Early release of Owner’s Share by Nathan Lowell
Christmas comes early this year, kids. How about getting Owner’s Share, the final installment of Nathan Lowell’s Golden Age of the Solar Clipper Trader’s Tales, 15 days early? Yes, there is a Santa Claus. And his name is Evo.
A Trader’s Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book Six
When Diurnia Salvage and Transport undergoes a change in management, Captain Ishmael Horatio Wang finds himself adrift in a sea of red ink, and intrigue. He dives in only to find that he is over his head in a universe where cut-throat competition takes on an all new meaning.
What price will he pay for his Owner’s Share?
Don’t say I never gave you anything. 
December 24th, 2010 at 12:32 am
Thank you Evo Claus. Best xmas EVER. And thank you Nathan Lowell. This should be a good one.
December 24th, 2010 at 5:52 am
Best. Christmas. Present. Ever.
Thank you, Nathan, for this great series, and thank you, Evo, for the surprise treat!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Thank you Nathan for finishing this great series in bang up style. Looking forwarding to hearing all the episodes. Sent you little a Christmas present to say thanks for all the hard work you’ve done for us all.
Cheers!
December 24th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Awesome Start Insomnia came in handing as I literally Stayed up all night listening. Look forward to seeing how Ish survives this one.
December 24th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Wonderful! A fantastic Christmas present. I have been eagerly waiting for this book for some time now. Needless to say Nate has done it again. I can’t wait for the next episodes.
December 24th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
I saw the tweet late last night about the early release. I downloaded all five episodes and made the mistake of listening to ALL five immediately. Fantastic! Now I have nothing to listen to until the next episodes are released.
This novel is following up on the very strong Captain’s Share and has started off just as strong with a great plot set up.
Why does it have to be the last in the series?
December 24th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
I have the best fans! Hasn’t been 24 hours since the book released and we’re already at the top of daily and almost at the top of monthly subscription charts. Wowsers.
@Michael .. it has to be the last Share because that’s the last pay grade authorized by the CPJCT and so marks the end of the voyage for this series. I’ve got 25 more episodes to go on this one and … if he doesn’t die in the end … maybe there’ll be more that are not Trader’s Tales (the Share series) but … maybe something else.
If he doesn’t die.
December 24th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
I would love to see a story with more concentration on the academy. Not necessarily involving Ishmael, but more detailed than was in the first book.
Love this series and thanks for the early release of Owners Share.
December 24th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
What a wonderful Christmas present! And right after the Kindle version of Half Share too. I was so excited when I saw your tweet update I went over and started listening right away. Now I’ve gone and greedily listened to them all and I can’t wait for the rest of the episodes. Thanks for this early release!
December 24th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
What a great Christmas present! Nathan you are an inspiration to a lot of us podiobook authors… I dream of my releases getting that instant positive reaction!
Now I just need to get the kids to bed and start listening.
December 24th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
aww, and I didn’t get you anything! Thank you!
December 24th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Best xmas present I received this year by far!
December 24th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Nathan, thanks for the early Christmas! Your work is among the best out there.
December 25th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Nathan, I was wondering about the 25 more episodes you mentioned. Does that mean you are continuing this storyline in another series? I was shocked and a bit disappointed with where Owner’s Share ended and that the plots were revealed near the beginning. All the suspenseful plot material is absent and I expect it might be aimed at generating interest for your next series. Anyhow, I thank you for this latest addition to the solar clipper series. Overall, I have really enjoyed listening to the series. My favorites are still the first three because of the colorful characters on the Lois McKendrick. Thanks for the hard work!
December 25th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Yipee-ki-ya-hi-yaaaayhyaaaa-kayo!
December 25th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Brian: Nate pushed these first 5 episodes out early. Owners Share is just getting started. Nate estimates Owners Share will be 30 episodes long.
December 25th, 2010 at 11:16 am
@Nathan Well, my question was rhetorical in my mind (I think I understand why everything must end eventually), but I love the suggestion that there could be a fatality at the end.
Maybe Ish has the first “1st Contact” with aliens in the galaxy and this leads to a conflict resulting in someone’s death. With a broken heart filled with revenge, Dread Pirate Wang is born and we have…wait for it…Swashbuckler’s Share! (Later edited in post-production to Pirate’s Share.) Let the space opera begin!
December 25th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Evo Thank You and Merry Christmas!!! Nathan again one of my all time favorite book series and the first 5 episodes have me wondering where in the known galaxy we are going to end up!!! and if Ish’s coffee making skills can be taught to others i could use a good cup of!!! Thank you for the journey it is great!!!
December 25th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
No, Brian, the five episodes are just the first installment of what will be 30 in all. Believe me when I say, we’ve not really started yet.
Kris has the right of it. We dropped these five epis early and there will be more to come in the next few days.
Keep listening.
December 25th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
@Patrick – the first book was Quarter Share. If you started with him leaving the Academy, then you’ve got three more earlier books to listen to.
So far I’ve refrained from writing the “Ishmael Goes to College” story. Given the state of Education these days, I may need to go back and re-think that.
December 26th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Hi
We can’t afford to lose Ish! For a start, you can make the Owner’s share a trilogy.
Furthermore, I always thought he had a masochistic streak so maybe he can go into politics afterward!
Chaim
December 26th, 2010 at 5:40 am
I have followed Ishmael all the way. I listen to them over and over.
A great Christmas present. I can’t wait for the next episodes. Thanks for all you hard work and best wishes to you and yours
December 26th, 2010 at 5:59 am
“Owner’s Share” is a ‘must’ for those of you who are searching for a more thoughtful and introspective form of Science Fiction. I, too, have listened to these first five episodes repeatedly. The story is very well crafted and builds nicely upon Captain Ishmael Wong’s situation at the end of the previous book, “Captain’s Share”. In addition, Nathan Lowell has eased us into the current story in a way that presents all sorts of delicious possiblities for plot and/or character development. I can’t wait for the following episodes. Don’t fail to give this a listen… and don’t forget to download the five (previous) other works in the ‘Share’ series.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Aaaah!
Nathan, you are such a tease. Death?!
Excited to see these episodes start coming out and to actually experience them in the true serial-story style (rather than pushing through them in a rush like I have been with the rest).
Sad to see the stories come to an end, though.
How about after we’re done following Ishmael, we follow his previously-unknown son with Jen? Eh?
Or we just torture the “Share” idea and come out with stuff like: “Now, you two share”, “Share and share alike”, and “Buy 20 shares of Microsoft.” There’s no idea so good it doesn’t deserve being stretched to its limit.
(Just kidding – I applaud you on knowing when and where to end.)
Looking forward to the full set.
-Adam
December 26th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
There’ll be more stories.
Just not in the “Share” series.
That should free up the flow to do some of the things that I’ve wanted to do for awhile. (not telling just yet)
December 27th, 2010 at 4:36 am
Nathan, I thought that William was second mate and should be going for his first mate exam not second mate exam
December 27th, 2010 at 9:34 am
What if there are other characters you love more than Ish trapped inside Nate’s mind? We have to let him write the way he wants.
“more to come in the next few days”
This is what I wanted to know the most, does not sound like we are waiting for January 10 to get more. (Yay!)
“the state of Education these days”
I really enjoyed the idea of studying the slate and taking the included pre-tests, that would work for me for a lot of subjects.
December 27th, 2010 at 10:56 am
I am curious to find out who else gets a welkie. By my count Ish should have six left, but since you state he had six before giving the owl to Freddie maybe he gave one to Pip in school.
December 27th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Great series! Thanks for writing it.
What about Rawenwood? Willl it be continued?
December 27th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Wow! What a great Christmas surprise indeed. I am such an addict, my husband downloaded them for me and then…yes…I too listened to all 5 episodes, now I want more
!! Thank you Evo and Nathan Lowell for this gift !
December 27th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Mercy! It’s hard to keep up with all the comments.
Yes, Ravenwood will be continued. Right after I finish South Coast, but first I need to finish podcasting Owner’s Share, start and finish Avempartha for Michael J. Sullivan, record the lines for Abbie Hilton’s Guild of the Cowrie Catchers (book whatever we’re up to now), finish another lil project for some people who have been very patient, and record one more story for Tony C. Smith at StarShipSofa.
Oh, and get Full Share ready for its print release.
And yes, I botched the continuity on Mr. Pall. He’s really Second Mate and if I were paying ANY attention at all, I would have realized that error because Astrogation is *always* the duty of the Second Mate if the ship has one.
I need to go back thru and look at the whelkie list. Bev, Diane, and Brill all got one – as did Frederica deGrut. That leaves seven from his original eleven. (Remember he bought ten for trade and then another for Brill as an after thought.) I think. Having botched up Mr. Pall’s rank, I’m feeling gun shy
The holiday is over and I’m getting into the booth in the morning, assuming that the house quiets down and gets back to something approaching normal. There’ll be at least a couple more episodes before the end of the week.
December 27th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Whelkie count: Did Alicia Alvarez get one, too?
December 27th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Hi Michael,
Yes, Alicia Alvarez received a whelkie, also. You will find that at the end of Half Share.
Nate, thanks so much for giving us more of the Share stories. We have listened to the 5 episodes several times already.
Thanks,
Sandy and John Crawford
December 28th, 2010 at 7:51 am
Always a pleasure to listen to your stories Nathan. Ish’s line is my favorite, but Ravenwood and South Coast are both very good as well.
December 28th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Duh. The Falcon. Of course. Thanks.
Two new episodes in the pipeline… editing them now. Maybe in Wednesday’s updates…
December 28th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Yee-Ha, Thanks Nathan for all the books, I’m dead broke, I just finished listening to Robert Heinlein’s “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress from the public library and I wanted some more great Sci-Fi for my audiobook obsession but their site is down tonight, but you made my day. I have listened to all your books at least 3 times and the older ones more.
Thanks again
December 28th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I love this series, my son and I have listened to the whole series and stayed up all night when the first chapters of owners share were released. I hope you do continue the series Ishmael is such a great character and there is so much of the universe that you’ve created to still explore.
What ever you do, Thank You!
By the way my son is 15, an honor student, athlete and actor (not braggin
just want to show he’s a well rounded kid). He wants to be a writer and he tends to use your work as a standard of comparison. I think he’s listened to the series a dozen times.
December 29th, 2010 at 9:50 am
“Two new episodes in the pipeline… editing them now. Maybe in Wednesday’s updates…”
Thanks a lot Nate. Now you’ve got me obsessively checking the feed every half-hour today.
This can’t be healthy.
December 29th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I too love the books and have listened to them over and over. I hope we get to see (hear) Alverez again. I don’t want to believe that she has totally dissapeared from Ish’s life. I have family coming today, so I don’t quite know how I am going to sneak back into my office and listen if the new episodes come out, but I am sure I will find a way
Thanks Dr. Lowell for the gift of a truely wonderful series.
December 29th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Josh Says:
December 29th, 2010 at 9:50 am
“Two new episodes in the pipeline… editing them now. Maybe in Wednesday’s updates…”
Thanks a lot Nate. Now you’ve got me obsessively checking the feed every half-hour today.
This can’t be healthy.
Wow you can go a full half hour. I keep checking it every 10 minutes or so hoping for an update. My wife just sighs and says “I would bet your favorite author is releasing a new book again!”
Thank you Nate for an excellent series of books that I just can’t get enough of
December 29th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Yes Brill got a Heron but it was in addition to the 10 Ish bought he then gave out 4.
Bev-Wolf
Diane-Fox
Alicia-Falcon
Freddie-Owl
Which leaves 6 I think some people forgot he actually bought 11.
I enjoy these books a great deal a perhaps there could be a corprate share Ish could end up running the company who knows.
December 30th, 2010 at 5:57 am
Thank you for a wonderful series. Enjoyed episodes 6 & 7, but have a feeling I’m going to go crazy waiting for the whole thing
December 30th, 2010 at 6:50 am
Thanks, Gene. This looks like the correct list. Much obliged to all the listeners who take so much time.
December 30th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
As I was pondering the story and was wondering about different things, it came to me that Chief Gerheart is wondering about how to change her mind. Since recently she told Ishmael that she wasn’t interested in him (I believe because he was her Captain) how can she change her mind now and not be considered a gold digger to herself or others (or at least the appearance of one). Not that I suspect her of being, but that would be something that she would worry about now that she may be interested since he is no longer her Captain. Now Ishmael is a millionaire and if Gerheart is interested, how could she tell him? Particularly with his ex-wife’s treatment of him, she dug herself into a deep hole from her point of view.
I love the new storyline and your style has given me many more ideas of interest for my story I am working on. Not copying but your work pointed out some things I am not doing that I could be doing. You are just influencing my ideas on what a good book is again. Thanks for the inspirations and don’t worry I am not adopting your style, I am just realizing where my own is lacking and improving my own. Good listening and good lessons, just from enjoying your stories.
December 30th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
The fine art of the Serial Cliff Hanger… Nice installments, enjoying them very much.
December 30th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
@jamming – no, she said that because he was being a paternalistic jack wagon. But she’s out of the picture now, isn’t she?
@dave – hehe — just you wait (muahahah) yesss. just you wait
December 30th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Hi Nate – Thank you! – My husband and I are having a lot of fun guessing which way the story will go. – Would the name of Ish’s new company be “High Flyer” ? A good name for the ship would be “Pegasus”.
– Wishing you a Happy New Year, Sandy and John Crawford
December 30th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Well yes it was the fact that he was paternalistic jack-wagon, I thought that was a given. But it still doesn’t alleviate the awkward position she would be in if she changed her mind now. As to her being out of the picture only you, the storyteller know that.
I do however sympathize with Ishmael in that he was trying to make sure of his own feelings before he approached her, from his point of view he might of felt he was being considerate, even though he actually wasn’t. It is hard to function in a situation in which you are artificially limiting your input from others it involves. It is also difficult to approach directly too if you wish to maintain a working relationship after the approach is rejected.
I guess it goes to the issue of how much politeness is hierarchical and how much is collegial in nature.
December 30th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
“Adrian” Alvarez? Nice tie-back.
December 31st, 2010 at 12:01 am
My money on the company name is going to be “Icarus”. Seems to have the right combination between flying and crashing and burning.
December 31st, 2010 at 1:43 am
yay! thanks!
December 31st, 2010 at 7:28 am
@Nathan & Kris – Thanks for clearing up my confusion. I didn’t realize the 5 eps were just the beginning. In the past, I’ve only listened to the episodes when it was already completed.
@Jamming – I’ve wondering about Gerhart too. She may not have any romantic interest in Ishmael. There has been some flirting and a couple cases where she seemed to have sparks jealousy. But you are right, if she is interested then she definitely backed herself into a corner. Its obvious she is thinking about some matters though. Top of my list is that she is worried about the DST execs causing trouble for Ishmael. Secondly, she seemed interested in Jezebel and may see an opportunity to get on a new ship and may be develop a relationship with Ishmael.
Eh, who knows maybe all his old girlfriends will so up and he’ll have his own solar clipper harem? Will he survive that?
December 31st, 2010 at 8:28 am
ladies and gentlemen remember we are disscussing Captain Wrong. I mean think about the foot in the mouth he has put in his mouth if she is intrested. He insulted her and in reality the relationship he wants is not falling into “I don’t screw with crew”. what he should be saying is i do not date crew then she’d let him know how she feels. no self respecting women should date a guy who will show her that much disrespect to her face. Think about it Mr. Lowell has been all about respect and earning it not daemanding it. And Mr. Wong just put his and cheifr gearhearts relationship on the level of a pair “freind” buddies. Not in the means of a meanign full realtionship which both of them seem to want.
December 31st, 2010 at 8:36 am
The *only* aspect I think Gerhert was right in that discussion was about how the situation was affecting ship’s operations and crew morale. He was not being a paternalistic jerk – he has a perfect right to decide he doesn’t even *want* to see if there might be something between them, no matter how he feels. If he decides, for *whatever* reason that he doesn’t want to approach her – she has no right to say “no” because there’s no question to say no to!
With her attitude, I kind of hope she leaves the Agamemnon, planning to get a slot on the Jezebel, and misses it, leaving herself beached to think about how *she* messed up, while she was soooo concerned with how Ishmael was messing himself up.
December 31st, 2010 at 8:48 am
Told myself I wouldn’t devour eps as they appeared – but who am I kidding. The little packet from Dunsany was a bit intriguing. Far off ships and wishes? Who knows. As for Greta, those in Ish’s orbit always seem to have a better grip on his personal life than he does and that 1st person POV is a killer. I suspect Nate is having a boatload of fun torturing us with it. Carry on, Sar – and thanks for the voyage.
December 31st, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Don’t anyone misunderstand or get the wrong idea, I love this book and have immense respect for Nathan’s ability. As a reader, the willingness to wait for what he reveals in the story is almost to hard. There is worry for the characters as they are done so well they are almost like real people to me.
There is a part of me that looks at the characters who have met Gerheart, that seem to think that Ishmael and she do have a future. Waiting for the next chapter is almost like Christmas when you were waiting for Santa. The wait in listening while Nathan spins his tale by podio, reminds me of the serial of old radio as my parents told it to me.
Kindle and other new technology but the storyteller’s art had suffered till this new use of technological capability. Nathan’s ability is in the forefront of this new wave and I hope he is recognized for that as much as his writing. My discussion here is and was an outlet for this emotion generated by the excellent telling of the story and its content.
December 31st, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Company name: Phonenx.
December 31st, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I’m thinking more of “Phoenix Shipping” A new dimension in fast and dependable delivery. For the new company name
December 31st, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Happy New Year everyone.
Nathan, Thank you for working so hard through the holidays. Its bean a real pleasure to hear these episodes as they come out.
The power of the internet is staggering.
December 31st, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Icarus or Daedalus. Daedalus being the one who *DIDN’T* crash & burn. Gig oes with Ishmael’s classical lit background, and shows his connection (for those who know where the names come from) back to Diurnia Salvage & Transport.
Sometimes, I feel sorry for Ish, though – every time something major comes up, everyone’s telling him about all these things he needs to do, and then turning around and saying “Ok, it’s done. Just sign here.”
January 1st, 2011 at 8:40 am
the “just sign here” .. if you’ve ever bought a house in the US, this kind of ‘you have to do all this crap and then sign your life over to us and we’ll take care of it’ should seem pretty familiar.
January 1st, 2011 at 9:31 am
Well since I suck at learning languages I don’t know how well science fiction is doing in non-
English speaking countries except when something gets translated. The Australians and the Brits have turned out some outstanding Science Fiction and Fantasy writers over the years. In my opinion the Japanese are doing well but it takes the form of graphic works, manga and anime.
One advantage to the US is that it has a very large market for one country and ye olde days pulp nich publishers were able to establish themselsves without having to invest in enoumous amounts of money. Now the gate keepers of the US publishing worlds only advantage over self-publishers is marketing.
In Europe the gate keepers seem to be stuck in their left wing mind set. I remember Jerry Pournelle getting angry when a German publisher’s translator actually re-wrote a book of his to insert and show a communist veiwpoint, and considering Jerry used to be a communist it really ticked him off.
January 1st, 2011 at 10:33 am
@Lars – And C. S. Lewis.
The Russians have a great number of SciFi writers, but you have to – of course – read Russian to find more than the occasionally translated volume.
The Germans created Perry Rhodan, a series currently at over 3000 novels. It’s pulp space opera, but a large number of them were translated to English and published in the US, and for what they are, and when they were written, they were pretty good.
Ian M. Banks is a Scottish writer of damn good SciFi – his Culture novels a very interesting look at a post-scarcity society.
It’s really kind of hard to say just exactly why, but though the *roots* of SciFi are European (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often cited as the first SciFi novel, H. G. Wells was British, and Jules Verne was quite definitely French), it was in the US where it really took over. Perhaps it was that in Europe, it was seen primarily as a vehicle for social commentary, where in the US, it was a basis for pulp adventures, such as Tom Swift (hard to imagine, but “Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout” was really near-future SciFi at the time…). As well, there was the magazines being published, that allowed beginning writers to break in with shorter stories before taking the time to develop fuller, larger universes.
Of course, now, we expect more from our SciFi, as SciFi has a large background of tropes available that don’t need much explaining any more. Need to get people from A to B faster than light? Pick your trope: hyperspace, warp drive, teleportation, or spatial folding. None of those need significant explanation any more when introduced in a story, as it’s a reasonable expectation that the reader will be familiar with the concepts, and having seen them in numerous other works, will have picked up how they work from context, or from reading earlier written works that did explain the concept (How many readers here understood what the Burlson Drives do, because they’ve read “Starman Jones” and it’s explanation with the folded scarf, or “A Wrinkle In Time”, with its explanation of four dimensions and folding through it?) I must admit, though, Ish’s adventures are the first I remember where the space fold didn’t necessarily come out anywhere near a stellar body, which opens up some really interesting long-term possibilities.
January 1st, 2011 at 10:36 am
I have to admit, I’m more than a little curious about this wiry, dark-haired young man named Adrian Alvarez!!
It has been over 20 years since Ish encountered Alicia!
January 1st, 2011 at 11:50 am
Nathan,
Let me echo the kudos of your other fans. Thank you very much for these new episodes. I’m becoming obsessed with this series, and it is your fault! Great writing and first class production values, as usual.
Thank you for continuing to bring out new episodes as rapidly as you can.
Best wishes for a great 2011.
Tom
January 1st, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Hoping for some New years love from Nathan! What better way to start the year, listening to some new episodes!
January 1st, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Wow, I could get used to these regular daily updates!! Once again, many thanks Nathan for spending so much of your holiday in front of a microphone/audio editor. The content and the production are both absolutely first class and I am really enjoying the book. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:40 am
I was going to make a lame joke about Nathan not uploading since last year; but looking at previous comments, he has, and they just haven’t appeared on the list yet. You’re too quick for me, Nathan.
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:44 am
Thanks for the heads up plump1s … 9 and 10 are up!
January 2nd, 2011 at 10:39 am
I’m up to episode 6. I’m downloading every other episode I can get, and that won’t be enough.
Does this give you the general idea?
Griz
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Nathan, I must congratulate you on an incredible series of stories that I can only describe as outstanding. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to your work. Keep up the remarkable standard.
sallen
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Was looking for a nice serie to last over the cristmas-newyear holidays.
This one was great:D
Thousand of thanks from a insnowed swede.
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:55 am
Nathan, thanks again for working through the holidaze. Who would have thought that little ‘ole 1/4 Share would grow up into a 6 book series.
My donation for 1/4 Share has generated the best interest possible!
Take Care,
Thomas in Korea
January 3rd, 2011 at 5:00 am
Please tell me that he is not going to turn his ship into some kind of dinner cruise or casino. There was some foreshadowing there at the end of episode 10 and I am a little concerned.
Also I wanted to say great work. I got started reading your work on my kindle with quarter share and within a week I had listened to all of the audio books up to Captain’s Share, and I have never been able to even finish a single chapter on any audio book previously.
Thanks for the entertainment,
Geoff in Ohio
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:03 am
I have a question, perhaps you can answer. I have an iPad with 4.2.1 IOS on it. I’d like to be able to listen to an entire book on it in order! However I find it only plays from newest to oldest (or in a random sort order) episodes, or at least that seems to be the best I can get it to play, which really is not that satisfactory at all. Is there a simple way to change sort order?
You have written some truly wonderful books, but I find it very frustrating not to be able to listen to the chapters in order!
Thanks
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:28 am
“newest to oldest” *should* be the way it plays .. each new release reorders the episodes so that episode one is *always* the most recent date and they cascade backwards in time from there.
If you’re getting them scrambled, that’s why.
Try putting them in a play list in alpha order by file name and they’ll play correctly in sequence.
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:29 am
@geoff – He’s not going to turn his ship into some kind of dinner cruise or casino.
but we’ll joke about it
January 3rd, 2011 at 9:00 am
@Nathan, We don’t get to hear you sing, by pod-cast, at the dinner theater on the Jezebel? I was willing to pay extra for that.
I guess they could specialize in “Meet the Author” cruises if they are still doing those. Or live animal transport…here lion kitty kitty….don’t eat the heir.
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:58 am
Hey Dav1d – I listen on my ipod, and sometimes have that problem with iTunes. When initially subscribing, I find that after the 1st ep starts to download, the next one to come down is the most recent one – I “pause” that one and “get” eps in order (2,3 etc.) only releasing the the held one after the others have come down. This seems to solve the problem for me. I prefer this to just making a playlist, because the playback controls are different for “music” and “podcasts” and in the playlist, eps starts from the beginning every time, rather than where I stopped. Hope that helps!
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Mr. Lowell, I hate to dissagree but for me for some reason whenever I download podcasts some come up right and others do not. I have tried downloading in order of 1,2,3… or in order of 10, 9, 8… and my problem is I can get half my podcasts right way tand the other half are backwards. I have tried re ordering in itunes. that still messe up half becuase you can not sort one set of music.
I do have a solution however its called make a play list. for the ipad user set up should be same as ipod touch.
in music folderclick play list. click create new. click add new.
click podcast.
then add in order of 1,2,3…. click done
click done again click episode one in list and they play one after another. oh and itunes was nice enough in lastupdate to allow us to name the playlist directly on our devices.
fellow listener who knows that frustaration and found a way to deal.
absolutly loving the latest. I only hope you love coffee in real life as much as you make me want a cup when I listen and I do not really care for it. great work!!!!!
January 3rd, 2011 at 5:49 pm
@dustin – glad you worked out a solution.
January 3rd, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Same here – iTunes doesn’t want to keep things in the right order.
January 3rd, 2011 at 6:50 pm
So, do we have an able spacer who left at the end of her contract to join Ish? Then she’s working with Ish for DST on the Jezzy without a contract? Seems like a few important details that didn’t make the edits?
Signe,
Lost in Space
January 3rd, 2011 at 7:16 pm
@Freonwheels
She is still working for DST, and so is Ish they are currently maintaining the Jeez. When Ish buys the ship they will need to straighten contracts out.
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:15 pm
@ Gene
Is she?? Can one serve two masters? Is she nothing more than an able body spacer? Or is she in fact his security person? Which function has priority?
Ish was clearly offered a contract that gives him room and board, and a base wage for supervising the refit. She on the other hand offered her services to Ish as his security person, and refused to carry his stuff rightly so because it would impede her ability to protect him. Have we already forgotten that the CEO of DST died because in part he had no personal security person with him? Within the story line it has already been suggested that his death is at best somewhat strange…..
Ish has always been portrayed as a very smart man quick to learn from his mistakes to me. I believe he would have learned and would not continue to make the same mistakes. Sending her out to get supplies is I believe out of character for him. Either she is his security person, and he WILL respect her function in that role, or perhaps Dr. Lowell is perhaps going to go a little Heinlein on us, and make this in part about seeing women as objects? One could speculate about Ish taking over DST by way of the CEO daughter……
Turning a share into a dynasty…..
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:25 pm
I don’t think spacers have contracts with DST. They did sign Articles, so they have to be spacers, but not for a particular company. Also, they can be beached, so I’m not sure what obligations signing Articles puts them under. Maybe they just can’t beach themselves voluntarily. In that case, I’m sure there’s some leeway for downtime if they left one ship but haven’t yet found another.
I have a different issue. While Ish’s life and freedom aren’t currently in any apparent danger, Ishmael sent out his bodyguard and then received visitors on the ship. Even if Ish would have done that; I don’t see his bodyguard being accepting of it. That’s a huge security risk.
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:16 pm
@gene, dav1d, brian – it’ll be interesting to see what you all think when some of the wrinkles get ironed out in the crew.
Some thoughts:
1. Ishmael doesn’t think he needs a bodyguard and objects to living in the envelope of fear.
2. Sending the bodyguard out is actually pretty logical since somebody needs to stay with the ship to take the delivery (a low risk operation) and Ishmael can’t go by himself.
3. Arellone puts her foot down at her peril. She’s crew first, bodyguard a distant second, and I kinda get the impression that Capt Want is merely humoring her on the off chance she might have a point. I could be wrong there.
@dav1d – hmmm.. could he? would he? it’s true that his crew will only be crew for a year. Would that mean he can …? We’ve twenty more episodes to find out. Stay tuned …
January 4th, 2011 at 12:15 am
@Brian
“I don’t think spacers have contracts with DST.”
Episode 8 at approximately 6:10 into it and Kristian offers Ish a “standard contract” for captians and spacers……
***if*** and that at this point is a very big if, she actually knows what being a real body guard is about, she would not have left, but then it seems that if she actually did know what it was about, she would not have needed Ish to point out that if she acts like a body guard she calls attention to herself and becomes a target, to be taken out at first contact.
Ish gets that it is far better not to call attention to ones self at this point, than to call attention by having an obvious bodyguard.
Ish does not strike me as a man seeking fame, and does not desire a bodyguard to simply call attention to himself. I’ve got to believe that if Ish employes a bodyguard he has to acknowledge at some level their is a real risk to his person.
Then there is the ex-wife who can’t be real happy with herself at this point, or won’t be within the coming week. After all Ish earn his millions while still married to her, (didnt he?) how likely is it that she feels unentitled to any of it? At this point if Ish should die of say a heart attack just who gets his millions? Has he actually removed his ex-wife from his will? His father? Who actually matters in his life at this point?
January 4th, 2011 at 12:41 am
So, I have a question. Do you think good, old David Burnside is going to try to blackmail Ish first, or will he simply sell the story of the great “Wang Harem” to the newsie that bids the highest?
January 4th, 2011 at 1:11 am
You know, if anything brings a dead beat dad out of the woodwork, ten million credits should.
Just a thought.
January 4th, 2011 at 6:51 am
I just had a thought. Oh wow right. Okay correct me if I am wrong but the proposed crew at moment is Wong Arellone, Gramps, a steward (personal guess as to who that might be.) the new Ceo, and another quarter share. one question then either we should be seeing one more spot or the roster is already filled becuase other wise the ceo has to book a passenger on every cruise for her shadow. or else he is the other quarter share.
Oh Mr. Lowell I think I have a couple of guess’s as to where some of this is going like how they will compete.
Lots more to come I know, do not worry I willl stay tuned as I started as you released Quarter Share. also very interested to see how you deal with all your other books as well.
later ya’ll
January 4th, 2011 at 7:34 am
The way I see it.
Ishmael, Former DST Captain and soon to be Owner of his own Company after pocketing 10 million or so credits from the ship auction. Arellone, former DST Crewman who is watching Ishmael’s back out of personal loyalty, doing a creditable act as a bodyguard.
Both temporarily employed by DST as Caretakers for a ship being prepared to be sent to the Breakers. The ship is not really going to be scrapped, but sold to Ishmael and rebuilt for independent operation.
Burnside is from over 10 years ago, may not even be alive, or not want to bring attention to his own crimes again. Since in DST’s case they allowed two suspected rapists to become and maintain themselves as Captain and First Mate on one of their ships. DST has lawyers to clear that up and put Burnside in a hole somewhere.
Dad’s present location is not known or if he is even alive over 25 years ago. The problems for reportage with bringing up the past is it starts to get from the theoretical to the factual basis. That is bad for the bottom line of gossip rag, it is better to infer or ask question than deal with facts that can get you sued.
Corporations are more powerful it seems than governments, in fact in many cases they are the same on specific worlds. Ishmael is now a corporation, supported by corporations and old money patrons, threaten him you threaten one of their business connections. Do that once and they have to repond or you may think that you can get away with it again and again. Corporations have to stop news corporations from doing threatening or they are held hostage to gossip rags.
January 4th, 2011 at 8:08 am
We’ve got to be careful here, speculating on crew sizes. I can’t remember the rated size of the Bad Penny, but IIRC, she only had two or three crew. And crew you carry, plus their food and life support, is cargo you’re not carrying.
January 4th, 2011 at 8:25 am
I hope you did not miss my point. Ish is worht tenm million. He has a body guard. person working for Mr. Maloney have body guards like kirstin (sorry about missspelling Any Names Mr. Lowell). Then wouldn’t the heir apparent who is worth Billions I believe thats a direct qoute. have her own body guard? if she does she would either have to book them passage on Captain Wong’s ship or convince Captain wong to hire him as the other quarter share Captian Wong is proposeing to hire himself.
Also form what i said please note is nothing more than parroting Mr.Lowells museings in the book. if I need to go to the episode relisten and post time stamps to back up crew size I can. I just am trying to make a point that for a soon to be millionare to have a body guard. Why should a soon to be billionaire not have one as well?
just a thought
January 4th, 2011 at 9:52 am
I’ve got to agree with Dustin. Just how big is DST’s fleet now? Doesn’t their fleet consist of the same class of ship as the ship Ish salvaged? The one that is expect to be worth a gig?
If Ish is really worth attacking because of his wealth, how many more orders of magnitude is she worth attacking?
Space a cold dark lonely place, where sometimes things happen…
If the daughter really has no intrest in space, and loves the fast life, if she converted DST to cash could she possibly spend it all in her lifetime? **IF she is that rich, what real incentive is there for her to work to get even richer? **
We have heard talk of space pirates does she not become a red flag? Does she not make Ish’s ship the center of attention?
Play a game with me, and load up Ish’s ship with bodyguards, what is the maximum it could carry?? How hard would it be to find a ship that could carry ten times as many crew as Ish’s ship? If they are pirates how many ships would they need to attack to equal the value of the daughter?
And Ish is going to carry passengers, passengers that may well out number his crew…… Passengers that may well turn out to be pirates.
I’m sorry but this really is becoming unbelievable for me…. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a great story, just on so many levels it is flawed….
January 4th, 2011 at 11:44 am
The speculation is crackin’ me up.
@dav1d – you’re gonna hate it.
@Dustin – you have some interesting points. except about the pirates. you’re also assuming that there’s a legitimate reason for the body guards.
FWIW, a fast packet under 10mkt is required to have a captain. If the captain has the special engineering endorsement for operation of a small vessel, that’s all the crew he needs. If not, he needs an engineering first officer. If the ship carries passengers, the captain must either have a steward’s endorsement on his license or hire a steward’s mate (spec 1 minimum ranking. Both endorsements are listed in the Spacer’s Handbook: Special Qualifications.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:56 am
When Nathan was working on the story, we chatted about the several possible endings for OS. If you’re curious, this is the best of the “rejected endings”.
http://brandg.com/?p=84
January 4th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
@BrandG – You sir, are evil!
January 4th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
@Nathan hate is such a harsh word….
You are indeed a master story teller if you can address the issues I see, or I think you’ll be force to fall back onto Ish is not really the person we believe him to be. I believe we pretty much know how much the ship will cost him at this point. But Ish has acknowledged that he believes the ship is not space worthy at this point. Doesn’t Ish have multiple experiences with ships setting sail on a shoes string budget? Doesn’t the ship really need a full refit? Doesn’t Ish need to buy everything from cups and spoons to new matresses? New paint for the walls. Isn’t that going to cost money? Won’t the ship need to be stocked and fueled? Again additional cost, will Ish give up control of his corporation so soon? Even if Ish proves to be willing to set sail without a full set of spares, who would be willing to set sail with him?
Will the daughter lack bodyguards? Even if it turns out they are never attacked by anyone, can her bodyguards, can DST afford to assume that she is not at risk onboard his ship? Just how many times has Ish claimed to be unwilling to set sail on a ship because it lacks spares…..
Doesn’t a breaker yard (junkyard) buy ships at a low price; cut them up, and turn them into spare parts that are worth far more than the whole is?
Just thinking….
January 4th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Well what service can Ish offer that others do not they keep saying this and i can only think that people always say he makes great coffee. But really how could he make money with that a coffee cruise? Sounds pretty lame, I dont know just thinking
January 4th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
GRRRR.
First of all people. I never once mentioned pirates. my one speculation concerns the steward If they take one. who I think might be F. thats all I will say. Oh if you want my opinion which not a one of you do i think Ish will collapse all the walls take out the passenger liners if no one books and in crease coop area or cargo room. hehehe. There I speculated happy are you all happy now.
Shall I continue?
What other Cliff hangers has Mr. Lowell Left us with.
could be Brill shewas an engineer.
could set up a farm and grow veggies on his ship.
could get a cat.
could there be a romance?
what happened to pip?
could have cookie come visit.
could be that his stick as it where was to take normals and give a taste of spacer life. “give them the experience as it where”
If i had listened to all the share series one more time before starting this for hundredth time I would have more specuatlions.
oh yeah as so many of you have said dont forget the welkies. .
last the extra space between passengers and space could be the…… mind went blank for term…. stowaway hidey holes, you know concealment. crude I cant think of it.
Anyways thats enough to chew on for today.
Oh yes if your wondering why I have been commenting so much this time around guess who is constantly checking for up dates…. would be nice to know to stop looking for updates. but as we tend to go two one day none the next, and never the same time of day I find my self checking about once an hour and slowly going mad. I could handle just one a week if it was same time every day. I would absolutly hate the wait but I could handle it better than consantly wondering if the next time I update the page its there…….
Thanks Mr. Lowell for making me feel like an addict again.(former smoker)
January 4th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
@Dav1d – Catherine Malone is likely to have just one bodyguard – few enough to carry supernumerary. It’s entirely possible she won’t even have that on board – that DST will simply hire bonded bodyguards at any stations Ishmael is at, and save themselves the salary of the bodyguard when she’s going to be in the deep black something like 95% of the time. At least until she’s off the ship, DST is going to be providing significant security for the ship in total – they certainly don’t want any stowaways slipping aboard. The fact that the ship is over-powered for its normally stowable weight is likely to figure into things – I’m not sure how significant it is – but it’s been pointed out *SEVERAL* times now that the cargo hold is too small to really fit the mass the ship is rated for. As well, there’s that extra space on the outside of the passenger’s cabins – Ish still hasn’t checked to see what that was. He speculated on insulation or radiation shielding – but he pointed out those didn’t make that much sense.
Honestly, the ship is starting to sound like it was designed as a smuggler’s boat – more legs than rated, as it’s *designated* a 9.5KT ship, when 3-4KT is more likely the capacity, and there’s hidden storage in the passenger’s compartments? Of course, Ish isn’t likely to actually smuggle – but there’s likely to be room for a faster fast packet… medical supplies, perhaps. Another possibility is Executive Transport, charter for those companies too small to own their own vessel, but still needing occasional fast transport for face to face meetings. That nice cavernous cargo hold might be split up into a smaller hold, and a nice big conference room…
January 4th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Just wondering if anyone knows if a episode will be coming down today so I’m not checking the site every 2.5 minutes.
January 4th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Those collapsing walls and extra shielding are going to be the key to the special service that Ishmael offers that set him apart.
About Pirates, see Mr. Paul’s introduction to the series in Captain’s Share.
As to stowaways, never happened to Ishmael in all his years as a Spacer. Particularly with the change in mass being detectable.
Bodyguards, this is not “Human Target” and Kurt is no Christopher Chance. I doubt there will be any on board with the partial exception of Stacey Arellone.
Cat? The most feasible option if it could work as a Quarter Share steward or is owned by the Heir.
Pip would of eventually proved his cargo picking theories and go back to his family ships as a Cargo Officer after the Academy.
Cookie shows up ready to retire and passes the secret to Beefalo Caserole, so the legacy doesn’t die. “Young one, snatch the spice rack from my hand.”
Brill was essentially a specialist in Life Support Engineering and happy there instrad of being a general engineer.
Whelkies are an interesting plot thread left open.
January 4th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Are there any more pre-release releases on their way to Podiobooks? I’ve now heard Captain’s Share several times over and the anticipation is burning me up!
On a lighter note – when can one of the many meals be described with a vegetarian option? Or is EVERYONE carnivorous in 2370?
Thanks – Roz
January 4th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
The more I relisten to the series the more I am convinced that Ish is getting a MUCH worse deal than he deserves on the ship. DST is asking for a HUGE favor especially in this corporately “controlled” universe. They are asking Ish to turn someone who “likes her nightlife” into someone who can step into her fathers shoes and run the company and despite being labeled a mom and pop operation the owner was a member of the CPJCT. If nothing else Ish should be well compensated by DST over and above the cost reduction he is getting for the ship.
January 4th, 2011 at 5:08 pm
wow – i can’t keep up
@dustin — sorry that was Dav1d with the pirates. My bad. and you’re welcome.
@roz — funny you should mention vegetarians … stay tuned.
@roz @d.dot – not tonight. I have two recorded but lost the afternoon to dealing with chores and haven’t had a chance to edit them yet. Everybody can take a break for tonight and I’ll work my ears to the bone to get the edits done for Wednesday night’s release.
January 4th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
@afelder: about compensation for Ish — actually, I can really see him taking on the challenge of “training” the new CEO, just for the fun of it. The idea of teaching another your “values”, not just facts, is very compelling in and of itself. Also, in spite of comments made in Captains Share about being focused on making money, Ish doesn’t seem to be money driven. The way I read him, he is secure in his belief that he can make a success out of whatever life throws at him.
January 4th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
@Tom
I agree he would probably do it for fun but I don’t think he realizes exactly how much he has DST over a barrel if they want him to do this for them. It’s not just about money I think they are taking advantage of Ish’s desire to see the best in everybody and not seeing how much power he has here. In these circumstances he not only has the companies future in his hands but possibly a good portion of the sectors future power structure.
