Reviewer: It Was Me Signed [Report This]
Date: September 02 2023 12:20 AM Title: The Exorcism of the 3:10 to Rain's End

Man, a lot happened in this chapter!

Palledia took some huge steps toward her redemption here. That demon train was straight-up nasty, but it also provided the perfect opportunity for our heroine to face her past head on. It was also fitting that fighting for the future of the people important to her now was the only thing that could push her past her guilt and be worthy of her goddess' blessing once again.

I think part of Palledia's problem before may have been as simple as just not having anyone who was close to her. She put everything she had into being a duchess and some perceived greater good. Now that she has people that she truly cares about, she sees what's really important. She's been moving that way throughout the story, but this was a great way to pull it all together.

And she finally told them her story! I thought each person's reaction to it was pretty interesting. I was particularly curious how Clyde would react, as he strikes me as the straight-laced soldier type. To see him be able to push aside what she did and say that the woman from her story wasn't the person he knew now shows the level of respect the ex-noble has earned from him. Yeah, he noted that he didn't like what happened, but everything he's seen from her since he's known her showed him that she was a good person, one worth following. That's got to be pretty reassuring for someone who, to this point, has thought of herself as beyond redemption.

It also makes sense that Svetlana, like Clyde, puts more stock into the Palledia that she knows now than the Lady Griselda of long ago. The dark elf probably wasn't too surprised that Palledia's past was so dark, either, given how hesitant the amazon was to talk about it with her. Clyde and Annie didn't really put too much thought into Palledia's past (although Annie seemed to know something was up), so they probably weren't as prepared to hear the elder amazon's story as Svetlana was.

It was also nice to see Svetlana and Palledia admit that they were best friends. Palledia being so touched and surprised at finally having a best friend says a lot about how lonely she used to be, which, again, makes it easier to understand why she would put everything into her position and duty, even at the expense of others.

But Annie's reaction to the truth was by far the most endearing. Unlike the other two, she didn't even mention having an issue with Palledia's past. The young amazon's love for Palledia is unconditional, and she really seems to view Palledia as a surrogate mother. It was really touching to see.

I also continue to love how Svetlana keeps finding ways to shrink people in each chapter. I like how blunt she was this time around, trading a trip in her cleavage for beer instead of the usual seduction. I don't know why, but that really cracked me up.

We got a couple of new "guest characters" in this chapter, too. Cassidy is always a lot of fun, so it was great to have her show up and finally catch Tom. I can't think of a lot of couples that would think that a game of cat and mouse across a foreign country as fun, but it fits their personalities so well.

And Amaya gets a major part in one of these stories! I think she gives us a good look at how things might have changed in Rain's End since the original story. She didn't seem to have the arrogant side that a good many amazons had in the first story, not even when she was dealing with Petey. Instead, she comes off as a fun-loving young bounty hunter, which is always a fun character to read about.

It seems the deeper we get into the story, the more action-packed it becomes. I'm eager to see what comes next!

Author's Response:

Yeah in her exile Palledia has picked up a surrogate family of sorts, the real treasure was the friends we made along the way haha. Anyways yeah they serve as a moral compass and a reward of sorts for her continued growth, while she definitely had remorse for her evil deeds she hadn't really started on the path of trying to be better until a bunch of lizards came along one night to try to kill her barmaid.

Tom has settled into being almost a boring man, but he won't go quietly into that good night! A little cross continental game of catch me if you can spices up a relationship now and then anyways.

Amaya is certainly Dirk and Cora's daughter, while the Amazons will probably always have a somewhat condescending attitude towards men Amaya's Dirk's own daughter, and he casts a long shadow.

Reviewer: theharper Signed [Report This]
Date: August 27 2023 5:27 AM Title: The Exorcism of the 3:10 to Rain's End

Keep going. I can't wait to see what happens when she gets to town.