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Early Access: STORMWEAVER 3 - Chapter 22 [ROUGH]

So after some thought, I decided that for the rough draft of this book, I'm going to make this an actual true chapter, in case it offers opportunities for me later on in the book involving Jasper. There's a good chance it gets excised in the final (it feels too long) but I'm comfortable leaving it in for the draft.

So... suprise! Longest Stormweaver chapter ever, I think!

Ending also definitely needs some work (both of them lol). So, look forward to that cleaned-up version come Chapter 23, probably after Dragon Con!

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A FEW RULES & REMINDERS:

👉 👉 👉 THE REDDIT THREAD 👈👈👈

Comments

This was a great chapter. Great world building and a good look at Jasper who, up to this point in my opinion, has been a fine side character but nothing more. That being said, I think if this chapter is included in the final book it will be one that I skip on most subsequent re-reads/listens unless these other characters prove to be important to the overall story.

Brad Davis

I did too! I almost couldn't get passed the first half of the chapter. It was a visceral reaction and I GENUINELY thought she was actually going to have the two killed. I GENUINELY felt like they had died and had completely and utterly forgotten that phantom calls were a thing 🤣

Dorian Grey

That's what I thought too. I almost couldn't finish it but I HIGHLY suggest finishing it! The ending is well worth the initial trauma honestly.

Dorian Grey

You can't know yet that it's filler for all we know the husband or the wife could have use somewhere down the road. It also shows Jaspers character as she in the past has seemed shady. Filler by definition can be removed and no one would notice it's gone as it adds nothing to the story. It's called world building, if it's just one characters perspective the whole time there are no surprises...

osullytony

I disagree. The chapter was pointless filler. We are 22 chapters in and the story is barely actually starting.

dark phoenix99

Oh wow, that chapter was amazing! I loved it so much!…but I don’t think it should be in the main book - unless it contributes to the story line? If it doesn’t contribute then it’ll confuse readers as they will be expecting the story of this guy or his wife to somehow tie into the main plot. However, I LOVE it! Please include it as an extra somewhere somehow. ❤️

ABTelford

This was a great chapter. It wasn't too long at all so don't worry about that. It was perfect for getting us to see more into Jasper and who she is. Then the little line at the end that Viv is awake! I loved it. Your talents are always awesome. Keep going! You got this!!

Keonah McCullough

Much more violent than most of the rest of the book. Made me nauseous enough I couldn't finish it. Would have to skip the ch if it was included like this.

radiantmemories451

Big fan of these books; thank you for sharing the rough chapter drafts of book three! I am really excited to see that you are working on this series again to progress the story. please hurry and wake Viv up and share the rough chapter

Margaret Dennes

I was fascinated by how you wrote the domestic violence piece. It showed insight into the abusers mind that I thought was spot on. I doubt too many authors could would know how to write this. Humans really are able to justify anything to themselves.

Richard Jackway

It works. It's the perfect tool to tell everything about Jasper, without saying "She is this, she was that". The last line is perfectly subtle (if there is such a thing) to tie everything back together.

Michael Wuestenberg

GODDAMMIT YOU CAN'T BLUE BALL ME LIKE THIS!!!

Adam Barnes

They remind me of the BASF ad campaign: "we don't make the product, we make the product better" -- Kamiya corp makes a bunch of the underlying stuff that goes into loads of products.

Craig Bentsen

I would not say this was an ends justifies the means. I think that the main flaw in any other method of getting them out of that situation would either a) require Donal to die, or b) result in him having never "stopped looking for [her], if he’d known the two of [them] were alive" Also, if Jasper were just focused on the ends, would she have pre-scheduled (on not Shauna's dime) the replacement of her arm. Or had all the emotions that Bryce told us through Shauna's observations? My final argument against her falling into that category, is that the simplest approach leveraging that philosophy would have been to ACTUALLY kill Shauna and Shay. I think that Jasper is ruthless (in a good way), cunning, and supremely intelligent. And I think the vast majority of her approach relies more on coercion, manipulation, and blackmail. All in all, I think that Jasper has only grown in my estimation in this chapter, and full disclosure, I already thought she was pretty badass.

Christopher Generazio

They had a part in developing CADs although now they're only "normal" tech I think.

Alexander

Reading this chapter threw me for a couple of loops. I think maybe parts could be in the book but maybe not all. However, I'll trust the proffessional to decide what those thingsshd be. lol Love the series and on my like fourth read-through. lolwhatever Brice decides to do, it will be awesome! lol

Tim Kilgore

All I can say is BOOM! Imagine Jasper isn't even a CAD user and still won't wanna meet her in an ally.

Eric Edwards

Tftc

Connor Wilson

burned a lot of calories reading that from heartrate fluctuations, my estimation of Jasper changed every three pages One thing that got me really psyched was the rejected CAD metal knife, I love that tiny bit of insight into manufacturing, but still enough to keep it mysterious. Imagining a discrete weapon like that to take out other users without having to call

Skyler Oak

This has made jasper in my opinion one of the most interesting characters in the series

Kareem

I think this chapter actually fits in beautifully to the story, i really love how you bring life to every character in the book and you just don’t ignore them because they’re “side characters” I love what this added to her character and also slightly wandering if some of the other corporations and names come into play later on

Lyssa

Ooh. Fun little in-between chapter, and it really shows off that Jasper is a spy down to the core. (I also feel bad for Shauna's family, but that's just the effects of evocative writing ;p)

Ben Nikel

I think it’s more of a lesser of two evils situation. What jasper did wins hands down. The never ending trama and strain of living the rest of your life in hiding and on the run knowing you’ll be killed and your child be helpless at his hands if he catches you vs the quick trauma of believing you and your child were about to die. Then being free from ever experiencing that level of abuse and control again. When you’re in an abusive situation it never ends until you or them are dead. I got away from my abuser just over 20 years ago and still worry he will show up someday and mine isn’t hunting me

Maria Klein

When Jason first gets the sponsorship offer from Kamiya it touches on what they make

Maria Klein

I think this makes a very interesting world-building side story to publish outside of the actual book!