January 4th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Well if I can’t get my Ish-caine tonight, I guess I need to go take my sleepy pill, to sleep and dream until tomorrow comes. Being a Vegetarian aboard a surface ship is very difficult, but on a space ship that’s harsh. Lots of Canned and Frozen Veggies, intresting that frozen veggies retain more of their nutritional value than canned.
I had a friend on a destroyer that had a bad can of Sauerkraut the can ruptured and severed an electrical conduit starting a small electrical fire. That Bad Can started fire almost got into the wiring insulation and if that happened the destroyer could of been a complete casualty. From the fire travelling through the electrical system following the flammable insulation.
Small initial incidents can cause catastrophic results.
January 4th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
@Jim Your bad can story reminds me of a certain fire extinguisher falling on a sensor and causing a near-fatal system crash on the Lois.
January 4th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Lar, I always wondered why they didn’t have physical latches on everything. You have to design a ship with the assumption that the gravity could and would fail at any time. Same thing with the collection plates in the scrubbers – why design them to *require* gravity to work?
I always wondered about that. I figured either:
a. Originally the plan was to blame CC for improperly mounting the plates, OR
b. The Lois a first-generation (hardware) ship, and they were learning from their mistakes. Since algae matrices have given way to cartridges I can only guess that the hardware is constantly evolving.
January 4th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
the scrubber thing wasn’t cause by the failing gravity but by the flux in the inertial dampers. *that* is never supposed to happen because that kind of failure leads to crew-paste. CMEs are strange beasties so planning a ship around meeting one is *not* in the design manuals.
January 4th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I thought the analysis was that the plates were just held in their frame by gravity and electromagnets. While the gravity and power cut out, the ship was being pushed by the CME and the lower plates “skewed” up; when the power came back on, the electromagnets in the TOP plates pulled the lower plates up. By the way, the “skewing” violates Newton’s First Law. If the ship moved, the plates would move *with* it. Weren’t the inertial dampeners (whoa, the Lois has inertial dampeners?!) all offline when the power went out?
I know, I know, I’m taking it too seriously. But seriously, gravity should always be considered “optional” when designing starships.
January 4th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@ RossDK: I was thinking about this too and rethinking what I know about Ish. He’s a snappy dresser with the right tailor, he brews fantastic coffee, he can cook, he’s charming/smart/good with the ladies.
This would set him up perfectly to be a host for fancy space cruises like what Stacy Arellone was suggesting. Maybe a bed and breakfast in space for the wealthy. Or maybe a casino? High Flyer, indeed.
Yeah, I doubt it’ll play out that way, just clutching at empty void here. No idea what Nate has up his sleeve and dying to hear Episode 11+.
January 4th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Really, the mushroom farming thing never went anywhere. Clearly that big main cargo space on the Jez is going to be a “pick your own” mushroom farm in space, then Ish will cook them up in an omelet of your choice, and give you the best coffee ever to go with it.
January 4th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
@Jamming – can I develop an immunity to Ish-caine, like Dread Pirate Roberts did? I haven’t yet!
@David – the AG cutting out *by itself* would not have done anything to the plates. But the fault killed the AG, the sail generators, the gravity keel, and the inertial compensators more or less all at once, and the plates popped up as they were still flexing from the impact of the CME. When power returned, the fact that the EM force is many thousands of times stronger than gravity meant the mapgnets won. However, yes – I would say that latches on those plates was an oversight. Even just a pair of ridges they slid between, with the access door holding them in place, would have prevented the problem.
When you look at it, though – it’s not like they really get into any high G operations, or reach relativistic speeds. I figured, guestimating that the Burleson limit might be say 3x as far out as Pluto on average, that they get up to perhaps 3-5% of c, with accelerations of less than 1/10th G. (Pluto is about 7 weeks from Earth at 1/10th G.) In fact, that made me question the bit with them supposedly coming too close to the planet when they were going to sling-shot – the only thing I could figure out is the couplings between the ship and the cans, and the cans to each other, might break. The ship itself, and the cans themselves, should have had no problem, being in freefall and not really anywhere near the Roche Limit.
The mushroom farming, and in general the whole hydroponics thing, was never going to go anywhere, really. Ships might add small sections for their own growth, but they *certainly* weren’t going to be able to grow commercial quantities of anything that couldn’t be grown on a planet, or in an orbital, in much larger quantities. At best, it would be a way to use *some* of the sludge, but not nearly all of it. What it *could* do is provide a few specialties for the ship’s crew from time to time – completely fresh stuff, to supplement the frozen and canned – and that would likely be well worth it. A ship might have a small herb garden.
January 5th, 2011 at 2:12 am
Thank you Nathan for answering all these questions. Its a rare opportunity to talk to an author while they release a new work in pieces. I hope it’s as much fun for you as it is for the readers.
January 5th, 2011 at 4:39 am
@dieter – it’s fascinating to me and gratifying that people are so invested in this universe that they’ll come here and spend hours debating the various issues. There’s parallel threads over on the Trader’s Diary with another 100+ comments there. I’m humbled by the dedication you all have.
January 5th, 2011 at 6:46 am
@david by the way Ish could never have blamed CC. for the scrubber flying out as CC. replaces Ish in Engineering when they hit station after almost becoming spacer paste.
Oh Oh I know what Ish does with his ship…. (wink).
He is smart, knows how to dress.
Can Cook, and can clean, but most importantly make coffee.
He is going to open a finishing school and train butlers and bodyguards.
Okay that was way over the top. But I thought mentioning him starting his own bordello of swarthy young men for high class ladies was a bit much even for Mr. Lowell and did not fit the story line at all. I stillfind the idea of trying to imagine Ishmael giving orders to a crew of young men in mesh shirts and blackleather pants, quite frankly amusing.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:39 am
@ Dustin E.: Pirates!
January 5th, 2011 at 9:41 am
well at least I know i’m not telegraphing what’s going to happen with the ship.
the problem, of course, is that either ishmael lack enough information about the ship to plan anything yet…
I *think* it’s safe to say most of the speculation is way off — even when it’s not offered tongue in cheek.
I’m beginning to worry you’re not going to like where this goes because it’s *really* different from what seems to be the consensus view.
January 5th, 2011 at 9:45 am
@Nathan Don’t worry, I certain none of us will be disappointed
January 5th, 2011 at 10:12 am
@Nathan I will never be upset that I’m not able to predict where an author is going with a story.
It is fun however to talk about. It is like having watercooler conversations about the next episode of your favorite TV show with your buddies at work. Or like reading a book with a book club. I’m loving it.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:46 am
The reason we love the book has to do that the seemigly obviuos way for the story to progress is never quite the way you go so we get to guess and speculate… what fun.
So Mr. Lowell are we expecting a episode today, tomorow next week or is it just safe to say do not expect any thing to show up before tommorow after ten pm.
Please , Please do not think we are trying to rush you becuase we want the best work you can do. Hmmm its like waiting for christmas morning and not knowing if you get to open your presents at 8am or next week we just keep checking and checking and checking wether our presents are there. I think you could give Mr. Sigler a lesson in crack addiction.
Mr. Lowell you’ll always be our SARRRR!!!!
January 5th, 2011 at 11:55 am
I am glad we are all wrong as to where this is headed. I just keep hoping that this won’t end with a broken bitter Ish with nothing but money to keep him company in his old age.
January 5th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
@dustin – if my episode passes QC, you should have at least ONE episode tonight (Wednesday). There should be another one tomorrow.
@afelder – no, I don’t end there … *innocent whistle* ..
January 5th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
*Grumbles something unintelligible about authors who drop evil hints*
As long as her gets some happiness eventually he has helped a lot
of people I kind of hope at some point he learns to help himself. Now back to counting down until I can get my fix. Thank you for all the hard work your books are some of my favorites and among the only ones that I listen too regularly
January 5th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Nathan, are you hinting that Ish may not even go back out to the deep dark?
January 5th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
break out the grog and pull on your dancing boots. Here we go starting the happy dance an episode a day for two days and hints of possibly another book. I do not think my day could have gotten much better.
Thanks Sarr do we need to come over and swab the deck, or brew you a mug of coffee?
January 5th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I’ve only let myself dip into episode two so far, but it’s wonderful as always. I just finished Captain’s Share after starting the whole Share series over again for the 3rd time from the beginning with Quarter Share. It’s been such a fun ride, I don’t want it to end. Really enjoying this book so far, hoping it will be a while before the last episode drops. That will be a wonderful and sad day to remember. I’ll miss Ishmael a great deal, but at least there’s the other books I love with pending sequels to look forward to! South Coast & Ravenwood were great, and at least the sequel to South Coast will be in the same universe as our dear friend Ish. Thank you Sar for so many great journeys through the deep dark.
January 5th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@dustin E: No I meant that it seemed to me that Nate was originally going to blame CC for the scrubber plate failure, but reworked the plot to blame it on physics instead.
@Jesso: Oh noes, you might be right. It *is* called Owner’s Share, after all…
January 6th, 2011 at 12:40 am
very happy dance indeed.First thing i did this morning was listening to the new episodes…loving it
January 6th, 2011 at 1:33 am
Have listen to this series a few time and the one thing I enjoyed
About it was that it is never what you expected. Can’t wait for more!
January 6th, 2011 at 3:02 am
Thanks Sarr!!
The cliff-hangers keep on coming!! Icarus – O dear! Why is he doing it??
I can hardly wait for 13 and 14….
January 6th, 2011 at 5:16 am
What a great Christmas present! I flew through the all the books and I really wanted more. After a short wait I was surprised when I found this on iTunes.
January 6th, 2011 at 7:27 am
My only complaint I want them in thedeep dark. Sighes but we know it would take some time. Well I think the next month we all know how we will be spending our spare time. Half the time looking for a new episode the rest of the time listening over and over tothe series.
Thanks for letting us know whe to be looking for the episodes Sarrrr!!!!!!!!
Mr. lowell I want to thank you for an excellent story and experience.
January 6th, 2011 at 7:47 am
WooHoo!
Icarus.
I called it!
Probably the first time I’ve EVER guessed right when it came to trying to predict our good author’s twists and turns.
January 6th, 2011 at 11:35 am
We’re impatient. I’m impatient. Everyone wants more and we want it now. Well that’s just a compliment hidden in the guise of our greed and desire.
What I don’t understand is the demand to rush to get sailing. Haven’t we seen the watch stander’s merry-go-round before? After 20+ years (more than half as an officer on watch) that part of the deep dark is rather mundane, no offense to the author. We’ve never seen what it really takes to get a ship in shape and earning shares like this before and I’m enjoying the discovery as much as day one as a quarter share. To paraphrase Alicia Alvarez, it’s the journey, not the destination, so enjoy the ride.
As much as I like Chief Gerhardt–I’m pretty sure I’d be asking her out if I met her–I’m taking to Gramps more than any other supporting character out there. He’s the kind of “no nonsense doesn’t mean no bullshit” kind of guy you want suck the knowledge and experience out of and then go have beers with. And I love the way Ish interacts and relates with him.
@Nate So back to your production schedule. If I sent you a few pounds of your favorite coffee, could we get a couple of all-nighters out of you and get a jump on the rest of the episodes?
Seriously, thanks for all your hard work.
January 6th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Actually, Michael .. the problem is getting all the people who live in my house out of here. When they’re gone, I can get a couple epis done — when they’re here? I hear every sneeze, snort, dropped cup, and laugh. It’s very hard to record when they’re around and even more difficult to record for four hours in a row without getting a lot of dropped lines.
All we can do is soldier on.
January 6th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
I apoligize for wanting Captian Wong and his new crew in the deep dark. But I always find that when in the deep dark we tend to get more and more into the inter personal interactions and it happens more often than not how they interact about when they get docked and head to shore there is more going on… or we get a better feel for the other charcters.
I still think I am missing a few things, have we learned the name of his company? I think we know the name of his ship but did he give the company name? Or are they the one and the same.
Plus once they go for the first spin about the place we get to see them hire the steward possibly. The other is I just get the feeling that Ames is going to blow this story wide open.
I wait on our captian to tell what ever is going on when ever he can tell us. Yes Sar we know something is going on.
Grab your kit andget on the yellow line and sign your articles!
January 6th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
***SPOILER****
@Dustin E. – Icuras is the name of the company and Iris is the name of the ship.
@Nathan – I am enjoying the new book very much…I like the chemistry of the crew so far and seeing Capt Wong being swept along…wrong place right time….
January 6th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@Nate: “I hear every sneeze, snort, dropped cup, and laugh”
A funny thing happened the other day. I was listening to Ep 9 in one tab, and opened another tab in the background. All of a sudden from the recording, I started hearing bird cheeps and peeps, as if you were recording outside! I realized the 2nd tab was playing an ad with audio…
January 6th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Episode 13: Damn. I can’t believe I didn’t see that coming until 10 seconds before it happened.
@Nate: Are Frank’s Finest a work of fiction, a fantasy, or is there a real life inspiration? How about jotting down a recipe for those of us with a sense of adventure?
January 6th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
I’ve noticed the crew sizes have been getting progressively smaller. It’s a good thing this is the last Share book, or Ish might find himself operating a ship alone.
January 6th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
I haven’t check Podiobooks in almost two week and what do I find? The most anticipated audiobook I have been waiting for. I’m downloading all the episodes now and I can guarantee I will listen to them all before I to bed tonight. Double Share and Captain’s Share have permanent places in my iPod and I know this will too. Can not wait for more episodes to come
January 6th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Re: Episode 13
I can’t decide if I want to praise you, Nathan, or call you rude names. I guess for entertainment value alone, I have to go with praise: well played, sir.
January 6th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
RE Ep 13
Bwahahahahahaha! That was awesome! Back of his head indeed.
How long have you been planning that one? I have to know.
January 6th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
love the ending to ep13. Totally out of the blue . i just loved it.
January 6th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
@tony – since the very beginning of Double Share.
@brian – yah. As his field of operations changed and became more detailed, I was forced into smaller and smaller crews in order to cover the depth I wanted. and you’re welcome.
@michael – I hope it surprised at least a few people, altho I know a lot are gonna say “I *knew* it!”
January 6th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
I never saw it coming. Excellent and well planned.
I have been reading Agatha Christie again lately. I haven’t been this pleasantly and completely surprised since the first time I read the end of “Roger Ackroyd”. Nice one.
January 6th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
I won’t say I knew it , but I always suspected ishmel would find his father out in the deep dark . and the fact is mother never talked about him.and or why he left. I also suspected that he would be a captain of a fast packet . not captain of the (SPOILER). didn’t see that one coming. As ishmels mother told him we love each other we just can’t stand be together .I’m sure you will going to more detail on chapter 14 …now I will be up for the rest of the night ,trying to figure out what a twists you have planned …O how you have me swinging in the wind….;~}
January 6th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
I must say that while I expect Gramps is a *wonderful* engineer, and I understand that there are in fact, people who’s primary form of conversation is the dropping of the f-bomb or its equivalent (which is how Gramps seems to be using “banging”)… I think Ishmael should have a higher standard for the creative cursing of his crew, especially the more experienced ones like Gramps. Sure, Christine Malone isn’t going to know of Klonos’ Carballoy Claws, but really, he’s coming out of retirement! He should be able to get the grime stripped off the walls and into the waste bins with just a few sharp, pungent, but FCC-legal comments on its habits and ancestry.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:31 am
@jamey – patience. all will be revealed.
January 7th, 2011 at 1:32 am
Ep. 13: Whoop, there it is! Aye, now that be a nice dollop of drama dropped right on the back of our favorite protagonist’s head, arrr!
January 7th, 2011 at 2:27 am
It sounds like Ishmael already knew Frank was his father but just never approached him. I’m not surprised he would be nervous about meeting his father again or maybe he suspected and wasn’t sure if he was indeed his father. I guess EP. 14 may provide some answers.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:54 am
Doubt gramps *really* retired.Sounds for me he is just one of those grumpy old guys with a lot of experience that just HAVE to curse/complain.I may be right though…perhaps he is a church going engineer? (but doubt it because his language lol ).I think Ish just connected the dots …he knew the name Frank but never acctually seen him.When he did see him coming he knew.Just my thoughts.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:55 am
I’m thoroughly enjoying the story. First two books were Kindlized, and Ive just discovered podiobooks. Please Uncle Nate, tell me a bedtime story. I promise to eat all my vegetables. I’ll even pick up my dirty underwear. Seriously, I’m a bookaholic, but audio is a whole new wonderful world. I am presently restarting the series via podio for the entire audio experience.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:00 am
I call steward!!! Oh but I have to Say Sar. If you leave us hanging from episode 13 till january the ten on release date you my freind will have the largest mutiny on your hands since….. Long John Sliver’s take over in “Treasure Island” and there is my pirate refrence for this book.have been waiting for this since double share. Was absoultly blown out of the dock.
Nicely done Sar!!!!
I
January 7th, 2011 at 7:11 am
At the rate the story is going I doubt this will matter but is there any mention of how long Miss Maloney is contracted to his ship? I just was wondering when she signed the articles in EP12 if there was any mention of the terms. When Ishmael signed his, it was a two year contract. She only needs to be a crew member for a year according to her father’s will but will she need to stay on board another year or does the term of the contract vary from company to company?
January 7th, 2011 at 7:19 am
Episode 13! Did not see that coming. Oh ho ho, I love it!
January 7th, 2011 at 7:21 am
Ach! Spoilers! Do not want!
January 7th, 2011 at 8:28 am
I have often wondered if anyone who knew him back when would reappear but I must admit that was a bit of shocker.
@BB maybe at the end of the year, given that the 2 year term is standard, DST will find some loophole to apply her contract to station duty at corporate offices.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:17 am
@Patrick,BB – Just because the two-year contract is standard, doesn’t mean a specific one for just one year couldn’t be written. And, as you poiyent out, Patrick, it does seem that transferring between lines is not that big a deal in general, so she could just transfer to DST at the end of a year, and be assigned station-side.
I did notice the fake name commits the classic error of making pseudonyms – keeping the same initials. It’s not like she brought monogrammed stuff with her that would have to be explained.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Well I think the standard two year contract was on the Louis. I do not belive that Mr. Lowell has since said that the contract had to be two years. Also remeber you sign the contract with the company and the company has full authority to release you from it with no great loss compared to the person trying to get out of it with out being hired by a different company. So I think the point you make is in essence a mute one. However since Captian Wong changes every thing else there is nothing saying he can not look at changing his standard contract length.
Also think of it this way if you hired with him your going to do one of two things stick around just long enough to get a good recomendation from him to get your dream job…. as the watch stander did to move to steward, which allowed for Miss Arrelone?(hope thats spelled right) to move on the ship. On the other hand you tend to stick around as did the rest of his crew, Miss Davis on the tinker…. (although he cant take that much credit for her staying) or how Miss Arrelone followed him. I tend to think that those who sign on will be inclined to stay but I think he will always have some small amount of turn over. by sending his underlings to the academy as did his first mentor captain “Cigone” I know thats way wrong spelling wise.
Personal thought s here hopefully no spoilers as I do not know anything. looking at how the story is going at moment I almost wonder if maloney will not find some way to hire, buyout wong and put in as advisor to helping her build dst into an amazing corperation. I still think F.P.W. will become steward. The other thing I think is that Captain Wong could teach owners of companies how improve profit and crew moral which gives them better crews. shighes I really hope this is not the very last book in this series I really have enjoyed this crazy world.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:59 am
I’ve been waiting for that since you first said Frank’s Finest
January 7th, 2011 at 10:47 am
@Jamming – I think you’re pretty much right. It’s analogous to the Seamen’s Manual and Seamen’s Articles of Agreement, of current day.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:54 am
I’m impressed. With all this talk about Ishmael “comming into money” I’ve been wondering if his father would appear, but I did not see “this” comming. Now I am just waiting for someone to observe that while he is divorced now, he was still married when he earned the salvage money.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Spoiler
I think thats where we are headed, not sure but putting F.P.W. would make sense. did not want to put name in as yet to ruin anyone elses read/listen at least untill he posts episode 14. I know for fact anyone who listened would catch the intials but it might confuse and not ruin the surprise. I hear what Peter Ellis is saying but what claim does she have on that? he gave her a more than fair settlement with what he had at the time. the grounds for divorce was that she was acting in such a way that cuases irreconciable differences. plus the fact of the matter was when they he did the job while married and if the payment comes in after the marraige what gives her any entitlement to the payment for that job. So here is my question if you are married buy a lottery ticket the day before you are due in court to get divorcedget divorced and they draw your winning number the next day is your former spouse entitled to half of those earnings? (I am playing devils advocate here, if it was me I would still give some to them but I do not think they are entitled to it)
plus one other fact is that if you think about it. he offered since she made no claims against him and you offered none against here your marraige was dissolved. you also should go collect your stuff and you have a limited time to discover if anything is missing becuase after some time frame you lose right to restitutuion or recovery… paraphraseing cuase I can not remember word for word. his “lawyer” ‘s words. I think her ship may have sailed…. but you never ever know.
January 7th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
I am wondering if his father, who runs and presumably owns a very popular restaurant, may figure in to completing the slate of investors in Ishmael’s new company.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Listening to episode 13 at work was a bad idea, because at the end I wanted to squee SO BAD but couldn’t because my coworkers would think I’m crazy. I love it.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
I have been wondering about the divorce also. In regards to the lottery ticket question, I believe (and no I am not an attorney nor have I done extensive research in this area) that if he bought the ticket just before the divorce she would only be entitled if the drawing were prior to the divorce and he hid the ticket from his assets. Presuming the attorneys for both side were reasonably competent and the fact that he made his ex wife aware of his role in the salvage of the damaged ship I would think that there would be only the slightest chance of a claim against that future income.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
How does it follow that the cook in a busy diner may own a popular restaurant?
January 7th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
@Dustin – have you been following the news? As far as I can tell, the only *REAL* law in divorce cases is whatever you can beg, badger, bribe, or blackmail the judge into giving you. Even pre-nups are getting ignored – not ruled invalid, not ruled in-admissible – just plain *IGNORED*.
Divorce has gotten *nasty*.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I am curious if Ish is going to find a South Coast Shaman to bless his new ship, before he heads out into the deep dark
January 7th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
The last episode just left me speechless.
Nathan, I sure hope you don’t decide to go on a cruise or a safari before the next episode.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
January 7th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
@Jamming
“Signing the Articles is separate from Contracts, I don’t believe there is an official contract between Miss Maloney and the Mr Ishmael H. Wong. Miss Maloney is capable of quitting at any time, she only has to stay as long as it takes to get to the next station or finish the year, if she wants to quit DST wants her to.”
Do we not know that ships are required to have certain **crew** members? What would happen when a ship visits an out of the way backward planet? If a crew member could leave at their will, they could effectively ground the ship due to a lack of a certain speciality… Ships move cargo and get them to a certain point by a certain time frame. Giving crew the ability to leave at their own will gives them too much power. A vindictive member could choose to leave in order to force a ship into missing a deadline….
January 7th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Kirsten already said that the Jezebel/Iris only needs a Captain and Engineer to transport cargo.
January 7th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Iris – Ish’s mother’s name?
January 7th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
@David – And engineer only because Ish doesn’t have that endorsement.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
@ Jamey & David: All correct for cargo only. I got the impression they need a steward, also, if they are carrying passengers.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
@Michael – Yes, steward for cargo. At least in theory, the Captain could get that endorsement as well, but then he’d be running around like a cat in a rocking chair contest.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:00 am
No, an engineer’s endorsement on Ishael’s ticket wouldn’t change matters. He is still only one person. From what I am hearing the ship requires a minimum crew of two – Captain and Engineer – to be operated legally with only cargo. It makes sense when you think about it, since it would be difficult (or impossible) to be both at the helm and tending to any engine room situations at the same time. And what about sleep? Even allowing for automated systems, it is definitely safer to have enough people who can switch off at the helm and other tasks.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:54 am
I’m really loving the journey. And this forum really adds a lot of fun to the ride. But PLEASE can I ask (pretty please) for people to put SPOILER warnings when main plot developments are discussed? Nate is playing us readers like an expert fisherman – and we’re being hooked and teased without mercy. (We love it, Sarr!!). Please don’t spoil the fun by telling the story here without warning.
With surprise developments and surprise unscheduled podcsst releases it’s really important that we don’t get the twists and teases on a forum rather than from @Sarr.
@Nathan – can you “give us a clue” when the next chapters are likely to appear?
January 8th, 2011 at 5:55 am
Not before Monday
January 8th, 2011 at 6:10 am
@roz – should be an episode saturday morning – and i’m hoping to get one out for saturday night. Evo has access but I’ve got a house full of people over the weekend.
January 8th, 2011 at 6:12 am
@ignatz & others – to be legal to carry cargo, the ship only needs a captain with an engineering endorsement. Add a small craft steward endorsement and he could carry passengers by himself. Actually *doing* it is another matter, but he could.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:07 am
Happy dancing AGAIN!! Big smiles.
Thank you
January 8th, 2011 at 9:33 am
That is interesting about the Captain being able to pilot the ship alone as long as he (also) has an engineer’s rating, Mr. Lowell. It just wasn’t quite clear from the text that these two positions might be held by the same person.
To quote from episode two when Ms. Kingston tells Ishael, “It’s a Higbee 9500. She’s rated for nine and a half metric kilotons. An engineer and captain can sail her legally anywhere in the confederated planets so long as you’re only hauling cargo.”
January 8th, 2011 at 10:02 am
yup. it’s not clear, but that’s what the spacer’s handbook says.
there’s also the issue of the law and what’s common practice. If you notice, there are very few captains that have engineering credentials. Freddi deGrut might be the only one we’ve met. Ms. Kingsley is undoubtedly considering that when she makes that statement.
January 8th, 2011 at 10:08 am
With the Engineer’s Endorsement – the Captain is *both* a Captain, and an Engineer – so he becomes, in a sense, two people.
January 8th, 2011 at 11:29 am
Not ignoring anyone be careful, got band for too many posts. Keeping this short and too the point in case they let me post it.
January 8th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Just listened to episode 14 (two times through already!). It is wonderful. The story is picking up moment even as those sail generators are spooling up. Nice!!!!
January 8th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
“If you notice, there are very few captains that have engineering credentials. Freddi deGrut might be the only one we’ve met.”
Freddi was the cargo chief on the Billy. Was she engineer elsewhere?
January 8th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for a fantastic story, been looking foward to this one for awhile! I was wondering if Ismael might start growing mushrooms for a little income, since he learned about it back in the day.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
@David – While she was cargo chief, I do believe it was mentioned that she had the Engineering endorsement. I think it was one of the things that puzzled Ish, somewhere along the line.
January 8th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Anyone else noticed that the newest episode 14 is not showing up in iTunes for the iPad but is on iTunes for the PC?
January 8th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
@V – it’s entirely possible. He’s supposed to remind the chief to fix it twice, but I may have moved the actual break in re-write and botched it. If you can find the two places, I can fix them. Same with episode 9. That’s NOT suppposed to happen, I don’t think.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Now i know what an addict goes through. I check for updates when i get up, when i get off work, before i got to bed. this is getting nuts. Thanks for a wonderful series!!!
January 8th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
No offense guys, but how could you not see it (frank) coming? It’s been pretty obvious since the introduction of the character. What I find cozy about this series is the predictable actions and utterings of the characters and plot – I know that could be read as something else than a compliment to the writing, but it really isn’t in this case.
And thnx NL for upping a chapter on the 8th – my birthday. Saved the entire day for me in this flat land of sand.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
@ T.K.T.K. – No didn’t see Franklin coming for he was only mentioned in like two of the novels before and only in passing. Thought that he might be like Brillo, Bev, Diane, Sarah Kroog, Pip and others that just don’t have enough pages to get resolved. Watch out for sandtraps and hit for the green, stay safe and we eill leave the light on for you.
January 8th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
I’m thinking BREAKFAST cruises as a specialty. Ish can hire Frank as his cook and buy the coffee roaster from that other guy so that they can have custom coffee with Frank’s special potatoes.
Sign me up!
Lisa
January 9th, 2011 at 6:04 am
-I think it will their specialty will be flea market wares. He did very well picking as crew and especially with only two crew members to co-op and one of those members not needing the money. The co-op has been a part of all the share series so far I don’t think this one will be any different. I think the passengers will be unique vendors form the market, like the belt lady, so they can sell in different markets. I think the space in the passenger quarters is closet space so their merchandise is separate from what Ish picks with his Midas Touch.
-Anybody else worried about Gramps cough and age. I’m guessing no autodoc so it would be hard if he had troubles in the deep dark. I hope he doesn’t die to bring back Greta that would ruin the reunion for me.
-I just know he’s gonna lose that ship key somehow (maybe because I would have lost it twice over by now).
-Miss Maloney is nothing like what I thought she’d be, way too receptive for the rep she has… she must be a pirate lying in wait. Or all is not as it seems.
I have 50 other crazy conspiracy theories, and the speculation is killing me reserve a bed next to Gramps in the hospital for me.
January 9th, 2011 at 8:28 am
On the enigneer thing if i remember correctly when Ish looks up the ratings of all the other crew on the ship after Mr. Maxwell say interesting when Ishmael tells him he is pursuing all four shares. Mr. maxwell and the Captain where the only to hold all four share ratings. I do not know if that gets her the rating or qualification we are talking about. But Iknow Freddie Is not the only one with engineering experience.
January 9th, 2011 at 9:05 am
@Dustin – that’s crew of the Lois McKendrick. Freddie deGroot, though, wase crew on the William Tinker. I may be wrong – in fact, I likely am – but I think her engineering qualification was mentioned in the scene where Malone was turning command of the Tinker over to her.
And Ishmael only looked up the ratings on the officers when they had been in crews. I don’t think any officer’s endorsements were mentioned – those would have been irrelevant at the time.
January 9th, 2011 at 9:09 am
I looked at the Spacers Handbook at Mr. Lowell’s web site and it seems to me (although not stated explicitly) that the crew ratings are separate from that of officers. My understanding is that crew is rated and certified by the CPJCT exam but officers must be rated and LICENSED. So, while Ms Gearhart and Mr Wyatt were officers in their own right, both had to get additional certification to be qualified as Officer of the Day to serve while under way when Mr Pall was injured.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:36 am
@patrick – you’re correct. Officers need licenses. Crew needs certification. When Gerheart and Wyatt got Third Mate’s licenses, it was a preemptive protection against challenge. If something had gone wrong while they were on watch — while it’s not strictly speaking a violation of CPJCT rules — insurance companies *could* have used the “well, they’re not licensed for Deck watches” defense. That they were willing to do this for Ishmael speaks to their dedication to Ishmael and the ship. I’m gonna miss them.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:13 am
As to the Higbee 9500 why is it that when they pull back (launch) the captain is on the bridge and the engineer is in the engine room? There is even an engineer station on the bridge, but this is not where the engineer is….. Indeed there is the command console and the engineer console displaying two different views.
If we look at ships on the Earth the lighter ship is required to give way to the heavier ship, because it is the more maneuverable ship and has an easier time changing course. In the pull back Ish is the captain (in episode 14) who is NOT in the “Deep Dark” and who leaves the helm when the ship is in a highly traveled area, (with thrusters that are not fully functional on a ballistic course) in the hands of just a crew member, NOT someone licensed to pilot the ship…. I strongly suspect that if his insurance provider where to learn of this they might well see it as an issue in the payout of any money.
Why is that when Ish is captain he is never in the ships kitchen when his command gets under way? How long is a watch onboard the Higbee? Will the entire crew rise and sleep as one? Remember Ish has stated he wants to keep a watch around the clock already. When the captain is sleeping will their be no one on watch? Or if there are at lease two watches abroad the Higbee whom will feed the second watch, who’s noon will be in the middle of the night for the first watch? To me it sounds as if he is planning three watches. If so wouldn’t that mean that engineering goes unmaned 2/3 of the time? That a 100% of his “crew” doesn’t get a freshly cooked meal, unless they do it themselves? And if they are cooking for themselves can they also be giving their watch 100% of their attention? is less than 100% attention by unlicensed crew good enough? One last point here before Ish had a console in the galley and the ability to interact with it, he now has an entertainment center not a touchscreen, not a console. Doesn’t that mean that Ish can now watch the ship sail into the sun, but is unable to change the ships course one bit from the entertainment center?
January 9th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
@dav1d – Many of your questions will be resolved as we get the ship underway and the crew gets into the groove, but let me preview some of what you’ll be hearing in the next couple of chapters.
The engineer is in the engine room because he feels more comfortable being where he can put his hand on the machines directly, rather than working remotely through the console. This is a common practice. He also is not standing an engineering watch so “unmanned” 2/3rds of the time is correct but largely irrelevant. The Chief Engineer is on-call 24/7 — same as the captain. Later in the book, we’ll find the engineer sitting right beside the pilot when getting underway. It’s just a matter of personal preference and circumstance.
In episode 14, Ishmael leaves the bridge only after the ship gets the sails up and he leaves the bridge in the hands of a certified ship handler after they’ve exited the local planetary area. Or are you talking about something else and I’ve messed up?
As for Ishmael never being in the kitchen when the ship gets underway? I’m not sure I understand. Why would he be?
The bridge watch will be established with the normal 3-watch rotation–the only difference being that there will be only a helm watch. Watches will be six hours in duration. This exceeds the CPJCT requirement for watchstanding on a ship of her class–which, in case you missed it earlier, is “none.” With the proper endorsements, Ishmael could sail this ship single handed. With three extra people, he’s already well beyond the legal requirements for what he’s obligated to do. He personally *does* need a chief engineer aboard because he’s not licensed to operate the power plants, but if the two of them decided to load up and head out — maximizing their shares by reducing the costs of crew and supplies — there’s nobody in the CPJCT who could say anything about it.
As for meals, so far, we’re talking about four people aboard, so meals are going to be a little haphazard until they realize that there might be a problem. They’ll solve it, eventually. When they do, if you still have questions, ask again.
As for the console in the galley, he still has the same capability to control the ship from a tablet slaved to the console that he’s had since he was a watchstander on the Lois McKendrick. I’m not sure why you think he has no control of the ship. The only thing the big screen in the galley changes is that it’s big, and keeps the updates going and visible while he has his hands in the dishpan — or where ever. He doesn’t need to pick up his tablet to see it.
January 9th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@Jamie,
You said that Fredi deGrut was “crew” on the William Tinker.Q Actually, she was cargo chief on the Billy, and *crew* (as in, a *rating*) on the Lois – she was number 8 (?) in a long list of ratings that Capt. Giggone sent to the Academy.
I miss the old crews.
January 9th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
@Nathan- “Gerheart and Wyatt…their dedication to Ishmael and the ship. I’m gonna miss them.”
Argh! I don’t know if you are misleading me or not and I hate it. You sneaky so and so.
January 9th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
@David: Splitting hairs here, because I have nothing better to do.
Fredi was the 8th recommendation to the academy by Alys Giggone and that would imply she served under Capt. Giggone at some point, but that’s not the only solution. For example, Ish had recommendations from at least two other captains he didn’t serve with. Also, Fredi could have served with Capt. Giggone on a ship other than the Lois. (I haven’t done the math to see if the timing would work out.)
Let’s make a new list and speculate. What characters have been to the academy and recommended by Alys Giggone? Which one will turn out to be that we don’t know yet? I’ve always speculated that Chief Gerhardt was one, but it seems unlikely at this point since she’s never mentioned it to Ish. (Or at least it hasn’t come up in the narrative so far.)
David or Jamey–want to give it a shot? You both seem to have a handle on the trivia.
Here’s a different question. Who the hell recommended Leon Rossett for captain and how did that guy survive so long?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@David – “crew” is one of those nicely multi-valued words. From the outside, crew refers to everyone involved in running the ship, including the captain, though a common turn of phrase is “Captain and crew”. However, on a crew roster – the captain is listed, right up there at the top. Internally, it’s often a matter of context – the captain might say “I need to announce this to the crew”, where he’d mean everyone not currently present, officer or rating, where as at the weekly planning meeting, he might tell the Training Officer to be sure to let crew know about the upcoming test date, where the officer knows other officers don’t need to be notified. A similar usage in the Army is “Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers of…”, where nobody would deny that officers and non-commissioned officers are soldiers, and soldiers in the phrase is construed to mean “enlisted men”.
One of the wonders of the English language – we really expect others to be mind readers to know what we *really* meant, because what we say is so easily interpreted in so many many ways.
@Michael – I don’t think we really know of enough officers to make a good shot at filling in any significant portion of that list. In fact, I don’t think it’s mentioned what the graduating class at Port Newmarr’s size is, but with it being the primary Academy for at *least* the Dunsany Roads and Diurnia sectors, it’s highly likely to be a thousand or more each term. Alys Giggone’s 38+ recommendations are just a tiny fraction of the people who’ve gone through, and it would be unusual for Ishmael to meet more than one or two of them.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@V – ok .. whew. That *should* be right (unless i’ve messed up). He *does* tell the chief to fix the door twice tho. That’s also correct.
@jamming – would *I* mislead you?
ok, forget I asked.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
@Jamey, In Ep 14, when they’re discussing the watch rotation, Ms. Ariellone says something like, “When you say crew, you mean the two of us?” This intentionally excluded the Chief, making me think that crew = ratings.
@Michael McCarthy: It’s pretty clear in DS that Freddi said she worked for Capt. Giggone on the Lois. She also knew that Mr. Maxwell was #7 and she was #8 that Giggone sent to the academy.
Agh! I can’t relisten to DS right now; I’m already listening to OS, CS and reading HS on my Kindle all at the same time! Agh!
January 9th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
@Jamey, I’m pretty sure in DS that Ish said he was 125th in a class of 400 or so. I can’t remember. Agh, now I need to relisten.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@David: Good catch, that makes sense. I think you’re right, anyway, I was just making conversation on the fact that we (I) make assumptions based on the simplest path, but not the only one.
Now, if there was Eps. 16-30 to listen to, I wouldn’t startin’ fights and kickin’ the cat just to pass the time.
@Jamey: No, we don’t know all that many of Alys Giggone’s recommendations compared to her total. I was actually more interested in the speculation than the list we know.
Here’s a variation on the theme, then. In nearly 15 years aboard the Tinker, how many ratings has Ish convinced to go to the academy and when is Ms. Arrellone going to get call to the cabin with a fill out application ready?
January 9th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
@Michael – Ish has probably convinced a fair number to go, actually, though he’s only been a Captain for a year, and that on the Agamemnon, so he hasn’t done any primary recommendation. Ms. Arrellone is not going to rocket up the way Ish did, though – I expect at least 2-3 years, before Ish might go that route (and he might not – It’s entirely possible she’s not interested in becoming an officer.) One thing I don’t like about the current military is the up or out system, nor do I think the removal of the Specialist ranks was a good idea. However, I’m not hard-core Army, I just played one in the National Guard for a few years.
January 9th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Do we have a cat, sar?
January 9th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
@David: Interesting point about the cat. There’s never been any mention of a ship’s pet on any of the vessels that I can recall. Being an old Heinlein fan, but not really a cat person–or cat-hater for that matter–I’m used to there being one everywhere. Truthfully, I don’t miss one at all. If there is going to be a ship’s pet, I think it should be a tank full of saltwater fish.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
@Michael, Er, I was referencing a joke from Captain’s Share.
January 9th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
@David: I got the joke.
It just made me think.
January 9th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
50% chance of a live cat and 50% chance of a dead cat, as long as you don’t open the SAN. His name is Schrödinger, Sar.
(Before a debate on quantum mechanics occurs, I am aware of this being an over-simplification. Lets not allow this to become a quantum entanglement debate.)
January 9th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
What is the actual capacity of the Digbee 9500 as far as cargo goes? If I’m not mistaken you have listed it at a minimum of two different capacities, different by a factor of 1000, rather significant I believe. Is Ish’s first cargo a light haul or will it require many trips?
January 9th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
In episode 4 @14:30 the chief is talking about the fuseactors and states they need to be decommissioned and rebuilt before the digbee can be certified…. That they where not maintained correctly. That it will take a sigificant amount of time. And that the ship must be rectified before it is space worthy / can be flown again?
Ish’s new chief I believe only had them flushed, something that takes little time. What happened to the need to get the ship rectified?
January 9th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Share Distribution on a profit consisting of 10 kilocreds.
Owner-Captain=3000 creds,
Chief Engineer=4308 creds,
Able Spacer=2154 creds,
Spacer Apprentice=538 creds.
No wonder Gramp’s is Happy.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:05 pm
@Jamming
Um… Not quite.
