Accepting the Lance – Chapter 75

Jelaza Kazone

In which Emissary Twelve has thoughts about change.

There’s a lot of thinking about the future in this chapter: about what they will do if Boss Surebleak wins, and, perhaps more importantly, what kind of future they will shape if Boss Surebleak doesn’t win.

That makes, I believe two appointments the portmaster has tomorrow, beginning two hours apart. I wonder if they will collide in some fashion.

6 thoughts on “Accepting the Lance – Chapter 75

  1. Ed8r

    My first time through, I was wondering what the portmaster would communicate to Val Con about her meeting at the Emerald AND I was really looking forward to seeing her meet a Clutch and react to hearing that there would be many more visits by Clutch ships to Surebleak.

    Meanwhile, what mostly stood out to me in this chapter was the use of the book’s title in the mouth of Emissary Twelve.

  2. Ed8r

    Question:
    What do you think was the “risky answer” Val Con was considering after Emissary Twelve tells him he is kind?

  3. Skip

    Ed8r, that stood out to me, also. The title of the book. I have no idea what the risky comment would have been.

  4. Skip

    Paul, re your post on the portmaster’s schedule. Everything is going to happen the next day, but the way the chapters hop around, often feeling like just random stuff, I feel no gathering momentum —even knowing what’s coming, given this is not my first read. I find it hard to find scenes in the book, because it just feels so nebulous in my memory, rather than linear with a logical progression of rising action. So, for example, it seems like Rys was hurt ages ago and I keep forgetting about his dilemma. The six of us team off at Daglyte also feels long ago, far away, vague. Yet it is the crux of the book — bringing down the Department

    Does anyone else have this experience?

  5. Paul A. Post author

    I can’t comment on the pacing of the book, because I’ve only read it the once, one chapter at a time, which made it feel even more disjointed than it might have done if I’d read it properly. I keep meaning to go back and read it straight through and see if I like it more, but I never seem to be able to summon enthusiasm for the task.

  6. Skip

    yes, one chapter at a time would be even more disjointed for this particular book, I think. I do find little nuggets or scenes fun to revisit, but the book as a whole needs something to improve connectivity, momentum, and flow.

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