Jump to content

Click Here!

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/08/2019 in all areas

  1. Well, posted a story with a Roman Shower. I guess that’s one off the sick bucket list.
    1 point
  2. There are two potential reasons they don’t ask about events during the Rupture. The first is that Kevin knows that something bad happened to Luzurial that day, and as he mentioned in the first chapter, he’s never going to push her to explain it. He figures she’ll tell him when she’s ready. The other reason, though, you caught onto in the review. Thank you! I did not think of that, but that is a seriously cool idea! It's actually really cool that you brought this up, and I'm glad to have this discussion thread, since there was no way I was going to be able to discuss this in an Author's Note. So, there are actually several different angelic hierarchies, none of which is terribly canon (the biblical sources are mostly silent on this stuff). The four archangels you mentioned (Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael) show up in multiple sources, but are mentioned together in that specific context in the Book of Enoch, which is considered canonical by Beta Israel/Ethiopian Jewish people, as well as the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches, but is considered noncanonical by other Jewish and Christian groups. There are five different potential Jewish angelic hierarchies, including the version you mentioned from the Maseket Atzilut, all of which contain ten ranks of angels. When I had Luzurial say "ten if you count the Ophanim," that was indeed meant as an allusion to the difference between various angelic hierarchies, not only in Judaism but in Christianity as well. The version of the Celestial Hierarchy I used, however, is the Christian angelic hierarchy, which is based primarily on Pseudo-Dionysius (On the Celestial Hierarchy) and Saint Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica), who drew on passages from the New Testament (Galatians 3:26-28, Matthew 22:24-33, Ephesians 1:21-23 and Colossians 1:16). Yes, there was in fact a guy called Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. His real name is unknown, but he wrote using "Dionysius" as a pseudonym, hence the "Pseudo" attached to his name. Anyway, the Christian angelic hierarchy features nine ranks of angels, organized into three "spheres". Angels of the First Sphere are the direct attendants of God, while angels of the Second Sphere serve as "governors of creation" (keeping the universe running), and angels of the Third Sphere concern themselves with the affairs of mortals, acting as guides, protectors and messengers. The First Sphere consists of the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones, while the Second contains the Dominions, Virtues and Powers, and the Third consists of Principalities, Archangels and Angels. I mentioned the Hierarchy more as a military chain of command than anything else because the role of the Second Sphere pretty much has to be different in a modern, scientific cosmology. The Powers, for instance, don't need to keep planets and moons moving around when things like angular momentum and gravity keep everything in place. The idea that Luzurial does not receive orders directly from God is going to become rather important in Part Seven, as is her appearance/anatomy. While I figure she would normally use some minor level of shapeshifting (back when she had wings, she probably made them invisible when she visited Earth), anatomically speaking she's very human, as opposed to something like a seraph, which has six wings and is MADE OF FIRE. Sorry, but it was necessary to write that in all caps because it is freaking METAL. Actually, this makes me wonder about the Slumber-verse and what Kate's reaction must have been when she found out what Kizzy really looks like.
    1 point
  3. Good to hear that the chapter two already have improved descriptions. Honestly I was thinking on later chapters when I made my comment about better descriptions, I mostly recall the actual boss-fights so to say and not the smaller critters at the start of the story. Btw I plan to follow your suggestions and add a description for the prologue monster also, but I need to be in the proper mood first so it will most likely take a while. God, this poor woman cannot catch a break. I'm half convinced that in addition to rapid healing and the psionic shield, the worst luck in the world is one of her superpowers. I mean, at the hospital, out of all the doctors and nurses she could get, she gets the ones who want to kidnap her and turn her into a sex slave. Then, out of all the NYPD officers she could run into, she gets the one who wants to molest a suspect, and another one who's willing to ignore said molestation as long as it doesn't drown out the radio. Then she gets the clothing store clerk who wants to perv on her while she changes, and then she gets picked up a creeper with some kind of strange mechanical device. Honestly, Jennifer's string of bad luck would be hilarious if it weren't also frightening. The creeper with the camera-like device is particularly alarming, and I am curious to see whether he represents the villainous group the G.S.P. is worried about. *smiles* Yes it does indeed luck like she has terrible luck. It is not until the third chapter that both the reader and Jennifer start to get answers why Jennifer again and again ends in these kind of situations...of course the answer also open lots of more questions. Thank you so much. I hope you will enjoy it.