Ish gets Owner’s Share, Captain’s Share, and a double share… At least, I think it was said somewhere that the captain gets a double share on top of his specific share…
Ah, yes… http://durandus.org/fans/index.php?topic=185
We have 2+2+1+0.25 shares on 7000 of crew profit… 1333.3~ cr/share
Ish gets 2000+1000+2*1333.3 = 5666.7 cr
Gramps gets 2*1333.3 = 2666.7 cr
Arrellone gets 1333.3 cr
Malone gets 333.3 cr
There’s definite advantage for the lower ratings to being in a smaller crew. But since the profit per trip is likely to be lower, it’s a bit of a trade off.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Okay time to wiegh in. Lets see Maxwell 7 Freddie 8. Ish 37-38? beverly 38-39. Thats all I remeber. only others I think might be might bes are Alicia Alverz and Al from the Headly. Pip and Bril I do not think got recomendations from Captain Gigone
@David remember that the chief that made the comment on rebuild is the chief that is running the ship now. So he could have been making it look worse than it looked so that he could get a better job. Just a thought.
@Jamming just wondering but techincally I think Ish’s share has to be much larger than that. he would get 10-15 percent as captain. plus the owner share which has to be larger than captain share.
I beilve he said the carry capacity was 500 kilo tons
@david I beleive he was only in the top third but I think you might be right but that four hundred doesnt sound right. However I think that comment is in episode one. and ends your kids will do better.
Oh yeah I think that Arrelone is turning into Ish’s bumble brother… whats his name. he bounced to Freddis beck and call. I do not know what she said to him. he might have been burnsides man before but she was freddis man now… dont have double share on my ipod at moment and had to change computers. Anyways I do not think that Arrelone will leave Ish until one he forces her to or two he has hired a replacement body guard she trains. I also wonder If she would not return. howeverI think she would forgo the academy and do like gearheart and wyatt did just take test. she already has a captian willing to hire her.
I apoligize for any spelling or other grammer errors.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
@jamming sorry you got it before I posted that sounds more likely…
January 9th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
Would the captain earn nothing as an astrogator, as cargo master, and as chief stewart, then?
What of the ship that has only a captain and a quarter share? The quarter share earns 70% of the profits? I don’t think so….
January 9th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
@jamming – you need to adjust that to include the captain’s double share as well. The total number of shares is 5 1/4 against a base of 7k.
@dav1d – The Higbee 9500 is rated for 9.5 metric kilotons in cargo. The problem is that the volume of the cargo bay is too small. I would not be surprised to learn that I’d mis-spoken at some point and said “metric tons” instead of “metric kilotons.” If you find it, let me know where and I’ll fix it. The cargo he got is a ridiculously small percentage of the ship’s capacity. The implications of this should be made clearer in the next episode.
The fusactor cores were decommissioned, flushed, and rebuilt over the course of a day. A messy job, one that took a fair amount of labor, and which represented a fair amount of time but also one which had very little to do with advancing the plot. Recertification was taken care of by the crew of the maintenance barge.
A lot of stuff happens off-stage and, if it’s not significant to the plot or Ishmael doesn’t see it, it’ll probably not get mentioned in the book. Do you think I should advance the calendar by a day or two to make it appear longer?
January 9th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
Actually I thought it worked something like. owner getslike 50%
captain gets ten to fifteen starting out as Ish negotiated. the remaining gets split between crew. however I thought the specailist get at least double share .
however remember they still get salary.
Plus the owner has to cover food costs, supplies, fuel, all expenses it just seems that the rates we are talking right now seem just a bit off.
becuase on a 100k cargo the quarter share makes 3k or is it 30k and rember that captain wong was doing trades on 10 k cargos in full share.
sorry not thinking clearly, just got off work and trying to wind down.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Mr. lowell, you could advance a day by haveing chief deal with that while Ish gets galley and cleaning down with the ladies. Or just have the cheif make a comment about getting the flush done and some comment about over exaggerating in front of whats his name during the inspection. Just a thought.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
@Dustin
“@David remember that the chief that made the comment on rebuild is the chief that is running the ship now. So he could have been making it look worse than it looked so that he could get a better job. Just a thought.”
Nope in episode 4 it is chief gearheart and they set sail under gramps…. Why should Chief Gearheart lie about something that will be known so shortly, to an executive of her company? Where one assumes she is still working?
The digbee is described as a ship that has for a significant period of time not been maintained well. If nothing else Ish has bought a ship that has been sold as scrap, and plans to return it to service, that in itself should I believe require an inspection.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:05 am
@ Jamey-cool thanks, I didn’t see that under the Spacer’s Handbook, reminds me I must spend more time reading the forum, thanks.
@ Nate thanks, Jamey’s explaination and yours showed me my lack of information on the subject. Didn’t see the Captain’s regular Double Share. I know this is “the final installment of Nathan Lowell’s Golden Age of the Solar Clipper Trader’s Tales”, but is it the last of the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper stories? or this Universe’s stories? If it is, there will be much sadness about this for me and I think others.
@ Dustin E. Thanks, remember it is a share of profit not sales, costs come out first.
@ Dav1d, I didn’t think so either, thanks for your help. I was trying to figure out where it was wrong, sometimes it is better to place something out there to be corrected, particularily when you can’t find it.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:18 am
What everybody is missing is the shares come from profit. The expenses are taken out first.
Ship depriciation
Food
Salaries
etc.
Then the profit is cut up. I think.
January 10th, 2011 at 6:46 am
@David The conversation I am refering you in your comment actually takes place when Ish and arrelone are on board acting as caretakers. Miss Kirsten and the owner of Diurina’s salvagebreakers yard comes to the ship offers to buy ship and resell ten million credits higher. Gramps came with him and took a look around. there he said the whole banging ship isn’t worth anything excepting the metal she was built with. and he also mentions some other engine room stuff. my memory is not that good on that stuff. I just know I Have listened to almost every episode at least 5 times now.
also I am not trying to say your wrong I just recalled the cheif made an appearance and grumped about how the ship was in such a sorry state and that any crew that let the ship get in the state oughten to be shot they should. aye they ought to be put out the lock to walk home.
January 10th, 2011 at 6:58 am
@David one other point. remember that even though gear heart did a examination. so did, gramps in addition there where two other examinations of the ship for a total of four examinations. Gearheart was paid but I did not get the impression that her report was included when Captain Wong asked Kristen for the report. we know that gramps was not as the only way he was introduced by discourageing the breakers yard to try and scrap her if they bought her but instead to resell her as the part of the company that wants the company to go to the rightfull heir.
Anyways, Mr. Lowell It is snowing here in North Carolina I have two days off of work and would greatly appreciate another excellent fix. Do we need to show up at your place shovel any snow, swap, sweep, clean, luandry, windows, babysit, walk dogs, scoopkitty litter, or brew a cuppa Joe for yeah Sar? I might be a little far away but who knows ready and willing to pitch in to cut out the clutter so I can gget my fix
January 10th, 2011 at 7:28 am
Going back a few episodes, how could all the ship’s equipment just be “gone”? The plates, dishes, glasses, pots, pans, mops, brooms, coffee grinders, etc? Doesn’t DST own all that stuff (along with the ship itself?) Did the previous crew just steal it all? How can that be? They’re still DST employees (“on the beach”) and DST knows who they are. Is there a gray market for dishes and glassware?
Also, re: the (lack of) maintenance on the ship. Why would an owner allow a ship to get so far into disrepair? Certainly the US Navy wouldn’t; why would DST? Why would they put their employees’ lives on the line? Shouldn’t the CPJCT require regular inspections of ships, stores, spares, etc.? Heck, they define everything else, down to the paint scheme on the orbitals (recently repealed, I know) — why don’t they require a minimum level of safety of the crews?
Sadly this is what kept me up last night. And a testament to Nate’s powerful universe-building talents!
January 10th, 2011 at 8:02 am
Just trying figure out how Ish is going to come with the money
In 90 days? Don’t think ship would ever be that profitable
And I don’t think dad would have that kind of money. Do have a theory though there is one person that might have recently come into a lump sum. Kurt you don’t think he would be Mr Malones loyal body gaurd for so many years and it be left with very nice little sum.
January 10th, 2011 at 8:04 am
@everyone please do not get me wrong I know next to nothing I have my own opinion which is what I am expressing here.
@David remember that Kristin who is the head of fleet operations is trying to sell the ship. number one, number two I think that she and Maloney had this getting cooked up before he died. I think this for a number of reasons that I think will make sense.
1. I think that Malony still felt he may have owed Captain wong for rescuing the Tinker.
2. I think he felt he owed him for turning his worst ship around andmaking him more money.
3. I think Maloney felt he would not be able to keep Captain Wong for very long in any case, with money coming in from cherneakova(please excuse me if I was reading this in print my spelling would be better not that much better but somewhat).
4. I think he saw this as an oppertunity for himself. I think he would have had a share in Wongs stock offering as well.
5. I think he also would have seen it as a self serving purpose and done exactly as his fleet operations officer and board of directors are doing.
6. Captain Wong will not be working for him however I think he would have felt he could trust Captain Wong to not take advantage of the situation. I also think that what ever it is he wants his duaghter to learn he thinks captain Wong can teach it to her. (respect for the life spacers lead and that you are in charge of not just the bottom line but quality of life as well?)
7. By letting the ship go to the crapper in state she is and pulling every thing usefull out of the ship it gets under valued. when you look at a used car if its missing the doors seat and mirrors, radio, and half the lights work you tend to move to a newer better car. A under valued ship just needs some work. If you pull out all the stuff as well instead of losing all the money to new owner you can sell what was in the ship and make some of your money back there.
8. Also this is not a situation that is going to occur often.
9. Maloney could be trying to play match maker too.
January 10th, 2011 at 8:12 am
I have to say some of you people are starting to get annoying. Instead of enjoying a well done story, that it seems is being rushed out to please all of you, you find the need to pick apart details. If you paid $30 for the book than I would understand some of the complaining. However the last time I checked, this podcast like all of the podcast Nate has done, is FREE. Speculation on the storyline is one thing, nitpicking a story we all have been waiting for, and are getting free is disrespective IMO…
January 10th, 2011 at 8:30 am
Not to destroy the suspense, but if he qualified for one bridge loan, he can certainly qualify for another. Especially with the auction coming in higher than expected and the value increase of the Iris.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Hey, Brian, loosen up. Everyone is just having fun with the stuff and not “nitpicking.” Seems like most folks are enjoying and appreciating the early readings, but just want elucidation about some things that occur to them. Since many of them are late at night before bed, maybe a little “well, DUH” is ok without being seen as unappreciative. I certainly felt that way with my stupid question about the shipsuits. As Ish said several times, it is obvious. Sigh! I sincerely hope Nate is not feeling disrespected. (Is that a word?) These are GREAT!
January 10th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
cc: Trader’s Diary
While cooking lunch and listening via a bluetooth headset, I hit the wrong button and ended up at episode 1. (If you haven’t gone back and listened to it, I suggest you do.) At the beginning there was a lot of dialogue about Mr. Maloney having a heart attack and dying and how that was nearly impossible these days.
With all the plot developments and events, I wonder if this was just talk amongst shipmates–Ish and his helmsman–or is it something more significant? Specifically, I wonder if this is a red herring meant to distract us to sinister possibilities, or foreshadowing of something else?
Is Mr. Maloney going to show up in the last act alive and well and has just been putting his daughter and royal court (aka board of directors) through a test of character and loyalty like something out of Shakespeare? (Did Shakespeare ever do that in one of his plays? I can’t seem to recall.) A classic plot device except that that may be too easy for Nate to use. Although…a classic is a classic for a reason.
Isn’t it noteworthy that we haven’t had an appearance of Mr. Maloney’s bodyguard, Kurt? Where’s the Tai Chi lesson that has become an in-port tradition between Ish and Kurt since that first fast packet ride out from the academy? (I just made that last bit up, obviously.) He’s STILL guarding the STILL alive Mr. Maloney, of course!
Yea or nay? Is Jeff Maloney still alive and hiding out until the last scene?
January 10th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Very end of this has spoiler speculation.
@v. I know the part your talking about but I believe that Mr. Lowell himself shot that down. I think I am right becuase one of the reports listed scrubber failure and was dated before he had been on the ship. or something like that from Captain Wong’s thoughts. not saying I am right but the one your talking about I do not think was gearhearts. Also I do not think Cheif Gearheart ever went through and wrote up a report. she pointed things out and miss kingsly took all the notes. Also I think captain Wong would have made a note of it being her report.
Micheal I wondered that my self however…. I had a few thoughts.
What if Frank sells overeasy. has to be worth money.. he has owned it for was it two decades now. Its very popular and very good location two doors to the starboard of the lift on level two I believe that has to be prime real estate. could be worth a pretty penny, to buy a share in sons company.
I wondered about no Kurt showing up… But then Kurt never really did anything to much on his own the whole lessons in double share could have been all at Maloney’s direction. But it seems Kurt is one who also likes to help his boss’s plans suceed so does the non apperance of Kurt to this point play into a Maloney plot, or is Kurt just mouring in grief, or drinking away his sorrows, Or Spending his thirty peices of silver?
January 10th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
With all these conspiracy theories I notice that no one has mentioned that the new CEO Mr Aims (sorry about the spelling) has alot to gain with the passing of Mr Maloney and if Mrs Maloney did not finish her year. He would be CEO and one of the primary stockholders when the company went public. I also think that the Iris has a couple more design surprises dont forget that the Chief laughed when Ish sayed that the ship model had been retired.
January 10th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Hi Nate I’ll happily admit to being completely hooked on Owner’s Share -checking back every couple of hours to see whether a new episode has appeared. Being located in Europe means that it’s easy to get out of step by a few hours with your late afternoon/early evening releases (which is why I Awas asking people to flag “spoiler” discussions).
I hope you realise I’m not being disrespectful or unappreciative when I ask for an update on your release schedule. The opposite is the case! I really don’t know WHEN or – even WHETHER – I’ve ever had so much fun with fiction. Honestly. Many thanks! And when’s the next batch due to be liberated?
January 10th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
**Michael McCarthy**
We’ve been discussing the exact same thing over at the trader’s diary fan forums:
http://durandus.org/fans/index.php
January 10th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Here are my basic thoughts… Ms. Maloney will be the run to kick in the creds to keep the Iris sailing. She’s hinted at it already with her comment about “buying out her contract”… She’s got the money, no question.
I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for the Chief… I see something developing there that’s going to break my daughter’s heart. On the other hand, that opens up a handy slot for someone else. Nudge, nudge, nod, nod, wink, wink…
@Feller – While I do believe that Ames will be difficult when he finally enters the picture, I don’t believe he has anything to do with Mr. Maloney’s death. I haven’t really seen Nathan doing something so overtly violent on that scale in his previous stories. That would take Owner’s Share into the Space Opera with blasters and military coups territory. As @Michael McCarthy says, I’m more inclined to believe the ‘he comes back’ at the end. He always was the manipulator…
My big question is what will happen just prior to them shipping out with their first cargo? A gang of press at the lock because they ‘know’ Ms. Maloney is on board? A problem with the Agamemnon? Frank Wong being hounded because he’s related to Ish? The ex wife coming back because she wants some money (doubful, but who knows)…
January 10th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Eps 16 is up!
January 10th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Curious what would happen to Ms. Maloney if Ish loses the Iris? It’s clear what happens if she should choose to quit in less than a year, but is it clear what would happen if the company she chooses to work for fails?
January 10th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
@roz – not a problem. The fastest way to tell is to look at the title page, but you can also subscribe to the feed via RSS and then it will get delivered to you when it’s ready. And you can follow @podiobooks on twitter. He almost always announces when it’s up.
@the rest of you — keep guessing. It’s fun to watch.
Yeah, I’m mean.
January 10th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
I just want to know if anyone has any thoughts about the references to the shielding and deck plates. I am stumped as to possible meanings.
January 10th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Another thought, any chance of involvement of Plunkets (sp) Junkets – owners of the Over Easy from Captains Share?
January 10th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Considering how many hours of pleasure you have brought to so many people I would disagree with you being mean.
January 10th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Regarding the deck plates and shielding…
My guess is it allows Iris to slingshot around the primary star somewhat closely to achieve jump even more quickly.
I really wish Ish would A) use the future equivalent of Google/Wikipedia to find out what the Higbee is designed for (Even read the manufacturer’s brochure, for heaven’s sake). But this is consistent with Ish’s character; how many times did he have to be reminded to look things up on his tablet in QS?
B) Get the safety stuff on the Iris going (drills, etc.) Miss Maloney hasn’t even had even the briefest training in how to put on a suit (that we’ve heard.)
I was recently re-listening to QS. I am still amazed that Ish was allowed to be crew without even a cursory safety briefing. To find out he can’t put on a suit DURING a drill while underway was crazy.
Man, I love these stories. They’re so well put together that you can even have meaningful discussions on trivial minutia like this. The author has things so tightly put together that it’s fun to think of the place like it’s real…it feels so very real.
January 10th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Ep. 16 Spoiler
@Patrick I think special shielding and plating is going to passenger cabin view ports. In my mind, it’s a no-brainer. Of course, that’s usually when I’m wrong, but there are just too many hints pointing that direction, for my money. It’s also the differentiation edge that would make pricier passenger berths work in a competitive market. Or maybe they are just the solar storm shutters to the sliding glass doors on the passenger cabin verandas. No?
Plunkett’s junkets was a good pull. Maybe quick passenger trips to the casino might be a niche market the Iris could compete in.
I love idea that the Iris has legs to one-hop it almost anywhere. Okay, not ANYWHERE, but you get the idea.
@Nate I just realized that we could use a tree diagram of the Diurnia sector like the ones for Dunsany Roads. And is there a “standard” jump distance and what’s that unit of measure called? Is it a Burleson? “I made the trip from Neris to Sargass in just two jumps without even overheating the drives. That’s over 3 and half Burlesons straight through the deep dark and nine hops taking the scenic route. My ship’s got LONG legs.”
It’s time for Ish to take a tour of the Western Annex.
January 10th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
This discussion section is great. I was wondering about the shielding and before I can ask the question, there are several answers.
What happened to the owners key?
January 10th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
I don’t think money willbe an issue. Even in today’s world the settlement could be used as a bridge loan. But I think he will either earn the money or his father will invest.
I wonder if there will be a possible romance with Miss Maloney? Given CPT Wongs history of wooing women it is a very distinct possibility.
January 10th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@Tony
“Regarding the deck plates and shielding…
My guess is it allows Iris to slingshot around the primary star somewhat closely to achieve jump even more quickly.”
Perhaps I read this different than you, but extra shielding to me means more than the normal level of shielding. So if the shielding in the bridge area is good enough to allow them to travel to within say ten units of the sun safely the shielding over the passenger area might be good enough to allow that area to survive going within five units. This would be stupid, in my opinion. Radiation shielding takes mass, and mass takes energy to move which cost money. Because Ish and crew will spend far more time in space than any passenger is likely to, their risk from radiation is much more significant than any passenger is likely to be. It makes far more sense to give extra shielding to the crew than the passengers.
Perhaps the extra shielding is to prevent the passengers from interfering with the operation of the ship, kind of like on planes you are request to turn off mp3 players and phones while the plane is taking off or landing?
Space is empty, there is nothing there….. No need to be aerodynamic like a plane does…. No resistance, no drag… Perhaps just perhaps the extra decking and sheilding is there to support external attachment points? Say places where one could attach an external can or two.
January 10th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Passenger cabin view ports is a nice idea. Then Ish’s cabin might have the same view, to regain what he lost from the Agamemnon. Perhaps when Chief fixes those switches he’s off to fix right now…
January 10th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Specualtive spoiler towards end.
Time for my education to be put to use… (or lack there of).
First let me state a few facts and figures. Captain Wong owes 8,500,000 credits he has 90 days to pay the loan back.
Second trip to jump range is approxamitly 6 days so call a full trip 12 days plus three days in port. That would give Captain Wong 6 trips. however he has already burned a few days up.
So to go on the short side Captain Wong has five trips to make eight and a half millon credits above expenses and shares. If we take 8,500,000 / 5 =1,700,000
I think my math and calculations are correct at this point.
just wondering has he ever given a total number of possible passengers? cuase we could maybe figure out how much they would add to possible revenue? I know no one cares but to me this way of looking at it makes it seem kinda likely that he could make it really easy.
I mean they where trying to get one of the most expensive cargos they had ever seen on the agememnon and that trip was a double jump. Could be he can make more money and charge a ton more to move you two or three systems in a third of the time. I mean seriuosly to jump the pond on a normal bird to europe or china from the states couple of grand and at least two planes and probably ten hours in air. The other plane the one that is like what a couple hours for same flight I don’t even know what the cost would be but I can garuntee you that I couldn’t afford it. but same principal.
Spoiler
Maybe all that sheilding is so that if Captain Wong wants to he can collapse his customer cabins and stash more cargo up there. remember that the walls in between are all hook and ladder. That may be why he is always rated to carry more cargo than will fit. No one else uses it that way. Remeber that Captain Wong always finds new ways to do the same old thing or conceives new different ways of doing the same thing that may be more profitable.
Maybe this is where Mr. Lowell is headed, maybe not, I hope that doesn’t come off to crazy. But this is My guess.
Abspolutly Loving your work as Always Mr. Lowell Thank you very much!!!!!
January 10th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
There doesn’t seem any logic in having viewports and then covering them up. And if you did cover them why extra sheilding? I was thinking more along the lines of spots to attached things to the hold, like extra cargo canisters, or maybe even extra kickers….
January 10th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Couldn’t resist. This is from the M.I.T. 150th anniversary display at their museum. And the url doesn’t even give it away…
http://museum.mit.edu/150/79
January 10th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
@Nate: Thanks and…thanks–no real delay.
I can’t believe I’ve been missing it. Anyway, it’s what I was looking for. So where’s the pirate hideout located?
January 10th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
@Tom Pencek – If I’m not mistaken the owner’s key is still on the ship. Not sure where on the ship, I think it was in a safe.
January 10th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Mr. Lowell Have you stated how many BU’s Iris can jump yet?
January 10th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
If we are going to talk about how shares are split, don’t forget that Iris gets one. Now that we are underway it is a pleasure to finally get to know Iris as a character.
-Spoiler-Speculation
As for the extra deck plates and shielding, it is clearly for the hidden smuggling compartment. Pirates ya’know.
January 10th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
@michael – try this page .. also the unit you’re looking for is the Burleson Unit or BU. It’s a rating applied to burleson drives to indicate how far they can bend space in a single jump. The Lois, Tinker, and Agammemnon were all rated for 3 BU’s when loaded. Lois could jump 6 with half cargo.
@tom – it’s in his pocket. still. the putz.
January 10th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
@Nathan – Nice to see so much respect for such a hard-working individual! I nearly died laughing seeing you call him “the putz.”
January 10th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
@Dustin
Hmm I thought Ish got $8,500,000 but has to pay back $10,000,000 in 90 days. The difference being the cost of the money. The Iris can carry a maximum of ten passengers, (with a Captain and engineer) and it is stated that in about two weeks they could go as far as other ships in half a stanyear, I believe. Most of the time is consumed in the run out to a safe jump point and the run back in.
January 10th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
@Dav1d – No, he gets $8M, has to pay back $8.47M, I think it is. Ish guestimates in his head $8.5M, and Williams corrects him with the more exact figure. The idea with the original $40M, plus the price getting dropped to $35M was that the extra $5M raised would give Ish plenty to get the ship properly outfitted.
Kind of interesting point, now that I think about it – Ish mentions his first outfit at Henri’s was 2 kilocreds, but nobody ever seems to say 10 megacreds, or anything like that. But they do use kilotons and megatons (I think) in terms of cargo…
January 11th, 2011 at 12:03 am
Mr. Lowell
It’s amazing how you can make an unusual feature of the ship a cliff hanger for episode 16. I just about died when Ish sat back down and didn’t followup on his speculation. If the ship wasn’t an excellent creation of your imagination I would Google the model myself to kill my curiosity I can only speculate, perhaps those unusual sections of the hull are external points to magnetically or gravity dock external shipping cans to the ship, which may explain why the ships cargo capacity is so out of whack for the size of its internal cargo holds.
I eagerly await the next installment.
Thanks for the entertainment.
January 11th, 2011 at 1:40 am
Wonderful books.
I have been wondering how solar sailing compares to wind sailing. For example running down wind (wind at your back) on Earth is actually quite slow because as you push the boat into the wind there is almost as much pressure on the front of the sail as there is on the back. I don’t think that would apply in space because of the vacuum. But I imagine sailing upwind would be much the same as it is on Earth in that you cannot sail directly into the wind. The closest you can sail to point is about 45 degrees. The fastest point of sail is on a reach with the wind off your beam or about 90 degrees. you can actually sail faster than the wind because you are generating lift on the front of the sail and pressure on the back.
I guess I’m asking if solar sailing follows the same physics as wind sailing?
Thanks for the great stories
January 11th, 2011 at 1:59 am
Mr Lowell not mean but very cunning though. As for me it’s what makes you an excellent writer.
And my guess you have had the ending from the very beginning. Which leads me to believe after listening to the share series about 4 times since I found them in December. that this might have a lot to do with Ish’s mothers family history. Her name has never been mentioned even he was reading the marriage certificate. Maybe it’s Iris Maloney, Geoff sister and this is a test to see how Ish and Christine can work together and run the family business?
January 11th, 2011 at 3:22 am
@Greg – If Ishmael’s mother’s maiden name is important, I think a relationship to Veronica “Roni” Delmotti (Delmatti?) is more likely than his mom being Iris Maloney; You say he saw the marriage certificate? then even Ishmael would’ve raised an eyebrow at learning that Mr. Maloney has the same last name as his mother had. And Nathan said Roni had been keeping tabs on Ish since the Academy (source: http://durandus.org/fans/index.php?topic=192.msg1928#msg1928 )
January 11th, 2011 at 7:41 am
@Joel-
I’m not sure whether it works through use of the charged electromagnetic particles given off by the sun or the EMR itself, , whereas the sails would be a form of electromagnetic field designed to, i would assume, act upon either the radiation or particles in a way in which the equal and opposite resultant force, circa Newton’s third law. Either that or the particles travel through a perpendicular electromagnetic field, causing them to deflect and the ship to once again be forced in the direction opposite the force applied on the particles, allowing for a sail system that would allow a field that would work both ingoing and outgoing without reversing the polarity of the field.
@Nate- As always, thanks for the story.
January 11th, 2011 at 8:01 am
Wikipedia’s “Magnetic sail” is very good general information on the subject. The Planetary Society at http://www.planetary.org/home/ has information on principles of solar sailing. Remember good conjecture and even great modeling doesn’t mean that a subject can be projected with any definitive authority, reality is hard to model without experimentation in the actual environment.
January 11th, 2011 at 8:51 am
@Jamey – Kirsten said that the Chernykova’s auction would raise “a gig” – in other words, a gigacred (1 BILLION credits).
January 11th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
if ‘giddy as a school girl’ was not such an embarassing description, i would have to say that is how i feel every time a new episode is posted. Please keep up the excellent work!!
January 11th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
I found these books just a few weeks back – the 1/4 and 1/2 on my Kindle and the rest here. I liked all until just recently.
I am a little disappointed with Owner’s share, though – it seems to drag and drag without much happening – today’s episode 17 with 3 chapters was particularly tedious – maybe something unpredictable will occur soon? Yawn.
January 11th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Mr. Lowell we have a slight problem I believe.
I think prior to episode 17 you said that
Iris could take ten passengers. However in episode 17 around 31 minute mark it say you can only take 8 passengers. Not sure I am right, just thought you would like a heads up.
January 11th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Thanks, Dustin. I’ll check it.
The number 10 is significant because that’s the limit his small craft endorsement allows. Before Ishmael started actually counting bunks, he believes he can carry more than he actually can. Later, when they actually get down to it, the number turns out to be smaller and I *think* it eventually gets to *six* so don’t get too hung up on it
January 11th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
@dnn
If you listen to the series in order it will be more entertaining
@nathan
I might be wrong but there may even be a tie in with South Coast… One episode in one of the Share series mentioned a tattered Shamans wife Sarah or Sandra? Is that the same one that was teasing Otto in South Coast? Umm…is there a back story brewing for a future South Coast series?
January 11th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
@Nathan Grrr… How many times is Ish gonna notice the descrepancy in the hull, and put it aside, with out figuring it out?
You are driving me nuts.
January 11th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
@Briang – Sarah Krugg is a Shaman’s daughter in Half Share and Full Share. Her husband was not a Shaman and was abusive to her.
@ Nathan – Very nicely done, with Episode 17 and am now thinking Gretchen Gerheart is completely out of the picture, yet you’re heading too directly at the other choice. I hate how you fool me into either being too wary of your twists or too open to the change. It makes me doubt my ability to reason it out.
January 11th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
@dnn – nope. nothing unpredictable *ever* happens in my books. Actually, I think nothing ever happens at all … I’d have to check. Glad you’ve enjoyed the lack of action up to this point — I’m assuming you actually waded through the other five books to get here. Maybe you can stick it out for a bit. You’ve made it this far and there are only 13 episodes left. Something might happen. Ya never know. Hang nail, broken finger. Accidents do happen occasionally.
@briang – you missed a memo. South Coast is a prequel to Cape Grace which is a prequel to Half Share. The tie in is Sarah Krugg who is Otto’s daughter. I need to write Cape Grace one of these days.
@gene – i think twice more then
*** SPOILER ALERT *** SPOILER ALERT ***
the aliens jump out of the trans-dimensional compartments and take over the ship, replacing the crew with dopplegangers and proceed to pirate the spaceways leaving the burning hulls of ships and the dried husks of dead crew in their wake… but I could be wrong.
January 11th, 2011 at 10:31 pm
@jamming — hee hee hee .. it’s working then. good.
January 11th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
>partial spoiler episode 17<
Clever Sarr – we can't trust anyone apart from Ish – can we?
Thinking about those bulkheads, the power of Iris and the low-spec consoles – looks to me like she's been made to look less than she is. If this were a sea ship "smugglers" come to mind. Or am I on the wrong tack?
January 11th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Ship suits –
When Ish joined the Tinker as 3rd Mate, he ordered DST shipsuits from the chandlery, and paid for early delivery. He bought his own generic ship suits for the civilian run to the Academy on the ‘Penny.
So, what style and design ship suits are he and the Chief wearing? The ladies picked out new ship suits in blue, and Ish held it up to see if a future male crew member would look okay in it. Why isn’t everyone in the same ship suits?
January 12th, 2011 at 1:56 am
Love all the books. I listen to them while at work. I’ve been eagerly waiting for Owner’s Share to come out. Thank you so very much.
With that said, is it just me, or is the name of the ship constantly changing? I believe the ship was named the Iris, but then in the following episode it was the Icarus. Ish went ahead and explained the reasoning for why he named the ship the Icarus. In the episodes following, the ship’s name goes back and forth from the Iris to the Icarus. Perhaps I’m just not hearing it correctly?
January 12th, 2011 at 2:12 am
@Jen The company he started is named Icarus the ship he named Iris.
January 12th, 2011 at 3:50 am
only 13 more episodes! Thats scary. I don’t know what I will do with all the time I will save while not checking for new updates and then dropping everything so I can sneak a listen to the new episode when I find it. Maybe I will have time to grade those lab reports the kids keep pestering me about. I really hope that the story of Ish does not end here. Thanks Nate, for the opportunity to lose sleep and run away from work
January 12th, 2011 at 4:21 am
@Gene: Ah! That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.
January 12th, 2011 at 4:50 am
@WaltRoach – Officers buy their own and whether they get “company colors” or just whatever’s in the box really depends on the ship and the company. There’s no real standard on that across company lines. If Ishmael were thinking clearly, he might have gotten his own to match and sent the Chief out to get some. As it is, he and the chief are both in basic khaki shipsuits – a standard kind of undress uniform for officers in the fleet.
January 12th, 2011 at 5:44 am
Thought folks might like to see the rest of the quote that opens the story.
“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men. Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. They then act and do things accordingly.”
January 12th, 2011 at 6:39 am
Mr. Lowell, I’m loving all the nuances that are showing up Owner’s Share. All sorts of hints, clues and remarks are swirling around us in a cloud as if the grav units failed and we, the readers, don’t even yet know the real who, what, when, why or how.
But the flow of character development and event is very pleasurable and I’m enjoying the ride, Sarr!
January 12th, 2011 at 7:01 am
@Nathan – My Dear Sir, your books are great and have provided many fine hours of entertainment for me – thank you sincerely! I would never criticize others’ work that I have not matched
I make an observation and express personal feeling as positive feedback. As a trained geek that obsesses with counting, however, to me the number of times per book your main character makes coffee, and someones compliments him on it, does feel a bit like filler at this point…
January 12th, 2011 at 7:07 am
Nathan,
Really enjoying the story, and am pleasurably annoyed at how you are teasing with the odd ship’s hull and not (yet) explaining its purpose. I do have a question though, as Ish is looking to get his steward’s certification. On the forums when there was discussion of medical technology / practices of the Solar Age, you described in a comment that only those ships who carry passengers are required to have someone with some kind of medical training, the level of training (presumably ranging from say field medic to full doctor / surgeon) depended on how many passengers the ship carried. Who at this point has the necessary level of medic training for the Iris to legally carry passengers?
January 12th, 2011 at 7:35 am
@jon – it’s covered by the small craft steward’s endorsement – the autodoc and enough sense to stuff somebody in it is all that’s required on these smallest craft.
@dnn – i understand what it might feel like, I think. there’s a reason beyond filler, altho i’ll confess it’s probably obscure. food and drink, little things to people who are engaged in a broader world become *vitally* important to those constrained to smaller horizons. making coffee, fixing meals, even clean up and minor variations in the daily routine become significant to the individual. i might be overdoing it out of habit — i’m sure we’ll look at it again when the book gets carved down for text — but these stories are about details, not big pictures.
@janeatplay – you mighta wanted to put a *spoiler alert* on that
January 12th, 2011 at 7:42 am
Like the point about how important meals and the coffee is (and if you’ve been in the military, you *KNOW* it runs on coffee), mentions of having to hit the head are a somewhat unique touch – it’s a bit of a running joke in a lot of stories that the hero never has to use the bathroom, whereas here we have Ish waking up at o’dark bladder… *GRINS* I loved that turn of phrase!
January 12th, 2011 at 8:43 am
@Jamming
I didn’t think he was a abusing her, just that there was some kind of a link that was eluding me… Cape Grace.
January 12th, 2011 at 11:15 am
@Briang – It’s canon, from Half Share, that Sarah’s husband had been abusing her before she came on board. We’ll see what happens, as I’m rather sure Otto would not be happy with a man who abuses his daughter.
January 12th, 2011 at 11:55 am
SPOILER ALERT
Mr. Lowell, I think that episode 17 is going to turn out to be one very important episode. I also think Captain Wong will be kicking himself for not reading his manual before doing maintiance. (I have a feeling the compenents were under powered for a reason if they really do look to be factory installed.
On the passenger number I just noticed the difference not trying to get picky or stuck on a certain number just wanted you to be aware if it needed to be addressed for print.
I absolutly can not wait for the next episode. Thanks for the amazing fun i still think the Captain Wong and crew will jump through a transdimensional jump point and arrive in the middle of a galatic space battle. Which they bring to a end by agreeing to mediate the peace talks and everyone falls in love with his coffee and agree to learn the process of making a perfect cup. yeah right!
January 12th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
The outer hull plates in question- Maybe it’s gravity-plating. Just stick the cans to the outer hull and away we go. The electronics on the ship are lower tech because the grav generator causes interference with more advanced tech.
January 12th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Hmmm I’ve got to wonder, they make the jump, and everything goes offline? Wouldn’t a jump that doesn’t begin to stress the engines leave the engines online and ready for the next jump? It seems to me if for no other reason than safety they would be configured that away. In an emergency better the option to jump blind than not be able to jump at all….
January 12th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
***Possible spoiler alert***
If the Iris is able to jump 14 when full, then she might be able to jump 28 when empty/with just passengers.
So I could see Ishmael doing a passenger-only route from Diurnia to Dunsany Roads, and his old friend Philip Carmichael buying in the to the company for the 10 million Ish needs.
January 12th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
I got the impression from Ep. 17 that the unusual “plating” was smoother than the surrounding and in a rounded square shape. (The shape may be my own imagination, but I picture large, oblong shapes like an airplane passenger window. I also got the impression that they were located on the TOP of the ship, especially in the berthing areas. I lean heavily towards view ports and I think these are not on the bulkheads, per se, but on the overheads. Think sunroof… Since you could lay in your bunk and look out at the stars, no one cares about the consoles, which is why they had slow ones.
I don’t actually believe that about the consoles. As an old systems guy, you ALWAYS go for the biggest and fastest you can get away with and afford. It has already been stated that the optical fiber was modern, but connected to old equipment.
I feel certain these areas in question have nothing to do with connecting external cargo loads. It just defeats the purpose of the design. The Iris fully loaded is lighter than one loaded cargo container from the Agamemnon–or was it the Agamemnon was heavier empty than the Iris fully loaded? Either way, the Iris has long legs within its rated mass. Great acceleration and long jumps and that makes her a great ship.
Add one fully loaded cargo container and you at least cut that performance in half and if the physics governing the sails and jump engines are inverse cubed or fourth power relationships, then you have a dog of a ship that can’t really carry all that much freight, in comparison. Think of the cigarette boat from Miami Vice towing a barge.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
The use of slower systems could be to offset the initial expense of the Higbee design in order to gain better position in a limited market due to the overall expense of the original design. Like opting for AM/FM or just AM on a 1969 mustang, i.e a choice of add-ons which can be upgraded at a later date when the owner can better afford it.
Though I agree with the other systems guy here. We do tend to favor the faster systems over reduction in cost. Which begs the question… Just how fast can this ship really go… and how far on a more efficient systems communication framework.
And Speaking of being a systems guy…. Ish really aught to write a macro to snag his cargos so he doesn’t have to sit waiting for cargos to pop up
January 12th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Oh, I agree it’s probably more like a moon roof. The grav plate idea was just wild fancy and idle speculation. Of course it could still have something to do with pirates, me matey. Arrrrr. They’re actually gangplanks and wayward passengers will have to amuse the Capt. or be forced to walk the plank. The next major acquisitions for Ish will be a parrot to ride on his shoulder and a eye patch or perhaps a peg leg. So many possibilities, so little time.
January 12th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Or would that be a “star” roof?
January 12th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Spoiler Alert.
I think that Ish Is going to absolutly wish that he never replaced those consoles and updated them with out reading the manual. I say this becuase all the electronics seem to be as low powered as possible. so maybe on the longer jumps the ship needs more power than the ship has available. So to compensate all the electronics are small and low powered. just a thought.
I still think the out side is windows. or moon roof….
I also think that Captain wong will collapse all the pasenger cabins and stash more cargo.
Wheres my fix? snif I am going to go cry in a corner and pout. At least until Mr. Lowell becomes my hero again.
January 12th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Spoiler Alert.
Mr Lowell has certainly established how rare it is to have a view outside while traveling. So it all seems to point to windows hidden behind those panels. It seems like someone built over them. Captain Wong and Miss Arronne reviewed the schematics in pretty fine detail, so you think they would have found some sort of controls if they were retractable. And no one has noticed glass on the inside of the cabins. He was so close to clicking open those brochures for the ship I bet there is a picture of all those windows.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:29 am
@Erle – Capt. Wang would have seen notes that those were windows in the panels. We’ll see what Mr. Lowell has in mind for those at some point – but windows? I don’t think so. We’ve never seen anything to suggest the windows on the Bridge are any thicker than the rest of the hull.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:04 am
@Jamey – Remember that Capt. Wong did allude to putting on a soft suit and going outside (for an inspection of the hull) in episode 9. If the Jezebel/Iris did have extra windows then they would have been evident to him during that inspection.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:40 am
Going back in the comments a little ways. You cannot slingshot around a star, only planets and other satellites. Grav assist only works on moving objects where you spend more time falling toward the gravity well (near parallel to its motion) than you do speeding away from it (perpendicular). With a star, speed gained on the inward fall is equal to the speed lost by gravity pulling you back in, regardless of direction. Dr. Lowell did it correctly in Captian’s Share with Last Chance (?), and very likely, not by accident.
Extra shielding for atmospheric entry? Deliver your passengers directly to the plantary port? Probably not. Thicker bulkhead for more structural integrity when the walls are removed. More probable. I hope we’ll find out and its not just another dead end.
@Dustin E. I suspect your right in one sense or another. But to play devils advocate a bit. How many times has Ish encountered something that didn’t seem logical, changed it, and it just turned out to be bad practice. Navigational updates, ship templates, private trading culture, to name a few. What’s to say that this won’t help him, he’s already backed into a pretty tight corner. Could yet another setback be resolved in just 13 episodes.
Should be a fun ride.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:28 am
hmm extra shielding so he can grace closer to a sun/planet etc so he use less time then he really need?you all remember captains share right?but he couldnt do it because the ship wasnt really strong enough.Anyway just a thought.Darn i miss my share..err addiction is terrible but maybe its some extra episodes for this weekend
January 13th, 2011 at 7:41 am
@Russ – actually, you *can* slingshot around a star, and you’re ignoring frame dragging in your analysis. As well, you can get an extra boost at the closest approach to any body by ejecting some of your mass – say, firing the kickers – as the reaction is multiplied by the change in angular momentum. NASA’s never really used the Sun for a slingshot boost so far only because it’s difficult to get close enough to be really effective. However, astronomers have to take the effects into account all the time when watching sungrazer comets.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Chapter 18 is up.
