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pietro

ICARIAN
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Everything posted by pietro

  1. What a HUGE chapter, and it only covers one morning, with a little look back here and there. The most outstanding thing, I suppose, is the desperate need for an editor, not just for the punctuation and grammar. I notice Princess Golassara has now become Gebetthia, or if they are alternate names it isn't spelled out anywhere, some of the student captures got a bit mixed up I think, it was the Governor's School students taken by the Black dragonling and Saslara's students were taken by the Dark Mage, not the other way around, the text suggests there has been an ongoing battle between the Reds and Greens underneath Slome for some time but this couldn't be true since both had Black dragonling support which would have inevitably lead to Bandurlok's clandestine support for the Reds being exposed long before. Of course it would have been consistent if Bandurlok had ordered the Reds in after Blathamort's death, but this wasn't explained. There still seems to me to be some inconsistencies when Dragons get killed, but perhaps I just don't quite get the rules in play. Then there is a bit of confusion over which type of dragonling nearly did for Jamon and the name of the kingdom. All of which problems should have been resolved in the editing. Perhaps Kyle has no one to do it at the moment. It sounds like I am carping, but I don't mean it that way, such things are irritations that distract the reader but they don't spoil the story as such. If nothing else Glaster's sheer nastiness was exposed for all to see. And what an interesting and alien character Dragons have. I suppose all the aggravation is catching up with Kandric the way he lost his temper with his grandfather, and after all that effort at self control while leading the students . I would have liked to see a bit more about the assault on the Swamp Slums and how Vondum got to be there and what happened to Jamon and I would have liked to see more about what Connor and the Thunder Rapids were doing in Rolling Dale as well as following Gablon and Kandric's brothers a bit more, perhaps something will appear later. On the other hand it is the Kandric Saga, I suppose. All in all, a great deal of stuff to take in, both in terms of the current story and the general history of that cruel and violent world. I've read this chapter three times and I am not sure I have got it all yet!
  2. pietro

    DIO

    These stories are still available at StoryLover, no new content, of course. I wonder if we will ever see anymore, stories and authors that are 'dead' for years do sometimes come back.
  3. I suspect we may well be approaching the end of the saga, although there is obviously the potential for much more to be written, even a mini series. As to Kyle's other writing, Re-emergence seems to be completely stalled again, as does Defenders. He said a while ago Brile and O'Connells Grenadiers stalled because of a timing issue, a pity because I put those second on my list of favourites. Adventure Quest seems to be progressing reasonably well and Destiny's Shadow was proceding well but now seems to have stopped, maybe because the other authors in that universe have made little to no progress if there is a degree of cross-linking between stories. I too an a religious follower of those authors, among others.
  4. Just heard that Kandric 28 is imminent - should be within a day! Pity there isn't an applause emoticon, I would have used it, especially as I have just re-read the last 5 chapters to refresh the story in my mind!
  5. I noticed that the Scrolls has now fallen off the current list at AD. Let us hope that is not an ill omen. The university year is now ending in Europe so perhaps some hope still remains. Sigh.
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  8. Interesting speculation there. I have not re-read the series yet, other things have got in the way, however, I have always assumed the Kalorians were simply genetically modified humans, i.e. they are 'human', only the attempts to breed plague resistance encouraged Croal to try and splice cross-species genes into a basically human genome. That said, it is more than likely that Croal would have used a Kalorian template as it would obviously be one he knew in depth. In fact it is reasonable that ALL Icarians, except our heros, were Kalorian/Ghroum crosses. I will bear this in mind when I do get the time to do a re-read.
  9. Well, all we can do is cross our fingers and hope for the best that it is not for a 'bad' reason. If I recall correctly there was a hiatus of over a year first time, presumably when Jamie.wri was doing his final year. Perhaps he is doing a Masters or taking another qualification now.
  10. We seem to have another long hiatus in prospect. We are now entering the second half of the educational year in most of Europe ramping up to the end of year/final exams, and I suspect that doesn't bode well for progress. Again I would say I hope all is well in Icaria.
