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Post by Boyd Percy on Jul 24, 2016 21:19:55 GMT -5
Frenchy doesn't know how much he lucked out in chapter 10 when Shelley Battle didn't seem to be interested in him. That girl is bad news. She had the nerve to complain that her rival, Vanessa, had spread rumors about her making her seem to be the town whore. This was after Shelley had spiked the other girl's drink. If she had been found out, she probably would have spent time in jail like Frenchy did. And Nichole and Randy Clark surely wouldn't have wanted her to babysit their children. Frenchy begins to realize he has a friend and mentor in his boss, Sven.
Wes, I think Sven is one of the most interesting characters you have created.
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Post by Wes on Jul 25, 2016 8:12:52 GMT -5
I keep thinking about writing a story about the trouble that Shelly gets into in future years, but I haven't come up with a plot that I like. She's definitely heading toward more trouble. Unfortunately, she's ten years too young to drop into the existing Redlite Ranch universe, but who knows what happens in the future? Maybe I'll figure it out some day!
There are a lot of parallels between Frenchy and a thirty years younger Sven, who has been there, done that, and knows how it works. I think both of them come to realize that.
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Post by howard on Jul 27, 2016 0:59:54 GMT -5
I have to say also, that my perspective on Frenchy has changed considerably. He really does have crap parents, and without excusing his attitudes and behavior, that does explain a lot about him. Well done Wes, for filling in the whole picture and reminding us that people are complex.
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Post by Markrane on Jul 28, 2016 16:33:48 GMT -5
The character development in this story is great! I'm looking forward to seeing how Frenchy rises above his roots. The 'rents are about a eff'd up as possible and Sven has shown he can demonstrate to Frenchy just how bad things can be. Good stuff.
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Post by Ed Greenberg on Aug 2, 2016 7:07:49 GMT -5
Frenchy is doing pretty well right now in Ch 13, given his past. He hasn't really mentioned giving out a good ass-kicking in a chapter or two. He'll probably get some real growth out of his time spent with Monica.
I was struck that it was probably easier to redeem oneself when you have a guiding author at the helm. It's a true analog of religious belief, that there is a hidden deity taking a personal interest and setting the stage for things to come out right.
I hope Wes didn't make it too easy for him.
Ed
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Post by Boyd Percy on Aug 2, 2016 15:23:47 GMT -5
Well, you know that Wes generally likes happy endings but he never takes the easy route. Most teenagers, no matter how good they are, generally have to learn things the hard way.
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Post by Rob on Aug 2, 2016 21:35:49 GMT -5
When Wes posted the first message about Out of the Cage, and mentioning that it would be focused on Frenchy my biggest question was how he would make the story of Frenchy's redemption seem realistic.
With chapter 14, the tale has passed the halfway point I am beginning to see that happening.
I have a couple of speculations on what might happen although some of those might not be confirmed one way or another for another month.
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Post by Greg B. on Aug 31, 2016 13:55:27 GMT -5
I agree, Rob. I never would have expected to be sad to see a story about Frechy LeDroit drawing to a close.
Kudos, Wes. I've read everything you've posted since Rocinante first appeared at storiesonline.net, but you've still managed to surprise me in the most pleasant kind of way!
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Post by Rob on Aug 31, 2016 18:43:10 GMT -5
By my count the fire in "out of the cage" is the third fire in Wes' stories that could be considered "lucky" - at least for some.  The fire in Warsaw meant the paper factory there was replaced and not demolished. Granted much of the village had to be rebuilt after it which depending on the person might have been a good or a bad thing. While it almost destroyed it, actions done at the time of the fire gave the Spearfish RR a new lease on life in the longer run. In Birdwatcher's hill fire, the actions of Jack and Vixen brought them more attention to the Donna Clark Foundation board of directors virtually guaranteeing them scholarship money. In Out of the cage, it seems like only one person might not like the consequences of the fire he set...  |
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Post by John on Sept 1, 2016 16:28:49 GMT -5
Only Wes could have humanized Frenchy |
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Post by Boyd Percy on Sept 1, 2016 19:27:42 GMT -5
Great ending! In the end Frenchy puts away childish things and starts acting like a man.
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Post by Noah Katz on Sept 17, 2016 22:29:44 GMT -5
By my count the fire in "out of the cage" is the third fire in Wes' stories that could be considered "lucky" - at least for some. The fire in Warsaw meant the paper factory there was replaced and not demolished. Granted much of the village had to be rebuilt after it which depending on the person might have been a good or a bad thing. While it almost destroyed it, actions done at the time of the fire gave the Spearfish RR a new lease on life in the longer run. In Birdwatcher's hill fire, the actions of Jack and Vixen brought them more attention to the Donna Clark Foundation board of directors virtually guaranteeing them scholarship money. In Out of the cage, it seems like only one person might not like the consequences of the fire he set... In Picking Up the Pieces, after the fires of WTC, Dave recovers from his loss with 'luck' of building a new life with Shae. |
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Post by Rob on Sept 20, 2016 18:52:24 GMT -5
When I made that list nearly three weeks ago I was using the definition of "Lucky fire" thinking along the lines of "ending up in a better shape that they would be if the fire didn't occur." In "Picking up the Pieces" I will agree things ended up better for Shae, but not for Dave or his sons (It could have ended up worse for those three though...)
The fire at the Griswold barn was lucky for Ken, Judith and Lydia Sorensen.
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Post by Boyd Percy on Sept 21, 2016 23:21:49 GMT -5
You can go back to the first published book by Wes, Rocinante and find events that occurred that you can explain by luck, coincidence, premonitions or the miraculous depending on your worldview. Mark and Jackie land at a deserted airport in Florida to escape a storm. Their plane is damaged but they escape harm by hiding behind a brick barbeque pit from the debris thrown by the tornado. Later, they manage to take off from the airport in Leadville, Colorado just before they run out of runway. Finally, Jackie is looking out the window of the plane thinking about her recently deceased mother when she happens to notice a capsized boat with two survivors barely hanging on. Often the characters aren't able to explain what happened to them. Other readers probably have their own favorites of inexplicable events in Wes's boooks.
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