@ Nate – “I would like some more please,” in the voice of a small orphaned boy.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Interestingly NASA used Jupiter for a slingshot boost for the Ulysses Solar Polar Mission – 90 degrees “down” out of the ecliptic.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/missiondetails.cfm?mission=Ulysses
January 13th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
@David – Yes. Nearly every mission NASA sends a probe on these days, going further than the Moon (and often, even for those) slingshots off of one planet or another. It’s a trade of mission time for fuel, and since probes don’t need life support, fuel is usually the constraining factor.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
The best episodes end in cliff hangers….. but is Ish loosing his memory in his middle age. Do we need to see professor Gartner walk through the station on leave from the academy to remind him to ‘not overlook the obvious’, It didn’t take him this long to read the promotional materials on the intercom system in Double Share. Don’t tell me there are no Wiki notes on the net on the Higby 9500.
Maybe the lack of Tai Chi and running is finally getting the best of our Captain.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Yes Russell… I to have been wondering about the Gym. Looks like we’re headed toward passenger cruises with Gourmet meals and possibly dancing.
Old topic… The Idea that running a a slower data system can be more efficient is absurd. By it’s vary nature efficiency goes up the more quickly a device is able to move and process information. The question goes more to the accuracy of sensors Which can be compensated for through timing algorithms not using inferior parts.
Also the argument that newer more powerful systems use more “power” is to put it bluntly asinine. Newer systems as proven with computer technology show that power consumption is reduced when efficiency goes up. So no the “extra power that has been assumed” can not and does not go into the jump. As a percentage of overall power that is used to run the Data and Communications systems would be relatively negligible compared to what would actually get used for folding space.
I would imagine as I’ve said before that it is merely a means to reduce overall initial expense in the building of a Higbee 9500 and/or a means to reduce cost at the sales point.
Assume that there are a lot of older model ships in service, and further assume that replacement parts for these ships have been in production for quite some time. Further assume that like most corporations, our various owners and ships captains are reluctant to update a proven system with an unfamiliar one. The abundance of proven system replacement parts at a price point well established and reduced from it’s original, make the selection of these systems more desirable than an untried newer system in the corporations paradigm.
eg Many companies and Mom and Pop shops to date continue to use Windows XP when we are now approaching the 8th variation of the operating system.
Granted everything I’ve stated is hypothetical as far as our authors Reasoning but given a logical progression from common everyday human and current technical experience it’s a valid extrapolation.
Where are the Treadmills and the Sauna. And does Miss Maloney now the secrets of Spiced Beefalo?
January 13th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Skipper…shouldn’t they be going to Twelve Volt, rather than Ten Volt….we might have to change the Dirnia Sector chart
January 13th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Yeah. Lemme halt audio production and fix that.
January 13th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
*watches the horde of angered and desperate listeners stampede off to hunt down Mike.*
January 13th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
NOOOOOOO…don’t halt the production
January 13th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Aww .. relax .. won’t take more than a day to find the sources and patch them up .. I shouid have 19 up by Sunday. Easy.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
*wimpering like a dog caught with his paws in the cookie jar*
January 13th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Okay Nathan, go ahead. We’ll wait. Don’t forget to check the text too. *calls bluff*
January 13th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Thanks, V.
Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
The text is what started the problem but I’ll make sure that’s right too.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Sooooo …. how about that slingshot around the sun?
I have no idea whether it can really be done, but most of the science fiction I’ve read seems to think it is.
(Those of us who don’t know where Mike is can pass the time talking amongst ourselves.)
January 13th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
@Nathan – Take your time, Sar. I’m sure our anticipatory agony tastes exquisite.
@Gail – I had a solar sailing and orbital physics simulation on my Amiga back in the ’80s. Slingshotting was seductively effective until you hit a rock. I wish I could remember which univesity physics department made it. I think I got it off the Ball State server, but a nagging in the back of my head says it was from another uni’s lab. I’d love to have it today to run up on the emulator while we await 19.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
I think those that are delaying recording would be punished severely and not in the good way…oops. Never-mind.
Problem with slingshot around the sun in real life is that to approach closely enough you are going to need some severe radiation shielding, which is possible but adds significant mass. Which means most of what you gain on that end requires more fuel to start moving important on a ground launch, not so important if the probe is built in space a bit at a time.
In Star Trek Universe there is the problem of passing through time.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
There’s no reason you can’t use anything to slingshot. The point is to have the gravity field of the object do as much of the work (changing your velocity aka acceleration) as possible so only a small amount of your own resources have to be used.
About 10 years ago I read an article detailing some research about how scientists were exploring the idea of minimum fuel course solutions for planetary probes. The idea was how to move a probe that had completed its mission in orbit around one of Jupiter or Saturn’s moons to another one when there wasn’t much fuel remaining.
Most course solutions we proposed want to minimized time as much as is reasonable and this takes a lot of fuel. Since this probe had no where else to be, as it were, time wasn’t a constraining variable. When you can take as long as you like, new, non-intuitive solutions present themselves involving multiple gravity wells and a long period of time–and perhaps greater distances traveled–but with very little fuel used. (Nate uses the opposite of this in CS when trying to find a path that minimized time to destination instead of distance traveled when trying to meet the delivery deadline on Welliver.)
Single object and double object gravity solutions are fairly simplistic to mathematicians. Apparently as soon as you get to three or more significant gravity fields interacting, the math becomes non-trivial in a big way. Anyway, mission designers started looking at this approach to unmanned probes to maximize payload and minimize fuel requirements. Some of the solutions for simulated situations they proposed actually involved starting in the opposite direction from where they wanted to end up. I thought it was pretty cool stuff at the time.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
@Jamming – Wasn’t that: “Please, Sir? Can I have some more?” [Okay, okay. That was the play, not the original.]
@Russell – Since the Higbee folks were trying to reduce costs on the comm system, my theory is that the 9500 manuals were written in Interstellar Copier Standard English and translated automatically. For those of you who might prefer a classical reference, think Insert Knob A in Hole B (Asimov). Which would explain why Ish hasn’t read them.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:39 pm
JPL gravity assist primer http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/grav/primer.php specifically notes that “slingshot” is a misnomer. And that motion of the body is required. High velocities can be reached with stationary bodies but are lost again as you move away.
Spoiler:
Pop outs?
January 13th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
*still wimpering in the corner—how about throwing the poor dog a bone*
As I understand it, a slingshot is only possible when bodies are in relative motion with one another. As the sun is the center of our system, it is basically at a standstill within our system. For internal system travel, since there is no relative momentum, no momentum to trade. If you were perhaps going to another system, then I do not see a problem. I could be wrong however.
January 13th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Here is a video simulation of solar sails and using the using solar sails and slingshot method around the sun. as you can see the closer you get the faster you go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfa1ggUlKnk
January 13th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Warning spoiler alert…..
Hmm seems to me it is well past time for Dr. Lowell to toss in/give us a little red herring… Could it be that Sunday is one? Or can we expect something perhaps a little more blatant than that?
I not being a coffee drinker wonder when we will come across our first non-coffee drinker, seems about time to find a tea lover.
January 13th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Mike! You’re saved! Ep 19 is up!
Nathan, you’ve got me twice today. Yo ho!
For slingshot, think David and Goliath, not Tom Sawyer.
Wouldn’t tea drinkers give up and drink coffee in self defense?
January 13th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Anyone happen to recall the volume that the Iris is rated for?
Thanks
January 13th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
I still think we ought to toss Mike out the airlock as a warning to others in the future. First time you start showing compassion to spacer’s you just encourage that sort of behavior.
Tea drinkers versus Coffee drinkers aboard ship is the oldest continual naval conflict of mankind. War of Jenkin’s Ear, Spanish captain didn’t get his coffee and English Merchant offered tea. War of 1812, over tea drinker’s versus coffee drinker’s in a bar fight while on ship liberty. Almost all conflict can be traced back to this foundational level, the English loved tea so much they sold opium to the Chinese to get tea. Piracy in the Carribbean, all caused by desire for coffee (well and gold).
Now you know the rest of the story…
January 13th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Spoiler Alert
Pop is out and Chief Gerhart is in. Gerhart’s disappearance was just too abrupt for her to not be seen again.
January 14th, 2011 at 3:26 am
If I understand correctly, Mike has just about the right of it. A gravitational “slingshot” is dependent on the object you’re using for the slingshot to be in motion. It can work both ways though too:
If you are travelling in the same direction as the planet (roughly) you are exerting a force on that planet with your ship which actually slows the planet down some insanely small amount, but imparts your ship with that momentum. This is because you are going ‘down’ the gravity well longer since you’re also both going the same way.
Conversely, if you are travelling in roughly the opposite direction you end up quickly falling ‘down’ the gravity well, but are slowed down more trying to exit it, lengthening your time there, and your ship instead imparts its momentum on the planet, slowing you down.
If I understand it correctly…
January 14th, 2011 at 4:33 am
*Happily chewing his bone in a corner, but quietly so as not to call attention to himself*
While you may or may not not be able to get a gravitational assist on a close approach to a sun, we are neglecting to think about the obvious, the solar sail.
If you were ballistic on the inbound side (solar sails furled), but used the higher light pressure near the sun to drive the sails on the outbound, you could probably pick up some significant delta V. Just do the reverse if you want to slow down.
January 14th, 2011 at 6:41 am
From what I recall from the earlier stories, “transferring” Ms Maloney to the Steward’s Division is a brilliant resolution of the problem as she should be able to then use her cooking diploma to up her potential rating to at least Spec 1 Steward.
And, as the company (Ishmael) decides what positions are needed on a vessel, it/he can specify that a Spec 1 in Steward is what is needed. Gordian Knot of red tape cut!
January 14th, 2011 at 8:09 am
I think you can have crew do the work, but ultimately the officers bare the responsibility and as such they need to have the appropriate endorsements.
According to the selection from the Spacer’s Handbook on Nathan’s solarclipper site, an officer is needed on passenger vessels, a Chief Steward (or I suppose any officer with the proper endorsement).
@Chantillary – I think Christine would need to first become an officer and then get the appropriate Steward endorsement. Maybe she would automatically qualify for the endorsement (after becoming an officer), but I think she’d be in the same situation as Ishmael; having to wait for the bow to be tied in the red tape.
January 14th, 2011 at 8:09 am
Re: Episode 19: Great episode. Just the right mix of character development (and devolvement), ship’s business and intrigue. Bravo.
January 14th, 2011 at 11:26 am
So far so good I really like this book.
Do you think we will ever see Pip again?
January 14th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Just wanted to point out that all suns move. It is a galactic body after all, and solar systems revolve around their galactic center. As do Galaxies around the Universal center. Some have weft and wobble, some have more circular orbits and some have more oblong orbits, some shift above and some shift below their perspective planes. However; all astronomical bodies are in motion. It is only our point of view which hides this fact.
Does it effect the ability to sling-shot around those bodies? I would have to say Yes relatively speaking unless of course the ship is traveling at a rate of speed significantly greater than that of the solar system and/or its mass approaches an equivalent or greater amount than the celestial body it’s trying to slingshot around. You could very well in theory, sling shot the solar system and not your ship in this situation. Silly I know but we can’t assume that all celestial bodies are super luminary.
Just a little speculation….. (wouldn’t it be interesting to encounter a lilliputian Solar system?)
I love that the Share stories are more about the people than the science. People are much more complex.
Oh Ish you may need to start thinking about gym equipment soon or you could end up the as the Western Annex’s Santa Clause.
January 14th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
@Dav1d – I think you got your red herring (so to speak).
I like the adjustable cabins and that seems to resolve the issue of the deck plates. I am still curious about the shielding and the different appearance of the ships surface where it appears shiney (I feel like I am channeling Serenity.)
January 14th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
It crossed my mind that one reason you wouldn’t mind having slow computers is if you didn’t expect to use them. As in, window dressing.
Who built these Higby 9500s, and what did they plan to use them for?
January 14th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
I am thinking Pip could come in and buy the extra share of the company for the 8.5 mil.
But to be honest Ish could easily get a 30 day extension and probobly pay an extra 1.5 mil in penalty as he has proof of a 12mil income in that time.
Unless ofcourse the people that loaned him the origonal sum are in desperate need of the cash or something
January 14th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Hmm I have been trying to visualize just what this ship might look like. I believe that the cargo area is a little less than half the volume of a 747-400 cabin area. Yet it has the cargo lifting capacity of the total take off weight of 3 747-400 freighter! That makes me wonder what this possible could have been designed to carry? There are not many things as dense as lead, not even car batteries are that dense and they are mostly lead. Two common things are denser than lead silver and gold. Now if you recall the cargo area seems to be design to take containers. Again most containers are not made out of anything near as dense as lead. Cars, trucks, even heavy equipment is not any where near as dense as lead…..
So what was it designed to transport? Gold? Silver? If I was caring that much gold I would want some significant defensive capabilities, wouldn’t you?
The bridge (flight deck seems to have magically been redesign, when it was first described it sounded a lot like the Enterprise, in that the captain sat in his chair above and behind the Engineering console and the Helm console and looked over their shoulders to see their screens. Kind of like Captain Kirk on the Enterprise. Later on the Captain has a command console in front of him and the only other console is the Engineering console…. In comparison I believe a 747 has something like 6 LCD, displays as well as over 300 other assorted lights and switches.
I believe understanding what the Iris was designed to haul will go a long way in understanding it’s potential.
January 14th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
To me the ship seems like the ultimate in people moving. Imagine if a company has to move a group of people a distance (Welliver to Ten Volt as an example) This ship could take 6 passengers as I recall the current configuration. In addition, all the passenger’s personal cargo (baggage) and a fairly decent cargo.
January 14th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
What about the shielding? Does anyone else think that it’s covering for windows? The way Miss Maloney talked about other traveling that she has done, almost sounds like she would have liked to have had a window in her cabin. Is windows in the state rooms going to be the big draw to Iris?
January 14th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
If it was covering for windows, I think the windows/ports would be very noticeable from the inside, kind of hard to miss I think! I believe it has got to be related to what the ship was designed to do. I can’t imagine a need to transport large quanties of lead at high speeds over interplanetary distances can you?
Seems to me that moving mass, still requires energy. A ship designed to transport this dense of a material is going to need to be built much heavier that a ship designed to transport less dense material. That extra weight will effect the total cost to move all cargo.
If Ish finds a niche market, like transporting people; someone else could always undercut Ish with a ship design to move less dense things. Even something like a main battle tank would not begin to approach Ish’s weight limit.
January 14th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
The Iris could be overbuilt to carry coins or bullion. The hull would have extra shielding like an armored truck. The dimples in the sheet metal could be meteoroid dings.
Could the Iris have been built by pirates who planned to run uranium across the galaxy? The pirate bosses would carry their own computers so would not need any in berthing.
Or maybe the Iris will open up like a camping van. A restaurant with a very expensive view.
Ah, if only we could get some copies of the owner’s manuals. WE”D read them.
January 14th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
I think they link together like a train. One engine pulls a string of them along.
January 14th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
@David S, I am right there with you on the windows. I think the interior coverings are “pressure fit” and nearly unnoticeable, just like the hatch covers for the movable bulkheads. I think a properly applied push in the right spot and they are going pop off and reveal a great view.
Just as a followup on my earlier comments somewhere, I am not quite as excited by Chief Bailey as I was initially. Good first impression, but not really the quality engineer and work ethic you’d desire in a small crew like the Iris after you get to know him.
So, if we eventually show the Gramps the beach and get Greta in the engineering spaces, we have no impediments to the Ish/Greta (GretIsh? Yuck!) romance everyone has been pulling for. But what if she really isn’t interested in Ishmael? Would it be so bad for him to fall for the daughter of shipping magnate?
There’s the title to the followup series in a few years: [Shipping] “Magnate’s Share”. That is just lead in to the book about Ish retiring and immediately leaving retirement called “Explorer’s Share” where he and Christine lead an expedition to a new system. This is followed up by “Colonist’s Share” where Gov. Christine Maloney-Wang is killed in a tragic and unexpected accident. Ish’s life takes an unexpected turn–as has been prompted by tragic accidents more than once in his life–and he is forced to take over as the Governor of Daedalus, the most promising planet surveyed by the expedition, and now a colony planet undergoing terra-forming.
@Nate, how much time off do you want before you start in on the first book? I put the ideas in the public domain…
January 14th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Hmmm Higbee sounds like a real company to me. I would think that most governments would have an issue with corporations building ships for pirates, wouldn’t you? And if it was built for pirates just how did DST get ahold of it? Of course that might explain somethings, I can’t imagine an unarmed pirate ship can you? However the docks on the Iris don’t truly sound like they would be useful for boarding another ship, indeed it almost sounds like there may only be two docks, and neither sounds like an airlock to me. Something I would want.
Again if you where building pirate ships would you print up a lot of brochures describing all the features of your ship? If indeed it is a pirate ship perhaps that is why Ish has ignored the brochures, he knows they don’t describe the real features of the ship? The ability to attach your ship to another ship and overpower it with your engines could come in very handy if one was a pirate, couldn’t it? But it seems like one would want long range scanners, to find other ships, and the ability to prevent them from calling for help, a communication console?
Of course if there are no pirates, then there are no pirate ships either. If there are pirates then Ms Maloney really doesn’t have anywhere near enough protection, in my opinion…. As I’ve said before.
January 14th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Wild notion….. is it possible that the Higbee 9500 could be rigged for atmospheric takeoff and re-entry? Could our little oddities be heat sinks?
January 15th, 2011 at 1:39 am
@Dav1d http://www.gustavhoppe.com/goodies/Periodic%20table.html
Of course there are pirates. If there were no pirates, then there would have to be ninjas. And thats just silly. . .isn’t it?
January 15th, 2011 at 3:41 am
I was hoping that we’d hear more about Ish’s Tai Chi practice.. Hard to imagine that he would give that up, as there’s no Gym on the Icarus and he’s got to do something..
January 15th, 2011 at 4:40 am
@Russ
Are you suggesting that the Iris is an ore carrier? And if so, what are we likely to find in big enough quantities and that we would need rapidly enough that we would be willing to pay a premium for the speed of delivery? Need I mention that ore as a rule is nowhere as dense as the refined metal?
Let’s look at gold, the world produces approximately a cube 4.3 meters per side in a years time, of gold! The Iris hold is far bigger than this. It has been estimated that all the gold ever produced by man would fit in a cube 25 meters per side. Can you imagine what producing gold at a rate that would fill the Iris’s hold every month would do to the value of gold? Or of silver? And then there is the fact that people rob armored cars all the time ( or try to ) can you imagine how tempting the Iris would be fully loaded with gold?
January 15th, 2011 at 5:47 am
Do you think they still need to ship cattle about in the Deep Dark?
January 15th, 2011 at 7:16 am
My guess would be it depends on just what you mean by cattle… My guess is each world has it’s own slaughter houses, and it makes generally a lot more sense to process them where they are grown. Rather than shipping bones and other parts that are seen as waste? However cattle that are used for breeding purposes, and for shows would be different I think. So I’m thinking I can envision the need to ship a few, but nothing like 9 kilotons of them.
LOL I would not want to clean up after a hold full of cattle, for 2 or 3 weeks. Remembering how the Iris smelled when we first met her, I kind of doubt she would have the air handling ability to do that? A mature beef steer weighs about 1000 lb. or less as a rule, doubt one could cram enough cattle in the Iris’s hold to begin to make a dent in her rated caring capacity.
January 15th, 2011 at 7:37 am
I would think Ish needs to vet his new crew very carefully. I’m sure a news-person would very much like to become a member of his crew to get the inside scoop on the newest rich bachelor in the quadrant.
January 15th, 2011 at 7:38 am
Confusion???
At the end of the last espisode what did they accomplish by moving the wall? Is the crew quarters now bigger? As in they can now fit 4 people in there? Wasn’t it a wall of the crews quarters that was moved?
January 15th, 2011 at 8:00 am
@Dav1d – No, they evened out two compartments, one previously designated crew quarters, the other designated a passenger compartment. As the only difference at the time was floor space, they moved the partition to even them out, and have designated both of them as crew quarters. Now, the ship only has 3 rooms designated “passenger compartment”.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:08 am
@Jamey – I don’t believe that they actually lost any of the passanger cabins. According to what I have heard, I believe that they only equalized some of the floor space between the crew quarters and one of the passanger cabins in order that they could squeeze a third bunk into the crew quarters for the new crewman (Percival Herring).
January 15th, 2011 at 8:14 am
No, no, I stand corrected. Jamey, you have the right of it. There are now two cabins for crew.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:36 am
So, who noticed the name of the Book has changed from “Owners Share” to “Trader Tales 6: Owners Share”?
Show of hands…
January 15th, 2011 at 9:41 am
No, the name of the book is still the same. but we changed the listing on Podiobooks to make it clear that it’s a series
We get a lot of “what book should I start with” questions. This should help.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:41 am
Dav1d, no, I was trying to point out that the density of both silver and gold is less than lead in the nicest way I could think of. Asking myself WWID doesn’t always work, and I just have to blunder through.
Has anybody thought of the difficulty Ish will have of getting another chef/host of the same quality? Assuming the codicil is fullfilled and Ms. Maloney leaves the ship. It seems rather shortsighted of our hero. Or is he so set up for failure that no one expects him to make it?
January 15th, 2011 at 9:48 am
I did – I suspect it’s a move to tie the various series together on Podiobooks.com, as several other books that had previously been listed under one title have gained their series name as well. I think soon, Podiobooks is going to have to do some significant re-organizing of their offerings. I’d like to suggest they offer feeds not just for books, but for authors and series, so that you can follow say, anything Nathan has done, including stuff he’s read but not written, or just his Trader’s Tale stories, or his Solar Clipper stories (which would include South Coast and Cape Grace as well, at this point), or just an individual book. Likewise, author/voice talent pages would be good.
(Note, while Nathan Lowell is not yet graced with his own Wikipedia Article that I could find, he is listed as part of the Lowell family – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell_family
January 15th, 2011 at 9:49 am
****Spoiler Alert
@Ignatz
“@Jamey – I don’t believe that they actually lost any of the passanger cabins. According to what I have heard, I believe that they only equalized some of the floor space between the crew quarters and one of the passanger cabins in order that they could squeeze a third bunk into the crew quarters for the new crewman (Percival Herring).”
Based on episode 19 this was also my understanding of what had happen, I was just wondering if anyone else heard it that way….
If the entire wall is a viewport, I’ve got to wonder at how useful moving the walls would actually be? Wasn’t the crew area increased by a few feet? How practical is that really if the next cabin’s wall is actually a viewport?
January 15th, 2011 at 9:50 am
In point of fact, it does appear they’re doing some of that re-arrangement, as you might note at the top there’s now keyword linkage for both “Golden Age of the Solar Clipper” and “Traders Tale”.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Jamey, I have a master feed. It’s hidden on the Trader’s Diary. Owner’s Share hasn’t gotten added yet, and it won’t ever have Crown Conspiracy because that’s not my book. Many of the other suggestions will be available when Podiobooks 2.0 rolls out.
January 15th, 2011 at 10:00 am
@Nathan (and everyone else what mentioned it) – I get it now. Good move in grouping them all together and giving new listeners a better understanding of where to kick off from.
January 15th, 2011 at 10:00 am
@Russ – while silver (10.5 g/cm^3) is less dense than lead (11.35 g/cm^3), gold (19.32 g/cm^3) is considerably more dense, uranium (20.2 g/cm^3) denser still, and with (22.6 g/cm^3) currently the record holder (a number of the transuranics have properties not yet determined).
January 15th, 2011 at 10:17 am
@Russ
“Dav1d, no, I was trying to point out that the density of both silver and gold is less than lead in the nicest way”
In the nicest way, you do know that Atomic number and Atomic weight are not directly related to denisity, right? Or just because lead has an Atomic number of 82 and an Atomic weight of 207.2 it is not denser than gold with an Atomic number of 79 and an Atomic weight of 196.96655? Right?
Gold 19.2 g/cc
Lead 11.35 g/cc
January 15th, 2011 at 10:21 am
22.610 would be osmium I believe?
January 15th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@Dav1d – Aye. I’d swear osmium was in there when I hit the submit button.
January 15th, 2011 at 11:18 am
The pirates have struck again, and made off with the osmium!
January 15th, 2011 at 11:30 am
What the hell do the pirates want with the osmium?
January 15th, 2011 at 11:38 am
Oh NOES! Was that the ransom for the Wizard??!
January 15th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Perhaps they are attempting to hinder our ability to get fingerprints?
Or perhaps for the technomage?
January 15th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Dr. Lowell have you shared any technical details about your studio anywhere? Is the voice we hear, the same we would hear in person?
January 15th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
I (re)built my booth last summer. And I don’t know if my voice sounds the same when recorded or not. Some of the Balticon people would have to tell you. I don’t do anything funky in the audio production to change it in any way.
I’ve written (repeatedly) about the equipment I record with over at the Podiobooks Community site. Once more, I use:
Rode NT1A mic
Prosonus Tubepre preamp
Zoom H4 recorder
I take the files and edit them using Audacity on a 64-bit linux machine, export them to mp3, tag in iTunes and upload to the podiobook media servers for distribution.
For a 30 minute episode it takes me 45-55 minutes to record, an hour or so to edit, another half hour to mix, render and tag. It takes longer than it probably needs to because I use external hard drives to move the files between equipment.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but there we have it.
[update] I asked on twitter and the consensus seems to be that except for a few roles where I was purposely doing an accent, my voice sounds pretty much the same in person and on disk.
January 15th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Glad to see episode 20 up!!
January 15th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
SPOILER ALERT (and question)
I’m kind of surprised that Ishmael has only now (in chapter 20) discovered that his spaceship, Iris, has ports for the cabins. In chapter nine (9) he told Ms. Arellone they would first catalog the problems within the ship and “…then I’ll probably put on a suit and go take a look outside (of the spaceship)”. Since he was already very concerned about the condition of the spaceship I cannot for the life of me envision him omitting this external inspection, most especially if he were contemplating purchasing the vessel. Therefore, I ask myself how it would be possible for him to miss the existence of the armor glass on the outside of the ship where there are (evidently) no shutters. Does anyone else find this to be something that doesn’t quite make sense in the flow of the story? Or have I missed something?
January 15th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
@Ignatz – I was thinking the engineering diagrams were rather poor if the motors to raise/lower the shutters weren’t marked, as well as access ports for those. This is either a case of poor documentation, or Ish just hasn’t really read the Owner’s Manual for his ship.
As for seeing the ports from the outside – the armor glass is likely very low reflectivity, and not *that* thick – we’re never given the impression that they have a 2 ft thick wall on the outside, or something – and the armor glass is apparently actually stronger than the hull metal itself (but is likely far more expensive). With the shutters up on the inside, as they’re single solid expanses themselves, the ports would simply appear to be small depressions, maybe an inch or two of ridge line. Remember – Ish *DID* look back from the Bridge, and could see some of those areas, and didn’t notice. Perhaps it’s as simple as the armor glass is transparent one way, and appears solid the other?
January 15th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
@Ignatz / Jamey – In his hurry to get underway, Capt Wang seems to have made several errors. How odd.
January 15th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
**** Spoiler Alert****
@Ignatz
I agree, and we just learned that Ms Arellone got up and went and looked out the port, back over the Iris, before backing her out. Wouldn’t she have seen these ports as well?
These ports are powered, so if you where looking at blueprints / schematics of them, would the motors and wiring not be listed?
Ish bought a spaceship and never once bothered to look at the outside of it? Hard for me to accept, also.
January 15th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
@Nathan
Would/was he really in a hurry to get away? Or was it other people who wanted him gone, and he was never really sure why? I said this a long time ago, but this Ish is taking chances, and sailing without all the spares he needs. It appears that he has perhaps hired an engineer, who really isn’t qualified? And do you recall that he tested the spacer, but apparently hired his engineer without any test at all. Isn’t that like pinching the pennies and allowing the dollars to go wherever they will? As he has acknowledged that he isn’t qualified on the engines, isn’t having an engineer who knows what he is doing even more important?
January 15th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
**** Spoiler Alert *****
Just some thoughts:
I would guess he got caught in circumstances.
(A pattern in his life)
The big debt over his head
The pressure to get the deal done and get out of town before Jarvis showed up and spoiled it all.
His itchy feet to get back out into the deep dark.
The initial impressions of gramps the chief and his apparent knowledge of the systems available immediately.
Remember Ms Maloney got dumped on him the second the transfer went through.
The pressure from media focussed on him and the potential to find out Ms Maloney is aboard.
He had his hands a little full and ran fast and loose.
He needed to focus on starting to earn some cash and not burn more on docking fees and do a shake down cruise to get to know the ship and crew, which is pretty much what he is doing, and discovering things along the way. (As he normally does)
Although he is very capable and can do anything and everything, there are not enough hours in the day.
My only surprise is that there was no comment on his cabin view port after he discovered the ports.
He has had such a strong affinity for the view on the Agamemnon, I am surprised it has not happened on the Iris. (Though as mentioned, I suppose he has been busy)
January 15th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
P.S.
He did make sure the ship was space worthy and spent a fortune replacing all the required spares etc. before he set sail
January 15th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
@Dav1d – Re; The Chief. Odd huh? What a mistake! Wonder how I coulda missed it?
And Congrats on posting the 400th comment on this thread. I think that’s a record.
January 15th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@Dav1d
There’s a distinct difference between incompetent and lazy. The chief’s probably having his strings pulled by forces beyond. whoever it is pulling his strings would not allow the Jezabel and it’s cohort to come to harm.
January 15th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
@annoyance — what?! he’s having strings pulled?! Seriously? Who in the world would do something like *that*…?
(hehehehehe)
January 15th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
jarvis has alot to gain?
January 15th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I love that the newbie’s name is (red) Herring. I would almost suspect our dear Mr. Lowell of poking fun at his fans if I didn’t know for a fact that he would *never* do such a thing…
January 15th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I’m still puzzled by all the able spacers applying for an ordinary spacer’s berth. Is it because Ish is the captain?
January 15th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Maybe Gramps is really Kristine’s grandfather? The Purloined Letter instead of the Red Herring?
January 15th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
*****Spoiler Alert*****
Odd? Or just part of the master story teller? At just what share level was it that you first used harem? Everything repeats given enough time?
Thank you,
January 15th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
My new feed switched places on my iTunes list, giving me the momentary illusion I had deleted Owner’s Share.
Whew!
Oddly, my iPod merely made a new list and put 20 under Trader’s Tales. 1-19 are under Owner’s Share.
“Trader’s Tales” is a good idea.
I mean, how many times have I heard that very title and never thought to make that choice for my blog list of outstanding Podiobooks? Too many to count. I put Nathan’s name first to keep all his titles together.
January 15th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
@BigMac
“He did make sure the ship was space worthy and spent a fortune replacing all the required spares etc. before he set sail”
Did he? What fortune? Where did it come from? Don’t we know what his share of the prize money was? And he still hasn’t touch it, yet. We know what he raised, and how much the Iris cost. So where did he get the fortune he spent replacing spares? And I still maintain that if the Iris was stripped to the walls
January 15th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Looking at the profit potential, if Welliver to Ten Volt is enough to elicit an off the cuff remark that it’s worth 30k for one passenger, then Ten Volt to Diurnia could easily be worth 50k for each of 8 potential passengers. A little bit of math allows for a potential income of 800k/month in passenger travel alone. Add in high priority cargos on top of that and we get into respectable profit levels.
If the Iris is able to jump between sector capitals in a single jump, Ishmael could make a pretty decent income just ferrying CPJCT officials around the galaxy.
January 15th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
That the *spares* would have cost as much as the ship itself.
January 15th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
@Dav1d- The bank loan was 8 million I believe he used five for the ship, and had an additional 3 to spend on spares, fees, and such.
January 15th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
@annoyance – he needed a job, obviously and there wasn’t a lot of call for Able Spacer. Since he was qualified, he applied.
@gail – yes, Evo did some juggling to try to get the books in a series together. It wasn’t just me. There are some others that got a similar treatment. We picked “Traders Tales #” so that the titles would fall correctly in alpha sequence. A hindsight thing, but very obvious from this perspective. Sorry for the momentary fright
@Dav1d – As Gene points out, he had an extra 3mil for spares, fees, and supplies. He also had some money of his own tucked away. It was enough. Trust me. Oh look, another dent in the hull… how’d that get there?
January 15th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
It was *BARELY* enough, judging by the way he’s been eyeballing the accounts lately.
January 15th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
@Jamey
Well considering he is 8 mil in debt, and wont be seeing a credit from the salvage auction for an extra 30 days it has to be weighing on his mind. I would imagine he is very aware of it even if he is trying to compartmentalize.
Even if he is able to work out a repayment plan instead of a one time payment that seemed to be discussed when he agreed to the loan, I would have to imagine the payments would be significant.
January 15th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
Even if someone is pulling the Chief’s strings I can’t imagine that he would put the ship in danger. He’s on the ship too. Obstructionist maybe. What does Ish do with the Chief? to the best I can remember he has never fired anybody. He has always taken problem employees and developed their potential. It may be that the Chief sees himself as a body guard 1st and an engineer second. It is also very possible that the Chief knows much more about the Iris than he lets on. If he has been employed by the Maloneys for so long it is not because he is incompetent and he may very well know what the original plan for the Jezebel was
January 15th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
****Spoiler Alert*****
Does anyone else think it’s a little odd that Mr. Herring doesn’t seem to know his ship’s suit size? They look at his tags….
January 15th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Nathan – Ha! the “disappearance” of the Owner’s Share feed was *nothing* compared to some of the things I have read here! What a coincidence – all those things have come after your name!
January 15th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
@Dav1d – I think they just looked, and didn’t bother to ask him.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
My question would be if Mr. Maloney didn’t suffer fools, how did he wind up with so many working for him? Aside from Ish of course.
As for the chief I think maybe his body is broke down from years of work and just can’t keep up at this point and maybe isn’t up to speed on the new gear that the Cap. wants installed. Ish said it himself they are playing it fast and loose. Maybe the chief is more of a slow and steady sorta person.
January 16th, 2011 at 1:08 am
@Kenny – What you say about the chief may be so, but not being up to speed on the new gear wouldn’t explain why one would fail to attend to the scrubbers – for any reason.
January 16th, 2011 at 5:28 am
I think Chief Bailey might be simply a little forgetful (okay, a lot forgetful), maybe it’s a medical thing.
January 16th, 2011 at 6:00 am
Spoiler – episode 20
I’m also concerned about “gramps”. In Episode 12 we learned that Ish isn’t rated to run generators or fusactors – and now we’ve got a chief who doesn’t do basic maintenance of scrubbers. Could be dangerous!
The chief’s introduction in the same episode (12) gave the impression of competence (and there was the lovely teaser about his reaction at hearing the design had been retired too). Is he -
unwell (Alzheimer’s)? Not the same man/doppelganger? A spy/rogue/plant?
I know the Trader series has avoided standard Space Opera Tropes until now – but the change in the chief’s demeanor and expression (less “bangin’”) makes me wonder whether he has been replaced and we may be in for another surprise!
Also – those ports. Maybe there’s a protective external skin or coating that stops marks etc ? Otherwise I’m also puzzled about their late discovery.
Oooh -isn’t speculation fun!, Thanks Nate for keeping us on our toes!!
January 16th, 2011 at 6:49 am
Roz – yes, speculation is great, and other people’s ideas are so interesting. I keep thinking, whoa, I would never have thought of that.
As for the Chief, your idea of a replacement is a good one. Maybe he has a twin? They switch off every time he goes ashore…
Personally I am still saying you can’t serve two (or more) masters. I think he puts his other job(s) before the engineering job on the Iris. He has to go if that’s his idea, he’s putting the ship in danger leaving jobs undone – nobody knows which ones aren’t completed.
(I decided a while back that Ish needs to talk to the chief and Kristine and get this straightened out. Somehow my psychic messages didn’t get through to Nathan in time.)
And what IS he doing with his time since he obviously isn’t keeping up with the ship?
The Chief seems to have offended my Inner Housekeeper, leaving things lying about undone.
January 16th, 2011 at 6:59 am
Way back when we first met gramps we where given the impression that he could not stand broken things…. Remember how he kept looking at the broken display? Then think of the shower door, he had to be told a number of times to fix it. Or look at the screens, he mounts them, but doesn’t connect the wiring for them…..
Now it has been suggested that his body is getting on, and may be broke down. Yet remember he is her bodyguard, and we are told he is effective at that. Also remember how he handled Dr. Layman? Again to my mind this doesn’t jive with a broken down body… As to his mind, think back to when we met Ish’s father, Ish described him as being far to aware of what was going on, and this was part of what allowed Ish to figure out he was her bodyguard….
We’ve now been told what the Iris really is… All the freighters we have been told about have multiple air scrubbers, so that they can take one offline to service it, and still have clean air. That they are serviced in rotation, and they do preventive service on them. How many times in the past has a ship been put in danger, or the crew been killed by the air going bad? Knowing what the Iris really is, I can not accept that it does not have multiple air cleaners, if for no other reason than for the comfort of it’s primary cargo….
Last we’ve been told the Iris is ten years old, and that gramps last worked as an engineer ten years ago. So the Iris would not be “new” for gramps, but current with his active service. Also logic would say that in order to maintain ones rating one would need to keep current with the normal practices for their ratings. Indeed have we not been told the Iris was using old consoles?
January 16th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Gail
I have a feeling that the chief could prove to be a competent engineer, but may simple need more supervision. Ish has gave him work to do, but so far has failed to follow up on it getting done, and is just realizing this now. The chief may be used to larger ships where this work would be largely handed by ratings, and may not be used to hands on work. He may feel overwhelmed and embarrassed to have to ask for help. This feeling may be compounded by changes in the 10 or so years since he was last working in this role. Time will tell, but I think a chat from Ish, combined with some more supervision/direction will get him going in the right direction
January 16th, 2011 at 7:06 am
@Gail
“Personally I am still saying you can’t serve two (or more) masters. I think he puts his other job(s) before the engineering job on the Iris. He has to go if that’s his idea, he’s putting the ship in danger leaving jobs undone – nobody knows which ones aren’t completed.”
A long time ago I said you can not serve two masters. Ish has not address this issue, and as captain/owner his refusile
January 16th, 2011 at 7:08 am
Refusal to address this is putting the ship and passengers in danger!
January 16th, 2011 at 8:05 am
I’m lovin’ this speculation.
@dav1d – you’re right! he *is* putting the ship in danger! I wonder why the captain isn’t doing anything about it? Must be something wrong with the plot line …
@gail – interesting observation about two masters. that can’t possibly be a problem here tho, right?
January 16th, 2011 at 8:32 am
I think that Gramps has come to the conclusion that Ms. Maloney is in good hands and isn’t interested in staying in space any longer. So… He’s setting himself up to be beached soon. He’s been around the block a few times, so he knows how to do exactly that. Ish is a bit too nice about things, but that won’t last if anyone is endangered.
January 16th, 2011 at 8:47 am
We don’t know what the Chief’s main agenda is because we don’t know who he is working for. Ish, Miss Maloney, Jarvis or Kristen? All we know about the things going on behind the scenes at DST were told to us by Kristen. She said a lot of things which we don’t know to be true. She may be trying to position herself to take over DST as CEO. Maybe by sabotaging The Iris she hopes to put Miss Maloney ashore and fowling her inheritance. Or is Jarvis the one pulling the strings? Or someone else we don’t know yet? And what of the Red Herring? Is he one? Or is he something more? Ah, what a tangled web you weave Nate.
January 16th, 2011 at 9:02 am
The lost investor at the last minute. The delayed steward endorsement. Pics in the tabloids. All things to slow or Captain down?
January 16th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Slow our Captain down?
January 16th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Although the chief’s behaviour starts to look a bit suspicious, I’m more concerned about the financial note that Ishmael has signed for. I’ve been doing the sums and cannot see how he could possibly earn enough cash, even with freight and cargo combined, to pay off that note within the ninty-day period. Of course, he does have his personal ‘out’ in that he could sell the ship to satisfy the debt and than, after his prize money from the Chernykova shows up he could look around to ‘start again’ with another ship. Unfortunately, I think that a situation like this would effectively put a spanner in the works as regards Ms. Maloney. She has to hold a position for one standard year on a ship in order to gain control of the company. If the ship has to be sold so that her job on it ceases to exist, she loses. Would this tend to make a potential suspect out of Mr. William Simpson – the one who put together the financial deal, but also the one who arranged for such a short term loan?
January 16th, 2011 at 9:39 am
@Jeff
” Ish is a bit too nice about things….”
