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May 17, 2023Liked by Simon K Jones

Really enjoyed this flashback. Glad it wasn't done as a conversation or interview, it wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining or engaging.

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Well, that answered those questions. Stan does have a working procedure, and, if he's basically been in Mid-Earth for 150 years, it SEEMS it's a "passive" spell, although there's enough time gap here where he could have gone back to Palinor to "renew the ritual." It's obvious not perfected yet. Maybe working on himself have him a feedback loop allowing him to alter himself while shying away from damaging errors, while when working on others he's got an imperfect connection, so doesn't notice in time when he screws the pooch?

Also, 11. Nasty, nasty. Ew. Way to take the narrative into a couple of dark and uncomfortable places without dwelling too much.

I don't know why, exactly, but I initially assumed Lairn would be adjacent to the African portal. Maybe it was, but Stan didn't choose to go that way.

Can see why this was a double length chapter. Lots of ground to cover this week between Stan's backstory, some world building and clever exposition.

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I liked the shift in perspective for this chapter, and caught on to where it was heading.

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