Devin Jaros

This chapter does somewhat change my perception on what phantom calls actually do. I was under the impression that the cads calculated damage and applied effects artificially. But this chapter seems to imply that there is an innate physical effect on the nervous system of the victim that is not applied by the victims own cad.

Rasmus Salling

Do we know what the Kamiyas do/make for the ISCM?

Anthony Smith

@Bill Vaughan no, but that is exactly my point. That is literally the definition of ends justifying the means, which is the whole thing I was accusing Jasper of. Just because staying there would be worse doesn't make what Jasper did not harmful. I think there are tons of ways Jasper could have handled the situation without causing so much mental harm, and I also think Jasper had major unsavory motivations for saving the mom/kid (i.e. getting paid for basically breaking the husband)

Max Thomas

Great character development on Jasper! Now with Viv awakening, her new ability to explore, Rei’s sister yet to appear, and so much more! I honestly can’t wait for more! Keep up the great work

Dan

Man, that Barret 96 must have stood the test of time even more so than the Browning M2! I think I like Jasper more now than ever! She is one scary character. In the rough chapter I was sure she was amoral. Now I think she is just more willing to appear to embrace chaos to achieve the goal while playing grand master level chess with moves planned far in advance.

Kory Leach

Awesome chapter love the extra look into Jaspers life as fixer... I would like to also formerly be the first one sign whatever paperwork needs to be signed to dub Bryce as The Mighty Lord of Cliffhangers cause got damn it now I'm left wanting to know what's gonna happen as Viv finaly wakes up and how long it will take to see he User unique ability.

Javier Rodriguez

Is it more traumatic than living in such an abusive environment that was only ever going to end in disaster?

Bill Vaughan

I liked the chapter a lot and hope it gets included, had kind of the same fleshing out feel that the chapter about Rei’s parents did. Also the classic Bryce cliffhanger was right on time 😂

Bill Vaughan

Unless I have missed something we do not have a lot of info about how to judge Jasper. We have Rei’s judgement about how steely she appears, we have been told that she is an expert fixer however most importantly to me we have Dr Kamiya’s judgement that the actions she uses on behalf of other employers are not ones that he is prepared for her to use on his behalf. Surely it is not unreasonable then to consider that Jasper may well be an ends justifies any means sort of person.

Gwydion

As a rule of thumb, I would like to propose that we cannot go wrong with a chapter that has a lot of Jasper! I would love to see more about her role as a fixer in the Sol system (probably a separate book/trilogy, written about the political manoeuvring and black bag/espionage aspects of the ISCM that she alludes to in the first meeting in Guest's office). But I also think she would be perfect to serve as Firesong's team manager and Rei's personal manager in the SCTs. I also think it might be interesting (albeit highly controversial, and a lot more "hard science" than the usual Beyce O'Connor story-focussed approach that hand-waves the science as "space magic") to look at the ways in which a CAD's genetic correction would interact with the gender correction treatment that Jasper has gone through. Or possibly a one-line write-off that individuals who have undergone such treatments are excluded as potential Users for "reasons" during either the medical exam or the MIND interview stage of the selection process.

John Cooke

You and I have very different understandings of Jasper it seems 🤣 -Bryce

Wraithmarked Creative

Yeah Jasper is still disgusting, very much an "ends justify the means" person. Now the kid/mom have to live with the massive psychological trauma for the rest of their lives.

Max Thomas

I was so confused on the other post thinking it was just a brainstormed side story that was just for fun and not going to be in the book… Loved it though! Had no idea what was going on and was so excited to see that Jasper is more than meets the eye!

Grant Ballard

I guess Rei was right about how dangerous Jasper felt. I was wondering if I would still like her after this chapter.

chris kizziah

Wow TFTC 😎

Linda Thompson

Holy shit what a rollercoaster!!! Felt like a flashback, but then right at the end… we find out Viv is finally awake!!! I got so wrapped up in the story that I totally forgot that phantom calls are a thing!! I mean, DAMN Bryce, you do great work. But this… this is some next level shit I tell ya!!!

Iron Akela

I do believe you are correct. Least I hope so!

Iron Akela

i had thought this was a flashback/prequel to give us character development but that last line has got to have been viv right?

saynt

Damn what a great character ruthless but not heartless

Ugo Lejeune

That was a brutal chapter, in all the right ways. Thank you good sir

CipherFTW

Amazing chapter! Always knew she was a goodun and was upset after the teaser! Thanks Bryce

FancyAd

Well worth the wait, great chapter!

William Anderson

Ok I was really worried just what levels Jasper would stoop to in the unfinished chapter but this was good

Nahar

TFTC!!!

Xian


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