Old saying, the buck stops here; in my opinion applies here. Ultimately Ish is responsible for everything that happens in his ship, at least everything bad that happens. Here he has acknowledged, and by his lack of actions approved that his Chief engineer and only engineer has two masters, two jobs. He has given, *request* that have NOT been acted upon. Ish has to change the scrubbers; want to bet that his chief engineer upon learning of this doesn’t at once check things out for himself? This is not what Ish is use to. The Chief Engineer may not care about his equipment, (and because of that maybe a poor engineer) but the Captain is responsible for the crew and equipment. The Captain, a good captain would not wait until something really bad happens before acting. Just whom controls the pace here? Who sets the agenda? *If* Ish can’t keep up with the pace he sets, is it really his crews fault? If Ish in his desire to do everything, let’s things go, is not he potentially putting the ship, crew, and passengers at risk?
What is job number 1? Is it being a cook, a painter, a friend? Is it sailing? It’s the little things that get you, in the end. Remember that prize ship, the absent of the alarm board didn’t get them, what really got them was a sloppy ship. Someone left rags laying around. If that captain really cared about his ship, the rags would not have been there, in my opinion.
Remember the worst ship in the DST fleet? Was the crew, people who didn’t know how to do their job? Or was it the Captain’s fault? Did simply changing the captain change the ship? Did Ish not have a lot of things that needed his attention then? Once Ish has identified a problem has he not always addressed it? Going back to that first pot of coffee, how many days did it take Ish to address it?
January 16th, 2011 at 10:16 am
@Ignatz – The note has one of the 9 shares as collateral, so there’s no need for Ishmael to sell the ship.
January 16th, 2011 at 10:48 am
I am not surprised that there are over 400 comments. These characters have assumed the status of real friends — my wife asked me over coffee this morning, “What’s new with Ish this AM?” like we were speaking about a neighbor or something.
The speculation about the delay in getting a Steward’s Endorsement is very telling and suggestive of a bigger problem. Who “inherits” Jeff’s seat on the CPJCT? Who holds it “in the short term”? — why can’t Ish just fall back on his full share rating in the Steward’s Division?
So the Chief is being paid by DS & T and Ish? What is the impact of the publicity on Ish’s ability to get cargo and passengers?
What happened to our guy who was always ready to do the needful? Perhaps that interaction with Chief Gerheart has effected his sense of certainty about things…perhaps introduced a tendency to looking at all sides of something before opening his mouth.
January 16th, 2011 at 11:41 am
@V – It is true that one of Ishmael’s shares is collateral for the loan, but even if he didn’t actually lose the ship, by surrendering that one share he would then have only four shares in his own company (four out of nine) and would no longer be the majority shareholder in the company and could be controlled by the other shareholders were they to band together (thus their five shares overruling his four). In theory, this union of shareholders could even demand that he cease operations and sell the ship (!). But perhaps this is idle speculation.
January 16th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Just what are the terms under which Ms. Maloney must seek employment? And just who are Ish’s investors again? And who are the members of DST board?
As to Ish selling the Iris to pay off the debt, how quick do you envision him being able to do this? I really see it taking longer than 30 days, after all look how long it took to get his prize money from the salvaged ship. Selling the Iris at a drop of a hat is highly unlikely to get the best price for it, or even a good price…
January 16th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@Ignatz He has 6 of 9 shares now since he had to take on the extra. They setup the corp so he would have controlling interest (5 of 9) from the onset. Even if he looses the single share, he is still in control of Icarus.
January 16th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
@Ignatz
My memory is not that good, anymore. But were there not nine shares originally in the company? Ish was to retain five of them and there would be four investors, correct? One investor drop out that means Ish now has six shares, right? That sixth share Ish put up for collateral, he still has his five…
January 16th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
SPOILER ***
GUYS GUYS GUYS I knew frank was his dad the 2nd time I listen & heard that Ish sat in the middle of the counter & looked at the back of franks head. once more seth and maybe philip is his brother. Knew strange out side of new was somethink – but I thought it would be an expandable viewing deck or something like that after christine fell in love with the view from the main deck. It has been mentioned that gramps is angry about somethink. He’s not doing his job because he thinks he’s going to be replaced as a body guard by ish’s bodyguard. and resents having to do chief job while watching over christine feels unneed & overworked for his age. Im about to be 58 next month so see his pain. Christines dad’s death had something wrong with it. If he is dead. If not he & his missing guard are getting to the bottom of who tried to kill him & he got christime on ish’s ship to protect her. Red was a set up he got on ship for a reason.
I am driving my hubby crazy for each knew session. He is not going to start listening until he has all 30.
Nathan I don’t mean to rush you
but I’m going crazy for the next one
I started the set 2 months ago. hubby down loaded. He
finished book 1 & 2 1st weekend.
3 & 4 the next week
# 5 and then relisten to all just before starting 6.
Lots of twist and surprizes. love it.
Your time line of how much he ages per each ship keeps changing thou. YOu have made him age awfully fast. poor guys now 40.
Plan to get and read but we have not figured out yet how to get on the Aluratek readers that we both have. Don’d want to load another reader format if we can avoid it.
January 16th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I do not believe that the CPJCT Directorship is heriditary or company based. Miss Maloney will probably have a good chance at one in the future, with the E&D service she did.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
@odle – i need to check the aging thing for continuity but remember you can’t take the numbers as exact. Like most people he rounds when he talks about his age. You can find ePub and PDF versions at Smashwords – as I understand it you have Libre ereaders from Aluratek and according to their website, you should be able to read both ePUB and PDF.
I’ve been totally unable to do more than one episode a day with this book – I have no idea why, other than timing issues. It’s been crazy here at Casa di Nate with very few opportunities to record and editing taking anywhere from 2x to 3x my normal amount of time. There’s a new episode (21) in the queue and as soon as Podiobooks does the update, you’ll have it.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:53 pm
@Nate: As disappointed as I am that you haven’t put episodes out faster, I’ve seen you produce an unnatural amount of eps. for previous books. You had to slip sometime. No good deed goes unpunished.
Besides, as I see it, you are still much faster than the 1-2 eps. a week–or less–I see from other authors. Can you imagine what we’d be like if you were averaging 4 eps a month?
January 20th, 2011 at 6:03 am
I am glad to see Podiobooks is back alive. Nate have any feeds for them to test out
January 20th, 2011 at 6:24 am
Thank you Evo and Team Podiobooks, you are impressive and congratulations and stuff.
January 20th, 2011 at 6:47 am
Ahhhhhhhh! Feels good to be back on Podiobooks.com. You guys do great work. Thanks for the rapid turnaround.
January 20th, 2011 at 7:10 am
Thank goodness for Podiobooks.
Nathan, you have a lot more going on this time around. No wonder you can’t keep the schedule to which we’ve all been accustomed. On the up side, we are having some good conversations on the questions that arise.
January 20th, 2011 at 10:38 am
@Michael McCarthy.
even at this pace he’ll probably finish reading Avempartha before Lenahan finishes Prince of Hazel and Oak. And Nathan started writing Owner’s Share after Lenahan started reading. (you know I love you John)
January 20th, 2011 at 10:55 am
btw, ShadowMagic, as well as Quarter Share and Half Share, are available for purchase at Amazon.com They deserve our support. Thanks Nate, John and Evo. (we need to support podiobooks.com as well.)
January 20th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Going back to something Jeff said on the 16th, Chief Gramps “isn’t interested in staying in space any longer. So… He’s setting himself up to be beached soon.”
Deliberately or not, that’s what I see him doing, too. I’m puzzled, though. Ish has always firmly put his crew in their places, so why isn’t he handling this crew? Is it because he doesn’t know what those places are? Always before, everything was codified to the nth degree. This time he may have to invent the code himself.
Ah. Is Ish back to not knowing there’s a gym on board because he doesn’t think to check his tablet? He is at that level of ignorance about running a passenger ship.
Or has this discussion moved permanently to the forums?
January 20th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
I think the problem with the chief has nothing to do with being a passenger liner. The fact is the Captain is the captain. He gave clear, and direct orders to a subordinate crew member. and they were ignored. This constitutes mutiny on a ship. He could have him charged and jailed. In this case, it could even be considered sabotage. And who knows, maybe he’s doing that too.
January 20th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
@annoyance Mutiny is too harsh… Mutiny is when the crew wrestles control of the ship from the Captain. All the chief has done is not comply with a direct and legal order. Which does constitute some form of disciplinary action which can include termination…
January 20th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
@Jack What about sabotage? It definitely puts the ship in danger when the chief refuses to perform maintenance on the scrubbers. That’s not even considering willful tampering.
January 20th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
@Gail, surely the problem with gramps is that he is not just the Chief but also Ms. Malones bodyguard. I assume that is why Ish is trying to convince her she doesn’t need one. At the moment he is a man with two masters and until that changes Ish can’t put him off the ship.
Also there seems to be some speculation that Ms. Malone will invest in the company & save Ish from his debt, am I reading this wrong but I don’t think she can? Under the terms of her fathers will she has to spend a year on a ship not owned in whole or part by any board member or family member of DST. Wasn’t that why Ronnie had to use a proxy (the guy who later dropped out). Chris could invest but then she would have to get a new job on another ship or forfit her inheritance.
January 20th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
@annoyance Dereliction of Duty – Not Sabotage. Sorry.
January 20th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
@Jack That makes me sad. I want him jailed.
January 20th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I find it strange that the chief comes across very willing to do the jobs Ish asks him to when talking face to face but when contacted by tablet or having to read the list seems like an issue. I did think at one point that the chief may be illiterate? but then he still didn’t replace the lights in Red’s cabin when asked verbally he didn’t before leaving ?! Genuinely had to wait for order of light fittings? hummmm can’t wait to find out what’s actually up with the chief
January 20th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
***SPOILER ALERT***
I’m thinking that the dereliction of the Chief’s duty on the Iris has more to do with his DST employer and supervisor Ames Jarvis (or was that Jarvis Ames – my oldtimers’ is cutting in) than with his lack of skill as an engineer. He is frequently described as grumpy and unhappy – possibly due to conflicting allegiances and possibly even conflicting direct orders…. Isn’t it interesting that an investor somewhat connected to DST withdraws, Ms. Malone’s bodyguard/engineer turns out to be less than helpful, and DST’s chairman helpfully freezes her trust income all at a time when making this venture unsuccessful would result in Mr. Jarvis receiving moving from a temporary to a more permanent post???
BTW I am sooo glad that Podiobooks was able to get moving a day earlier than planned. I hope this means their repairs went without further problems. Hope everyone remembered to donate!
January 20th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
leaving work in 30 *refresh *refresh *refresh *refresh * Damn. Guess I’ll have to wait until I get home.
January 20th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
@annoyance Personally I agree with you… Chief come take a look at this Burleson Limit…
January 20th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
I think it is quite possible that the Chief has Alzheimer’s disease or some other short term memory issues. Up to this point any time Ish asks him to do something he does it right away or if he say he will get to it he seems to forget to do it. just a thought
January 20th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Arrrgh! I missed this being released due to visiting families over xmass, I’ve only just spotted it.
Oh well at least I’ve got a big pile of episodes to listen too.
January 20th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
I have to agree with IceGirl. I think the Chief’s actions are deliberate and probably on orders from DST. I wasn’t sure until Ms. Malone mentioned the Chief was paid by DST for his bodyguard work. All the problems from the pictures in the tabloids to the lack of repairs and maintenance is probably aimed at discrediting and stressing both the captain and Ms. Malone. Personally I think its suicidal on the chief’s part and I only wonder if someone like Jarvis is applying some leverage or blackmail on him and/or his daughter to do this stuff.
January 20th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
RobG, don’t be sad, you didn’t know you were missing anything, and now I envy you, getting 24 episodes all at once.
**SPOILER**
BB I hadn’t thought of the chief being deliberately unhelpful, it puts a new spin on things. DST is accumulating a lot of things to explain.
January 20th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Thanks for taking care of us while podiobook was down. I was very thankfull to be able to get my fix. I know you are going as fast as you can and keeping up with the with everything else like this adds to the work load. thankyou
spoiler maybe
Who says 1 person has to buy full share of Ish’s new company. He has lots of past crewr from several ships, some who are about to get a lot of money. Ships have qtr & half shares no reason a company can’t also.
January 20th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
@ODIE…
I was wondering the same thing. Or maybe even his father.
I am really going to miss this series when it is completed, all that has happened so far there is no way all of the sub plots are going to be fully explored…
@nathan
THanks for feeding the addiction during the server outage
January 20th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Thanks to all of you crazy people who can’t seem to get enough of my little stories.
No, Brian, all the sub plots won’t be fully explored. That’s life (and first person POV) but I *hope* I fill in enough that the ending works for everybody. Remember this is the end of the Share series but .. maybe I left the door open for a sequel. Possibly.
And there’s some fill in stories in the “gaps” that might happen sometime. Ya never know.
January 20th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
@Nathan
It’s all good, that is the life of a spacer….
I’ll be looking forward to the books.
January 20th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
okay I’m going with sabotage now. But how do you pay someone to commit suicide?
January 20th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
/
. Anyway are we gonna see gearheart come back? and if so can we look forward to Husbands Share? *Waggles Eyebrows* 
Just don’t stop writing I actually set time aside in my day every time i see an episode pop up 
|
—— Addicted
I love your story style and hope you never start writing. I would buy your books and donate but unfortunately I’m a college student… I’ll be sure to contribute when i have a job
January 20th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
… oops…… i meant stop writing…. fail….
January 20th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
What’s up with the Chief?
*Speculation/Spoiler Alert*
Before we discuss his engineering, let’s consider if he could be the media leak. Why would a bodyguard leak info? Maybe he has a deal with the reporters to give them stuff to report on Captain Wong, as long as they agree to keep Miss Maloney’s name out of it. We already know that Miss Maloney doesn’t pay him; he is paid by DST, which is currently run by Jarvis. Could there be some special instructions?
Back to the performance of his duties. We have considered incompetence, apathy, and sabotage. It has been noted that the Captain did not test the Chief when he hired him. Have we considered the possibility that the Chief is testing the Captain?
January 20th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Ai caramba! Chief is well beyond the pale. Incompetence and insubordination has progressed (digressed?) to endangerment of the ship and crew. Keelhaul the blackguard!
January 20th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
Um… Just finished listening to 25 – WHOAH!!!! Damn!
January 21st, 2011 at 4:53 am
If chief Bailey is required to stay as bodyguard to Christine Maloney, he can book passage as a passenger (and can maybe get DST to pay for that. Jarvis will love that).
January 21st, 2011 at 5:42 am
Having the Chief be the media leak because of Jarvis makes a lot of sense to me. Jarvis has no reason to ask for Maloney’s name to stay out of the news either. I personally doubt the Chief would agree to sabotage the ship to the extent Ish has discovered so I am leaning towards medical problems there.
My big question at this point is – how much will Gearhart have to beat him over the head to get him to hire her?
January 21st, 2011 at 6:52 am
@Nathan I absolutely love this series and your quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors but your scaring me. 5 epis left and no end in sight. Please don’t go Seinfeld on me. It’s my only unforgivable sin. I know it’s already written, nothing to be done now but play it out. I think I’m more in suspense about if there will be a satisfying ending than what that ending will be. I feel like I’m losing a relative; I need closure. Ok I’ll stop putting unneeded and late pressure on you and go back to listening. Can’t wait for 26!!!!
January 21st, 2011 at 7:08 am
I’ve been pondering the Chief’s way of speaking, all along his pattern is like: “Fuel and water aboard, see if they’re not.” “…they’ll go up when you’re ready, see if they don’t.” Perhaps it’s a test to see if Ish IS monitoring things, since it’s really only now that Ish is actually checking anything. Maybe the “see if they’re not” patter is a challenge?
Or, if the Chief had known that fuel and water were low, and didn’t do anything about topping them up, perhaps he has been assuming Ish has been doing it all along.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:10 am
@ Peter Ellis – sorry, I missed your comment. I see you are way ahead of me on this line of thinking.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:36 am
@D.dot – Nate has never failed to satisfy with his endings yet, except when he’s in the middle of a series such as Captain’s Share. Instead of saying “Trust Iris” why not “Trust Nate”?
January 21st, 2011 at 7:42 am
I’m loving the story development, Mr. Lowell, especially the entwined processes of dinner preparation and consideration of the ship’s engineering and safety requirements. Nice!
…
And now for some SPECULATION:
…
The main requirement for Ms. Maloney to receive her full inheritance along with controlling interest in DST is that she serve for one standard year on a ship which is not owned either wholly or in part by DST or anyone affiliated with DST. So if someone from DST gains financial ownership of one of the stock shares (even for a short time) it would seem to render null and void all of the time that Ms. Maloney has served on the Iris… and potentially spell the end of her chances to ever gain control of the company.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:59 am
Hi, Nathan,
). Unless journalism has had some major changes, this kind of incident would most likely end up as a footnote in a police blotter – not headliner news.
Have very much been enjoying “Owner’s Share” and I echo the thanks for taking good care of your addicts… um… fans through the difficulties at podiobooks.
My one and only critique is going down the route of the “unethical, incompentent and annoying journalist” trope. This is a spot where I’m personally a bit touchy, having been a newspaper reporter myself for years.
It’s been my experience that most reporters are ethical, responsible, polite and seriously underpaid for the work they do. Most of the time when someone is angry at a reporter, it’s because they’ve done something and got caught at it. (Obviously not the case here with Captain Wang, though).
The reporter you depicted, who didn’t check her sources, didn’t bother to talk to any of the other passengers on the ship and managed to get herself /arrested/ for no good reason would not be working long at any respectable news organization (of course, she might not be working for a respectable news organization…
Anyway, I got to thinking about it, and apart from “All the President’s Men”, a recent thriller called “State of Play” and Superman and Spider-Man – I can’t think of many examples where the reporter is actually the hero of the piece… I guess this isn’t so much a criticism of your work, but of the trope.
Thanks for your great work, and thank you for tolerating my small little rant.
-Adam
January 21st, 2011 at 10:05 am
The more I think about the book and where it is going, the more I think about Jeff and the way he worked. I think he knew he was in danger, moved Jarvis to Breakall to get him out of the way, and set up the will and pulled in Ish hoping to protect his daughter. If she got the shares immediately, she may not have lasted long. I think he was well aware of her obvious capability. He hoped to get to Jarvis before all this happen, but somehow died first, but was hedging his bets by the will. There were hints about a possible relationship between him and Kristen and she may be the only one knowing what he was afraid of, hence, get Ish and Christine out of there before Jarvis hit Diurnia. Gramps fits here somewhere. Hey, Nate, keep agoin’ I want to know how my guesses stack up.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:05 am
Nate,
I am really enjoying this series!
** possible spoiler speculation **
I keep thinking about that quote from the beginning of the book, “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board….women forget all those things…the dream is the truth…[they] act and do things accordingly.”
Makes me think that there is a woman’s hand at the center of things….
January 21st, 2011 at 10:11 am
@adam – yeah – the muckraker trope is unfair to journalists as a whole. and she’s NOT working for a respectable news organization. The one who was (back at the presser in the beginning) got a better shake, I think. Personally, I think journalists are probably in the same place that teachers are now — being squeezed into uncomfortable positions by businesses that care more about money than outcomes and integrity. Maybe I’ll take on a journalist-as-hero … problem being that I *know* being aboard ship and I don’t know what walking in a journalist’s shoes is like.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:24 am
@nathan
I understand that for the purposes of your story, you needed the muckraker trope. That’s OK – there’s just so much of it, you know?
Good point on the being squeezed thing. There is a decent amount of that going on as large media networks are taking more shape.
But, like you say, those networks care more about money and outcomes than content. There’s still a lot of local control. And an astute editor or reporter will understand that there’s no faster way to have people drop subscriptions than bad journalism and “gotcha” etchics.
If you ever need any thoughts on being in a journalist’s shoes, feel free to contact me anytime – I’ll be glad to help however I can.
Thanks!
-Adam
January 21st, 2011 at 11:57 am
@Adam
I think they were more tabloid journalists than regular.
January 21st, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Ishmael has never seemed quite as indecisive as he does in Ep. 25; whether the chief engineer is incompetent, lazy, or trying to subtly scuttle the ship really shouldn’t matter… for any of those reasons Ish should have thrown him off the ship and found a replacement at whatever pace the local system allowed. Pressing on with untrustworthy crew seems like a serious error in judgement.
January 21st, 2011 at 12:12 pm
@Briang The one who got arrested, definitely!
Still, you think that in the whole bunch, maybe, there would be one good, ethical one who did their homework and found out the truth.
Then again, the good, ethical ones are probably going to recognize this for the non-story (news-wise) that it is and not come near it – unless it’s for a “set the record straight” story.
I know what you’re saying… I’ll stop griping.
-Adam
January 21st, 2011 at 12:54 pm
@ Adam A derelict ship turns into an enormous windfall for a major corporation and a certain captain of one of said corporation’s ships. There is a lot suspicion behind the why this ship became so much space junk, and all of the grieving families(with microphones in their faces, being asked, How do you feel?) just trying to make sense of it all. Add to that the CEO of the corporation dies of a heart attack. Which in this world is rare. Facts like these make for a very important set of circumstances that it would be foolish for any reporter to determine that there is no story without some kind of investigation.
January 21st, 2011 at 2:00 pm
@keven – yes. yes, it does. what ever is he thinking?
(heheheheheh)
@adam – yes. there are a lot of good ethical journalists. i wonder where they work in 2373…
January 21st, 2011 at 2:14 pm
@ annoyance: Good points, all. Yes, there is probably some sort of story here that the reporters are pursuing. But they are going after it quite stupidly. Which, I suppose, happens far more than it should even now with the pressure to be first. *sigh*
Oddly, the advent of space travel should actually ease that pressure somewhat with much slower transmission times. Almost like going back to telegraph days… The only completition would be planet/orbital-side.
@nathan: I think they are going to be working for a “slower” news cycle product with less pressure. Do they still have magazines in 2373?
I’d like to see a reporter who’s doing this because they are trying to make a difference a love what they do – not for money or the “scoop.” Maybe a reporter could reveal corruption going on? Dunno. Just thoughts.
January 21st, 2011 at 2:37 pm
@Nathan Maybe, on the Iris as an Able Spacer.
@Adam I think that’s the human condition. The reporters aren’t the only ones going after things “stupidly”. How can he be so smart and stupid at the same time?
January 21st, 2011 at 4:20 pm
I am so wrapped up in these characters that I have started reminding myself that it’s a story.
But I am having so much fun being annoyed at the Chief. Among other things.
Thank you Nathan. BTW, great interview with John Meirau! His recording system lacks the “warmth” of yours, which is how I know what “warmth” means in this context.
January 21st, 2011 at 5:16 pm
@nate you really get gold stars for the podcast teardown interview on JohnMierau.com great! You sound pretty smart
Wondering why Ish is being so lax with security – you can hardly get onto a plane anywhere now without baggage checks at a minimum – (more usually it’s a lot more intrusive)! Surely bodyguards should be a bit more vigillant too? Is there some kind of screening planetside to exclude obvious threats such as explosives in the luggage?
January 21st, 2011 at 5:54 pm
I’m still bothered by the slow network on the ship, before ish started his upgrades. Could it have just seemed slow because it’s carrying extra traffic, like fr
January 21st, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Wow. I was so bummed with the outage that I had to go listen to all the books again. LOL, what a treasure to hear your voice some more and to relive the stories one more time.
I can hardly wait to go start on my recently downloaded episodes and just want to say thank you again.
Hmmm. I have been trying to figure out why I like these stories so much.
I think it is because you make the charectors seem like my friends and I feel like I know them and am sad when one leaves the ship or gets hurt.
There is no way to describe to someone how connected they can be to a sludge monkey, but when they listen to the book they become just as attached as I am.
Great job sir.
Wink
January 21st, 2011 at 6:31 pm
I don’t know what to think about Ish. Every competent boss I’ve had would not hesitate to call me on the carpet when I screw up. Why is Ish so hesitant with the chief? He certainly has not been hesitant with Miss Areone or others. Why the hesitancy here?
January 21st, 2011 at 6:51 pm
@roz – that’s actually a commentary on today’s Security Theatre.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:05 pm
Meh…. Been waiting for Chief Gerhardt to join Ish since he left the Agamemnon and now he needs a new chief – C’mon fate, make her be in port when he arrives ;P
The idea that Chief Bailey might be getting pressured to screw up by someone hadn’t occurred to me until I read these comments; though now that I think back to his sputtering speech, he does say, “Oh yes Cap’n, see if I don’t” a lot ~as if he’s trying to drop a hint.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:35 pm
@Jonas – I would guess because Ish feels the Chief is necessary to the continued employment of Ms. Malone. Is why Ish didn’t get around to it now. Also there have been only nine evolutions of critical times in the operation of the ship. Dock-Undock-Jump and that since everyone that had guiding him in this new ship felt that he was competent and he appeared to confirm that early on.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:38 pm
I agree with Tris – the Chief has been dropping a hint. After all, I don’t buy that Ish has suddenly lost his ability to judge a person’s character. I think the Chief was likely seconded to the sabotage plan after it was confirmed that Ish wanted him as engineer for the Iris. The sing-song and the obvious lapses such as leaving the console in the galley half done were hints being left by someone who maybe isn’t entirely a “bad-un” but may be caught in someone else’s net. I suspect there is some reason that the Chief is playing along with the sabotage – after all, he could have been caught in the deep-dark without a ride just the same as the rest of the crew and passengers.
I can hardly wait to see what happens next!! (HINT HINT – It would be really nice to see another episode up tonight… (batting my eyelashes if that helps!);)
January 21st, 2011 at 8:51 pm
Jamming – I think the reason Ish didn’t pull the plug on the Chief has more to do with his own needs than those of Christine Malone. I think he just considered the effect of dumping his Chief Engineer before he got to Diurnia against the value to his company of the priorities on the cargo he is carrying along with the passenger fares he has collected. Then he decided he could do two jobs at once and carry a not-so-great employee for a little longer so he could make that extra cash he needs to pay off the note. If he knows coming into Diurnia he is going to make the change, he can have half the employee search done before they even dock.
January 21st, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Sorry, IceGirl. Evo doesn’t update on Friday night. I forgot that earlier. I’ll have 26 in the morning updates tho, I think.
January 21st, 2011 at 9:45 pm
I think we need more “eyelash batting.”
I agree about why Ish didn’t drop the Chief now, sorry if I left you with the impression I did not. I was approaching the idea that Ish accepted what the others told him about the Chief.
I do disagree with you about the Chief’s actions becoming nefarious as he hasn’t been logging things since the start. The Chief didn’t buy the tankage needs leaving the port for Welliver after the little in system test excursion. Something was wrong from the start and the Chief is getting more unstable.
I am beginning to think the Chief was rewarded by Geoff Malone after a problem on the Chief’s ship, something awful that made the Chief not want to return to his Chief Engineer job. Typical Geoff wanting to use a loyal employee made him a bodyguard of his daughter instead, rewarding the Chief for service maybe even heroic service. Instead of firing him or letting him go for not wanting to be a Engineer. Whatever happened in the past is now haunting the Chief and getting worse.
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:28 am
So do we think the photos that were released to the not-so-nice press were taken by the Red Herring or the Chief?? I’m inclined to think Percival is really not the red herring he appears – after all, if the Chief has been releasing photos of Christine, wouldn’t he have been caught in the past ten years?? On the other hand, maybe the Chief was able to get the photos in his role as confidante and bodyguard thanks to some spyware type camera and he is simply padding a retirement that is obviously going to come about sooner rather than later. I can’t quite decide. I’m inclined to vote for the Chief though for the simple expedient of not having too many main characters in one piece. If the Chief is a villain, which appears to be true re the sabotage of the ships maintenance routine, warning alarms, etc., then why have a completely separate villain responsible for the photos and leaks to the press?? Of course if they are all in the secret pay of DST, then anything is possible. I think a photo of Ames Jarvis will prove to show that he comes complete with greasy top hat and waxed mustache a la Rocky & Bullwinkle!
January 22nd, 2011 at 5:22 am
I’m having a hard time believing that the Chief can be competent and sabotaging the ship. The Chief would have to have known that there was the bare minimum of fuel left, and if they had jumped short or the winds weren’t in their favor, they’d have crashed into the orbital or had another fatal outcome.
Him just being plain incompetent as a Chief Engineer is more likely then him actively trying to kill the crew and himself, especially when he still plays a believable bodyguard and seems to still care about Christine.
Though, I got a little frustrated when Ish remained silent to Christine about them coming within an inch of their lives because of the Chief’s actions. It was a much more obvious reason to fire the Chief than the little, vague justifications he gave her at dinner.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:17 am
Tris said, “Though, I got a little frustrated when Ish remained silent to Christine about them coming within an inch of their lives because of the Chief’s actions. It was a much more obvious reason to fire the Chief than the little, vague justifications he gave her at dinner.”
He’s walking a fine line in the Personnel Department by talking about the performance of an officer to a rating. The ONLY reason he’s able to do it at all is because of the joint relationship. He’s tap-dancing here. He shouldn’t be talking about it *at all* but he is. That’s a clue.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:21 am
The Ish of the previous tales would have confronted the Chief situation head-on a long time ago. His current “wait and see” approach is so out of character.
Also, all of his astrogation calcs need to know the exact ship’s mass. How can he be surprised that the tanks are empty? If he’s supposed to be tracking the ship’s mass? Ish is not supposed to be incompetent, right?
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:54 am
@ Chris
The tanks are suppose to be topped so he assumes the mass in his calculations. Keep in mind that he overshot his target by 2 percent at one point. The less mass the further you jump.
I think.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:32 am
@chris – curious, ain’t it?
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:02 am
@Sam – it’s not quite that simple, and as far as I can tell, really the main place the mass difference would be noticed would be while using the kickers. However, the interface on the helmsman board for the kickers seems to be simplified almost to the video game level, so it quite easily would be missed even then.
Tankage seems to be a relatively minor part of the mass of the ship – cargo generally seems to be the majority of it. And the long jump was well within in the normal variation – remember when they jumped 5% short in the Agamemnon, and nobody went looking for stowaways.
The ship is rated for 9,500 metric tons of cargo. Ish seldom manages to get more than a third of that, so far as we’ve seen. Ship mass itself is likely at least half of the rated cargo mass, and considering food itself seems to be on the order of no more than a metric ton or two – tankage might be as much as a 1,000 tons and not be all that noticable. 1,000 tons of water is roughly 125,000 gallons – while on our normal day-to-day scale, that’s a lot of water – on the ship’s scale, it’s really not.
We’ve got three separate tanks for tankage – water, fuel (likely deuterium or tritium enriched water, if not just cryogenic liquid H2), and volatiles for the kickers (not sure about this, really – maybe potable vs. non-potable water?) For the universe we’ve seen here so far, none of these really need to be *that* big.
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:10 am
just have one question…where is 26
just kidding its almpst as fun reading the comments as it is to listen to the book…..ALMOST lol
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:45 am
Doesn’t Ish have a fuel gauge on the console? Even my car has gauges for the basics like fuel and battery. I know the alarms were not working but still…
@Nate, This forum is so cool. I’m a professor and I would love to have the author available as we discuss the chapters in the book. I’m hoping that when the book is done, all is revealed and you don’t have to be so coy about spoilers that we can have an in depth discussion
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:52 am
Then there’s the chief’s funny way of talking…
“tanks are all topped off, see if they ain’t”
Is that a pattern of speech, or is it a “dare”? Even if folk don’t agree about the mass question I still think the Ish from the other book would have been more forthright about getting the chief to shape up.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:00 am
Love the book so far and i hope you will continue with his universe one way or another.Would like to see Pip and theother ones again though to see what ever happend to them.Good job to podibooks as well
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:00 am
On the list of things Ish is doing wrong.
Has anyone else noticed that in the roughly 8 weeks we have been running so far there have been no ships drills?
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@joel – there are tank level guages on the bridge. they’re on the engineering console. the one that’s seldom turned on. We can do a chat sometime if you want. I’m a bit leery about posting TOO many spoilers here on the thread because people stanyers from now will be reading, and maybe before they’ve listened.
@lars – the Golden Age will go on.
@Peter – there’s also time “between” where you’re not seeing the ship and they could be happening there.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:26 pm
@Nate – with a typical freighter and an experienced crew, ships drills would be a routine event and hardly worth mentioning. I assume they happend on the Aggie.
However we currently have an unfamiliar ship with an unreliable engineer, a “greenie” 1/4 share (who admitedly propbably does know how to put a ship suit on) and Passengers. I find it hard to believe that drills under these conditions would be “routine”.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:44 pm
we also have a story that’s 50,000 words too long. I had to pick something.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:57 pm
We’ve seen the effects of suit drills on greenies in previous stories. I doubt that Ms. Maloney’s reactions would break any new ground. Nate has a lot to tell. I think its a good thing to leave out.
***waiting not so patiently for the episode 26***
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Wow! Ask and you shall receive – it’s up!
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Hi Nate,
“we also have a story that’s 50,000 words too long. I had to pick something.”
By what standard is that too long? In my book, I would welcome those words.
My husband and I sit for hours listening to you read. We will be looking forward to what ever you do.
Thanks,
Sandy and John Crawford
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Very satisfying encounter with Chief you-know-who in the latest chapter. Set a great tone for my entire day!
Nate, I know you may have other plans, but I hope you will consider not only more solar clipper tales, but more Ish stories as well. To paraphrase Christine, “there are always different ways to pay a writer his due.” You fans are *very*committed to seeing more of these characters.
thanks for this great book, and for sticking to a schedule on production. It has brought a lot of enjoyment to many……and where is 27? (just kidding).
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Another vote for the extra 50,000 words! Nate, you are a pleasure to listen to.
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@sandy – at 200k words, this book is all but unprintable. I realize that most people will read it on ebook and that it doesn’t matter in audio, but now that I’m actually being published in print, I have to be aware of the limitations of that medium. I *really* don’t want to have two different stories with the same title.
@tom – There will probably be more Ishmael stories.
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Nathan, I’m glad you said “all but unprintable”. After all, “The Deed of Paksenarrion” by Elizabeth Moon clocks in at just a bit over 512k words.
Have you ever thought about submitting the Trader’s Tales series to a Big Name publisher like Baen Books?
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Yes, Chantillary, I did. I gave it a hard look in 2009 and considered what would happen if I were to actually GET the publishing deal. The costs were too great, the time lines too long, and the returns too small for me to consider it seriously. If I *had* continued, we would still be in the “agent search phase” which has to be completed before the agent can represent the book to the publisher. A publisher will then take 12 to 18 months per book to publish them. After that it gets very ugly. By most timelines, I could look at having my current 8 novels completed in 10 to 12 YEARS if I got the deal.
Deed of Paksenarrion is not being printed via Print-on-Demand presses with an upper limit on the number of pages before the glue in the binding gives out.
That’s not to say I might not have won the lottery and gotten a deal for multiple books or with a publisher that had a shorter publication horizon, but looking at what’s happening in the publishing industry right now, I’m not sure what a contract with Baen or DAW would do for me, at this point.
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Hey Nate – I read really long books all the time and can’t believe that 200k is a limit. I’m also into historical fiction and in that genre, they tend to make most sci-fi novels look like short stories with books approaching 500 pages (or more) and series lasting 10 or 12 books. Just use smaller print – us “older folk” will just have to cope!
Just sitting here waiting for my unbelievably slow internet hookup to download the latest episode. Do you suppose -40 temperatures can affect the speed of bits through a pipe??
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:04 pm
*thinks IceGirl got Ninja’d on that comment.*
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:18 pm
What does 200K words translate to in pages? It doesn’t feel to long in the audio format. Do you have any idea about the demographics on who listens to the trader tales? The lack of zombies blood and angst seems like the audience would be more mature. But the popularity certainly shows that it is crossing over demographics. Its scifi because its set in the future and on a space ship but the basic gist of the story could have been told in almost anytime or place.
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Random question but how many episodes long will this this book be:-)
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Quarter Share is 80k. It’s 240 pages. 200k would be 600 pages with the same layout.
@joel – the demographic runs from teen to octogenarian. Emphasis on ex-Navy, ex-military. A lot of old-school Heinlein and Bradbury fans. A lot of the new media people who are fans are in the 30 something range. It’s a very wide demographic.
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Sounds like the Chief is planning on making some more trouble for Ish.
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:08 pm
@Nate-
I’ve enjoyed the Share series, and I applaud the notion that it will be coming to a close. Sooner or later, all stories end. I think that there is an unfortunate tendency to try to squeeze too much from a bunch of characters and whatever ‘verse they inhabit. Seems to me that most series begin to get repetitive after three or four books, and once they get past six or seven, all the juice is pretty much pressed out.
That seems to be true regardless of genre. Although I love Patrick O’Brian, and can listen to Patrick Tull read the series over and over, after HMS Surprise the series just never had the same energy. Robert Parker had the same thing happen with the Spenser books, and pretty much all the Baen series circle the drain after a few books.
I’ve enjoyed Ish and crew(s)—but I’m just as happy to follow you into other stories and other places, where we can meet new people and do new things. If I want to visit the Share series, I can always read ‘em or listen to ‘em again.
Thanks for leaving these while they’re fresh.
January 22nd, 2011 at 5:59 pm
I think a suprise is coming, see if it isn’t
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:01 pm
I think you’re right, Briang. But so far, nobody’s guessed what it is.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Oooh, ooh ooh! Now the author is baiting us to guess. I like this game!
Well, clearly Ms. Maloney knows something concrete about Mr. Simpson, and it’s making me think that’s fishy (although I like Mr. Simpson…but then I liked the chief until he went bad…then worse.)
I therefore predict that it will be revealed that Mr. Simpson has been working for Ames Jarvis, and that the plot has been to bait Ms. Maloney into working for a ship, but she won’t be able to complete the stanyear of work because the ship will be yanked out from under her. But the tables will be turned on all the baddies when the unexpected huge success of the ship yields another investor (should be easy to find one now.) So hard work and a bit of luck save the day from their evil plot.
That is one of about five different endings I can imagine, but I anticipate the real ending will be better.
Or perhaps someone from Ish’s past will come to the rescue. It is, after all, a small universe.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:46 pm
RE: the chief. I really enjoyed the soul-searching Ish did before firing him. Sometimes, if you’re trying to be a good manager, it is easy to fall into the trap of second-guessing too long before cutting someone loose. But the logic he came to was spot-on. Perhaps Ish could have been a better manager, but in the end it doesn’t matter. The chief wasn’t working out, and even if it’s Ish’s fault (which it wasn’t in this case), the chief still has to go. It’s a hard truth. I thought you made this case in the book very clearly, and captured the real-life agony of a good manager deciding when to fire someone.
Also, the dismissal scene was excellent. Firing someone is never fun, but it is certainly made easier when the person who is fired is a jerk. All the second guessing vanishes quickly.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Re: Episode 26. Great episode, once again. Loved the scene with the chief. And not one, but two cliffhangers! Always leave ‘em wanting more, eh, Mr. Lowell?
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:19 pm
***Spoiler***
List of people who probably could and would invest in Icarus
(I realize some people would include Pip on this list, but even if he is doing really well, he has a clan to support, and probably doesn’t have enough liquid assetts on short notice)
Jimmy Chin
Henri Roubaille
Plunkett’s Junkets
Francis Wong
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:29 pm
You know what’s really funny?
I can’t remember who it is. I haven’t recorded that episode yet and it’s been so long since I looked at that chapter, I don’t remember. Man, that’s sad.
I do know that “none of the above” applies but I’m danged if I can remember who it really is.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:58 pm
A feminine silhouette suddenly appeared in front of my cabin door. “Ms. Arellone? I thought you went ashore?”
“No. Ishmael. Not Ms. Arellone.”
I recognized the voice. Twenty years gone and it was still recognizable. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and I chest tightened. I must be dreaming, I thought.
“Mother?”, I asked.
TO BE CONTINUED IN… MOTHER’S SHARE!
lol
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Hi Nate,
“You know what’s really funny?
I can’t remember who it is. I haven’t recorded that episode yet and it’s been so long since I looked at that chapter, I don’t remember. Man, that’s sad.
I do know that “none of the above” applies but I’m danged if I can remember who it really is.”
Very funny! I am laughing my head off!
Thank you for a Christmas present that will last a long time. It has been an exciting month. I am dreaming this stuff.
I am still hanging on that cliff.
Sandy Crawford
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:01 pm
@Nathan I think you’re right, Briang. But so far, nobody’s guessed what it is.
@Me well i GUESS it could be that ms Gerhart in all secret left aga and ms Malone knows where she is OR that a very old friend of Ish is taking a break from his/her family ship to work somwhere else.I also guess that i might be all wrong but in all case excellent book serie and i will be looking forward to more from you.That however might take a while so i just have to search through podibooks to find another book for my liking….any suggestions?
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:02 pm
That Mr. Lowell is not funny but I can offer a bunch more names.
********SPOILER************
Mrs. Maloney
the first couple the judge…
Captain cigone? ( I know I spelled that wrong I still have to go buy my copy)
Mr. Simpson
Mr. Jarvis ( cuase then he can make call mrs. maloney null and void owned by company.
Captain Freddie.
crew of tinker. doubtfull but possible.
or could be kirsten kingsly.(she could have resigned or been fired for selling the ship so she could have invested in the company
The Jolly Roger.
