Shadows in the Smoke - Chapter 45 - Public Humiliation
Added 2026-01-29 18:30:03 +0000 UTC
Comments
Thank you! All fixed.
TF Warden
2026-01-30 09:35:48 +0000 UTCThanks, that's a good idea. I'll add it to my notes for when I do another run through of the chapter for the public release.
TF Warden
2026-01-30 09:31:48 +0000 UTCThanks, that's an interesting idea and I'll definitely think about it. After having a bad time over summer and ending up having no buffer for a while on Patreon, I've got myself up to a 6 chapter buffer which feels comfortable. Dropping back to 1 a week would definitely let me build a bit further. I quite enjoy releasing two chapters a week for the faster pace, but I think I'll need a break from it in a bit. It's definitely higher stress, which is why I only promise one and the other is a bonus. I'm also going to need to stub book 1 in just over a month (will be announcing that formally with the next chapter) and have been keeping a higher tempo in the run up to that. Lond winded way of saying thanks for the suggestion :)
TF Warden
2026-01-30 09:30:39 +0000 UTCWoo hoo on the higher frequency of posts, and thanks. One thing you may want to consider, is holding to the one a week rate, and then dropping a bunch in quick succession when you’re near the end of the book. That way when the nail biting bits are there, we don’t have to wait as long. I know with the end of Book 1 there was so much happening, with one a week timeline, that I actually held off and read them all in one go. Also, if you do that you could keep the normal pace on RR. That would give you a selling point for your Patreon that it is (for a short time) X chapters ahead including the end of book 2 (after it drops). Then you can decide the speed of drops for book 3, and whether to speed up on RR for the last chapters of book 2 or have a larger gap between RR and Patreon.
Antony Claughton
2026-01-30 02:09:59 +0000 UTCReally enjoyed this chapter, including some background on what happened elsewhere. I wonder if there is a laundry service! A suggestion for the chapter. After this: Ester listened carefully, taking mental notes of everything that was said. She wasn’t likely to ever become a Republican officer, but their reports were full of clues about how the undead fought and also how the Republic might fight the Empire. it might be good to have just one or two sentences of Ester summarising what she’s heard in her mind. Such as “it seemed Jacob was correct that her section had the most ghouls.”, or what attacked sections without ghouls. Lindholm did say the tactics differed by area; maybe a different undead type, more mages assaulting the barrier or walls in a region, an actual scaling attempt by the living troops, archers? Etc. And what the arcanists did elsewhere, and if they were coordinated with their defenders.
Antony Claughton
2026-01-30 02:02:18 +0000 UTCbut if you hadn’t been there they’d have broken us there and then ==> but if you hadn’t been there they’d have broken this wall section and then As Ester got herself ready to leave the room, her clenched ==> As Ester got herself ready to leave the room, her stomach clenched She looked no more worn than usual, certainly not like she’d as if she’d spent the last few days resting ==> She looked no more worn than usual, as if she’d spent the last few days resting was short of both and this meant that many of men died unnecessarily ==> was short of both and this meant that many men died unnecessarily
Antony Claughton
2026-01-30 01:51:16 +0000 UTCI like this theory better than my own! I'm somewhat worried she's going to offer Ester a chance to leave now with an escort before the second wave hits. I don't want that to happen. Of course, I don't want our girl to become ghoul food, either.
Judson Parker
2026-01-29 22:59:25 +0000 UTCLove the chapter. Also love to see Lovas get some consequences, as minor as they might be. As for Lindholm calling Ester to talk, my guess is she’s going to teach her how to deanimate some living corpses and the like. Seems like an easy “power up” to help Ester and the Republic and one that won’t come back to bite the Republic later on, as opposed to physical enhancement magic.
Brendan
2026-01-29 20:26:52 +0000 UTCI think Lindholm not doing anything to Lovas on the spot is more about morale and not wanting to divide the troops more than they already are than because she had doubts. "Accidents" do happen though.
Hibou Ronchon
2026-01-29 19:40:08 +0000 UTCGot some strong mixed feelings here. First, Ester done good. She was publicly recognized for it too. I kinda wanted to see the Captain charged for abandoning his post, but we really do not know that he did. Only that others said so. I bet Lindholm wants to apologize for the Captains behavior in private and explain why public shaming is all that happens. I doubt she is going to teach Ester the technique.
Marcus Martin
2026-01-29 19:26:12 +0000 UTC