  11. There is simply too much unknown to speculate on what was and what is. No doubt there are some answers (at least there had better be ) in the next chapter. That should return us to the point where Jamie is resolving his confrontation with Charles. I think you can claim more than a gut feeling, Ricky, regarding Charles. There are many clues that he was a pivotal character in the resistance and that he was following a plan when they were all brought out of stasis, allowing Jamie and Niklas to develop their own knowledge and conclusions. Don't forget that he was also 'testing' them to be sure they were capable of being a true Wizard and King, an expensive test as it allowed Loran to take control of the Throne army. For me, Charles was just as pivotal a character as Croal, possibly even more so, don't forget it was Charles who supplied him with all the information of the Empire's excesses and repression as well as information about Niklas with the hidden data store Jamie found. We know that Charles was a primary mover, probably the primary mover behind the resistance, remember it was Charles who had the second key to the stasis chamber holding the Wizard's Own, something I am not sure even the Empire was aware of. In one sense I agree that Charles will be shown to be a supporter of Jamie but I am not sure 'friend', at least before stasis, would be true. I have no doubt he was one of the most important members of the Croal/Jonas plan and resistance, I surmise it was his position and role to be the main facilitator for that plan within the Empire, I am sure he was the one to insert Niklas into the Ghadar, ensure his education and training by the Ghroum Sak'ki, etc. placing Giovanni at the Ecole and so on. I still think Croal had a different plan beyond his agreement with Jonas, or perhaps an extension of that plan he didn't mention to anyone . As I have said before, I think there was an original Croal/Jonas plan based on the Icarians subverting and destroying the Empire, I think they realised the Empire was going to be a tougher nut to crack than they thought and there was a secondary plan to produce a de Valen/Agramos pairing with the training, knowledge and conditioning to win the Icarians from the Empire and destroy it, then I think there was a Croal plan that involved Charlie, whether even Charles was aware of that I don't know.
  12. Exactly the point. the only other clue is, if I recall correctly, it was Castor who collected together the items that were placed in stasis with Charlie, so we can assume he acquired it through his contacts in the Kalorian League. That then raises the question, why. Was it Jamie's instructions? Just a hunch? Or was it maybe an old instruction from Croal as a last ditch effort to stop Loran from becoming a complete wizard? We shall probably never know
  13. The Orb of the Unicorn is under the Protection of the Imperial House of the Metaphysical Arts (also known as The House of the Oracle). His Imperial Highness Prince Jonathan of Tower Mount rules the Oracles House and his scribe is Lord Langford, Duke of Angel's Fall. The seat of the Prince wasn't filled until the meeting held after the rescue of Jonathan. That makes the acquisition and placing of the Orb of the Unicorn even more puzzling. It also suggests that Jamie knew far more than we were led to believe he did, although we have never been made privy to much of what Jamie knew anyway. Why would Jamie have bothered to secrete an Orb anyway, especially at a time it would almost certainly be missed by the powers that were, since the Empire and the Icarians were due to depart in the near future, and thus arouse the Empire's suspicion? Perhaps the next chapter will shed some light, but I won't hold my breath.
  14. I think you are mistaken re Jamie's tattoo, the story clearly says the pictograms were present when it developed while Jamie was at the Ecole but only the rings were present when Jamie came out of stasis, the related pictogram appearing as he absorbed an orb. Of course, this may have been a mistake in the writing, Talon Rider has already warned us there were several 'continuity errors' that had crept in as the story was (slowly) written that have been addressed in the Book 1 revision that has seemingly vanished. I am also pretty sure all the clues point to Ghroum DNA rather than avian DNA being the 'magic' ingredient in the Icarian make up, I don't see where you get the idea it was a later development. When I say Croal created every Icarian I don't mean that literally. It is pretty clear, I think, no one else knows how to create the stem cells that can be developed into Icarians, yes, others can do the manipulations to produce certain characteristics but only Croal created the root stock, if you like. You could be right about the Orb of the Unicorn although we have not been given any clues as to how Renaud and Jamie got hold of it. I suppose if one looked up the House responsible for it one might make a guess, but had they even been distributed at that time? The whole thing about the distribution of the Orbs at the point of collapse has not been covered. As far as I recall there are absolutely no clues as to the origin, significance or purpose of the Tower and the Monastery so any guess is valid.