The Easter bunny, and the Abominable Snowman.
is Mr. Simpson an Investor becuase I thought that might be an issuse becuase he works for DST, or is contracted to give advice…. nto sure how all that red tape goes.
out of all of those I lean towards the judge and husband becuase they loved the trip and wanted him to ferry to and from diurnia then they can get a trip every so often for free.
Keep up the good work. still going nuts checking when I get off work. checking when i wake up and then every hour on the hour….. (you have offically made me an addict again. this is worse than Mr. Sigler can ever hope to accomplish. aqt least with him you know there is an episode every friday. with you I have to check every day and even if i do check for the day its never the same time so i check all the time. i have seen episodes post 9 pm 10pm, 12pm 10am, 9am,8am eastern standard. I think thats why podiobooks. crashed in part but I have to say I absolutly love it and would not want anything changed.
EVER.
I love the fact we get to disscuss the possible routes the story can take. what we love and hate. I for one feel you are letting us stew becuase you absolutly love makeing us squirm and you enjoy being able to hint about sending us after red herrings. That was so very low. Although I would have been hard tempted to not to give out those little hints and would be laughing my rear off at all your fans. So heres to your enjoyment and ours. I truely wish this journey never ends I know it must as all good things must come to an end. But as far as I am concerned you have so far always kept the ideal Captain Wong believable.
One note as to story not meshing in captain or double share. Captain wong told his wife he had never done it in a space ship. two cases that disput that. the way to port newmar. the way from port newmar. however could have been reffering to on a freighter, and not fast packets. just a note for the paper copies.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Mr. Simpson is not an investor, he is hired to offer personal financial advice to Mr. Wong, and it would be a conflict of intrest for him to do both.
However Mr. Simpson is currently “dating” one of the investors.
***Speculation/Spoiler***
Of course if Mr. Wong were to default on the loan, then he would probably need to sell another share to stay in business. At which point Mr. Simpson would buy up the 5 shares not held by Ish and become majority stockholder.
What do you want to bet that when Miss Malone bought her art gallery that Mr. Simpson is the one who found investors for her?
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:53 pm
Nate: just so you know, there’s a dropout in the last 20 seconds of ep. 26. Sounds like Ish is about to comment on the last line of the review, but the sentence gets cut off. Might want to give that a re-listen.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:02 am
Jonathan: Your download must have been truncated or something. My 26 ends (too soon) cleanly…
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:13 am
didn’t brill graduate from the academy on shorten course load as an engineering officer? that would be a twist. thanks for keeping me up way too late thinking about this.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:17 am
***spoiler***
@briang, @nathan: Well, since we’re challenged to guess, here goes…
I think it will turn out to be Christine Maloney, not Greta, who ends up getting our man.
Or maybe a sequel: “Harem’s Share: The Golden Age of Ishmael Wang.” I mean, he has a reputation to keep up, right? Clipped nails and all.
Or not. Darn that “no derivatives” license.:-)
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:21 am
@Dan: could be. I’ll check again. The dropout was just before they depart for dinner. I’ve seen mp3 do that before, but it’s unusual for it to recover the decompression after a gap like that.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:27 am
@Peter Ellis Mr. Simpson isn’t an investor, but sits on the board of directors and is a stockholder (he says so to Ish). It wouldn’t be a conflict of interest for him at all. Many people are hired to give financial advice and are stockholders in a company–they’re called CFO’s.
Mr. Simpson can’t buy up all the shares and be a majority stockholder unless Ish sells him one of his personal shares. Remember, 9 shares, 5 to Ish, 4 to investors, 1 investor dropped out, 3 then went to investors, Ish held the unpurchased share as collateral for the loan. Ish still hold 5 of 9 shares personally. The worst that could happen is the one share goes to the lender and Ish’s credit is damaged. He still has the company.
Ronnie ISN’T an investor or stockholder or board member–as the chairman of DST, she can’t be part of Ish’s company or she voids Christine’s inheritance conditions.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:30 am
@Dan, @Nathan: Never mind; it was a buffering glitch. Played fine after a forced refresh. The line was much what I had guessed, but it’s still nice to hear it…
I still think that Ish’s golden age has promise as a story line. Write it under the Herring pseudonym…
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:41 am
***Speculation/Spoiler***
I just listened to 26 again and I know who the Wanderer is. The clue is in the last part of the episode and the last words that Ish said.
— The features of the ship will sell themselves and people will book passage just go for the ride. Ish will either need to open a travel agency or use the ones there to book the passengers in an orderly fashion. — With all the money that Ish can make, he will buy all the stocks and own the ship outright.
– After Christine finishes her year and gets control of DST, she is going to clean house. Jarvis and his buddies are going to be out. — Ish will probably help her clean up some of the ships in the DST fleet and get captains that know what they are doing.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:44 am
Went back and listen to this series once again. Was just wondering from episode one when they found out Jeff was reported as dead they looked up who was going to be in control of course Ames Jarvis That when it is brought up that Ish had a meeting with Ames on breakahl and from that point Ish has not been making the most decisive decsion since Is this all an act to see where Ms maloneys loyalties are and others at DST could wrong
Mr Lowell is very good at leaving clues and some are very missleading at times usally we don’t find this out till the plan has completely unfolded. Thank you mr Lowell for great effort you put forth to personally acknowledge and inform your listeners.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:00 am
@Nathan: IIRC at the end of “Full Share” Pip and Ish were BUYING cargoes, rather than simply collecting fees for delivering them. Are we gonna see Captain Wang get back to private trading in that fashion once his prize money comes in? Seems to me he’d be able to buy back all four shares in short order if he went that route.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:01 am
@Nathan: Greg is right about the quality of your foreshadowing, including the misdirection. How much of that you seed in retrospect, and how much of it emerges in your first (mostly linear) pass over a given chapter? One of the things that makes the stories work is the consistency of the tapestry. It’s truly impressive, and I’ld be very interested to learn a bit more about what process works for you on this sort of thing.
January 23rd, 2011 at 2:55 am
@GregH – I think your a little off in your math – remember, after 2 years they still ended up with something like 60k credits between them moving full containers (which if I understand correctly were larger than what his ship can haul now).
Based on the few references to profits made (the one comment about cargo paying for expenses plus adding a bit to the passenger revenue) I don’t think Ish had any hope of making the 8.5mil he needed for the loan in the 90 days from running the ship.
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:41 am
@Dustin E – re wife. You’re not married, are you.
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:45 am
Great series, great book!!!! Thank-you Mr. Lowell.
*spoiler alert*
Chief Gerhart, who IS in love with Ish, comes back but as a guest(romantic interest) not chief engineer.
“OH NO”, Did Gramps steal the ship’s key?
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:58 am
*Spoiler alert*
Mr. Maloney is not dead, but set up this whole thing to give Christine experience and help her to “grow up”.
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:10 am
I keep forgetting to give spoiler warnings. Sorry.
The chief would have to be a clone army, not twins, to fit all the personality changes. His response to getting fired was unexpected. Gee what a shame about his pictures. Too bad nobody helped him off the ship, with a swift kick where it would do the most good.
A sum like 8.5 million is not *earned,* there was never any hope of that, no matter what the time frame. Ishmael’s universe is not THAT different from our own.
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:49 am
Hello Nathan. How many more episodes to go are there? Don’t get me wrong, i, like everyone else wish it would go on forever but the suspense is killing me! Out of the whole series my favourite of the books was double share with owners share a close second. I think it’s because of all the nasty characters! I have a twisted mind! Keep up the good work.
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:50 am
@Nathan…. Actually I am. less than a year with a little one on the way. But I have to qoute my favorite cartoon father. DoH!!! slaps forhead should thought of that. Was thinking under circumstances that Captain Wong has no poker face…. and it would not do to be cuaght in that lie and then his wife thinks well hes cheating on me in space so fairs fair. you just have written Captain Wong to seem to be very upfront and honest and I would think he would have been that much more upfront with his wife of all people… but its your story. and yeah i dropped the ball on that one.
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:07 am
@ Neil C. – 4 episodes left at this moment, 27-30. And yes, I have no idea how Nathan can possibly wrap up this saga in only four 30 minute or so episodes but I’ve been pleasantly surprised before. Sure would have liked to see Pip and the other crew of the Lois, find out what happened to them over the decades… And what of the remaining whelkies? He’s got quite a few left over and it would seem odd not to at least address that once more since it was so prominent in the early pre-academy tales.
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:57 am
The story is *almost* over now. 28 will be the turning point. 29 has the aftermath. and 30 the denouement.It wraps up quite nicely in three longish epis.
My 12 year old predicted the ending so I’m not gonna be too worried that it’s not obvious.
Of course, she’s known me all her life and has just finished reading Bell’s “Plot and Structure” so she may have a bit of a leg up on the rest of you.
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:14 am
I had hopes, when I read the summary that said “a face from his past”, that is was perhaps someone a bit more past than that. With all the sighing and moaning and “sapphire blue eyes” – she’s hardly in the past for him.
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:21 am
Woohoo!
Go Gerheart…
hmm, now if only Ish would meet some of his old shipmates this’ll have a perfect ending ;P Quarter share land rat to owner/captain in such a short time deserves some raised eyebrows.
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:22 am
Ep. 27…..big sigh,….and smile
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:29 am
I look forward to chapters 28-30 but I must say that I was very happy with 27 and I would have been satisfied even if the story ended right there. Even suspecting it was coming, did not prepare me for how great it would feel hear this episode. I have listened to every one of the books in the Trader Tales “Share” series many times over, but for me this one is the sweetest of all.
Thank you Nathan.
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:41 am
Everyone, It might be nice to hear from an old shipmate but let’s get real. How many of us see old companions, friends from school, or old coworkers even occasionally and if we do isn’t it normally a quick hi, how are you and good-bye. They are not even in the same sector of space. I hate to see it end but I like where its been.
Nathan, You have a great series and book. Thanks.
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:56 am
***Spoiler Alert***
My only concern at this point would be who Mr. Simpson is going to sell that share to.
If he sells it to anyone DST connected it will scupper Ms. Maloney’s will condition.
I don’t think that Mr. Simpson would do that with Ronnie setting this up initially if the intentions were pure to start with, but profit is business lifeblood to some, I would guess and it could go that way.
That share would also be worth quite a bit more than the face value to someone like Jarvis etc. The question would be how much could be made if DST goes public.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Nate: any chance that you could, in the spirit of the ending of an era, end episode thirty with A Lucky Black Cat by James Curran? Starting in in the background of the final paragraph, and playing through to the end?
@all speculators: I was earnestly expecting a face from the Billy to be returning, now that she would have had enough not to work for DST.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:56 pm
@Nathan You sly dog… you knew there was a more positive demonstration of a journalist coming…
The Wanderer certainly was a boon for his business!
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:12 pm
@adam – Yeah. I missed a bet with that one. 20/20 hindsight. i coulda gotten a lot more mileage out of that early on.
January 23rd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
One thing I want to know is if Ms Maloney will Take the buisness just long enough to get back at jarvus and then continue on. From what I have heard so far from her is sounds as if she is happy in the ship and i think will probably want to stay on. the isssue of the remining share isn’t that big of an issue to me because if that situation is anything like the passenger situation ish may have a second ship before he knows it.
January 23rd, 2011 at 2:12 pm
@Nathan Seriously, any chance of seeing off episode thirty with A Lucky Black Cat, the QS theme?
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:10 pm
@DOCLEJ,
This book is mirrored after military life. People are a part of your life in a very big way and they are gone. The only thing that stays is the longing for the friendship of times past that just cannot be.
@Nathan,
Thank you for such a wonderful series. You by far out perform all of your peers with quality and an energetic production schedule. You have provided me with hours of entertainment and at time opportunities for some constructive introspection.
And all for donations…..
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:32 pm
I’ve finished 27 now, and I wonder what’s left… because the ending had a rock solid “we’re done” feel to it. But that’s ok, I figure that the worst that can happen (besides never finishing) is a “Ferris Bueller” ending, where the story ends, and we have to be told to quit listening.
January 23rd, 2011 at 7:37 pm
I guess we still have the whole Maloney-Jarvis situation to contend with. I doubt Jarvis would willingly give up his control over the company.
I’m interested to see if Christine is even going to want DST when all is said and done.
January 23rd, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@Richard This story is as much about Christine Maloney as it is about Ish. We can’t end without finding out what happens with her, unless Nathan intends to put a cliffhanger on the end of a series. Further, it might turn out Ish needs a bodyguard after all. And we haven’t found out about the mysterious circumstances around Jeff Maloney’s death. There may be some conflict with the interim CEO as well. I have a feeling Frank’s not done, either. Finally, let us not forget that Ish hasn’t given out any whelkies. Although, I don’t remember him giving any in Owner’s Share, either. Of course, the Agamemnon just happens to be in port…
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Well, as long as one fits her personality–I’m thinking shrew–you can be he’ll give one to Greta as an engagement present. ;-P
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Happy Guy here. Thanks Nate!
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Thank God, this is a web site. I am traveling tomorrow and my son and his family is just going to have to do without me while I get my fix on their computer. Teehee. Earphones? You bet! They can start at the beginning (QS). No spoilers for them.
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:32 pm
@Brian
Oops, that was supposed to be about whelkies.
Well, as long as one fits her personality–I’m thinking shrew–you can be he’ll give one to Greta as an engagement present. ;-P
January 23rd, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Does it bother anyone else that Ish seems to have “lost” his welkie? We haven’t heard a THING about it since double share. Does he still have it? Does he still have the rest of them? It’s been like 15 years or something like that since he was a 3rd mate! I guess that’s a long time to be carrying around something like that, but still, the spiritual aspect was always an interesting part of the series. All well. I haven’t listened to 27 yet, but I still wish Brill would come back. lol
January 23rd, 2011 at 10:48 pm
What a long nice road its been.It is almost over now and i have to say this have been a very nice road for me.Now all i have to do is to buy the books as well so i can read it over and over and over again (Guess i also have to buy myself something to download the books to as well).Been trying to get some of my friends to listen as well but i guess i have to do better.*sigh* thank you Sar for all the hours listening to your books….its been a pleasure really.Its been some bump in the road as well…christmas was one of them while the server problem was another.At least podibooks got testet for next time right?I kinda knew ms Gerhart would be back but i did hope it would be malone…unless he is starting his own harem.
cant hardly wait for 28-29 and 30 but that means this journey is over so i also dread it (bet i am not the only one).Thanks
January 24th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Thought everyone would be interested in this podcast from Nova. It’s a start!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/rss/podcast/redir/http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/rss/media/nova_a_pod_solarsails_110120a.mp3
January 24th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
looks like the japanese was first with Icarus nate lol
January 24th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@Brian-I disagree: this story isn’t about Malone, it’s all about Wang. Malone’s situation is what made it possible for Wang to become an owner and set out on his own, but that’s the extent of it. The Share stories have always been all about Wang; sure, other characters come and go, and Wang influences them, or is influenced by them, but they don’t define the story. My guess is that Nate would have written a very different book if Malone’s story was as important as Wang’s.
@ Megan P-
Is it a bad thing that I don’t miss the whelkies, and thought they were just a distraction?
And yes, I’d've preferred that Ish and Brill had connected. If I have one complaint about the Share series, it’s that I think that Nate did a better job selling me on Ish’s relationships through Full Share than after. The thing with Gearhart, I dunno, I just never felt it. I was never able to completely buy into the transition from “silly girl mask” to love interest. A romantic relationship between Wang and Malone, or even the potential relationship between Wang and Arrellone I could get, but the Gearhart thing is a bit too WTF for me.
January 24th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
@Adam – thanks for the solar sails link, interesting, and it’s nice to have a bit of corresponding content to fill a few more minutes of waiting time. I’ve also listened to some of Nate’s interviews. Keeps me out of trouble and away from the Barbarians (distant calls heard in background, “28…28…28).
Joan
January 24th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
@scrutinizer That doesn’t make sense, though. There’s too much suspense around what will happen with Maloney for it to just be dropped.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Wow…you suck man.
Word of warning before you listen to ep.28…wait for 29 and 30. you will do yourself a world of good…hopefully…since I don’t have 29 and 30…i can’t really say Nathan will pull something good out of this. what a train wreck.
Although it does teach you not to walk in the dark…you don’t know what you will run into. Thought I knew what type of room I as walkin in.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
@Brian
(no I am not talking to myself)
Nathan mentioned thing will be wrapped up in the last chapters so I assume since Miss Maloney is a central figure in the plot that he won’t leave us hanging at the end.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
I warned ya.
Article 37
January 24th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
arrghh! Anybody else having trouble accessing ep28? Won’t connect via iTunes or direct ‘save as’ from podiobooks.com.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Since the re-direct to libsyn is working – it’s libsyn that’s refusing connections or not responding …
WE BROKE LIBSYN!!!!!
January 24th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
@ Nathan
***Spoiler Alert***
WOW… I mean wow… that’s one way to [ article 37 ], be careful what you wish for… wow!
January 24th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Holy S#$%
January 24th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
OMG
January 24th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@Jamey – try again. Seems to be connecting and downloading now.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Nothing ever happens in these books except *Article 37*
January 24th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
How can you possibly wrap this up in one chapter?
January 24th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
@nathan,
I hope you don’t have a vacation planned…..
January 24th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
@joel – I have two episodes left. About 75 minutes.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:32 pm
Article 37, effin (es-oh-be) and you made me cry…dam-mint.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Wow Nate. Over the last few years I’ve told several dozen friends about your wonderful books. I’ve raved about how uplifting and powerfully engaging the simple struggles of a orphaned (sorta) young man who finds his way into space and earns the rewards his perseverance and strength of character warrant. I’ve favorably compared your storytelling style to the best of Horatio Algers Jr with a dash of Anthony Bourdain for flavor.
I never would have imagined that I could harbor such furious anger at you as I felt after listening to ep 28. Bravo Sir.
With only two episodes to go I’m left clinging to my faith in your skill and mercy to end this series with hope instead of ashes.
Bravo.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
I think I have the ending you need, Aaron.
Trust Iris.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Isn’t this how most super hero stories start? Bruce Wayne, Spiderman. The Iris becomes a fast packet bat mobile.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@Nathan,
Are you referring to the UCMJ??
January 24th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Trust Iris when she is outfitted with lasers and photon torpedoes
January 24th, 2011 at 7:51 pm
When is the next episode coming out? I don’t think I’m going to be able to think about anything else until then!
January 24th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
@Jim,
Rumor has it that Nathan Lowell is going on a cruise…
.
.
.
.
.
(Just kidding)
January 24th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Perfectly done! Article 37 is well in keeping with the trajectory of the series. I have my box of kleenex with me.
Take that! all those people who say nothing ever happens in this series (never was true, still isn’t.) Article 37 happened.
And I faithfully leave myself in the hands of the author for the next episodes. I think an awesome conclusion is coming. What a setup!
Applause applause applause. snif.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Okay, so now I must listen to 28 tonight.
And for the record, I got choked up when Ish was almost beached in Full Share.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Attempt #4 to respond to Episode 28:
I look forward to the real Episode 28.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
@Briang – A cruise (then in a Montgomery Burns Voice) EXCELLENT…Muwhaha!
January 24th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
@david – he doesn’t get beached.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
bad words. Lots and lots of bad words. The look on my wifes face when article 37 happened.
We can’t wait for the rest.
Thank you sar.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
RE: at 200k words, this book is all but unprintable
Then thank goodness it is on audiobook. My wife will hardly speak to me as I have my earphones in all day long, relistening to South shore now that I have relistened to all of the Share stories as well as Article 37 in chapter 28.
While there have been many laugh out loud moments in the earlier books, there is a lot more happiness in this one, at least until Article 37.
Holy Moly! Can we get those last two chapters tomorrow, my heart is having trouble with this last one.
Wink
January 24th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Well played sar.
Is time travel possible in the share verse?
I also recomend waiting for 29 before listening to 28.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
@Nate, I was actually referring to getting teary during an episode.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Well after reading [ Article 37 ], we now know where Kurt is, He is guarding Nathan until episide 30 is out
January 24th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
@nathan Wow this is hard to work around but I’ll try. What really sucked me into Quarter Share was that I had just lost my wife and daughter to a car crash when I found your little story and was impressed with how you got the emotions spot on (for me anyway). It rang true where other stories seemed manipulative. I think that’s why I was so adamant about an ending. I’ve lost 3 more family members or friends since then and I can still go back to QS and find solace there. {A 37} proves that you can handle so many other hard situations with the same care. I think that if I’m ever in that situation I’ll find myself going to OS for solace. Once again it didn’t seem manipulative to me even though I cursed you because, being a male at work, some responses are hard to explain. You officially are my favorite author and I devour books like Pooh bears devour honey.
Many thanks sir please keep writing, I think from this point on I’ll forgive you anything.
Duncan
January 24th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Holy [Article 37]. I always had a bad feeling about [Article 37.] I’m surprised [Article 37] didn’t completely [Article 37.] Sometimes it seems like [Article 37] just can’t catch a break.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
We need 29 and 30 Nate. Could 28 be the best and worse episode? I hope it get a nice ending……….
January 24th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
[Article 37]and then[Article 37] but why[Article 37] sniper fire [Article 37] [Article 37] Nazi Gold[Article 37]
[Article 37]
January 24th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Well, I didn’t expect *that*!!!
January 24th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
I don’t know what to say other than article 37!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I need to be alone for awhile and breath or maybe do some Tai chi.
Please hurry with the next 2 chapters.
With all of the love and respect i can summon, Please Hurry.
Help me Nathan Lowell. Your my only hope.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
i got 29 in my editor – it’s coming up as fast as I can get it.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
[Article 37] sucks.
You made me cry, Nathan.
Damn, but you’re good!
January 24th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
I thought I was prepared for the following chapers after the opening lines. But nothing prepared me for [Article 37]. I had even suspected [Article 37] may not be [Artical 37]. Many had commented on it here. But that was a complete blindside.
Nate you are a master story teller. After [Article 37] all I can say is I want [Article 37]. I hope 29 and 30 will provide it.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
*sniffle* Been waiting for a book and a half for [Article 37] to happen and ya fast-forwarded through it >_<
January 24th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
OMG… I knew something was in the works but seriously Article37!!!! I am going to have to have a few minutes to breath and listen one more time to make sure I heard it right! Thanks Sar for another great epi…
January 24th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Dose anyone think Evo is listening to the whole episode before he posts it?
I know “rank has its privileges” but not cool.
Evo if your delaying us our fix for any reason, there may be a mob coming to Arizona.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
BTW, Chantillary is my nom de gaming/nom de internet.
Thought the name is female (I have better luck role-playing female characters than male ones), I am actually a 47 year old male.
And you still made me cry, Nathan, with [Article 37]. Heck, you made me yell at the audio track so I had to rewind and find out what happened immediately after [Article 37] again.
You, sir; you and your books, have just been promoted to my “buy before food” author list. And that’s a very short list, currently: LE Modesitt, David Weber, Travis S Taylor, Tanya Huff, Tamora Pierce, and now you. Looks like i’ll be losing more weight in the future.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Bwah-ha-ha! Article 37 is why, Wang, you big doof! Now, see what you did?
January 24th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
I think I’m going to invoke Article 27, which states: “The book Owner’s Share actually ends after episode 27″. Yes, yes, it was a good finale. A number of loose ends never got tied up, but them’s the breaks in a first person POV story.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
I wonder if Mr. Branch & Miss Davis were *Article 37*
January 24th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Nathan Lowell giveth . Nathan Lowell, taketh away. I for one will not be sleeping well tonight…sigh.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
how am I supposed to sleep tonight? if you “have episode 29 in the editor” already I think I’l going to end up just clicking refresh on the owner’s share page on podiobooks all night. lol. I suspecting something like article 37 was going to happen, but not nearly as intense as it turned out!
January 24th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Oh, can I guess at the new crewman before listening to the episode without using Article 37?
January 24th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried. Ish can’t catch a break when it comes to his relationships.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
@ Brian – I think that would give away Article 37 or at least too much about it.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Not new crewman, passenger. All the berths are paid in full for just one passenger?
January 24th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
WOW! What an episode! I can’t believe **** *** **** ***** and ******* **** **. If ****** *** * ******* **** will ******* **** *** ******? Can’t wait to hear more about *********, *** ****** *** ***** *** ****** and *******.
Comment edited under Article 37.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
The new crewman better have Damn good references.
January 24th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Argggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Sniff sniff
January 24th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
You are good Nathan. Never saw that coming. Can’t remember ever being so pissed off at (article 37) in a book before. Really enjoying your books. Thank you.
January 24th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
I’ve been thinking that Frank will join the crew.
As for you, Nathan, you… you should be tried and hanged under Article 37.
January 24th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Nate. Really? Are you TRYING to break the new PodioBooks server?
“January 24th, 2011 at 9:19 pm # Nathan Says:
i got 29 in my editor – it’s coming up as fast as I can get it.”
That pretty much BEGS us to refresh over and over again, thus stressing the new PodioBooks Server. You are desperate to overtake Scott Sigler as the FDO, aren’t you? See if you aren’t?
January 24th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
I never really liked (article 37) anyway. So there.
January 24th, 2011 at 11:45 pm
***Spoiler Alert***
Ok. Here’s how it ends…
Ish has Kurt put Jarvis in a standard shipping cube and ship him to the Kufiri quadrant, where the fan fic crowd tortures him for eternity in short stories. Arrelone marries Frank, making her role as overprotective mother official. Maloney turns out to be Kirsten and Kurt’s love-child. Ish and Ronnie have a brief tryst, and William Simpson runs off with the Iris in broken-hearted despair. Ish uses his share of the salvage money to open the first orbital Harley dealership, providing a grounding theme for Nate’s next series.
As to the rest, well, Article 37 and all that!
January 25th, 2011 at 12:09 am
Out of respect for Article 37, I will wait 3 days before responding to these events.
I will say right now that I feel disgusted and betrayed.
January 25th, 2011 at 12:29 am
Well done Nate. You foreshadowed this so well. I expected nothing less from Article 37. I can’t to see how you it is wrapped up. Cheers!
January 25th, 2011 at 1:14 am
Wow! Article 37 left me breathless. Your description of Article 37 was so realistic – it really put us in the moment. Your description of the emotions of the event were spot on as usual. As usual, you made all of our conspiracy theories appear amateur – I bow before the master.
Looking forward to the final chapters… and then maybe some further adventures around the quadrant – even short stories would be great!
January 25th, 2011 at 2:54 am
episode 28 ruined the series for me. i listen to these stories to try to get away from the nastiness around me. i dont think i’ll even down load the last two episodes.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:41 am
Damn your good…and I bet jdl will download those last two eps, its always brightest after the storm. I wonder what you have in store for us Sar!
January 25th, 2011 at 3:56 am
It’s 10.50am here in Northern England, I’ve listened to this 3 times already but now I have to do some work…. Knowing what havoc he has wrought Nathan must feeling pretty smug and be enjoying a good sleep. I have to suffer for another 20 hrs. before getting another fix. Although I’ll probably be checking the podiobooks site regularly all day…
OMG!!! ………..Article 37…………Amazing
January 25th, 2011 at 4:51 am
Wow!
January 25th, 2011 at 5:02 am
tssk i heard that the server will be down the next few weeks *grin* so we wont get our fix hahahah.Just kidding but article 37 makes my hands shake of article 37 you know.Go nathan go
January 25th, 2011 at 5:40 am
@Nate- You been taking lessons from Joss?
January 25th, 2011 at 6:14 am
Bad Nate. Bad article 37. Please get 29 & 30 up soon and restore my faith
January 25th, 2011 at 6:42 am
@scrutinizer – I heard that Joss has been taking evile lessons from Nate. It was that or that Nate is one evile writer, maybe even both of them.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:44 am
From the comments above I think Nathan will need Kurt’s services FOREVER after Article 37.
No, No, NOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
How dare you do [Article 37] to my favourite [Article 37]. Bad, Bad, Bad. Damn you’re bad.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:44 am
Why!!! I was satisfied that he might have some stable happiness. We thought you like him, but to put him through so much torment? Grr…
January 25th, 2011 at 6:45 am
So Sad. Crying…. no sobbing. I need Ish to be {{Article 37 }}
January 25th, 2011 at 7:22 am
The “Mob” queue is over to the left, we ran out of pitchforks and torches sometime last night, so you have to bring your own Mob Tools. Oh and attention Mob members! Remember to pick up your nooses, you can’t just leave them lying around. Other Mob members fall down into them and the Mob Staff has to keep cutting them out and that takes time. We only have the Mob Arena till 2300 GMT tonight and have to be cleaned up so the Zombie Apocalypse can occur.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:22 am
@Nate Having started when 1/4 share was released (sorry for not posting until now, I’m not a fan of posting; but [ article 37 ] forces me to do so) and having been a passenger for this entire time; it is truly amazing of how many hours and how many different turns and ideas you have put forward, you still truly amaze me and am my favorite author; thank you. Your stories are the best; the complexity always keeps me guessing; and I would have never imaged that you would have pulled an [ article 37 ], OMG [ article 37 ], [ article 37 ], [ article 37 ], [ article 37 ], [ article 37 ], [ article 37 ]!!!!!!!! I think the term [ article 37 ] is my new expression for when something goes [ article 37 ] really goes [ article 37 ]. I am sure many will agree that these stories have driven some to even wish this type of travel was possible and are in the hoes to see this type of travel possible. Maybe in the year 2102, this story may be more reality than fiction and people will look back and wonder how you were able to predict the future. Well I look so forward to the next two chapters and whatever you release next. Thank you for such a wonderful series…
January 25th, 2011 at 7:27 am
Do you think Nate gave Evo a heads up to what was coming in eps 28 so he could get the new server up and running in time? Can you imagine if it had crashed now instead of afew days ago. I think Evo would have needed Kurts services not Nate. I am having cold sweats thinking about it.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:39 am
Jarring indeed but ‘trust Nathan’
January 25th, 2011 at 7:43 am
After having (not) slept on it, I just don’t see how “Trust Iris” {Article 37} for {Article 37.} Sorry, Nate, but {Article 37} dropped Owner’s Share from my #2 to my #4 on my *Share favorites list.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:45 am
At this point, I’m expecting [article 37] to go buy a [article 37] and blow his [article 37] out as the sheer hopelessness of existence dawns on him and he descends into utter madness. The End.
Makes yer heart wanna shrivel up and die right in yer chest it does. Who’da thunk this [article 37] was a tragic cautionary tale all along?
[Dramatic, ain't I?
]
January 25th, 2011 at 7:48 am
OK… haven’t heard the latest episode, but really wondering about this article 37 thing. I’m flashing to 42 as the answer to life, the universe and everything. Is 37 its opposite?
January 25th, 2011 at 7:52 am
@Adam – You can find the information regarding Article 37 in the Spacer’s Handbook
—> http://solarclipper.com/spacers-handbook/
January 25th, 2011 at 9:16 am
NO NO NO! I will not spend all day infront of this computer pressing the bangin refresh key. Call me when it’s over
January 25th, 2011 at 9:32 am
I never was a fan of audio books till I read Quarter Share from Kindle and became desperate for the next book. Then I stumbled upon Half Share in iTunes Podcasts. I started with podiobooks on Owner Share and found myself checkin the site for updates every half an hour since then. I even got my wife on this series too. She’s not much of a reader but she’s been sending me texts to ask if there’s been a new episode of Owner’s Share during work hours. How she’s able to do this while teaching kindergarten kids is a mystery to me.
On episode 28, I had to repeat a chapter when I ran full bore into Article 37. That was well done, well done indeed. I’m just a passenger, Nate. But I’m enjoying every minute of the ride.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:53 am
no need to spend the day refreshing – the site won’t get updated until this evening – Tammi, you’ll have it in the morning.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:56 am
Ah, I get it now. Thanks, Ignatz,
Ha, my computer decided to run out of battery right in the middle of Article 37. Had to go scrambling for the charging kit.
I have to admit, I think I saw something like Article 37 coming – and the episode description pretty much telegraphed it, I thought.
As for my feelings – I’m ambivalent… As I writer, I can understand doing Article 37 to your characters. Heck, I’ve done it plenty of times. It’s interesting and dramatic. And you certainly did it well.
But it also feels… I don’t know… out of character for the series (Ish’s disastrious marraige nonwithstanding). The thing about the share series was that there wasn’t much Article 37 and it felt very real in an everyday sort of way.
Of course, I suppose that’s the way Article 37 happens. You’re happy, feeling good and out of the blue – WHAM – Article 37.
Still, it’s a downer to see someone you identify with brought so low by Article 37. I just wanted to poor guy to be happy…
It’s for this same reason I like Spider-Man 2 more than Spider-Man – you all know what I mean.
You’re a great writer, Nathan… keep going.
-Adam
January 25th, 2011 at 10:29 am
I just wanted to let the author know how much I have appreciated Trader Tales. Your characters are warm, human and real. The stories are rich and sufficiently intricate. I am going to miss my new friends and hearing about their lives very much when the story ends, as it inevitably will.
I listen to audio books often. My favorite narrator is George Guidall from Recorded Books. Some of the worst I have listened to have been the authors themselves. I offer what I feel is the highest praise when I say that you are a narrator on par with Mr. Guidall.
Thank you very much and I look forward with hope to future stories in the Golden Age.
-Bruce
January 25th, 2011 at 10:32 am
@Barry – I disagree. I’m willing to “Trust Iris” but as *Article 37* demonstrates, you should never trust an author
January 25th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Ok.nate. now my shrinks even pissed at me. when he asked why I did not sleep well last I night,politely explained that article 37 ,, article 37, article 37 ,,,,,and article 37 he politely expressesd his condolences ,and understanding …then I explained about owners share.and the evil Nathan Lowell….I’m now looking for new shrink, and I’ve been hearing a lot about pitchforks and torches lately ….Humm..
January 25th, 2011 at 11:55 am
I agree with Adam’s comments from 1/25. –ACG
January 25th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Nathan,
Bravo and Thank You.
I’ve enjoyed the journey in this series and am looking forward to journeys yet to come.
For anyone thinking of downloading this book DO NOT HESITATE! DO IT NOW!
January 25th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
I am ……… displeased with the turn of events. This whole story line started in tragedy and I suppose you (Nathan) feel it should end in tragedy? This story should have a happy ending. I don’t see how that is possible in two episodes. I hope you don’t blithely blow over the next 6 months or so real (story) time. I have read and been disappointed in, books that have rushed to the ending. It feels like that’s where this is headed.
I am no author or anyone special. Just a fan of your work. I have followed the stories since you first came out with quarter share. I have listened to them over and over as I am on the road a lot. I feel comfortable with the characters and situations and have enjoyed them immensely. Ish is a very endearing character and the complexities of his life as a fish out of water are great. I remember joining the USN when I was seventeen. My dad signed for me early. I see some correlation with my life. I retired from the Navy and look back on my career with pleasure.
Sorry for the rambling. This episode just hurt and I feel it didn’t need to. I guess I hoped you would steer more of this type of hardship away from the main character. He has dealt with a considerable number of heartbreaks already. I know that is life but I want the stories to be more than life. I want to believe that the world of the future is a bit better than the real life I live in now.
OK I have thrown in my 2 cents. I still want you to ultimately know that I feel you are talented author and storyteller, a “Silver Tongue,” as it were. You made the characters come to life in my head and for all of that, I appreciate you. Thanks.
January 25th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
What a fantastic surprise with article 37! Well done, keeps things mixed up! I must say you keep the audience in check full time with your books!
January 25th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
I understand David. I worked to find an alternative for three months. When I couldnt find one, I decided I had to let the story go. The alternative was to not finish the series. I’ll say more when the dust has settled, but for now, know I feel your pain.
January 25th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Article 37. Yes I am as unhappy as the rest. Of the plot choices 37 deep 6s my enthusiasm. You could have split the book at ep 27. And started a fresh a few months later with a lot of plot options.
You have trapped a beloved character into options of being stoic or vengeful. The ships crew would snap too for a galaxy wide hunt and chase, yet that too would be out of character for the story. Your editor needs to be dropped for not pointing out that this is a good way to end the series. It seems that the poor crew member must be trapped by circumstances to being lonely forever. That is not how I wish to see the cast of characters off into the deep dark of the end of the series. I have abided by your wishes as best I can out of respect for your stories. Sadly of all the plot shifts this was both too easy and too sad. I really hope we do not continue easy and make the Captain end up with the big company.
January 25th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Sorry I meant to say that your editor should have pointed out that the plot device was NOT a good way to end the series. It dampens my drive to re-listen to the story.
January 25th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Is there an editor?
January 25th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I think the climax (timing, content, and execution) in Ep 28 was perfect. Suddenly, a prominent theme of the entire series, and especially this book, comes to the fore: even though our hero is ethical, intelligent, and hard working, not everyone else is, and there is evil in the galaxy, and a theme the story is about how to balance living your life to the fullest while still having protection.
Note first the whole bodyguard thing. One can see both sides of this. Should you live your life in fear forever? Should you become like them and take vengeance? Of course not.
Second, everyone has been taking advantage of Ish–his good nature, his hard work, and his expertise. How angry did Ish get when his “trusted” financial advisors bilked him out of about 1.5M credits? Yeah, what they did was legal, but they took advantage of him. What do you suppose he’ll do to Mr. Simpson when he is CEO of DST (total speculation)? DST even fired him for all his good work, for heaven’s sake! There’s no blame for Ishmael here, but these are all hard lessons, the hardest is Article 37, and I have never know this character to miss the lesson.
So what will Ish learn from these bitter lessons? I bet he’s learned plenty, and in 75 minutes of remaining story, I am excited to see how this turns out (I have my theories).
The timing and content of Article 37 is totally appropriate and hardly out of the blue…this has been coming (not that *I* predicted it, but the best stories are like this). This is masterful storytelling.
And good stories hit all the emotional notes. The saddest sads come with the highest highs.
January 25th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Well that was a shock. But such events in the lives of people (fictional or not) SHOULD be a shock. Riding off into the sunset to live happily ever after rarely happens outside juvenile romantic fiction. The event took my breath away. I’m left wondering what you have planned that meant “my only other choice was not to finish the story.” (paraphrase because I’m too lazy to scroll up for the exact quote.)
A question occurs to me: How tightly knit is the space community? You have touched on legalities, politics etc only to bounce away so I’m left wondering about the spacer society vis a vis the corporate society. Just wondering aloud.
January 25th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
BTW I, at least, do not reduce plausible events to mere “plot device” status.
January 25th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
After listening to Episode 28 late last night, I felt like finding an air lock and pushing a certain writer out it. In the light of day I realize that even though Ish feels like a friend, he is just a character in a book. But, Mr Lowell you still need to make it right for Ish. And don’t just take the easy way out.
January 25th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
[Article 37] seem very jarring compared to what has happened in other 5 books. Nate may be able to finish story in last 2 epps, But the ‘verse is now a much darker place and not very Golden anymore.
I’ll finish this book. But I won’t start the next Shaman book until it’s complete and I can check reviews. I don’t have the level of trust in the author any more.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Indeed it is jarring. There’s been a lot of telegraphing of Article 37, but especially after the almost stooges-like climax of Double Share, I didn’t expect Nate to actually pull the trigger, as it were.
Up until now, I’d considered the Share series a sort of Road to Avonlea for space and sailing nerds — things happen, but nothing *really* bad ever happens to the main character(s). It seems from the comments here and in the forums that I wasn’t the only one.
This casts the series in a whole new light for me. I think there wouldn’t be this level of surprise and indignation if DS were a bit more plausible and Ish lost, or at least drew.
Now that I’ve gotten over the surprise, I’m *very* interested to see how Nate will wrap this series up.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Just to be clear on my opinion: As saddened as I am by this direction the stories have taken, I am not prepared to shove Mr. Lowell under the bus (or out the airlock, either). I’m somewhat distressed to see that other listeners seem prepared to do just that…
He has provided me with hours of enjoyable escape for FREE and I have nothing but thanks to give him for that.
Despite any personal feelings I may have about it, it is Mr. Lowell’s story and HIS characters (not mine) and he had to do what he had to do.
Thank you, Sar, to the end…
*Salute*
-Adam
January 25th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
If [article 37] doesn’t take vengeance, if he remains his usual passive self, that would be yet another slap in the face. Now is far from the time to turn the other cheek. That time is over. Now is the time for justice and unholy vengeance. Its certainly better than spacing himself in despair.
Obviously, such an utter change in character would destroy [article 37], however, it’s pretty clear he is already destroyed (or certainly should be from this turn of events).
Some things you just can’t fix. [article 37] is the worst of them and [article 37] has experienced far more than his share to those who are the [article 37] to him.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Sar still have all my trust…i have been reading other books where the article 37 is way article 39.The book isnt done until its done.After all article 37 is just a book right?its been a long time since i have been reading a book that acctually capture my mind like this (err listening lol).Last time i was reading a article 37 book i was pissed for weeks but its just a book and a good one at that.We all have different opinions whats good or not.It might not have been what i would have chosen but article 37 its about time.never liked article 37 that much myself was more into that other article 37.All we can do now is to wait for 29 and 30 and to make the wait a little shorter i will head off to bed and cry like a little girl (just a little sarcasm).I am sure it will be more books from the golden age and hopefully we will then see more of the plot.
