their own relationship dynamic is fertile ground to explore. What if their A.I.s *didn't* get along? For that matter, what if two people met, married, divorced... and their A.I.s still wanted to stay in touch? <br /><br />Oh, and given that Maria is painted as the hardass in this chapter, my story-sense says that she'll be getting more sympathetic in later chapters. Or murder them all. One of the two. I guess I'll find out!Nathan Largehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11699073963669402716noreply@blogger.com