  15. As I recall the Tower and the Monastery represent something coming that is actually worse than the Empire, exactly what, I have no clue. It may well be that rather than the Empire this potential event was the focus of all Croal's plans surrounding Jamie and Charlie. We mustn't forget that these structures pre-date Altinestrans. We obviously aren't going to agree on whether or not Niklas and Jamie or Giovanni and Charlie becoming King and Wizard was an integral part of Croal's plan, my view remains that it wasn't. I don't say he didn't hope Jamie and Niklas would take those roles, only that it wasn't necessary from his point of view. Remember, the whole Icarian hierarchy was an invention of the Empire, Savaron Loka to be precise, perhaps useful from Croal's point of view to help manipulate circumstances to favour his plans, but not a part of his plan. Again you have to look at Croal's character, as utterly ruthless as Savaron Loka, paranoid to the extent he barely trusts himself, a certainty that chaos rules and complex plans will always fail, a belief that everything must be backed up with ready made alternatives to switch to, alternatives that have no connection with others, no one other than himself knowing the full picture on anything but always working in apparently plain sight and so on. Look at the way he has trained Jamie, exposing him to knowledge without explaining, making him do exercises without explaining, pretending he doesn't know what Jamie is doing while monitoring his every moment, encouraging him to make his own connections, develop his own understanding and knowledge and most revealing of all, not interfering even when Jamie is doing something that could easily bring everything Croal has spent his life working for down and kill them all. Then there is Niklas' training, also done, I believe, in accordance with the Croal plan, or maybe the Croal/Jonas plan, but with nothing to link him to it. If I recall correctly there is a passage where Croal is talking with one of his co-conspirators, discussing Jamie's progress. At the end there is a comment about the 'other one' and his progress. I had assumed at the time this referred to Charlie, now I think it referred to Niklas. There was a similar episode where the other one was Loran but this one was different, unless I'm just getting confused, of course which would not in itself be surprising given the complexity, hanging threads and mystery in the story Charles was indeed a part of the resistance and I believe he was the architect behind Niklas' training, but I also think he, like Croal, was working to a slightly different agenda, apparently working together with Croal to a common end, but both actually looking at a different ending. As I have previously said, all the indications are there were several resistances, some joining together to progress their joint interests, some working alone or specifically focused on a single thing, like the Farzetti, I believe, some with fingers in several pies, like Croal. As for Charlie, should he not have completed his puberty cycle? I thought he was only two years younger than Jamie in actual age and I am more than sure it has been longer than two years. The issue of Jamie's tattoo and its partial disappearance and reappearances together with his apparent susceptibility to the Germinus is very frustrating. I can't see any way that could have occurred, unless it was something to do with the mysterious virus Charles was behind. Still, I didn't expect the 100 year planned stasis to be changed to 2000 years + by a cometary close encounter so I suppose anything goes. Presumably that is Jamie.wri emphasising his 'best laid plans of mice and men ....' and all that, chaos rules.