January 25th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
@Tony–January 25th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Well said, sir!
January 25th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
I too was shocked by Episode 28. At first a little angry at the author, but then I realized it just made the story more real and show how good an Author Nathan is. I have confidence that my new Favorite author will bring the story to a great ending.
This is the first podiobook I’ve listened to as it comes out. Normally I wait until it’s complete so I can listen straight through. I suspect I’ll go back to that. Not just because of episode 28, but I just prefer to listen/read books that way.
January 25th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. What did we want a bland Disney ending? The series should go out with a bang. Hail to Nate
This ending gets to show the real Ish. He does not have to be stoic or vengeful, one or the other to do what is right. I have been a political activist and we had a saying, (Being a pacifist does not mean being passive).
Although if we get to vote for stoic or vengeful I choose vengeful. Turn the Iris in to a fast pirate ship that track down the (article 37) and destroys anyone who gets in his way. Can you picture Ish with an eye patch and a parrot?
January 25th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I am not sure how to feel should i want to join the mob or not… I guessed all I can say is that Nate should be proud that he make everybody feel so emotional. I was so mad at the end of the last part but I am realizing it just a book. Good job, Nate but I am still mad at you.
January 25th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I’ve been thinking for a long time that conflict is a important plot element that Nathan has only used very sparingly in his storytelling. Conflict is a key element in plot. Nathan’s conflicts in all his Solar Clipper stories so far have been quite cerebral and subdued, often spanning many episodes, and not building to any big crescendos. Now here he goes and #Article 37′s us and people complain?! Sure, it’s a departure from his pattern of storytelling, but it’s not a BAD thing, just a departure from what were accustomed to. Perhaps he can go back to the other Clipper tales and slip in a little adrenaline and tension like this in his edits before publishing as written texts?
January 25th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
[Message redacted for blatant Article 37 violation]
January 25th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
@Joel – Some of us see nuances between the “bland disney ending” and “yet another rocks fall, everyone dies” ending. While the description of the [Article 37] was excellent and well done, the whole set up seemed contrived for “OOoh, watch me start up the angst-fest!” We’ll see how Dr. Lowell does in these last two episodes, but… I am hoping that when he does the editing work for the paper/e-book versions, this section won’t feel as forced, as though he were writing to some pre-designed formula for a story.
January 25th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
And don’t forget who the Chief is related too and who recommended him in the first place.
Just saying.
January 25th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
@widget Nate said they weren’t related on a different forum, I was with you until he knocked the idea down.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
What makes Article 37 so fantastic is the fact that previously we are set up into thinking what is part of a happily ever after story with character article 37. Very unpredictable, the kind of story lines I like to read.
Now the story line is all mixed up, is article 37 “really” gone? At the very least we have some crew changes to do. Very exciting, I can’t wait to listen to more. Doc, your work is fantastic!
January 25th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
@nathan If the use of -article 37- was supposed to keep from spoiling I think our total comments about (article 37) give away the goose. Even though we’re careful as individuals if you add everyone’s comments up I think it becomes a lot more obvious… But maybe that’s 20/20 hindsight on my part.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Does anyone have Evo’s phone number? Lets give him a call and see what’s taking so long.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
D.dot: Really. That could be even more sinister since she called him Gramps. Don’t trust KK I say.
Joel: A day job maybe
January 25th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
@Joel: tweet him
January 25th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Oh impatient ones
per twitter:
“Look all you want. But it won’t be live until about this time tomorrow.” That was 21 hours ago. So look for it around midnight EST, I guess.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Episode 28 was a shocker all right. Episode 27 lulled us all.
Is this consummate story-telling or what?
I laugh at everyone who says “JUST a story” because if that were true, nobody would be here complaining! I had to very carefully leave out the work JUST myself a few comments back.
To those who say, nothing bad ever happens, I remind you of the way the series starts: with the death of Ishmael’s mother. That was a serious crisis for him. Then the initial situation on the William Tinker was very ugly. I almost had to stop listening to that one because the potential for bad things was so high.
When I pick up a best-seller, I can usually tell how the entire plot unfolds by reading the first five pages. Or less. Boring! (I check the ending so I know I’m right.)
The sheer unpredictability of these great Podiobook novels is marvelous to me. I rejoice.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I wonder if Mr Malony is actually dead or if this is just his way of shaking out the company for daughter dearest to take over. Who is the one guy who does not “screw with crew” and is unbuyable but easily manipulated into taking hard cases and shaping them in to real talent? A captain Wong. He would be the safest guard for the daughter while the “dead” dad got enough dirt to clean house with.
Just an idea
January 25th, 2011 at 7:32 pm
I was surprised with [Article 37] when it happened… makes a certain amount of sense but I did expect it to be more setting up for the Iris becoming something akin to the bad penny.
I get a kinda Cartwright ( from Bonanza) vibe off of Ish sometimes… I wonder
I wonder where Lowell will take us
oh and please get started on the fill ins asap
January 25th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
29 & 30 are up
January 25th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
I think that the article 37 fits in well with the story. Trader tales is about the everyday lives of normal spacers, not the elites like Star Trek. And sometimes these things happen, unfortunatly. For a minute there I thought we jumped ships to the PUV James Keeling…
Now that all of my favorite podcasts are ending I wonder what I’ll listen to.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Well. I’m glad that this is over. (I’ve rewritten this a few times…Trying not to sound too harsh. They will most likely edit it anyway) I can’t even think of listening to all of them again knowing where it ends.
I’ve listened again and again to the last bit hoping for some explanation or hope…but nope. A lot of disappointment. Maybe it just ended 10 chapters too soon for me lol. I do know some people like this kind of ending, but not me jack.
You do write well, great skill, excellent voice…you just don’t write my type of endings i guess. Good luck in all your future endeavors Nathan.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Thanks Nate. Glad you didn’t take the easy way out and still left hope of more Ish in the future.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Wonderfully done, Nathan.
Thank you so much for all the hours of entertainment and positive influence.
Safe journey.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Many thanks to Nate. I’m happy to get my life back, but sad this series is done.
Some listeners have complained over storyline or production speed, so I looked at or guessed some numbers: 6 books comprising 124 episodes at approx. 30 min. each= 62 hours of listening. I guesstimate a minimum of 350 hours of reading, editing & tweaking time, not to mention untold hours of tweeting and maintaining blogs & website. If someone were paid to read the 3.4 gigs and approx. 750,000 words of the six books it would cost just over $20,000 at podiobooks low rate just for the reading. Of course, there was the writing, too. One heck of a deal.
Thanks again for the great voyages.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
I was very satisfied with the ending overall. the exception is I would like some more time spent on Simpson’s motivations and methods. It wouldn’t need to be the 10 chapters that Booker suggests but maybe one more. But the ending itself was very satisfying indeed.
I like the Tai Chi. I had a very similar episode in my life where I did almost the same thing and for the same reason but I used Japanese kata, closely related to tai chi. The release of attachments at the end gives the story a very Buddhist feel and allows Ish to start a spiritual journey. Maybe he come out of the deep dark and find solace in the wind and the rain.
Thank you Nate for an excellent story
January 25th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Bravo! Thanks Nate for a wonderful finish to an amazing ride.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Wow. I don’t really know what to say. Part of me wanted this to have a neat & tidy ending, with everything happily tied up in a bow, but I think the reason we all like these stories so much is because the people in them are so real and real life doesnt end that way. I can understand if people don’t like this ending but I do find myself left hopeful and I wasn’t sure you would be able to do that afew episodes ago. So thank you Nate, the series has left me, not happy exactly, but at peace, which can’t be bad.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Call me Ismael. From first sentence to last. Thank you, Nate for giving me the ride of my life.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Truly wonderful – thanks!
January 25th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
I must agree with what Booker says. What is wrong with a happy ending? Isn’t the world tough enough as it is? I read or listen to books to escape real life if only for a short time. The ending to this series has left me not wanting anything else to do with the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. All I can say is what a shame a great series shot down in the last three episodes. I will probably avoid any future books from the author because who wants to get attached to a loved character only to have any number of crazy things happen for no reason. I think the next time I run across an Article 37 I will be doing a pass on my pod-catcher.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:54 pm
Nate.so it ends like it started …ish is …article 37 …and article 37 . I don’t agree or like how you wraped it up….but I thank you for taking me along for the kick ass ride ….just you and me and the good time gang…god bless…and happy trails ….
January 25th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
@Kenny, I think you might be missing the point. Ish has always been driven by circumstance. He has always been competent and lucky. He has impressed those who deal with him so he get offers to climb higher on the ladder but every aspect of his life has been driven by other people and by the expectation that he should want to climb the ladder. This ending is upsetting to us in the west because he has chosen to step off the ladder and get out of the race for a while. With article 37 that stuff doesn’t seem so important anymore.
If Nate were writing to an Asian audience this would be the happy ending. In Buddhism the idea is to eliminate attachment and desire. that frees Ish to discover who he really is. His whole life has been a reaction to his mother’s death. He became a spacer because he had no choice. Now he is free to choose and he is free at a time when the mundane things of life, the things we usually think is important don’t seem so important anymore. It seems to me that there is so much more to Ish than being a captain and a spacer. This series has taken us through that reaction phase of Ish’s life and brought us to the door of a real journey.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Nate, Thank you for a fantastic story. You have a masterful way of roping your audience in with a story that is seemingly mundane but rich with meaning and message. I came of age on a ship myself, as volunteer crew on a tall ship 21 years ago, a ship I still serve and am facing the same kind of life-change/new beginning that Ish faces. I recognize the kind of camaraderie that being “crew” engenders. I understand the need to trust the ship and how when a ship spreads her sails before the wind she becomes so much more than wood and iron and canvas. She becomes a living organism in her own right. That a ship has it’s own “pooka” is not something that can truly be understood by someone who has never served aboard a ship. Oh it can be understood on an intellectual level, but until one has lived as part of a ship’s crew, it will forever elude the heart. You write as one who has known the experience and I tip my hat to you.
I look forward to hearing more about Ishmael Horatio Wang. Thank you again for the experience.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Thank you Nathan.
This feels oddly impersonal, we’ve never met, though i’ve listened to your voice over the stanyers, and we likely never will meet. And as i sit here, in the dark room lit by the glow of my monitor, just having listened to the end of an era, of my life as well as yours, and that of the fated protagonist, i want to thank you for bringing me hours of entertainment, of solace, of enjoyment.
Thanks.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Nate,
I just wanted to say Thank you. I am not a person that will complain about an ending, talk about the book, or have to reference Article 37. I discovered you after you published Q.S. on amazon (which I read in a night). I listened to all the rest of the books in the Solar clipper series and will buy each one on Amazon to read. I understand finishing this series is closing a chapter in your life, but also I hope you understand that as a fan it signifies a chapter in my life. I enjoyed everything that you have recorded and written and I can not wait for the next audiobook/podcast to be released. Till then…
Thank you,
Rick
January 25th, 2011 at 11:53 pm
So, I am a new fan. I found Quartershare on Kindle. Got hooked, learned how to use I-Tunes and down load Podio’s and have been devouring everything as rapidly as possible. Art 37 p O’d me this morning and I went to bed in a bad mood. Woke up in a bad mood and now I am at work, and cant listen but can read these comments, for another 7 or 8 hours until I can get home and finish the book. I am hoping for a happy/acceptable ending to this ride. I enjoy the escapism and need it as I work in the second most stressful job by rating there is.
That being said my hope as the story progressed was for Christine to become Mrs Wang and the Iris to be a new Bad Penny. Then Article 37 occurrs, and ends! Hmmmm… Now What? I still want a renewal of association and friendship With the crew of the Lois! I want to know how Alice feels about Ishmaels career. Is she satisfied? (sub note) Right now I want to know who #37 was and what their story was… The finances were not working out for me, how did they for Ish? Why Frank didn’t join the crew and cook was answered quite well, but I still want him on the Iris.
Bloody hell I still have most of 8 hours to go…. When does Cape Fear come out? Will it upset me and others as much as this or will it continue to link and confirm our faith in the warm fuzziness of this author? Seriously when does CAPE FEAR come out. Tomorrow about noon would be none to soon… NATE are you listening Sar? The bloody stockholders are communicating.
Meanwhile all I have to say is it comes down to Pirates! Yes PIRATES. ARGHH!!!!!
I have never used an illicit drug in my life. But I am seriously jonesing at the moment.
John
January 25th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
@Joel–As you say.
@Nate–Thanks for avoiding the formula ending. You’ve changed my mind about this series: I’ve gone from thinking it “a nice little diversion that didn’t require much thought on my part” to thinking that perhaps it’s something a bit more profound. And you did it all in the space of two or three chapters, right at the end of all things.
I still have trouble buying into Wang and Gearhart as a couple, mind, but I’ll go back and listen to CS and OS again and see if there’s something I missed.
Thanks for your hard work making the series available to us. I’m happy to push the donate button.
January 26th, 2011 at 12:03 am
Viva La Cliffhanger.
This series will remain special to me in the years to come, and I look forward to the time when the irresistible urge to finish writing Ishmael’s future overtakes you.
January 26th, 2011 at 12:05 am
Have listened to the last two eps. Honestly, I can live with (as if I have a choice) the ending in Episode 30 and found [article 37] transferring his [article 37] to [article37] to be more or less fitting.
Episode 29, I don’t believe it for a second. The reactions simply weren’t believable in the least based on personal experiences and I still don’t think the finality of [article 37]‘s [article 37] was entirely necessary. The incident itself would have been (and is for everyone else), in my opinion, enough to drive the story and have lasting repercussions. Resorting to [article 37] [article 37] after an out of the blue return seems contrived (not that I’m an expert) and the muted, robotic reactions of the [article 37], especially [article 37], appear implausible.
Much of this ending relies entirely too much on deus ex machina for my tastes and I hope Nate’s editor rides him hard on this before this particular book sees print. Even if this tragic and horrible ending to the series stays the same as I expect it will, two episodes/a few short chapters to deal with the aftermath just doesn’t cut it imho.
That all said, I have otherwise greatly enjoyed the series and hope, despite this unnerving hiccup, that future tales in the series will be a little bit more uplifting.
That’s me two cents, arrr.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:26 am
I always read or listen with the intent to escape from the real world for a while and immerse myself in the story, and did this one ever suck me right in…
I am not skilled enough to offer any critiques, even if i wanted too. It was a frustratingly open ending, but brilliant never-the-less.
I could see the possibility of Ish’s getting together with Chris Maloney, and there is just enough wriggle room in that ending for me to fill in the gaps in my imagination.
Who knows that may get an airing in the future when Nathan sees fit to revisit Ishmail.
Thank you Nathan – that was brilliant
January 26th, 2011 at 3:39 am
I know this may be obvious… But the fastest way to get more stories is if Nathan can “comfortably” afford to do this full time.
If I can swallow the cost of shipping to the UK I’ll continue to collect the books. In the mean time I’ve just gone back and added my thumb-print to a generous tip… Have you?????
January 26th, 2011 at 3:59 am
What a perfect ending to a wonderful ride. Nathan always manages to both surprise me and yet completely satisfy the yearnings I have for his characters. Thank you to Nathan for sharing his stories and imagination and thank you also to the people who have contributed to this conversation as we gradually unwrapped our wonderful Christmas present. It has been a lively and interesting journey.
January 26th, 2011 at 4:01 am
Thank you for such a well told story. I await your future work with much anticipation.
January 26th, 2011 at 9:00 am
Thanks for the ride, Nate. Looking forward to buying the rest of the books on my Kindle.
January 26th, 2011 at 9:09 am
I listened to both episodes last night, and the more I think about it, the more I feel the ending was “right”. I can’t get too much into exactly why I feel this way for fear of spoiling things, but I think Joel hit the nail on the head in his January 25th 11:27pm comment. It’s the end of this particular part of Ish’s life. I find it very satisfying the more I think about it, and I’m looking forward to giving the whole series a relisten with fresh ears.
January 26th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Great story! Great series! Thanks.
January 26th, 2011 at 9:45 am
First, I know that Sar reads this discussion board, so I want to start out by saying that I love the series and Sar’s reading is wonderful — it really moves the books past good into great.
However, I do think the entire series suffers from the absence of an outside editor. The main place this is apparent is that Sar develops themes and ideas in early books that appear to be foreshadowing, but just end up dropped or bumbled in later books.
I think this problem is particularly glaring in books 2 and 6. One example that does not give any plot developments away is the huge focus on the possibility of using environmental systems as an alternate source of revenue in book 2 — but this idea never goes anywhere, so the whole thread becomes another loose end.
Which leads me to my issue with book 6 — which is that some things that were foreshadowed in earlier books would have really made a difference with regard to [article 37] events. However, these threads were dropped or fumbled, and book 6 suffers accordingly.
I am hoping that Sar will use the exercise of trimming his oral books for publication in print form to try and trim/tie up some of these loose ends.
ACG
January 26th, 2011 at 9:52 am
@Zeus-Where do you see the deus ex machina? In Malloney’s offer? In Stevens arrival? I can somewhat concede that Stevens is someone coming in from the outside, who we don’t know, that Ish needs, but isn’t really imho a deus ex machina. A true d.e.m. would have been for Kurt to suddenly appear during the Article 37 to save the day. Or before this, if some generous “benefactor” (many speculated Ish’s dad for this role) had suddenly swooped in to invest in the Icarus by buying out his loan. That might have been a d.e.m. However, we don’t see this is OS. Christine’s offer at the end is not about solving his problems (as a d.e.m. would want to do) but is about giving Ish the freedom to solve them for himself.
January 26th, 2011 at 10:59 am
Mr Lowell,
I have eagerly followed the tales you have crafted. While I am surprised by [ article 37 ] , I am not angry with you for your use of [ article 37 ]. As the writer, I am at your mercy. Your select use of [ article 37 ] makes its use here more powerful. I also read many Scott Sigler books and he takes great pleasure in punishing his readers with [ article 37 ] and in fact will [ article 37 ] characters he names after his readers.
Into every life, a little [ article 37 ] will fall. Well done!
Carry on sar.
January 26th, 2011 at 11:08 am
@Alice – you make some good points. part of it is that i purposefully thread a ton of stuff through the books that may or may not ever show up. The sludge cakes and mushrooms are one. The impracticality of it seems obvious to me, but perhaps that needed to be spelled out on a page some where. The Father thread was another, although that one has not yet finished. This wasn’t fumbled as much as downplayed on purpose. I have a great editor who helps me getting the books ready for print. We’ll see what she does with pulling 1/3 of this latest work out. I’m sure it will be much tighter when she’s done with it. As for trimming and tying loose ends, it’s entirely possible that they’ll be excised at the source so they’ll never appear in the text versions at all. If I could go back and write QS now, based on what I know about what happens here, I’d write very different books from the beginning.
Of course, that’s not going to happen. The stories are the stories and I’ll just write new ones going forward.
January 26th, 2011 at 11:21 am
Thank you Sar for bringing Ismael into my life like this:i first found quarter share on amazon (kindle) and got hooked right away.I was sad when that book ended because i didnt see any other books made by you so i thought i had to wait a very long time for the next one.Luckely not…i noticed podibooks and started to listen to the other books right away.I dont mind that ending at all.To many books do have [article 37] endings anyway ao i was happy with this [article 37] ending.It leaves it open for another serie or another book.Would you guys have been happy with THIS ending?
I am sorry malone but it would not possible for me and ms Gerhart to be together at all.*Why sar?* Arione exclaimed.*Well the thing is Arione…i am gay and the world out here dont tolerate gay people so i have to dissapair for a while until it all settles down.YOU are gay sar?damn you* Arione cried out grabbing her knive and stabbed over and over again.After the deed was done she spit on the body that had been her friend for a long time and turned around walking away.
(Sorry Nate just an alternative ending)
January 26th, 2011 at 11:26 am
I admit with about 5 minutes left in episode 30, I was left wondering, “Eh? What? Huh? It can’t end here. What on Earth?” However, those remaining few minutes wrapped it all up in the most beautiful and perfect fashion. Full circle.
Thanks for a great ride!
January 26th, 2011 at 11:28 am
-SPOILER-
A solid ending to a great series, it is the end of Ish’s time as a crew on a ship (at least for awhile), and only implys what will come next.
About [Article 37], I have always turned to these books as an escape from sad things in life. At least [Article 37] was real. I don’t buy the “they lived happily ever after” romantic ending that is so common. The freedom Ish finds at the end, can be a happy beginning to a new part of his life. I wonder if Ms. Maloney got the opposite…if she is the new CEO.
@Alice: I am not sure Nathan always follows the “Chekhov’s gun” principle. It is possible that there was some misdirection, or like in real life, sometimes nothing interesting comes from an idea or event. Could also be that he just had to cut some plot paths.
January 26th, 2011 at 11:29 am
@Nathan-In regards to plot points left dangling, and specifically the sludge cakes of QS & HS, might I suggest in the print version of FS, that either a conversation takes place where characters who would “know” if it could describe the drawbacks and why the idea needed to be discarded. In many respects, that conversation could happen “off screen” and just be recounted in Ish’s summary of his last months of work before he leaves the Lois.
It’s clear that throughout most of FS, there isn’t the time, attention, or even opportunity for that plot thread to develop (and close), but that summary chapter would be the appropriate place to put that to rest. His “job” at that point was to try to see as an outsider where things might be made better on the ship, and so his pursuing of varied uses of sludge cakes and relaying how it ultimately was a dead end, would in my opinion, fit nicely within the scope of his duties.
January 26th, 2011 at 11:41 am
Nathan,
First, re: Article 37. While the event hurt, it was supposed to and, we must all remember that the characters serve the author and the greater story. On the larger scale, thank you for all the Share stories: you are a terrific story teller and you DO rank up there with the best of them. Finally, concerning the print version. Please do not cut the story just to meet some arbitrary text limit. Remember that J K Rowling was told that kids would not read the first Harry Potter book because it was, among other things, too long at 97K words. The Order of the Phoenix is 257K words, and it was devoured. If things are in the story (stories, actually) now that do not serve the main plot but do serve to fill out the greater tapestry, please consider leaving them in. I know that there must be a balance between rich and tight, but I would vote for a little more rich than less.
Also, should you ever have need to revisit the Share stories, remember that you still have Ish as 2nd mate available.
Best regards, Captain.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Nathan,
Thanks for a great series of stories!
I was hoping to see how you handled the DST board meeting with Ms Maloney, but the ending you had was perfect.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
For months now, the Share books have been my comfort food. I could count on going into Over Easy, ordering up a pile of Frank’s Finest, and sitting back to half a stan of joy. Along comes episode 28, and I start getting a plate of Coq au Vin instead. Don’t get me wrong; Frank’s a great cook and I’m sure it’s a tasty chicken dish. But it’s not what I ordered. I want my oniony goodness back.
January 26th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Ha, check it out: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/24jan_solarsail/
Looks like your books are becoming a reality and solar clippers may not be too far off ^ ^
Now if only the astrophysicists would get on the ball with wormholes and some Chem. genius perfects terraforming we’ll be set!
January 26th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
@Nate, This is not my normal type of book. i generally like more action, but these characters drew in inso much that i found myself caring for them. I personally thought the ending was very good from a literary standpoint (not a personal one though
).
It was symmetrical. That’s all i will say.
January 26th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Interesting ending, looking forward to hearing more from Frank and the other worlds (Ravenwood and the Shaman series)
January 26th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
@Nathan. I appreciate how willing you are to listen to constructive criticism. I am currently writing/rewriting a short article for my work — I must be on the 7th or 8th major revision, and it is fewer than 7,000 words long. I certainly understand that one can keep editing and revising forever; you have to stop and put it out there sometime.
Thanks for the ride!
ACG
January 26th, 2011 at 8:16 pm
Nate,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. The emotions you invoked. The sense of family. The frustration and anger you caused. I had a 12 hr drive today and found myself re-listening. I can’t wait of the next book.
Scotts
January 26th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
**prediction**
The next series will be “Welkies’ Wanderings” and each book will be a “road” book as opposed to a “share” book. Each will end with ish delivering another welkie to someone
As for owners share, I thought the ending was fitting but a little abrupt. The fact that article 37 was responsible for the article 37 occuring in ep 28 seemed to come out of left field a bit and could have used a little more explanation or forshadowing.
January 26th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Nathan, I have cooked more eggs and soup since this book started! I think that qualifies Owners Share as life-changing.
How glad I am you have more stories to tell. What craft you demonstrate, and you keep getting better! What attention to detail! You know we love how the stories of the series fit together.
My copies of Half Share arrived yesterday and I am enjoying the story all over again as I read. The great thing is, I know there are changes, but I can hardly ever spot one. You (and your editor) have done a really admirable job. I don’t know anyone who deserves my extra copies, but they are actually for lending anyway.
January 26th, 2011 at 11:58 pm
Hmmm. okay did anyone else catch the duncan joke or am I the only one. That was devouis Sar. Also When Kurt reffered to article 37 he said he article 37, A37, a long time. Why was A37, a37 a37? that made no sense becuase a37 said a37 had a37 part in a37 a37. so there was no reason a37 should be a37 a37 and not make the a37 with captain wong. (in refrenece to making eye contact at a restuarnt) Or am I missing something huge? I understand the ending but feel it lacks something I felt like I got hit up side the head and am left asking tons of questions. tons. but the main one i want answered is the one above. that still makes no sense.
thanks for the hours of fun and the pondering as to where your going to take us next. hopefully we wake up tommorow and all work to do our best.
Mr. Lowell you have shown us what you are capable of now i hope you are proud of your fans. I sure would be. ignore the haters. but please give us a little more clarity.
January 27th, 2011 at 4:05 am
WOW…ish has gone full circle, and in many ways ended where he started, albeit with a few more creds and years of exprience. I didn’t like it….but it was correct.
Thank you Dr. Lowell, for a finely crafted romp through the systems, and opening a door for a new and different tale for Ish. I am not quite sure what I will do with all my time that was earlier spent waiting for the next update. I look forward to hittting the download button again in the near future, with whatever the title of your new book will be, and of course the one that says buy now for the books when they are in print. Thanks Again.
January 27th, 2011 at 4:14 am
@Nathan
Thanks.
January 27th, 2011 at 4:16 am
@dustin – we’ll do a post mortem on the book in a few weeks. Give those “I only listen to completed works” folks a chance to catch up. I’m already getting emails from people who are peeved that there’s so much spoilerific discussion. Keep in mind you’re *supposed* to be asking tons of questions. Your answers are perfectly valid. You don’t need me to tell you the right ones.
@briat – it was abrupt. keeps with my policy and past practice. when the story is over, so’s the book. The conclusion was in episode 28. I couldn’t really *do* any more with the fall out from that than I did. I know many people would have liked me to, but the truth is that I couldn’t figure out how to get around the first person point of view issues to do more than I did.
January 27th, 2011 at 6:50 am
Hi Nathan, It was with trepidation that I started the final two chapters of Owners Share not wanting the story to end. I have followed Ishmael’s saga with delight and consider the ending correct. Not wanting to spoil it for anyone else I will withhold further comments until you consider it safe to do so.
The only problem that I have now is that you are unable to keep up with my need for further stories of the Golden Age (being only human and unable to type (or write) fast enough to satisfy my and, I am sure, many others appetite).
Again many thanks for an unforgettable series. I look forward to discussing it in the future
January 27th, 2011 at 7:45 am
A question for other listeners: did anyone else feel that Ish somehow failed to be “Ish” in Owner’s Share? It seems to me that in the other books Ish always succeeded through a combination of hard work, “people skills” and bona fide leadership. I am not sure he showed any of these talents in O.S., and it was this absence, rather than the ending, that I found troubling.
Thoughts?
ACG
January 27th, 2011 at 9:08 am
Nathan, people are complaining about the discussion being spoilery? This is going to sound like a smart alec question, but what do they really expect? It’s a discussion about a book, of *course* there is going to be mention of what happens in the book. That’s why you don’t read discussions about books until you’ve read/listened to them. At least, I don’t. Even here, I wouldn’t read the comments until I had listened to the latest episode, just in case. I’m honestly not trying to be a smart alec, but this seems like basic common sense to me…?
January 27th, 2011 at 9:58 am
@Jesso – Not smart alecy. 100% true. You read the discussion first if you want to know the rocky points, or waterfalls in the river. They have no reason to complain for going to the obvious discussion on book content and feelings. You most certainly don’t go to the end of the discussion blogs first if you don’t want to hear about the ending lol. Thank you.
@Alice Gibb – Yes. It has been mentioned and discussed a bit on his forums and other places. Nate’s response to mine was, “– he *does* seem off, doesn’t he? hm. wonder why…”. Although from a lot of what I’m seeing from all the back patting, no one will agree with me, this book was a left turn in the wrong direction from the Ish I knew in the first 5. That is a writer’s prerogative, but it irked the shit outta me most of the book, and ruined my enjoyment in the whole series now lol. o well.
January 27th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
@Booker – you’re far from the only one with issues about this book. In-story, my guess is that Ish fell apart because he quit doing Tai Chi and lost his center. But … yeah, there’s discussion – over on the blog, and in the durandus forums, about this.
January 27th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
I’d agree that I like to see Ish make a comeback. This feels like a lull.
January 27th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
@Booker and @Jamey — Yes, Ish seems to be a leaf in the breeze and not a leader in this one… and I am with Booker in that it made the like the series less overall. Too bad, that. ACG
January 27th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Thank you Nate for an exciting and sometimes crazy ride. I loved all of Trader’s Tales and will be listening again – and purchasing until the next round of podcasts. Thank you also for enabling us to enjoy sharing speculation, surprise and the joys of this awesome journey.
One comment – like some others on this forum, I found Ms Maloney far more engaging and appealing as a character than Chief G. The Chief had pretty eyes, was a good cleaner of scrubbers – and clearly there was some physical chemistry with Ish – but (speaking as another female), I couldn’t understand why she got to him so strongly. Maybe the problem IS with my being female?!!
No complaints though. Keep up the good work and THANK YOU once again.
January 27th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Ah, Nate, it’s been a wild ride. I remember that I thought Quarter through Full Share were excellent; Double Share made me want to punch some characters, but I didn’t like it as much; Captain’s Share didn’t/doesn’t really stand out, though a fine book; and finally Owner’s Share, where I wanted to punch the author on behalf of the main character, and found myself on the verge of tears during the denouement.
On the second run through, I found fault with the crew Share books, especially the repetition of a certain phrase; I believe it was “said with a grin.” Double Share, offended me less, but felt like a better book, Captain’s Share stayed the same, and I’ve not listened to Owner’s a second time, yet.
All of that is to say, if nothing else, your series is definitely an experience. For that, I thank you.
January 27th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. If you are new to the Share series, download them all and listen in order. You’ll be glad you did. If you are ready for Owner’s Share, get ready, It’s Great!
January 27th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Thank you Nathan for the great ride. Looking for more someday but thank you!
January 27th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
This is going to sound weird to admit, but seeing Ish fail is refreshing for me. To my mind, it makes him more human, more real, whereas in some of the earlier books he was pretty perfect. Not that I wish him ill, mind you, it just makes the character more rounded in my eyes.
January 27th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
@roz – she hooked him in Captain’s Share. It’s one of the carry over threads. Obviously not executed well on my part. Guys are funny that way.
January 27th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
@ Samantha
I have listened to the last 3 episodes several times since my first shock with Article 37.
Ishmael did not fail. Think about how Ms. Thomas was 2 years ago and where she is now.
Think about where Ishmael first met Ms. Arellone and how she was finally able to laugh a real laugh by the end of the book.
Ishmael took a ship that was striped of almost everything and dirty and made it a ship that people lined up to ride.
Ishmael stood by his crew member when that crew member could have been forced off the ship.
Yes, I was as gut punched as Ishmael was by Article 37, but I will recover as much as he will. It will just takes time.
Thank you Nate for sharing the past 20 plus years of Ishmael’s life with us.
January 28th, 2011 at 1:04 am
“As the demand for your attention increases”. I have to admit, I was truly puzzled by this simple statement. For everything you’ve said, in all your writing, this sticks with me most (shh…it’s only because it’s freshest in my mind, but even so.) I presume, that you’re just telling us that you realise that there are so many other things that we could be doing, rather than listening to you. It’s so darned hard these days to stop ones attention drifting onto different things. That may well be so.
I actually would like to think that that comment I quoted, in some way, also reflects your desire to know that we, the clamouring hoards, have an appreciation for what you have done. Because, you are something special Nathan. Your stories are compelling , your voice is dulcet and I am always left impatient for more. Damn you, in the nicest way, but I really need some more.
January 28th, 2011 at 6:04 am
@badcam – precisely. when I started out, there were 98 podiobooks. iTunes had just started carrying podcasts. Mp3 players were trendy but not ubiquitous. Smart phones didn’t exist. To say that the demand for listener’s attention has increased – or put the other way – as listeners get more options for stuff to fill their earbuds, play in their cars, and generally pay attention to, I’m honored that so many of you choose to listen to my work. The group numbers something over 15,000 now and grows daily with the books finally seeing text versions and we move out of the “only audio” arena and into the wider old media world. While those numbers don’t begin to approach the hordes who follow the “big guns” like Mur Lafferty, Scott Sigler, and Seth Harwood, I’m convinced that new media isn’t about numbers. It’s about relationships.
I also know that a few of you (Alice, Booker, Jamming…etc) feel like I’ve somehow violated the trust by giving you a story that’s not consistent with your perception of the world. I’m sorry you feel that way, but I can’t really do much about how you feel about it. I have to tell the story as I see the story. This has never been a safe place. This has always been a story bound by the structures, strictures, and tropes of the novel. The nature of the beast is that I really only have an audience of one that has to be satisfied. The bargain is that I’ll put up stories I like and you can like them or not. You can even tell me I suck. That’s ok. In the end, I have to tell the truth. I have.
And BadCam? There’s more. I haven’t even started yet. Wait’ll he gets … um … sorry .. Article 37.
January 28th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Great series of books, well written and well told. A real keeper at twice the price.
Article 37 was a wakes up call – thanks! Future tales of Ish? See Briat 1/28 8:19 (Welkie Wanderings)…then add “you see grasshopper, many years ago there was a Shaloon (SP) priest/monk wandering around the old wild west doing his Kung Fu bit to right wrongs and help the needy.” Put him in space and turn him loose. Great story just waiting to be told.
January 28th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Nate, to quote an old Master Wordsmith,
This above all: to thine own self be true,
January 28th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
@merritt — it’s Shaolin .. and ssssh. Don’t spoiler it already.
@dave – the ole guy had a good point. it’s advice i hold very dear.
January 28th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
For those of you interested in (un)healthy discussion of this book and Nate others, I suggest you come over to the Trader’s Diary Forums. http://durandus.org/fans/index.php
Sign up and contribute or just lurk about and read. There’s a lot going on and you can get some great direct responses from Nate in more organized setting.
January 28th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
One’s perception of the world and/or universe is highly influenced by one’s age and experience.
For those who cannot accept Article 37 right now, wait. Come back in a couple years and see if your opinion has changed.
As for you, Nathan Lowell, you just can’t help yourself, can you? “Wait’ll he gets … um … sorry .. Article 37″ and “ssssh. Don’t spoiler it already.” Indeed.
(I can’t wait!)
January 28th, 2011 at 6:51 pm
@nathan,
While I like Mur Lafferty, Scott Sigler, and Seth Harwood, your works are by far a higher quality.
@Gail, you hit the nail on the head. I could not have come up with a better ending for Owners Share.
January 28th, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Great book – great series. Enjoyed every word. Article 37 covers additional comments.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
This entire series has just been a delight to hear. Nathan’s writing takes me back to the day of early Heinlien, back to the writing that first drew me into science fiction. Thanks Nathan.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Thanks, Mark. Is the Traitor sequel out yet?
January 29th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Let me put it this way: If there are characters your reader can’t conceive of you killing them in your story, they are who you shouldn’t conceive of killing off either. That does not mean that when you place them in danger, the threats to them don’t carry as much weight as they ought to. For the threat is there, if left undefined. That doesn’t even include need for foreshadowing and not playing whipsaw with their emotions, those are cheap writer tricks and will cause people to reject stories even stories that they have long emotion investments with, probably because they have that long investment. Those that shrug it off, are probably not engaged in the character POV or could possibly be narcissistic emotional cripples which have a hard time placing themselves in another’s shoes.
January 30th, 2011 at 4:09 am
@jamming – sorry you feel that way, and I’m likewise sorry you feel I let you down. good luck and best wishes in your future endeavors.
January 30th, 2011 at 6:44 am
acctually i dont feel like a narcissistic emotional cripple…to not being engaged enough…well acctually i feel sadness and best wishes for Ish BUT i also know its only a book and i refuse to let that drive me.I have been reading with really really bad endings and this is not even close to it.Dont think i have to defend Nate but as he said…the only person he really have to satisfy is himself.If he dont like it it wouldnt even be a story but just a fotnote on a paper laying in the trashcan.So thank you nate for sharing with us mortal
January 30th, 2011 at 11:52 am
@Jamming @Nate
I think some authors may write only to please their fans and make a buck. Some of their stories are as entertaining as any I’ve read.
However, I think that many authors–and most of the ones publishing their work in a free medium–are writing because there is a story inside them waiting to be told and they aren’t doing it while considering polling numbers from the readers. Just as you can’t help who you fall in love with, I think some stories need to be told, whether the fans like it or not.
These authors owe us nothing but, perhaps, a “thank you for reading” and no other consideration. We, in turn, owe them our respect for their efforts. If we are thrilled or upset by what they write, we then owe them our thanks for making us care; for there is nothing more sad and a waste of time than a story that I care nothing for when the telling is done. So, respectfully, “Thank you, Nate.”
January 30th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
wrote a longer comment on CTRBTE?, but just wanted to say here that I am with Nate on this. I want to see where Ish goes with his life and even if I have to wait a few years (and it sounds like I probably will) and am still around then (always problematical as I ain’t getting any younger), I will eagerly wait, impatiently maybe, but wait——-
January 30th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Big sigh, big, “Well,” big “Hmm…” Going back to Quarter Share and starting all over.
That’s how damned good it was, from first word to last.
January 30th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
@memline – probably won’t be years. probably will be months since I’ve got two other books to write this year, plus two to edit for text, plus a bunch of audio work to complete. I’m also thinking I’ll try that ‘sleep’ thing. I’ve heard it’s kinda restful.
January 31st, 2011 at 9:09 am
Uh, wow, Jamming. Tell us how you really feel. “Narcissistic emotional cripples”? Really?
If authors only killed off characters that readers aren’t attached to, then they would only kill off redshirts and bad guys. And while that would be emotionally comforting for those who can’t stand the idea of “good guys” dying, it would be pretty horribly unrealistic, because let’s face it, good guys die just the same as bad guys. Everyone dies. Some people die at the hands of their enemies, some people die in freak accidents, some people die of sickness, the list goes on but you get the idea. Stuff happens, and when you are writing a story that’s meant to be an account of an average guy’s life, it’s good to remember that.
So I think that the people who understand what happened and are able to understand it’s place in the story aren’t “narcissistic emotional cripples” so much as “realists”.
January 31st, 2011 at 9:14 am
PS: I am not trying to be snarky, but I AM really cranky today. I apologize if that carries over into my above comment. I mean no snark or rudeness!
February 1st, 2011 at 1:43 pm
I’m on my third pass of the Traders tales series, just finished Captains Share. I’ve not even begun Owners share, so am maintainig a safe distance from the opinons here.
However, having merely skimmed the entries in this thread, the first thing that strikes me is the passion that seems to grip most of the commentators. Love him or hate him Mr Wong has you gripped by the throat in involvement with his escapades, and pursuasion of his character. I think that is a fairly conclusive indicator that Nathen Lowell has done an excellent job here.
The second thing to immensely surprise me is Nathen Lowells responses. I am impressed that he has actually engaged people in this discussion and debates the issues of his composition! It is quite frankly startling. That a man of his ‘quite extraordinary’ literary competence would would take the time to discuss his imagininings with the community on consumer side of the fence is brave and possibly a little foolhardy. Perhaps he is more like Mr Wong in truth than I realised. Anyway, great work and people, try not to let your passions consume you so completely that you agrue the points of this book as though it were the occurances of real life. It’s just a work of fiction, albeit a particularly good one.
February 1st, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Sorry to see this series end. You ending felt more “real” than the various endings I had imagined. It seems the impressive Ishmael Wong is finally ready to grow up.
He’s been doing what others think he “should” do, no what he “thinks” others expect him to do. While he has been extraordinary in those tasks. They are still someone else’s ideas. I’m very curious what he will do once he decides what HE wants to do.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:37 am
Owner’s Share was very good. I think the best in the series. I found Ishmael more grounded and candid about his maturity and I was better able to relate. I also liked the discussion in chapter (one / two?) about Ishmael’s habit of being a Martyr.
