This is for my readers on AFF.Net
So, to be totally honest, I rather suspect that AFF.net is attempting to ban Authors notes and comment responses for aesthetic reasons rather than server-space reasons. I could be wrong, but I'm not really seeing how 200 words of an authors note would be a problem while a 7000 word chapter would be fine. But it honestly doesn't matter what their reasoning is, it's their site and I'm just using it... for free... so I really have no right to complain.
So let's see how this solution works.
Comments for Chapter 25
Kanilla Maxwell: I agree, pacing demands that there be breaks to slow down and smell the flowers so to speak. I was concerned last chapter that maybe I'd applied the brakes a bit too hard, but from the responses, I'm guessing it was just fine. It was a hard chapter with an awful lot of exposition in it. Plus more driving, which at this point has gotten old. From now on I'm going to severely gloss over the travelogue portions.
George is not the brightest crayon in the box, but I'd like to think he's also not the dullest. Though to be honest Chapter 26 didn't really play up his smarts much. He'll have brighter moments later.
Wally is doing his best. It's a tough thing to ask any friend to go on the lam for you -- though at this point Wally is every bit as much on the lam as George is. He's a run-away in his own right. As for Chuck... well... I'll let you decide how trustworthy he is. Chauncey is going to show up at some point. That much I promise you, though how and in what capacity is a major plot point, so I won't say any more about it.
ArtMonkey: I can neither confirm nor deny that George will end up with Jeffrey. But I will say he's not out of the picture by any means.
Womo: The vamps were all humans once. But just as adults don't always understand or agree with children's opinions and priorities, the vamps don't always bother to take their charges thoughts and desires under consideration. There's a great deal of "we are the vampires, we are superior, we know best" going around. And honestly, thanks to the handy-dandy mind control, who is going to call them out on it. Humans are definitely second class citizens. They have proved their unworthiness to run the world through their weapons of mass destruction and their general poor stewardship. Vampires are in charge now, and obviously they will do a much better job. Obviously.
Onepennyshort: I really tried to make it so that all the vampire political parties were rooted in vampire needs and their relationship to humans rather than just copying over democrats and republicans and libertarians. The Eugenists aren't bad because they are Eugenist, just as the Solitarians and Wilderists aren't bad because of what they are. But each political philosophy has bad individuals in it. They all twist their own philosophies to suit their own particular desires and needs. It's really better to consider the individual rather than the party.
jamimi04: It's quite possible they did. But then perhaps they didn't. :P
Azalea: That really is the question, isn't it. And look, I totally didn't answer it in chapter 26.
Trix: Thank you for commenting now.
Nettie: Chuck isn't a miracle worker after all. But George really was asking for the impossible. At least he'll get to chose his patron... maybe.
Maloanne: Thank you!
Trombonesonmars: And then chapter 26 picked up again, so yeah, George didn't get that much of a break.
Avernion: Haunts you in a good way, I hope. That phone call could have been problematic. We'll have to wait and see.
J42: You're very welcome. We'll see about that phone call.
JtheChosen1: I'm not sure what you meant by Wally's turn around, but thank you!
Wayward: First off I really love and appreciate your thoughtful comments! I am trying not to make my world utopian or dystopian, but rather a workable model of how vampire overlords could manage their cattle charges. Life isn't that bad -- some things are fine, even easier than before. Without a massive amount of the GDP going to war and armies, it's freed up to go to commerce and infrastructure, medical R & D. That takes an enormous weight off the economy -- of course quite a bit is then put back on for the support of the Vampire class. The downside is that travel is severely restricted to those between the ages of 18 and 40, but then the biggest effect of this is to curb the suburbs and urban sprawl and encourage small towns to become more self-sufficient. The biggest effects are not in the US though, but rather in places like Africa and the middle east and other third world nations, which no longer are in constant war with each other. The standard of living in the US has marginally dropped (mostly due to the restrictions on younger people), but the standard of living elsewhere has greatly increased, thanks to the stability. Instead of one massive genocidal attack in Rwanda, followed by over a decade of total anarchy, there are periodic race riots that are put down, and a government that is propped up by the vampires. Sydney is actually considered to be a model vampire leader, for his patience and methodical approach to problems. He's just scary as hell personally, especially if you are used to being able to do your own thing, the way George was.
Hah, someone caught that line. When he was -- indeed.
Clovermax: I can't confirm or deny that his mom was the snitch. Yeah, the hope is that George and Wally will end up with a good patron in the end. Though that's not by any means a sure thing at this point.
Well one nice thing about doing it this way, I don't feel guilty talking to people more at length. We'll see how this works.