  16. Hhhmmm, a few misconceptions there I think, Ricky. I think there are enough clues in the text so far to suggest that Ghroum DNA is the source of the wings, intelligence, long life, psi potential and overall physical capacity of all Icarians. It is pretty clear Croal created ALL the Icarians, at least he created the entire stock of stem cells that could be grown into Icarians, other scientists were able to manipulate those cells to 'tweak' certain characteristics and thus produce different individuals, but no one was privy to the method used to create the stem cells. We know that Croal kept that secret while appearing to work openly and allowed the assumption that the fundamental genetic enhancements came from birds while it was of course from the Ghroum. I agree that the pairing of Niklas and Jamie was not accidental, Croal obviously intended they would form a formidable team and the 'intention to mate' was designed to help that come to pass, where I disagree is that he intended them to be Wizard and King, as I said, I would think from Croal's position that would be irrelevant. Castor's facility did indeed derive from his work for Croal as did his station among the Kalorian League, which was also part of his duties for Croal. I am fairly confident that Jamie, Niklas, Charlie, Giovanni and Jonathan were all crafted by Croal, separately from the stem cells he made that were in use at Gold Glass. Cody, like Charles, was, I think, part of the run of the mill Icarians from Gold Glass that just happened to have exhibited a bit of psi power. I am not sure but I think there are hints of unexpected psi powers to be seen among other Icarians, even Hippolito's ability to attract is quite possibly psi based. I also agree that Croal's plans included a lot more than just rolling the dice. From my perspective he was obviously intent on ensuring that his special creations, Jamie, Niklas, Charlie, Giovanni and Jonathan would both survive and be suitably placed and be properly prepared to have the opportunity to do their job which was the destruction of the Empire. I think he was quite happy to use the Empire's ambitions, the various resistances and the Kalorian League and their plans to progress his own plotting and that while he may have seemed to be a partner to several groups he was in reality entirely his own man with his own ultimate plan. That is why I say he couldn't have cared less about who was or wasn't Wizard and King, the mechanics of how Jamie, Niklas and Charlie eventually fulfilled their roles didn't matter, as long as they were successful. Croal and Jonas's philosophy from the very beginning was that you cannot dictate outcomes, events progress as they will, whatever those in charge intend when they start the ball rolling; plans composed of careful, choreographed and intricate steps are doomed to failure, chaos rules. Croal would not make a plan dependent on Niklas and Jamie or Charlie and Giovanni being King and Wizard.
  17. Just discovered Kandric 27 is up at GA Well done and thank you Kyle! A lot of interesting stuff here, not really a lot of action. The next instalment should be a lot livelier as things are starting to come to a head and the various groups are coming together. I still feel there is a chapter missing, there were a lot of events occurring while Kandric was knocked out from his magical overdose which I would have liked to have seen covered,but there you are. One of my suspicions was proved true although the known facts don't quite add up, but whether that is by accident or design, aka red herrings, I don't know. The Zoldon/Klandon mystery has a bit of a twist, maybe, but that should be properly revealed in the next instalment as well.
  18. Yes, I agree. But those were the Empire's plans and they intended Hippolito as King, they weren't the resistance plans, they didn't even know about Niklas as far as we know, and they were shattered before Alexander died anyway, it wasn't the Kalorian League's plan either and it certainly wasn't Croal's plans. So in the present circumstances there are no plans, Jamie and Niklas have fallen into the role of Wizard and King by accident rather than design. Their damaged memories and the information available made them think they must be the Wizard and King because of who Jamie is, and the reaction of most of the other Icarians returned from stasis simply reinforced that belief, plus their innate monarchical sense of duty and responsibility for others pushed them to accept that role. So, going back to Ricky's point, there is no reason that Jamie and Niklas cannot be Wizard and King, nor is there any reason why Charlie and Giovanni should be Wizard and King in their place. Everything hinges on Jamie and his decisions while he still lives, it is doubtful any pre-stasis plans have any relevance now and as far as we know, Jamie was not a knowing participant in any of them anyway. We do not even know if Jamie was aware of any particular role Croal may have intended for Charlie, again if any and yet again if any such role was still still valid or necessary. Anyway, that's enough 'any's for now.