I like the character but I also see him as a young guy weighted down and struggling with a lack of emotional resources that influence his choices. He is a nice guy and good guy and still young and fumbling. This combination is what makes him so attractive and likable.
I had no problem with the ending. It seemed coherent. Ishmael does not know how to take care of himself and not take everyone on as a responsibility. Although that seems to be improving but until that happens there may be a lot of ups and downs in the stories to come.
Thanks for the great book.
February 2nd, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Damn you Lowell and your article 37!!!
Seriously though I have to thank you for one of the most captivating series of books audio or written I have had the pleasure to enjoy in my 36 years on THIS fine planet LOL
To live with Mr Wong throughout his many adventures has been an absolute joy and to find out at the beginning of the story that he was now 40 was a shock which I had to get over before plunging headlong into the rest of it.
And to say it is the best in the series is an understatement, you really did outdo yourself with this one and saved the best for last.
On that note-to find out this is the last story truely saddens me and by the look of the comments not only me as you have crafted a wonderful tapestry of a workman like presence in the far future of mans conquest of space. How you made what is in essence the hum drummery of space faring seem so incalculably fun and mesmeric I will never know.
Having mainlined the story in under a couple of days at work I can honestly say that Horatio Wong will stay with me throughout the rest of my days as one of my favourite literary characters and rightfully so.
I thank you Nathan on behalf of anyone who has so far failed to do so and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
I hope to be hearing your great narration in one form or another in the near future.
February 2nd, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Thanks, Chris .. this is the last Share but not the last we’ll hear from Ishmael Wang. Stay tuned.
February 2nd, 2011 at 11:54 pm
Sleeping is overated nate we all know that
just kidding.Not sure what books i should be listening/reading until your next book comes out but it have to be in same catagory as yours that i do know.Any suggestions?i did listen to …whats his name?sullivans book?and you did an excellent job there as well.
February 3rd, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Nathan, I was listening to “Article 37″ at work. On the drive home I realized I was tired, and I wanted to go to bed as soon as I got home. However! I close my eyes and all I can think is, “Damn it!” It makes me want to cry, but laugh too, because you are so freakin’ creative I want to give you a noogie. The best stories are always like Article 37. Anyway, Nathan, please please please continue with Ishmael’s story. I love it!
Also, to Lars Erik, I wanted to make one suggestion. John Lenahan has a completed book called Shadowmagic and one in progress called The Prince of Hazel and Oak. His book was the only other book that I have heard with adventure that captivated the mind. I hope you like it.
February 5th, 2011 at 6:01 am
Nathan,
First I would like to say that I have not enjoyed a book series such as yours since Tolkien. I thank you for the hours of pleasure I have experienced listening the the story of Ishmael Wang on the road. I drive a truck for a living and it has made the miles fly by.
That being said, my one question for you is–why? When I got to Article 37, my gut wrenched and my heart was torn from my body and that is hard to do to a 48-year old, battle-hardened veteran like myself so BRAVA! for that masterful stroke. However I am still left with the question–why? One of the things I learned about Wicca is that any evil that one does is revisited on the perpetrator ten-fold. I do not see where Ishmael deserved that. Can you help me understand?
Earlier in the series there was a repartee between Ishmael and someone else regarding literary works with the cliched theme of a woman’s happiness having to come from the largesse of a manor she must be punished in some way. In regards to male heroes, did not Article 37 also constitute something of a cliche’?
You are a masterful writer. I listen to many audiobooks while driving and I listen to a lot of what can only be called ‘Pulp Fiction’ with lots of action and melodrama. This is the first series without all of that action and such that has so thoroughly captivated me from beginning to end. I have been through the series twice already and will probably listen to it again–once I get over Article 37. I look forward ro listening to Shaman Tales!
February 5th, 2011 at 5:27 pm
The Article 37 event was necessary for the Ishmael stories to continue. While this is the last of the Share books, this will not be the end of Ishmael Wang and there will be more stories to come. I know many people are traumatized by the events, but they were necessary in order to provide the necessary emotional and psychological break to get him where he needed to be so that I could write more with him. I grant there were other Article 37 events that could have occurred, but this one was set in motion back in Captain’s Share. In any event, any alternative would have been just as shocking … or the end of the Shares would be the end of Ishmael Wang.
February 5th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
I do like the “reboot” at the end of Owner’s Share. However, what I would like to have seen happen is for Ish to *choose* to do something (in response to a crisis situation) that is so risky and extreme that he winds up without financial resources and/or taken to courts martial and busted back down to quarter share. The distinction is that I would like the change to have been a consequence of something that Ish DID; as it stands, his decisions at the end are “reactions” and not actions. Just my $0.02. —ACG
February 6th, 2011 at 9:27 am
I’m not sure what the big deal about “reacting” is, really. *ALL* decisions are, in part, reactions. We take in the information we have available, and we make our decisions based on, reacting to, that information. It seems a common complaint that Ish is just going along with what people expect of him – but I thought at the start of Owner’s Share, he was given plenty of options – hammock in the back of nowhere, his own little yacht, etc… And his decision to become a ship owner was *HIS*. And while he *said* it was because of the view of the Deep Dark, he could as easily have had that view from his yacht.
He might not have fully understood his motivations for becoming a ship owner, but it seemed a fine one to me. Dr. Lowell seems to have something better in mind for him, but I’m not sure I see what it *could* be… Maybe Tai Chi master somewhere, but is a job often viewed as a spiritual one automatically a higher calling than one that’s not? I really hope it comes full circle again to him owning his own ship(s) again, eventually.
February 6th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Thanks for asking about Traitor, Nathan. Things were slowed at the publisher/editing end, then slower still when they decided to shut down. I got my contract back a few weeks ago then recorded the entire thing for podiobooks, edited ten chapters, and did not like my quaility. Decided to record it again, only a publisher I just submitted it to does not like the idea of podcasting, so I have to wait for a few weeks to see if they are going to pick it up. If you are up to the manuscript I can ship it to you, though. I am considering remastering God Wars for release on podiobooks to keep my hand in.
February 7th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@Mark
Can’t wait for Traitor… Hope everything works out.
February 11th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Thanks to Nathan for a great ride. Other than John Lenahan’s, no other podiobook series can hold a candle to it. Some are ok to listen to when doing other things, but these two are the only ones I can recommend for just the pure joy of listening. Can hardly wait for more NL.
However, did I miss what happened with the final sale of the Chernykova? Wasn’t that supposed to happen sometime in the summer? Just wondered what Ish’s financial situation would be if he decides to sell the Iris.
February 11th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
It was and it didn’t
He did and walks away with 100m.
February 15th, 2011 at 7:00 am
I have been a rabid fan of this series since Quarter Share first came out, and so I have been looking forward to this last installment in the Share series. Owner’s Share did not disappoint, and I enjoyed the book very much. So much so that I kept myself to one episode a day so I wouldn’t “binge” and listen to it all at once.
My discipline broke down over the last three episodes yesterday. The events touched my heart in such a powerful manner I had to finish it to see what would become of Ish and his crew.
The climax and ending still haunts me a day later, which shows that Nathan is a master storyteller. Well done, sir, and I eagerly await your next work.
February 15th, 2011 at 7:43 am
Thanks for your kind words, Keith.
There’s more in the pipeline …
February 15th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Keep the pipeline full
I have listened all of the share series again (third or fourth time), ravenwood for second time and just about done with South Coast for the 3rd or 4th time.
Can’t wait for more.
February 21st, 2011 at 9:41 pm
This is one of the few series that I have loved from start to finish. I was surprised because I was hesitant to start it, because the idea of a story centering on futuristic merchants did not appeal to me. This is one of the only series that I have actually stayed up later to listen to, I am just happy that I stopped with three to go last night. I am one of the listeners who was saddened, but am happy with the ending. I just want to hear more from Ishmael Wang in the near future.
February 22nd, 2011 at 2:37 am
Thanks, Josh.
There’s more in the hopper.
February 22nd, 2011 at 10:48 am
Another wonderful book. Nathan, thank you. I am grateful for your gift of storytelling. Your narration is matchless…absolutely marvelous. I much prefer the minimal use of music that is your style. All of your books have been extraordinary. Tell us, Nathan, why did you wait so long to share your gifts?
February 22nd, 2011 at 2:37 pm
I’m sorry Nathan, but I can’t forgive you for carrying my heart to the highest peak and then having it thrown down on the rocks below. I loved the book and the whole series for that matter, but you have made me wish I ended with Captain’s Share so I could make my own ending.
February 22nd, 2011 at 6:34 pm
@jennifer – thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed the ride.
@patrick – I’m sorry you feel that way, but I understand why you do.
February 22nd, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Thank you Nathan. I’m certainly not as eloquent as others who have commented here, but I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your stories and your voice.
I have little self control when it comes to listening to your stories. While I should limit myself to my hour long commutes, I find myself sneaking a “little extra” when I think no one is looking. I only hurt myself as I rush to the end and have nothing else to listen to but radio.
I look forward to hearing more about Mr. Wang.
February 24th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Bravo, Trader’s Tales was a great ride. I only discovered this site less than a month ago. The first audiobook I ever listened to was Quater Share, I have been listening two, three hours a night for the last three weeks. I feel lost now that I am done reading, listening, to these amazing books. The only bad thing is, now that I am current with your writing I will have to wait like everyone else for the next adventure of Ishmael Wang.
Thank you for giving me hours of thrilling entertainment.
Cheers
Kevin
February 27th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
This is one of the best SF series I’ve ever heard – everything about it charms and engages the listener, including Mr. Lowell’s gifts at narration. As for the final volume – where was Ishmael going to go, after winning his dream of sailing his own ship? This was the right place to end the series – too bad so many other writers keep milking a once original idea long after the cow went dry.
I’m now getting everything I can find that carries the Nathan Lowell byline. I am SO glad a friend pointed me toward the series.
February 28th, 2011 at 3:20 am
@kevin and TJGeezer – thanks so much for coming along for the ride. I’m really looking forward to telling some new stories and hope you’ll all enjoy them as well.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Nathan,
Thank you so much for this wonderful series. You are a gifted storyteller and I am thrilled to have found your work. I’m writing this before I listen to the final three sections as I fear what I’m about to hear!
I have a very long commute every day (50 miles each way), and while I used to dread the commute, I have, for the past few months, actually enjoyed the commute.
I’ve come to love every one of your characters and their richness and texture. Mr Wang, though, takes the cake. He is a hero in the best sense; honest, rich in integrity, but also very human.
Thank you again Nathan. I plan on making a donation when I get back to my real computer!
March 7th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
hi Nathan,
Just wondering…what does the timeline on listening to something new you’re working on…don’t mean to push, well yes i do…in the mean time, do you have any suggestions on what to listen to now?…I’ve listened to everything by
Abigail Hilton and both the Shadow magic books, and of course ALL of your works here.
Thanks for the hard work you do it really makes such a difference in the listening experience.
PS. I read what you had to say about education and credentials and the product of educational institutions being the credentials…holy crap did i ever blow up the party when i brought that up for casual discussion. It certainly got some people thinking and others talking. We chewed on that topic for most of the night…I love it when someone provides me with a new insight, thank you.
March 8th, 2011 at 3:49 am
Hi Leon.
I’ve got about four projects underway at once and making little progress on each of them. I need to buckle down and focus.
My main attention is on getting Full Share out in print because that’s the bread-and-butter, but I’ve also got two other audio projects for other people that I’ve committed to and I *really* need to get those off my plate.
It’s going to be a while before I get much more out here for people. Probably late spring, early summer.
March 17th, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Mr. Lowell, I think that this has been one of the most amazing series that I have ever listened to. I was recommended it by a friend, and thought, ya, that’s going to suck. But now, 6 books in, with an incredible cast of characters, an indescribably real setting, and I am amazed. This is the best book series that I have ever read, and I’ve read some classics. I can’t even pin it down to what makes it so good; the realism, the idea that this wonderful world is just out of reach…
One idea, when you get all of the books released onto print, you should release a box set.
I would also love to buy an autographed copy, if that is at all available. It would be worth it.
Sum it up: You are a great writer! Don’t ever stop!!
March 18th, 2011 at 4:04 am
Thanks Chris. You can get an autographed version from Ridan Publishing. Just order one of the books from their site and tell them how you’d like to have it inscribed.
March 18th, 2011 at 4:08 am
Yet another fantastic home run from Nathan Lowell. This was great on all fronts: writing, characters, plot twists, audio quality, narration, etc. The Trader’s Tales is one of the few series I can really keep going back to over and over and I do enjoy that. I’m so excited to see Nate getting the books out in print, especially the hard covers. Keep up the great work!
March 25th, 2011 at 5:16 am
WOW!!! I cannot give enough praise for this book and all of the others for this series. I never had an idol before, but I have to say Nathan Lowell would be it. The writing for this series let alone Nathan’s awesome voice come together to make this my absolute favorite books/stories! I was sad when I first saw that the last book was out, but I ex tactic to hear that there may be more stories to come. Looking forward to seeing/hearing those. Good luck to you good sir!
An avid fan & wanna be writer.
March 31st, 2011 at 1:29 pm
I am stunned and amazed at how fast the whole series went by. I purchased the first two books and read them and then was a bit skeptical about listening to the rest of the books on line. In many ways it was better than reading them to myself. The music added a lot of color and emotion to the story and Nathan’s voice was perfect for narrating the story. I am already missing not having an Episode 7 to start listening to.
Pretty incredible experience.
April 2nd, 2011 at 2:26 am
Thanks, Art. Much appreciated.
April 2nd, 2011 at 8:48 am
Thank you for the wonderful ride, Nathan. I’ve just finished listening to the entire series and my hat is doffed to you.
You’ve created a wonderfully realistic universe and peopled it really well. Glad I am that Ishmael is still with us, though shocked as hell at the death on Greenfields – happy endings aren’t always meant to be, and bumping off characters the listeners/readers like must be hard.
My only teensy criticism would be the amount of time you spent making me drool with epicurean descriptions of food and coffee. I’ve put on pounds whilst listening.
Kudos, and thanks again! I can’t wait to hear more from Ishmael and all.
April 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
You’re welcome, Nick.
Wait’ll we put out the cook book!
April 3rd, 2011 at 10:19 am
One word would summarize The Solar Clipper tails.. “amazing”. I’d just really like to thank you for your creation, Nathan. I was so captivated by the story that I really had a hard time doing anything else than listen (that includes sleeping). It really helped to have something good to listen to while walking around the apartment with a screaming baby on my shoulder.
Best regards and hopes for a new adventure soon!
April 3rd, 2011 at 9:02 pm
I have listened to all the shares as they have come onto podiobooks, and this one was the most difficult to listen to…the wanting to listen because I just couldn’t not, and the not wanting to come to the end of this wonderful journey. It was in turn both delightful and shocking.
Thank you for enriching my life with this series. I am sorry that we have come to the end.
April 5th, 2011 at 3:21 am
You’re welcome, Svienn — I’ve had a great deal of fun bringing the series to you and I’m looking forward to many more.
Thanks, Holly. There’ll be a new adventure before too long.
April 8th, 2011 at 8:27 am
Thank you so much for this absulutly gorgeous series. I went back and listened to all five books before listening to OWner’s Shatre and it’s been a simply breathtaking journey.
Certoan parts of Owner’s Share nearly killed me with it’s beautiful sadness and I”m both sniffing and grinning as I write this.
I”M *so* grateful that there’ll be more in this universe as all the characters have come to feel like family to me. I plan on buying all six Trader’s Tales in book form when they become avalible. The only problem now is which podiobook do I listen to first thing in the morning, with no new Trader’s Tales?
Thanks again for thw wonderful trip!
April 8th, 2011 at 11:21 am
thanks, Jen. You could always listen to South Coast, or Ravenwood, or even The Crown Conspiracy.
April 10th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Good point indeed. I shall do that.
May 5th, 2011 at 7:56 am
I listened to Owner’s Share over a long time, because it was my treadmill companion and that is only 4 times a week for 20 minutes each. It definitely gave me reason to get on that treadmill! I was very happy with the plot and ending. As always the clever dialog, descriptions (including the food), problems and solutions, music, and narration were great! Thanks for taking this series all the way. Could you have foreseen it at the beginning? I’m glad to hear in the comments that we will see more of Captain Wong.
May 6th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
I find it funny that I can’t talk about the most interesting part of the book because of Article 38 (or whatever the number was.) cause I really want too! But, you asked so nicely not to spoil anything I won’t.
Thanks for a fun series, even though I had my problems with some of it I did enjoy every book and every chapter. You had a vision, you saw the vision through and you took us all for a fun little ride. Nicely done.
-Tim
May 28th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Your other books are great, this one not so much and would have been better with ‘Article 38′ the other way around. (officer reversal)
I have listened to 1/4 – Captain several times, and enjoyed each time, but after listening to owners when it came out I deleted them when the story ended.
June 1st, 2011 at 7:46 pm
@jeff – thanks for hanging in for the end. Sorry you didn’t like it.
June 18th, 2011 at 8:08 am
Having finished an obsessive journey through the series, I’ll try to keep this comment somewhere between a full reflection and a handful of disjointed thoughts.
I rate this among the best “hard sci-fi” I’ve ever read. The grounding in practicality and methodical (almost desultory) technique of narrating the mundane thread while the larger plot unfolds reaches a level of vividness that a more forceful approach would fail to achieve.
Referring to the series as hard sci-fi almost doesn’t state it well enough. This is engineering-fi; in the sense that engineering captures the theory of abstract science and crystallizes it into functionality. The series, like a Higby, pulls back the shutters on the deep dark.
I choose the series just on a hunch when seeing a character named “Ishmael Horatio” and feel that the initial promise of potential has been well carried out. Aside from the obvious relationship to shipboard life, the author pays good tribute with a Mellvillian desire to bring the obscure and unfamiliar under scrutiny and a Fosterian grasp of which points of transition end one tale and begin another.
A million literate allusions enhance both moments of depth and levity.
I will both pass on this treat and listen again.
Thank you Nathan.
June 18th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Thank YOU, Rambler.
It was a great deal of fun to write and I’m looking forward to many more!
June 20th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Its been a long time since I read a good “right of passage” nautical book. I have never read Heinlein, so I can’t comment there. However, The six books reminded me of the old Newberry Award book “Carry On, Mr. Bowditch”, by Jean Lee Latham. The hardships, loss, but personal courage and drive Ishmael demonstrates, reminded me of what Nate went through. Life is not always pretty and happy ever after. However, the series pulled me in and addicted me for a full week. I started with the kindle print, but was extremely happy to find the remaining three on podiocast. Thank you again for bringing an wonderful new world to voice!
June 23rd, 2011 at 2:48 am
Aww. Thanks, for the kind words, Jessie.
It’s been a heck of a ride for me, too, and I’m really looking forward to doing more in the future.
June 26th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
What an amazing series , I couldn’t stop listening to it and Nathan tells it so well. I love the fact that each character seems to have a voice of their own, truly the mark of a great story teller! Often I listen to books while at work, since my work involves working with my hands and not much else, it’s a great way to pass the time. With Golden Age of the Solar Clipper I found I couldn’t stop listening even during lunch or during the evenings (much to the despair of my wife).
If anything I only have 2 criticisms. 1 I wish their had been a book covering Ishmael’s time at the Port Newmar Academy, I feel that their were a lot of adventures to be had that we never got to experience.
2 – *** spoiler alert *** – The ending of owner’s share was a little disappointing, here I’m talking about the emotion not the way it was written (for it was written wonderfully as always). It seemed to me that we have been on this emotional roller-coaster with Ishmael through all the ups and downs, the story begins with tragedy (the death of Ishmael’s mother) and now seems to end with tragedy. Just when it seems that Ishmael has everything he has worked so hard to get, it all gets snatched away, he loses his love, his new dream job and his company. It just seems somehow, unfair and more then a little sad.
I hope that more books will be written about Captain Ishmael Horatio Wang, for his story to end on such a low point would truly be a transitivity.
June 26th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Thanks, Hilton. It’s great hearing from listeners.
1. I’ve reserved a title for the “Ishmael Goes to College” story but – seriously? After “Back to School” and “Bedtime for Bonzo” are there really any more good stories to tell there? I don’t know. I haven’t come up with any. If I do, I’ll write the book.
2. The story had to end that way in order for me to tell more Ishmael Wang stories. If you’d gotten the kind of ending you were looking for, I would have been done with Ishmael. Either way, it would have been a disappointment to somebody. At least this way, I get to explore his world a little more.
Several people have suggested that the happily ever after ending doesn’t have to be forever and that there are a lot of stories that could have been founded there. I don’t disagree with that assessment. My disagreement comes from the reality that I don’t find those stories sufficient compelling that I want to write them. Like the Ishmael Goes to College story, if I can’t find a way to make it work for me, I can’t make it work for anybody else either.
I really am sorry about the disappointment, but it had to be that way.
I do hope you’ll stick around for the next series. I think it’s going to be at least as much fun as the last one.
June 26th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Oh you can count on it Nathan, I wouldn’t miss it for the world!!! I suspect the going to school book would have been called Cadets Share and would have centred around 3 things, raising the rest of the money for the Academy in some hair-brained but ultimately brilliant scheme, shipboard student officer experiences, and love life. But as you say if you can’t see it you can’t write about it. Don’t be sorry about the disappointment, it was more emotional then anything else. All in all the books are really amazing and the fact that you are going to continue with Ishmaels story, more then makes up for any sadness residing at the end of Owners share. Actually if anything, the mere fact that I’m still feeling for Ishmael over a week since I finished the books is a testament to your story telling abilities. I am now and forever will be a fan of this series and look forward to more adventures as well as reliving the old. Thank you for this wonderful gift of words.
June 26th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
There might be hope for the Port Newmar book. (there’s no “Cadet’s Share” so that would have to have a different title.) You raise some interesting ideas about funding … hmm. Not an aspect I’d actually considered. Getting student loans is kinda boring. Summer cruises have a lot of potential, as does the love life issue. There’s also a subplot in there about how he helps Pip get over his test anxiety.
You’re making this sound more feasible by the day. I’m glad I reserved the title.
(I fixed the typo and pulled your follow on note.)
June 26th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Wow!
What a fantastic series of books!!! Started buying them on Amazon but there’s only the first few there. Nearly had a fit when i couldnt find the next ones. Eventually found the audio ones and listened thru to the end ( please say it aint so !!! )
Finished half an hour ago and now dont know what do with myaelf. I’ve been reading/listening to these non-stop since i read the first one. But now I’m caught up. Argh.
Congratulations Nathan, you are a gifted writer who can write a gripping, warm, thought-provoking book that is sci-fi at it best. Where the sci-fi is the background but the story is about people. People we all wish we were – living thru life, having adventures, making mistakes, never perfect but always striving.
Thank you very much for these books and may there be many more!
June 26th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
I don’t usually post comments about books on sites but I just wanted the author to know that I’m rarely sucked into a story like I was with this one. Looking at the glowing reviews above mine, I really didn’t want to write anything because they all seemed SO articulate…but while I don’t have the skill to truely express my feelings on your stories, just know that they kept me enraptured and I hope you continue writing other great stories.
June 27th, 2011 at 6:17 am
@andre – Thanks so much. There’s a lot more in the works. They’ll all be available for you to read to yourself eventually. The production schedule runs thru 2013 now and I’m pretty sure there’ll be more by the time we get there. (Did you listen to Ravenwood or South Coast yet? There’s a lot of other fine works here on Podiobooks.com for your listening and reading enjoyment.)
@mark – I’m glad you found them enjoyable and hope you continue to enjoy as new works get released.
July 2nd, 2011 at 3:02 am
Well written and an excellent storyline. I’m looking forward to seeing the series in print so I can buy a set for the ship.
July 2nd, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Well if it’s ok, I’ll throw one or two more ideas at you, just to wet the Port Newmar whistle, so to speak.
I’m not sure what it’s like in the states but In Australia our military academy has seen its fair share of scandals, from hushed up misconduct, sexual abuse, brutality and bastardization, to the lighter hazing and rather strange rituals such as the running man (officers are kid napped by fellow officers stripped down to jocks and shoes, dropped off in the center of town early in the morning and given a choice, keep the shoes or the jocks and make your way back to base any way you can lol). So I would think that a quick look at any countries military academies should yield similar stories (food for thought).
Also I might suggest the age old class segregation (spacer families v’s land rats) and the inherent resentment of old spacer families against the intrusion of the land rat in a place he doesn’t belong (an oldie but a goodie I know).
Throw in the fact that more then a few bad apple officers have apparently “graduated” and that while Ishmael is a test machine when it comes to studies he managed to place rather poorly overall, suggests something possibly rotten at Port Newmar.
Hope that helps and wasn’t to presumptionist of me
July 2nd, 2011 at 2:39 pm
@dave – thanks – they’re coming.
@hilton – Keep pitching. Ya never know ..
July 13th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
I just want to say that the whole series is amazing. I am on the last few chapters now and am looking for something else that can fill the void. Gonna try Ravenwood and Shaman Tales and am hopeful.
Your writing is fantastic and your reading is top notch (has been the downfall of some audio books I have listened to) so keep up the good work it truely is appreciated and I will eagerly be awaiting whatever you produce next.
July 14th, 2011 at 1:54 am
Thanks, Andrew.
There’s more on the way.
July 19th, 2011 at 10:02 am
I have been following your books since I found podiobooks. I hadn’t realized it had been 4 years! You’re books are great and I look forward to seeing more!
July 19th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Thanks, Steven. There’s more on the way.
August 16th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Thanks Nathan, my partner and I found your books a couple of years ago and are about to listen to the last of Owners Share. in preparation of listening to Owners Share we’ve gone back and listened to the whole series again and I’m sad to see the end. We’re hoping there be more in this series, I’m also looking fwd to more Shaman Tales and Ravenwood.
Thanks heaps for hours of enjoyment.
August 17th, 2011 at 3:30 am
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
I write this not as a complaint or condemnation, though I would understand if it were to be taken as such, but as a mild form of therapy.
I address this to Mr. Nathan Lowell, the author of these books. I have no illusions about his actually seeing this, let alone caring about the content, but as I said I write it more as therapy than anything else.
I wish to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the world you’ve created in these books. I have always enjoyed reading, possibly more than many would consider to be particularly healthy. I have always thought of a good book as a haven; a place of refuge in which to hide from a very unpleasant reality. As an extension of this I tend to prefer books which are uplifting and which leave the reader (me) with more joy than they started with. I acknowledge your skill as a writer, and the tremendous investment of time and energy involved in writing these stories. I must also state my great disappointment at how you have chosen to end the Trader Tales series.
In the first five books the protagonist encountered various obstacles, all of which he overcame. This is normal and necessary as there must be conflict and resolution or there would be no story to tell. But in book 6, Owner’s Share, it is as if you were trying to be rid of Ishmael Wang. You create an enjoyable story for over 60 chapters, but then you kill a main character for no other apparent reason than to hurt the protagonist. You then proceed to essentially break Ishmael, making him abandon everything in his life… Then the book just ends?
I wrote of disappointment, but in truth it is more like pain. Most people who read this will no doubt write me off as a crank who got too caught up in a fictional story, but what is the point of any story if not to engage the emotions of the reader? Why write of tragedy and triumph if you don’t intend that the reader should feel some measure of what the characters feel?
I understand having a somewhat lackluster ending. After six books it is a wonder that you had anything left to say, and finding a stopping place must have been very difficult. What I have the most trouble with is the unneeded tragedy in that ending. Gretta’s death did not progress the story, at least not in a worthwhile direction, her death was not even integral to the denouement. The story just fades, with a severely depressed Ishmael leaving what remains of his life with no purpose or direction. From my point of view the story seems to end with no hope. It would almost be better if Ishmael himself had died, at least then the reader could remember him fondly, and not as the broken wretch he became. I consider this a form of betrayal. A reader should be able to expect a certain continuity across all books in a series, at least in a general atmospheric sense. No one wants to start reading something along the lines of “Carry on, Jeeves” only to have it suddenly shift into something like “Macbeth”! It is disconcerting to say the least.
I admit you have every right to end YOUR story exactly how YOU choose. I do however resent being dragged along during what I can only assume was some sort of breakdown you must have been having while you wrote the last 12 chapters. Maybe you can rewrite it and release it as something akin to a ‘directors cut’ or some such. Just a thought.
August 17th, 2011 at 5:33 am
I’m not sure why you thought I’d not read (or respond to) this, Dan. I read and respond to almost every comment. Thank you very much for feedback.
As you look over this string of comments, you might notice that you’re not alone in your despair over the ending. I’ve found it gratifying that people are so wrapped up in my stories that they get upset over them, but I’m sorry you found it so distressing.
Me? I don’t see the ending as “lackluster” nor that the tragedy was “unneeded.” The story does not fade out with a severely depressed Ishmael altho I can see where that’s certainly open to interpretation.
What I see is Ishmael closing a chapter in his life in preparation for the next step. He comes full circle at the end of this book. The forces that have driven him for over half his life no longer hold sway. If that were the last Ishmael Wang story, I can certainly see why you might be upset that I’d leave him there. The reality is that this is only the last of the Trader’s Tales. It’s a long way from the last Ishmael Wang story and certainly not the end of the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper.
As for a director’s cut with a new ending?
Not happening. I need that ending to kick off the next series. A new whelkie has found him and with it, the promise of new adventures.
August 18th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
” A new whelkie has found him and with it, the promise of new adventures.”
And your fans are anxiously waiting those new adventures and any other stories you write
September 12th, 2011 at 9:19 am
It takes a talented author to make me giggle and cry in the same hr. My opinion, it couldn’t have ended any other way. Yes, it was tragic. Yes, Ish has had quite the life. But it was perfect. I thoguht it fit with the flow of all the books. Thank You, for once again transforming me to a whole new world.
September 14th, 2011 at 4:23 am
Thank you so much, Alitha.
There’ll be more stories coming.
October 7th, 2011 at 6:55 am
I’ve been trying to get my son to read for pleasure for years. I’ve tried introducing him to juvenile SF, with no luck. (He’s 13, an interesting age…)
We started listening to Quarter Share on a road trip, and that hooked him. He’s currently going through Double Share (it’s a bit adult for him, but we’re talking about the issues raised) and I’m going through Captain’s Share for the second time – I knew about the series before the road trip. (Got the books you have available on Amazon for my Kindle, btw…) I’ll be ordering him the books for Christmas.
BTW, also like the Tales of the Deep Dark on the Kindle. Very good, tasty stuff!
About all I can say is… when will there be more?
October 8th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I need to write some, read some, and do a little more self-publish.
I’m getting Ravenwood ready for a Samhain release. Seems like a good fit for the holiday.
October 19th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
I just finished this wonderful series, which I started reading with the text and ending with the audio. I was very pleased with the Genre and the story line and I only really have a few observations. But please don’t think I’m poking holes in it. I really loved it I just think it needs some editing.
1) even though the main character identifies mainly with women I fell like I was hit over the head with it. Male characters tended to be boring card-board cutouts, just there to move the story along and not really a part of it. The interpersonal relationships Ishmael shares with women is outstanding and sometimes over board considering the storyline. It also seemed like most of the Male characters where the enemy, in one way or another. This created a HUGE imbalance in the story.
2) Cooking, cooking and more cooking…. Bored me a little and seemed to be a major part of the story but I was hoping that Ishmael and his father would have had a chance to cook a little together. Again, it seems the lack of male character development may or may not be a deliberate thing. I feel like I was hit over the head with a spatula.
3) Calling space the Deep Dark, is cumbersome. Calling it “ the Deep” or “ the Dark” seems like it would have fit better.
4) calling something “ Ticks and Stans” instead of minutes and hours is also cumbersome. Even though Mr Lowell defined it in the first book, I find myself tripping over it every time I read it or even hear it.
5) Engineering details seemed to be lacking, and whenever and engineer seemed to do work it consisted of mostly just replacing filters of one type or another. The actual way it which the ship operated was thin. Also, most engineers are male for some reason. I’m one myself, and the field doesn’t seem to attract women to it. Nearly all of the engineers in this series are female those that are male are Bad guys.
6) The finances concerning crew where explained well, but the cargo haulers finances and expenses where thin. I wasn’t really sure how the profits and losses and the grand scheme fit together. I never could quite grasp how and where corporate profits where made or how important it was to the grand scheme of things. If your writing a story about a racehorse the racing is important.
7) I don’t need a Tia-chi lesson. Especially more than once, or twice, or thrice…….
Many Thanks Nathan, Please don’t take my comments as anything but constructive critism I love your writing.
October 20th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Thanks for your feedback, Mike.
You’ve raised some very good points.
You’re not going to change my mind about the books, but the points you raise are valid. They’re not things that happened by accident because I’m writing is a response to the current state of the genre.
Men are the bad guys. Always. They are flat and cardboardy because Ishmael has limited male role models against which to operate. It’s a function of his youth, which as you remember, was completely dominated by his mother … who was replaced by a strong woman captain … and — just between us guys? Most guys are flat and cardboardy. Me included.
The engineering is thin. The books are about the people, not the technology, and I had to use too much handwavium patched together with plotonium to get it where it was.
The company financials didn’t play into the story because by the time we got to that level of story, it just wasn’t as important as the people aspects. That’s a limitation of the point of view and I can’t tell any part of the story that Ishmael doesn’t know.
I really appreciate the feedback tho and it underscores why the series had to end so that I can go on with him and try to tell some other stories.
October 26th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Nathan,
Thanks a thousand times. I found you on Amazon, read the first three and was sad to find the others missing as yet, then glad to find them here. Have thoroughly enjoyed the series.
Frankly I was quite touched in finishing the series – even cried quite heartily. Not because the ending was tragic, but because life is. Full of possibilities and threats and noble and wonderful people like Ishmael and obviously yourself. Still at times it’s empty like the deep dark – or the cold blue – or the cabin of remembered sorrow.
Having read the last two comments, it seems to me that something wonderful you have done is not quite in focus there. Space in these books, is not about an exciting frontier, aliens, warfare or even very hi-tech. It is a cold and expansive isolation that provides the backdrop and the confinement for the relational context; the people. Just how the machines work is largely irrelevant, with enough provided to make the scenario physically plausible.
The confinement povided that a door-knock was answered. A question produced discussion. The characters were available to each other always. I can’t help thinking that this was your design, that you wanted to write about people and that you designed your quadrants at just the right distances and your ships with just the right speeds and crew sizes to tell us about those people.
The depth of character that you have achieved is excellent. The repetition of some themes and activities added realism and some comprehension of the scope of time. In addition, they were very human activities Tia-chi, cooking, coffee. These things are skin and sweat, warm and aromatic, brown and flavoursome. They are the stuff of meaning in the aching cold vastness of the universe. That contrast was very powerful.
I listened while I walked my usual 6 km and was in no hurry for some plot development. The epoisodes nearly lulled me into the rhythm of ship life and a longing for routine and rhythm and constant interaction with people. Some may call it boring but I felt it gave me time to really come to know and love Ishmael. A really unique reading experience.
I will echo others who hope to remeet some of the old crew. However again, life is like this. Old memories are only enchanting until we try to reconnect with them and if we’ll allow it, the people who come freshly into our lives are full of nourishment and discovery and the hope that moves us on. I think this was part of your message. You obviously love people, especially women and you love many things about them and have helped to deepen my appreciation and desire for real connections with diverse people, especially the elderly and even my own children and wife.
It was a tremendously GOOD thing for me to be your student in this way.
Thanks again and I wish you great and true success.
October 28th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Thank you most kindly, Brent.
The point of the space opera (which many argue these books are not) is the humanity. And yes, the ports are chosen with exactly those considerations.
Hope you enjoy the future installments and the new stories set in the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper.
January 24th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
It’s been a long time since I’ve so loved a character.
I listen to a lot of audio books one-eared while at work. I’m 2 Audio segments from the end of Captains share and I’m already heartbroken that I’m running out of Ishy stories.
So many novels have protagonists that you just can’t empathize with or there’s nothing likable about them. Watching Ishmael grow into such an amazing man was simply beautiful.
I’ve never reviewed an audio book before (an entire series in this case,) but this is beautifully written, sound quality / performance is ‘stellar.’ (Please excuse my pun.) Looking forward to reading and listening to the rest of your creations.
(I also quite enjoyed the Shaman’s tale)
Congratulations on firmly ensconcing yourself on my short list of favorite authors.
January 24th, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Thanks, AdventureDog.
It’s been fun bringing the stories to life and I’m looking forward to telling many more.
February 5th, 2012 at 10:00 am
I have never posted my opinion on a book, but this series so was good i had to say thank you for time and work that was put in to this.
Being an individual that was single and the married in the military and wanting to start a family….and considering the hardships involved with the lifestyle….needless to say, i felt a relationship grow. I LOVED THIS BOOK and was left waiting more. I hope you continue to create more works of art.
February 25th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
I don’t know that I’ve ever become so attached to a character, let alone a set of characters. Having followed Ishmael from the loss of his mother through six novels, I’ve found a place in my heart for everyone, from Pip to Greta. Ishmael’s loss in episode 28 actually brought me to tears, and the emotional rollercoaster of the entire series has had me listening to each book repeatedly. I dearly hope that more trader tales are to follow, and only hope I live long enough to sign the Articles and ship out myself. Well done, Sar, well done indeed.
March 5th, 2012 at 11:23 am
OK, I’m ruined. I’ve listened to them all, and now I’m having difficulty getting into other works by other authors. You better write fast to feed my addiction…
May 7th, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Nate, good to hear you again…
I didn’t contribute with Captain’s Share, and I wasn’t about to ignore Owners share, so I doubled up.
You, Sar, are one cruel human being, what you did to Greta. But OMG I’ve loved every word of the Solar Clipper Series.
I’m like the writer above, I will miss Captain Wong. I’m somewhat older than you, Nate, but Sar, you have altered my life with the ethics of Captain Wong.
Sad to say, I’ve not cared at all for the South Coast material. I didn’t finish the first one. Funny that, same author, same narrator, but to your credit, a much different story line.
Thank you Mr. Lowell, I admire what you’ve done with Captain Wong down through the years. I’m going to try and find you on Facebook, if you don’t find me first, (please try?) I consider you to be a personal friend, with all of the knowledge you’ve shared from your experience in the USCG. And then transmuted it into living in The Deep Dark.
Thank you Nathan Lowell, SAR!
May 30th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
@everybody, Thanks!
You *do* know that this isn’t the end, right?
(sorry, I haven’t checked in for awhile)
June 4th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
Nathan
I am trying to slow down my progress in Owner’s Share. Have enjoyed the ride. You adhere to detail, imagine the future, and do a bang up narration. Am very happy I found Trader’s Tale and commend your effort. Will be looking for you again .
M
June 14th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Be careful of the ending, Michael.
The last bit is a bit rough.
July 6th, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Following a recommendation on GeekDad, I dug into the Podiobooks feeds for each of the “Trader’s Tales” books in order. I found the series highly engaging and moving, and the gut punch of the last few episodes of Owner’s Share was really effective. Thank you.
July 16th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
I’m usually more of an action/horror type of guy, but this series is so well written and the characters are so developed that it just sucks you into life in space. I listened to the first three books years ago, and this year I started over with book one and they were even better than I remembered.
I was in the US Navy and the descriptions made it sound like a real life ship in space instead of some sci-fi fantasy. The only thing that bothered me was that they didn’t adjust the time while underway to match the time of their next port. Can’t wait for more books in this future. In the mean time I’m going to listen to South Coast again (it has been a few years since I listened to it as well).
August 4th, 2012 at 2:07 am
Just listened to the series for the second time, I knew the sad part was coming but I promised myself I wouldn’t tear up this time lol, still it was a close thing. Nathan it’s a brilliant series and I hope that you will write more about Ishmael.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:44 am
Damn you mr. Lowell, this was such a great story, and now I’m feeling that brilliant feeling of loss after closing a fond book, blinking back tears.
It feels unfair what Ishmael went through at the end of this last book, but I guess something was needed to get him to move forward.
Now, I’m looking forward to more stories from the golden age of the solar clipper.
November 21st, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Wow, This series will go down as one of my favorites, thanks for writing such a great series.
April 1st, 2013 at 8:32 pm
I found these books a few years ago on Amazon, read the first few and waited patiently for them to become available on my Kindle. I gave up and went with the Podiobooks. I love them all! By far my favorite space drama I have read, or listened to!
I would love to know more about Ishmael’s father.
The last book left me wondering if Ishmael might become part owner/CEO of DST? Sometime in the future, or at least the Admiral of their fleet? Just a thought. I would love to see a reunion with Pip, Bev, Brill and the Officers of the Lois. I would love to see Ish get the family he wants so badly, on a family ship… Loved the idea of the Iris, and think there is more to that story!
Thank you Nathan Lowell. Your stories are ones that make it easy to suspend what is real and delve into the character world. You take us there, but somehow, you keep it real.
Much love and appreciation for you and your work.
April 7th, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Just finished re-listening to this faublous storry and I want to cry again! Dammit.