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  1. I’m coming into this knowing that this is a multiple part story, but if I hadn’t known that I’d definitely have still wanted more stories in this universe. I loved the worldbuilding here – often I see the new-around-the-block character providing the PoV, but I think this provided a freshness to the concept.

    Dabs is a great PoV character exactly because he’s experienced enough to view Feardom the way a person who has lived too long in a city would speak of it. And Spirit 2X04 was a good way to both introduce us to the world (since showing him around gets Dabs into tourist guide mode). I’m left without as vivid an impression of him as the one I have of Dabs, but I think that works because he’s clearly not supposed to fit in as a soul who needs to return to his body and because clearly the interplay between Dabs and this newcomer is what matters most here.

    There were one or two phrases that seem to be popular lingo among the masses of Feardom that still confuse me (like “painted pineapple”) but maybe I’ll get to know more later!

    Honestly loved the bureaucratic maze (all too familiar!) that is Feardom, and the way a delightful character like Dabs eases us into it. Can’t wait to see more of him and more worldbuilding!

  2. What a non-descript title Hard Night’s Work has, hasn’t it? I’m going to congratulate you again for stepping outside what seems to be your normal zone of comfort. It was a complete story, in a complete world. Our new spirit could have done with more characterisation. But I have to complement the tone, the colour mapping and the completeness of economic functioning that you created for yourself. It’s doesn’t have much of a progression, this story. And I wish that fact that we knew (about fear fog or whatever) was more directly related to the solution, thus allowing us to go ‘Ah, right. She mentioned that’. Which was an easy enough change to make. But it’s a short story. A photograph of a scene, and it does that fabulously.

  3. there are quite a few memorable phrases,”new dead were so fascinated …, maggot certified be careful with your spirit though, these hawkers are thieves.”,
    fascinating…concept…

  4. The concept was very interesting, and the pacing was spot on.
    The whole idea of Fear and Feardom is very appealing, simple and yet layered.
    I really loved the tiny details, grishoom, Ixtra and the like

      1. nah, it would only have taken away from the story if it had been infodumping. You ran the risk, but I think an intelligent reader will grasp at context, so you’re in the clear.

        1. @febinmathew: Whew, thanks! Still learning what basic elements need to be communicated in every story in a series and in different ways so readers who’ve read all don’t get bored with repetition.

      2. My pleasure.
        You can’t give away everything at one go, but you also can’t parcel it out so that your stories can’t be very good standalones.
        One of my personal favs, Jim Butcher, does this brilliantly in The Dresden Files.
        14 or so novels in the series, yet he’s done a good job of never being repetitive AND you can pick any book in the series randomly and not feel out of place.