The final third of the epic serial starts today! Army in the Obelisk Part Nine brings the Loren-Standish conflict to a head.
Read Army in the Obelisk now.
I’ve always been a big fan of structure. When putting together a twelve-part serial, figuring out the proper pacing for not only the big reveals but all the major subplots being juggled throughout turned out to be quite the challenge.
Somehow–I refuse to take credit for how it happened–the Loren-Standish subplot worked out perfectly in the narrative. It opens with Part Three, escalates in Part Six, and closes out here in Part Nine. It still amazes me to think about that. Kudos, to those writing gods watching over me.
Bringing Standish back.
I love a good villain. Standish was never meant to be more than a foil for Loren in Tales from Portents. He certainly grew to be quite a bit more than some minor player in the first half of Greystone. Being able to explore how their relationship evolved from their first interaction in Gremlins was a real bonus when crafting Army in the Obelisk.
There were questions I felt should be answered somewhere in the series. Army served as the perfect vehicle for that exploration.
Part Nine is another tale that doesn’t rely on any of the fantasy elements that typically infuse Portents. This is a straight-up murder investigation that goes off the rails… quickly. I won’t give anything away here, but if you know Standish and his skill set, I think you’ll completely understand the actions taken in the story.
For those waiting for the big confrontation with Djuhuty, you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer. It’s coming and it is massive, but this part is dedicated to long-time readers of the series.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey so far. This book was an absolute dream to put together and I’m very proud of how it stands up after all the scrutiny I’ve put it under over the years.
