tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post3114675142861604992..comments2021-05-16T13:41:12.015-04:00Comments on The Chaos Beast: The Soul Blade - Chapter 38Scott Delahunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-90126524179899832092017-06-18T19:39:54.376-04:002017-06-18T19:39:54.376-04:00Some of what you touch on would be spoilers for th...Some of what you touch on would be spoilers for the next chapter, but I can comment on a few things here. There's a lot that's going to be covered in the ending.<br /><br />Henderson is one of my "black box" characters - I know how he reacts by not why. He's the guy that lives for the weirdness of the day.<br /><br />Summer needed something to stand out from her sisters. Strategy works for her.<br /><br />Brenna is cautious with her red blade. She knows it can cut through people too easily.<br /><br />I had thought about Brenna getting upset about the van, but it seemed to break the mood, at least at my end. It's a deleted scene.<br /><br />Back in Chapter 24, Brenna and Matt talk about their class trip to Gettysburg, where Bren was possessed. I'll make it clear in the next chapter.<br /><br />The twist came to mind the moment the Ashen Man appeared. That gave me the end scene to work towards. Brenna will have a few ideas in the next chapter.Scott Delahunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-68761306986260315122017-06-17T12:06:29.185-04:002017-06-17T12:06:29.185-04:00That's great. Lots of good stuff here. I'm...That's great. Lots of good stuff here. I'm going to start with the sketchier stuff.<br />-Why is Tricia here personally? Like, I get that she's being manipulated by Ashen to give him access to Brenna (which is clever, didn't see that coming) and that she's not subtle, but she talks of "plans" and them being "outnumbered"... they were a lot MORE outnumbered earlier, before they cut down an entire pack of skeletons. Was their initial victory seriously part of her plans? She doesn't even acknowledge it. Or say she got tired of waiting. Or say she would have been here earlier but was delayed by police. And if she's not going to explain her presence out loud in any way, we need back inside her head. Related...<br />-Tricia's death is lacklustre. It fits with Matt and the romance plot, it fits with Ashen's discarding of her, but unfortunately it doesn't fit with the fact that she's second only to Brenna in terms of screen time and plot development. Now, she could have another ace here (she is that sort) so maybe she'll also be in Brenna's head, or her skeleton will suddenly pop out and try to escape, or maybe she's only badly wounded and learns a lesson (hah) in the ambulance but if not, she needs a more personal send-off.<br /><br />I think another Tricia POV fixes all that, whether it occurs before/as she shows up on the scene, maybe mentally talking with Ashen, or when she gets Brenna into a choke, so we get her death first-hand (need to be careful not to spoil the cliffhanger there). The good news being everything else works GREAT.<br /><br />The Novotnys offering strategy. Matt fighting at Brenna's side. The car as their ace-in-the-hole that they can't reuse. Brenna's reactions, particularly regarding Tricia and Matt. The final twist. All very well done, in my mind. *applauds*<br /><br />Breaking it down even further:<br />-I feel like Henderson's been jonesing for a mission like this for years. (Cruz seems out of her depth. Matt's in the middle.)<br />-Summer gets to show she's got strategy!<br />-Brenna reiterating the same thing she did last part (about accidental strikes) is repetitive, but her sight and spirit talk feels bang on.<br />-Bickering over the van is funny. Even more amusing is the car that gets used (and the van ends up totalled anyway...)<br />-"Just buff right out", HAH.<br />-"Girl, you don't have a clue" is actually pretty accurate.<br />-I thought Brenna would have more of a reaction to her van, given the earlier talk with Grace. (That could even be funny. "Ohh, now I'm angry." "I send an army of skeletons but the van is your tipping point?")<br />-The "guest" line is kind of key for explaining plot, and is in character... have we had a possession before? That first blade incident at the beach shack? I don't recall, but there could be a nice parallel made in strategy.<br />-Grace effectively gets the "distraction assist", which is nice. I feel like there may be Matt/Brenna friction over him disobeying her, but he is a police officer, and she should understand.<br />-That twist, wooo, very nice. When did you decide on that? I don't think Ashen can be taken down with power, so will Brenna have some mental strategy...?GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689711881670288362noreply@blogger.com