Owner's Share: The conclusion?

[mimccart]

So this board CAN do polls!

Is it time to close the book on Ishmael Horatio Wang?

[Jamming]

Ish in "Outhouse Share" if that's what it takes to get more Ish books.  

OK I want whatever Nathan wants for his work...man that eating crow is nasty. 

[internalogic]

OK I want whatever Nathan wants for his work...man that eating crow is nasty. 

want to make an 'eating raven' joke here, but am just a little too superstitious.

[Hade]

I'd actually be interested to know what happens over the next five years, between now and buying out the shareholders (or paying them their dues). And if we can get some Wang offspring thrown in there for good measure, why the hell not?

[Tara_Li]

He's pretty much said we'll hear more about Wang.  Just that the Share novels are done, because there's no more levels of "Share".

[thewheelman84]

As much as I would love to continue hearing about the stories of Ishmael and the Iris, some stories need to end.  (I'm looking at you Bleach)  Although it would be cool to see Ish and the crew show up in other stories.  Maybe a cameo in Shaman Tales? 

[Laith]

Maybe a cameo in Shaman Tales? 

Can't Nate's stated story line for that series should run out around 20 stanyars before this. Unless I'm mistake on the story his is trying to tell there.

[thewheelman84]

Maybe a cameo in Shaman Tales? 

Can't Nate's stated story line for that series should run out around 20 stanyars before this. Unless I'm mistake on the story his is trying to tell there.

Ah, well that puts a damper on that.  Oh well. 

[Tara_Li]

Maybe a cameo in Shaman Tales? 

Can't Nate's stated story line for that series should run out around 20 stanyars before this. Unless I'm mistake on the story his is trying to tell there.

Maybe - but then again...

South Coast introduced us to the Shamans.  I don't recall - is Sarah supposed to be Otto's daughter or granddaughter?  Either way, we need to see the story of Sarah wanting to become a Shaman (and from what I can tell, being well qualified for it), and of the marriage that led to her leaving on the Lois McKendrick.  As well, I'd like the story of how a Shaman came to be on the Orbital, selling welkies, when it's fairly well established in South Coast that welkies just aren't sold.

[joshg]

South Coast introduced us to the Shamans.  I don't recall - is Sarah supposed to be Otto's daughter or granddaughter?  Either way, we need to see the story of Sarah wanting to become a Shaman (and from what I can tell, being well qualified for it), and of the marriage that led to her leaving on the Lois McKendrick.  As well, I'd like the story of how a Shaman came to be on the Orbital, selling welkies, when it's fairly well established in South Coast that welkies just aren't sold.

I thought Sarah was Otto's daughter (the rough style of her Welkie being the giveaway).

I've always wondered if the strange old man on the Orbital was actually Richard Krug.  Seem's like the sort of non-traditional thing he'd do.  Maybe Rachel is an Orbital Cargo Broker now?

[Laith]

South Coast introduced us to the Shamans.  I don't recall - is Sarah supposed to be Otto's daughter or granddaughter?  Either way, we need to see the story of Sarah wanting to become a Shaman (and from what I can tell, being well qualified for it), and of the marriage that led to her leaving on the Lois McKendrick.  As well, I'd like the story of how a Shaman came to be on the Orbital, selling welkies, when it's fairly well established in South Coast that welkies just aren't sold.

I thought Sarah was Otto's daughter (the rough style of her Welkie being the giveaway).

I've always wondered if the strange old man on the Orbital was actually Richard Krug.  Seem's like the sort of non-traditional thing he'd do.  Maybe Rachel is an Orbital Cargo Broker now?

Yeah, except it doesn't exactly follow.I've wondered if it was Richard also but I don't think he the guy on the orbital is old enough. Also there is known stuff about Sarah's back story that makes me think Richard must be gone. And Otto too. I can't see either of them standing for her being treated the way it is stated her husband treated her.

[classicw]

South Coast introduced us to the Shamans.  I don't recall - is Sarah supposed to be Otto's daughter or granddaughter?  Either way, we need to see the story of Sarah wanting to become a Shaman (and from what I can tell, being well qualified for it), and of the marriage that led to her leaving on the Lois McKendrick.  As well, I'd like the story of how a Shaman came to be on the Orbital, selling welkies, when it's fairly well established in South Coast that welkies just aren't sold.

I thought Sarah was Otto's daughter (the rough style of her Welkie being the giveaway).

I've always wondered if the strange old man on the Orbital was actually Richard Krug.  Seem's like the sort of non-traditional thing he'd do.  Maybe Rachel is an Orbital Cargo Broker now?

Yeah, except it doesn't exactly follow.I've wondered if it was Richard also but I don't think he the guy on the orbital is old enough. Also there is known stuff about Sarah's back story that makes me think Richard must be gone. And Otto too. I can't see either of them standing for her being treated the way it is stated her husband treated her.

I suspect Richard and Rachel are dead, but Otto is still alive in HS.  From what Sarah recounted at the end of HS, Otto (and Sarah?), was bullied and pressured by Sarah's husband to acquiesce to the marriage, and it is apparent that he is the one who gives Sarah the welkie that inspired Sarah's courage to leave her husband. 

[JaneAtPlay]

I recently sent a few friends over to Amazon to check out Quarter Share and peeked into the 'low star' ratings.  We share recommendations all the time and tend to use the 'haters' as a good gauge of a book.  Heck, what I love in much fiction *is* often what others dislike anyway and everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Sometimes I'm simply heartened to see the people still actually read.

The claim of 'nothing ever happens' isn't new and in some ways valid in that there's there's no zombies, no evil aliens, no pirates (although it would be entertaining if High Tortuga is really out there) to kick up the body count. In this world of entertainment at video game speed, I hope there is always a profitable place for Nate's brand of lush storytelling.

I think we've all read enough fiction to know [article 37], in some shape or form had to happen, but the structural scaffolding of the story is so well layered with characters we care about that we still gasp, maybe shed a tear when it hits.  

I'm know the final 2 chapters will leave me wanting for more resolution than I get, but what higher praise for an author!  I'm glad there's a good chance we'll get a look into Ishmael's world from time-to-time in the future.  It will be like catching up with an old friend.          

[Tara_Li]

I think we've all read enough fiction to know [article 37], in some shape or form had to happen, but the structural scaffolding of the story is so well layered with characters we care about that we still gasp, maybe shed a tear when it hits.

Ya know...  when someone says "such and such had to happen", because of some theory of over-all story structure a la Joseph Campbell - I have to wonder why we don't just program the computers to automatically crank out stories to fit the formula.

[mimccart]

The claim of 'nothing ever happens' isn't new and in some ways valid in that there's there's no zombies, no evil aliens, no pirates (although it would be entertaining if High Tortuga is really out there) to kick up the body count. In this world of entertainment at video game speed, I hope there is always a profitable place for Nate's brand of lush storytelling.

I emailed Nate a couple of years ago about how excited I was that HS was being released.  One of the things I mentioned to him was that when I was listening to QS for the first time (mostly in my car while driving from place to place) I kept waiting for something to happen.  I also kept consciously asking myself if something was ever going to happen.  The punchline is that I listened to the whole story in one day (very unusual for me even though I am an avid listener) and at one point sat in my car, engine idling, at my destination, for over 20 minutes because I couldn't stop listening.

I think that was the clearest mark of a good story.  Nothing ever happened and I couldn't stop listening.  That has held true for the whole series.  (Of course, plenty happens.  It just isn't the short attention span stuff the general public thinks is necessary to be interesting.)