[Madness]

Here you are, the Afflicted, tormented with secret knowledge, revelation which begs only more questions. See how far you have come, commiserating with these brothers and sisters, your fellow survivors on a Slog that has long ago lost all semblance of sense, of meaning, and descended only deeper into despair and madness...

Listen to these, your siblings, and hear the Lament as your own...


So - this space is for for those of you who frequent the forum, who have somehow found your way into reading an ARC of TGO.

A couple ground rules:
- You don't talk about the content of the TGO ARC outside this subforum.
- You don't talk about the content of the TGO ARC outside this subforum (nod to those who get this reference ).
- No obvious spoilers in thread titles (mostly this is for Sovin because as an admin, I can't stop him viewing boards, and possibly Curethan and FB - though I think I've solved their being unable to view this subforum).

Anything else, you are welcome to suggest in this thread.

Also, also (there's a story to this but I prefer to tell it vocally; most of you I've already communed with via Skype or Hangouts - and really, at this time, of the five of us, only Blackstone and H haven't heard this story - so dealer's choice as to when you'd like to hear the full, dramatic version):

I have not read TUC-proper. I received a draft entitled The Great Ordeal, Book Three of The Aspect-Emperor. I believed it was the third and final book in The Aspect-Emperor series and cognitive closure made it seem as though TGO could have finished TAE as a trilogy. The choice I made in my dealings with the fandom after Bakker invited you to query me was one to betray either Bakker's trust as I saw it (because at the time of my reading the draft - Summer '14 - he had not explicit revealed that the manuscript was already split and he was simultaneously working on two books in the hope that his publishers would renegotiate) or troll the fandom. I chose the latter. All the commentary I have made regarding the "Unmentionable" and in the "To Madness..." thread reflect my reading TGO alone - specifically comments made regarding splitting the manuscript and the narrative completing the arc of TAE referred to TGO before I was informed of TUC-proper.

Please keep this to yourselves until release date when I will make this subforum public and post something similar in the "To Madness..." thread.

Cheers.

[Somnambulist]

So, it has come.  We step from the shadows into golden light.  The Afflicted, as Madness says.  The Few, I say.  Perhaps the Afflicted Few.  Anyway, not long now before the next rotten curtain is torn aside, only to reveal yet another in it's place.  Soon, the masses will have at it.  Let them devour it, read it whole.  Dine on beef instead of chicken.  Then, by the end, gnash their teeth bloody, just as we have.  Despair for the next wait.  And weep.

Since we're telling stories, I'll share mine, too.  It's short.  After agreeing to supply artwork for the trailer, Scott kindly sent me a draft of TGO as thanks.  That was in November '14.  Since then, Madness and I have discussed, ranted, cursed, commiserated and reeled over the contents of said book.  Many times.  I know he was thankful to finally have someone to talk to about it with.  Just as I was thankful for his insights and support.  Glad we finally have some more company.  Welcome to semantic hell, brothers.  We'll soon have a few guests.

[mrganondorf]

MU'ARMION!!!

[H]

So, considering all this, where should we put the over/under on TUC within a year?

[mrganondorf]

So, considering all this, where should we put the over/under on TUC within a year?

IT BETTER FUCKING BE ONE YEAR, CHRIST I THINK I'LL FREAK OUT AFTER WAITING 1 YEAR FROM TGO

[mrganondorf]

CLACK ... CLACK ... CLACK

[Madness]

So, considering all this, where should we put the over/under on TUC within a year?

I wouldn't pretend to know, H. He made one mention of the two books being published a year apart but nothing since, as far as I can tell, recall, contextually associate :

The important thing is that The Great Ordeal will be published next year, and The Unholy Consult will be published the year following.

But waiting for TGO has been an Ordeal on its own already. Who is to say what the future holds?

CLACK ... CLACK ... CLACK

Love this. I'm so impressed by how Cil-Aujas and Ishterebinth simply make each other more horrifying by the content of their narrative. I honestly don't know how to process the Gloom and the Lament. So unnerving.

I'm going to make a thread regarding each narrative arc and we'll go from there in terms of threads for discussion - we've tested these forums before so (excepting Sovin who doesn't frequent these parts) don't worry about spoiling anything for those who aren't "The Afflicted Few."

[H]

I couldn't help but think, as all the craziness was going down, "on second thought, let's not go to Ishterebinth, it's a silly place."

[mrganondorf]

I couldn't help but think, as all the craziness was going down, "on second thought, let's not go to Ishterebinth, it's a silly place."

Hahahaha!  nice

[Madness]

I couldn't help but think, as all the craziness was going down, "on second thought, let's not go to Ishterebinth, it's a silly place."

Hahahaha!  nice

Lmao.

Also, you people are animals . I look today and there are 95 posts already in this secret subforum .

[H]

Lmao.

Also, you people are animals . I look today and there are 95 posts already in this secret subforum .

But you knew that already, right?

[Madness]

I have forgotten so much...

[H]

I have forgotten so much...

The Truth is quick in coming.

[Madness]

Sadly, I will have to wait til tonight or tomorrow morning before continuing to respond.

I just worked my way up from the bottom but you're all having such great discussions in the four separate arc threads and I need to have more time than I did this morning to engage in those.

Cheers. Wilshire should be joining us tomorrow, if not a matter of hours.

[Wilshire]

Afflicted Few. Eh? Sounds like hell. More like scorched...