    1 point
  4. Well, put the first of the LFM sketches up… Almost forgot the feeling of apprehension that accompanied that post button...
    1 point
  5. Another review... These shelves are shining lately... <looks at review shelves; eyes boil from sockets> So shiny! First, something I forgot to do, a shout out @Sinfulwolf. Sinful's been very helpful in terms and statements, not to mention actions and structure, throughout Last Full Measure. So, I thank you greatly and appreciate your help and continued assistance with terminology far more than I can say. Second, another from @InBrightestDay on Last Full Measure. From InBrightestDay on February 06, 2019 Aaand I'm back! So we learn a lot in this chapter. First, with Sam's arrival, that everyone's exes will be in this squad for maximum awkwardness. Second... I need to watch Aliens again sometime. Third, we start to see what's going on in Alpha Centauri, although thus far it's only teasing glimpses. Nonetheless, I liked seeing it. We have our characters, so now we get a hint of the coming story. Finally, we learn some more about whatever happened on Mars. It sounds like it's Celeste's fault (she stayed on duty in spite of her pregnancy, which may have led to the death of the unborn child during the attack), but Adara clearly blames herself for part of it, and I'm curious to learn what that is. Adara's actually somewhat more sympathetic in this chapter. This doesn't undo her infidelity, but it does hint at a level of depth to the character. The introduction of Major Hamilton did raise a question. Thus far, every member of this squad that we've met has been female, save for Hamilton, who is in command. In an earlier chapter, Celeste mentioned that back on Mars, her commanding officer was also a man. Is the military in this setting set up so that the enlisted are all female and the officers are male, or is this team just set up that way? Aaand I'm back! So we learn a lot in this chapter. First, with Sam's arrival, that everyone's exes will be in this squad for maximum awkwardness. First, welcome back. Ah, yes, the resident unit incest (thanks, Sinful, not getting that term out of my head now... lol). There are plenty of threads here and I don't know if they'll all be covered, but... As it progresses, there'll certainly be some awkwardness coming. Second... I need to watch Aliens again sometime. Do it! Lol. As mentioned, there's definitely a few homages and lines from Aliens in here. I love the movie and just had to. And that line from the movie always got me to snicker. Lol. Third, we start to see what's going on in Alpha Centauri, although thus far it's only teasing glimpses. Nonetheless, I liked seeing it. We have our characters, so now we get a hint of the coming story. I wasn't sure how well the distress call would work, so I'm glad you liked it. I definitely love building up the suspense and a little bit of unnerving. Not seeing what's going on was part of that plan and definite don't want people to know too much. Lol. Finally, we learn some more about whatever happened on Mars. It sounds like it's Celeste's fault (she stayed on duty in spite of her pregnancy, which may have led to the death of the unborn child during the attack), but Adara clearly blames herself for part of it, and I'm curious to learn what that is. Adara's actually somewhat more sympathetic in this chapter. This doesn't undo her infidelity, but it does hint at a level of depth to the character. By far, there's enough blame to go around multiple people for Celeste's miscarriage. So, the blame isn't squarely hers, though she bears a large part of it. I actually rewrote much of the last part of the chapter so to create a depth to Adara. She's not a great person, and she admits it, but she does harbour a lot of guilt for multiple things; her cheating on Celeste (And everyone can have their own opinions on whether Adara did cheat on Celeste with Alexander or if she was telling the truth), her leaving Celeste, and the miscarriage (although the reasons for that will come out as time goes along). I'm glad my rewrites did add some character to Adara that doesn't make her just a bitch… The introduction of Major Hamilton did raise a question. Thus far, every member of this squad that we've met has been female, save for Hamilton, who is in command. In an earlier chapter, Celeste mentioned that back on Mars, her commanding officer was also a man. Is the military in this setting set up so that the enlisted are all female and the officers are male, or is this team just set up that way? This is probably a fault of the author (...which makes it my fault...)... That wasn't the intention to have that implied. (Originally Adara's LT was Alexandra, but I realized that that was flooding the story...). Indeed, there are a few minor characters to be introed in who are male and enlisted/noncoms, so I guess I should have elaborated a little more in that regard. (And, yeah, her COs on Mars... They weren't the brightest... To quote @BronxWench in reviews for Christmas "I found myself wondering exactly who the Captain and Lieutenant paid off to get their positions, because they certainly didn't end up in command based on merit."). Thank you, InBrightestDay, for your review. As always, it is much appreciated and always a pleasure to receive.
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...