## [RT] Skybreaker's Call: final epilogue out next week

* Author: u/VorpalAuroch  *Life before Death**
* URL: http://docfuture.tumblr.com/post/63708903466/skybreakers-call-prologue
* Score: 7

* Created: 2015-02-04T20:35:05

### Post:

[Link to content](http://docfuture.tumblr.com/post/63708903466/skybreakers-call-prologue)

### Comments:

> **u/VorpalAuroch** [+3]  *Life before Death* (11 minutes later)
> 
> Bit of a repost, but this and the preceding novel, [The Fall of Doc Future](http://docfuture.tumblr.com/post/34751426243/doc-prologue), are excellent rational superheroes; I personally consider them vastly superior to Worm, but I find Worm's setting terribly unbelievable, so YMMV. If you haven't encountered these two before, I suggest starting with FoDF, which the author summarized thusly:
> 
> >This is the first chapter of a novel I wrote, The Fall of Doc Future, set in a world similar to the present day, except with metahumans.  I consider it Science Fiction or ‘Hard Fantasy’—there are unusual abilities, but I try to treat the consequences seriously and consistently.  The main characters are Doc Future, the smartest man in the world, currently having issues with insomnia;  his adopted daughter Flicker, a speedster and high functioning autistic;  her best friend, Dr. Stella Reinhart, a mind control researcher who does a few other things as well;  and Donner, a metahuman rock musician with an unusual voice.  It’s about 170k words.
> 
> Call will cover the details of how powers work significantly less than Fall, and spoil the conclusion of Fall very thoroughly, but otherwise can stand alone if you prefer.
> 
> Warning: Contains discussion of earworms, rape, and memetic hazards.

> **u/Charlie___** [+1]  (a day later)
> 
> Read the first book. Definitely fun. More in the vein of Soon I Will Be Invincible than Worm.
> 
> There were some boring bits in the middle, but my main complaint is the violation of Sanderson's laws. If you're going to use mind magic to solve mind problems, either we need to understand it (either mechanically like you're probably thinking of, or in a dramatic sense where there's good foreshadowing and actions have costs that make sense), or it needs to be serving a vital moment of character development.

> **u/blazinghand** [+1]  *Chaos Undivided* (2 days later)
> 
> Finished reading [The Fall of Doc Future](http://docfuture.tumblr.com/post/34751426243/doc-prologue). I liked it thoroughly.

> **u/narfanator** [+1]  (4 days later)
> 
> > ”That’s huge.  I wonder who made it, and what they fed it.  They’re really dangerous, because they have an impenetrable force field that’s—”
> 
> >    ”It’s not impenetrable.”
> 
> >    ”Well, yes, but you have to use a trick to—”
> 
> >    ”Nope, I just threw rocks.”
> 
> >    ”I suppose hitting it from more than one direction at a time would—”
> 
> >    ”Same direction.  Took four rocks.
> 
> Everything is sharp with enough velocity!
> 
> Really enjoying these. I'm of a mind with the others that say the mental magic is under-defined, but that bothers me more because I'm really curious about what you think it'd look like. Very few authors go into mind details (Greg Egan and the opening for Diaspora come to mind), and no-one has written any rationalist fiction featuring any. 
> 
> I'll see about writing a longer review, as I think I can meaningfully contribute to your growth as a writer, but ultimately it doesn't matter because you're good, and I'm having a lot of fun.

>> **u/narfanator** [+1]  (4 days later)
>> 
>> Must... resist....at least a little bit...
>> 
>> Favorite narrative theme? 
>> 
>> Real people with real powers *refusing* to be converted into narrative elements... and having that refusal produce *interesting physical consequences*. That's amazing.
>> 
>> > Universe: Soooo you're a god!
>> 
>> > Doc: NOPE.
>> 
>> > Universe: Well... ah... I'm not really... This has never happened before. I don't know what should happen. Maybe... this? Sorta... maybe, that...?
>> 
>> Part you should work on? 
>> 
>> (And I had to re-write this bit)... All of the main characters basically have - as both an aspect of their super-power, and because you're writing them as intelligent, stable, rational adults (with emotions!) - the ability to "turn on a dime" in their character arcs and ability to handle new information and situation.
>> 
>> But I'm left with a question: Is this normal for other people in this world? The world itself? Maybe show me more about how everything else in this universe handles these whiplash moments?

>>> **u/VorpalAuroch** [+1]  *Life before Death* (5 days later)
>>> 
>>> I did not write this, I'm just a big fan. I'm not sure the author knows this discussion exists.

> **u/VorpalAuroch** [+1]  *Life before Death* (18 days later)
> 
> [Table of Contents](http://docfuture.tumblr.com/post/111819789111/skybreakers-call-contents) for Skybreaker's Call is now posted.

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