The Sword and Laser discussion

Bryan did a great job creating a balanced world in my opinion. I like the flexibility of the Order's Exorcist's, giving them an Avengers-like superhero feel, without taking you out of the fantasy world. The daeryc's were a little more confusing, but provided good criminals. and I liked the array of nations and peoples as well.

I have to agree, so far (I'm only 31% in). This seems to blend some neat sci fi concepts with the fantasy world.

I've been wondering--is this supposed to be on a future Earth? Or an Earth-like planet? Or something else entirely? I wasn't sure where, for example, the norian (spelling?) came from, or how (other than skin color and some "Spirit Speaking" ability) they were different from humans...

And I haven't really figured out how the Spirit Speakers play into the worldview with the Exorcists and daeryc...

terpkristin wrote: "I have to agree, so far (I'm only 31% in). This seems to blend some neat sci fi concepts with the fantasy world.

I've been wondering--is this supposed to be on a future Earth? Or an Earth-like pl..."

Yeah the Spirit Seekers is something I'd like to find out more about too. They seem to dip into the same power well as the Exorcists, but the spirits are "real".

I had trouble at times with standard human earth names mixed with the fanstastical ones. If it was a different world then avoiding them would have helped me get into it more.

I also found it jar sometimes as they had steam engines, trains, muskets and rifles, but then the opening scenes seemed to me to be more classic fantasy. I felt that the village with the guard captain had no fire arms. I might be remembering it incorrectly. Perhaps in the general level of technology that threw me. In a steam age, but it did not feel that other technologies that we had existed.

Perhaps a bit more exposition on the world would be required to answer this side of things. If only there was a program, maybe internet based, that could ask the author these questions. hrrrm.....

Gordon wrote: "I had trouble at times with standard human earth names mixed with the fanstastical ones. If it was a different world then avoiding them would have helped me get into it more.

I also found it jar s..."

I never noticed the mix of names. Interesting.
I did notice the mix of technology and I liked it. In reality not all societies have access to the most advanced technology even today. So having a town with no muskets seems MORE realistic to me than having every city with the exact same sophistication.

I can live with a range of technologies, but it felt a little too wide spread. Here the steam age also came with an industrial age so towns within the same country would be closer in industrial level, or at least seem to be closer in historical terms. I could live happily with the Norian's having a totally different level as their use of the elemental powers was different to the Exorcists, so technology could well have a much different impetus.
In any case I wish it had been dealt with differently.

Gordon wrote: "I can live with a range of technologies, but it felt a little too wide spread. Here the steam age also came with an industrial age so towns within the same country would be closer in industrial lev..."

Sur sure, it's all a matter of taste. To me it felt like Germany rolling into Poland with tanks while the Poles were on horseback with sabers. That kind of thing has happened.

Fair point

I'm only about a third in so I might be wrong but I get the impression that this might be a post-apocalyptic Earth. One character thinks about his place on the continent of Ausland which I'm assuming is Australia.
This may explain the varying tech levels; just what was preserved in a particular place. Maybe the non-humans are aliens and/or mutants?
BTW I'm enjoying this quite a bit more than our main pick this month. In particular I find the magic systems interesting and the relationships between the characters to be well done.
There was some clunky prose in the beginning but it got a lot better after the first couple chapters. I also wish there was a map and glossary I could refer to.

Well, it turned out I was wrong about it being Earth.
Some random thoughts:
Just finished and I enjoyed through to the end although I wish there had been more of an end.
It was a nice change that almost all the hero characters were female. I'm surprised there hasn't been more comments in the forums about that.
The last 1/4 of the book had a lot of typos; usually one letter wrong or added making a different word like "he" to "her".
The best aspects of the story for me were the different magic systems. Bryan mentioned during the podcast that he could see this setting as an RPG and I had been thinking that all along as I read. I'd like to play a pen and paper RPG in this world.
Good job Bryan! I'd like to see where this story goes in the future.