  19. In a sense, yes. Jamie did tell Charlie it would be down to him if he something should happen to Jamie. And Jamie also made Niklas promise to fight disunion and protect Charlie in that event. I suppose the difficulty here is that, as far as we know, Croal had no plans other than to put Jamie and Charlie, and presumably Niklas as I have posited before, in place so that they would be in position to 'throw a spanner' into the Empire's works at the right time, the 'seven sided dice'. I have no doubt he was also pulling other threads destabilising to the Empire. We know that the plan to save the Kalorians was Jamie's alone and that somehow it all ended up being down to him, the 'official' resistance being shattered, and that Jamie had only a vague idea of what the original plan had been, if it was even still feasible or even a plan at all by that time. To me this suggests there were never any plans for even Jamie and Niklas to be Wizard and King, let alone Charlie and Giovanni, although Jamie being the only known potential wizard other than Loran at the time obviously meant attempts would be made for Jamie to be elevated. The point is, Jamie, Charlie and, I believe, Niklas were Croal's throw of the dice, thrown long before Alexander was out of the picture and although Croal was convinced Loran was inadequate for being a Wizard I don't think he in any way planned for Jamie to take over the 'official' wizard role. As I see it his plan was to recreate a de Valen - Agramos pairing, a Merlin and Arthur if you like, give them as big an advantage as possible through genetics, education and training and leave it to fate. Whether they became King and Wizard was immaterial to Croal's plans. As I posted earlier, Charlie was created to be a different and more powerful entity than Jamie, the one to really strike the death blow to the Empire, note that Charlie apparently has not developed the more physical wizardly powers like fire balls or a Tattoo, and certainly neither he nor Giovanni have had the same de Valen - Agramos type education and training. Put simply, in Croal's mind there was never a plan to make Jamie/Niklas or Charlie/Giovanni Wizard and King. I wonder how much, if any, of Jamie.wri's inspiration derives from the Arthurian prophecy, the Once and Future King? If you have never read T H White's The Once and Future King I would recommend you do.
  20. This is a difficult one to call. We know that Charlie is Croal's 'true' weapon and that Jamie is there firstly to distract any attention from Charlie and secondly to be Charlie's shield which I interpret as protector. One problem I have with the Charlie and Giovanni destined to be Wizard and King scenario is neither has been 'prepared' for that role. OK, we don't know what Charlie's powers are, except that they are different from Jamie's and that Charlie is much more powerful than Jamie in mental abilities. As I seem to recall there is a substantial difference between Jamie and Charlie in DNA terms, actual percentages mean little, a minute percentage difference can make a huge difference in ability. Giovanni apparently has had no training in anything. Both are young, I know, but both Niklas and Jamie were trained for their roles from the word go. Of course, it may well be that Charlie is not destined for any role regarding Icaria or Altinestra, his role may be against the Commonwealth or whatever events are portended by the Monastery of Infinity and the Tower. As it stands there are hints and flashes but on where near enough facts to base assumptions on.
  21. I had not picked up this story before because I did not like what I had seen of the author's earlier writing, but I have now started reading this story and I must say it is truly excellent, another potentially publishable book. By that I mean being picked up by a publishing house. There is a new (new to me, anyway) alternative way to potentially get one's work published to a potentially wide audience via Kindle Direct Publishing through places like Amazon, although Kindle prices are far too high. I do realise that pricing them according to production cost would quickly make 'real' books redundant, but that is probably inevitable anyway.
  22. I wonder if we will get a Christmas update.
  23. Hey TalonRider, can you add a large raspberry emoticon? You know, for those who can't recognise a wry comment not directed to the author but simply pointing to an unexplained 10 month hiatus. I would add that I probably would be dead before Jamie.wri finishes if this remains the case. And that would be a real disappointment.
  24. But Loka can be expected to have ghosters and battlehovs and all the other Empire goodies, although probably not too many trained military. Well, no doubt we will see, assuming we live long enough
  25. A good point, TalonRider, it might well have been a part of Jamie's reprogramming to re-site the barrier as a further insurance for when things returned to normal. Indeed, Ricky, the Empire is still there, as I mentioned above, presumably having come out of stasis on Argon at the same time as the others. The Commonwealth, however, I think that is what you were referring to Ricky, not the Empire which was Altinestran, is also still there and may itself have developed in less than ideal directions, who knows? Another possibility is the remnants of the Empire may have already returned to some remote location where they had arranged for the Throne armies to meet them in order to re-assert control of the planet. Perhaps Hippolito is actually off to join up with his mentor Loka, or make sure he is not going to be around any more. That would make for an interesting future. So many possibilities it is really not worth speculating. I don't suppose we are likely to get any answers this year, given current performance.
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