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Aer'La only wants to be free...

The Confederated Worlds are unparalleled as a society of free people, yet, somehow, slavery still manages to exist. Aer'La, a non-human, was bred to serve as a pleasure slave. Years ago, she escaped her masters and masqueraded as a human, joining the Confederate Navy, where she worked her way up to ship's Bos'n under the heroic Captain Jan Atal. Now, Aer'La's secret has been discovered by Atal's superiors, the media, and the world at large. Branded a sociopath, she learns that even a free society isn't willing to grant freedom - or justice - to all.

Library Journal says: "The author of the Arbiter Chronicles, an award-winning audio drama, vividly brings to life a cast of compelling characters while telling a story that measures the cost of freedom. The far-future military setting should appeal to fans of David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series as well as the military sf of David Drake."

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Audio Quality: Out of 75 ratings

Narration Quality: Out of 75 ratings

Writing Quality: Out of 75 ratings

Overall Rating: Out of 75 ratings

By: Steve Wilson
Hi, Marco. I'm sorry the intensity of the flashbacks put you off. I quite understand how it feels to be put off by violence and general nastiness. I often feel a lot of popular entertainment is created by people who think they have to turn up the volume on violence and evil just to be heard. Comic books in particular seem to think that one dismemberment per month is required, and I don't care for that. In fact, in earlier drafts, my descriptions were more superficial, as you say. But I came to the conclusion that the reader needed to experience more directly what had happened if he/she was going to understand Aer'La's later state of mind. It's too easy to dismiss the depths of pain someone's experienced if the emotional reality isn't brought home to you. And I think we tend to underestimate the power of evil people to completely zap the human desire for freedom. So I think the level of violence was necessary to the story, painful as it is. It's too bad it made you quite early. Things ease up considerably after that initial flashback, and I think you might enjoy the rest! In the end, it's quite a hopeful tale. I'm glad you gave it a try in any event. Thanks for your feedback.

By: Marco
I had expected this to be an interesting story, the premise of an escapee in constant risk of being discovered gives one ample opportunity to write a compelling story. But I quickly got out of it because the description of the systematic, "constitutional" abuse Aer'la and her equals had to endure at a far-too-slender age put me off. Pity that it had to be recounted so intense, it ruined an promising story for me. I had long left it to sit dormant on my HD, now Í finally got raound to listening to it, and I only got to hear a small fraction before I erased it. If the account if their abuse wouldn't have been so graphic and intense, but more superficial, I would have listened to the rest of the story.

By: Steve Wilson
Thanks, Jane! Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I've kinda zoned the past few weeks, and hadn't gotten to my comments. Yours were pleasant surprise after a disappointing week. I'm not too proud to admit that I sometimes fall prey to spells of doubt about my writing, and it takes some positive feedback to get me recharged. Yours was just what the doctor ordered! I'm very glad you enjoyed TL. I'm looking forward to starting on the sequel this summer. And I hope you enjoy our other Arbiters adventures as well! Please feel free to share any thoughts on them as well.

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