6 Comments
Jan 31, 2023Liked by Mark Newheiser

I really enjoyed this, thank you. Fell way behind on Substack reading this month, I've had all of FdB's Subscriber Writing links just waiting around in open tabs <s>like victims at the DMV</s>. Happy to have randomly clicked this one to get back into things. Reminds me of The Book of Sun and Moon, various Randolph Carter tales, There Is No Antimemetics Divsion, and also Problem Sleuth. Sometimes worldbuilding doesn't have to be incredibly __detailed__, you can just run with it and provide exactly enough signposts when they're needed for the reader to build their own universe from background inspiration. Well done.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you so much! There Is No Antimemetics Division is a series I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I'd have to think about how it might have influenced me here. I have a few other writing projects queued up, but I'm slowly working on another one of these stories.

Expand full comment

Just finished it and bravo! Such a capacious story -- stretching out to an infinite cosmic panorama, then shrinking down to curl up inside infinitesimal layers of personal and literary intricacy. Very beautiful, fun, and finally moving. Thanks for the experience! :)

Expand full comment
author

Tyler: I've written a follow-up as well! Thanks again for your kind words before, I hope you'll end up liking this one as well https://markmywords.substack.com/p/detective-manse-and-the-infallible-oracle

Expand full comment

I haven’t even finished it yet -- just about halfway through -- and I’m so impressed with this story! I love the hard-boiled Marlowe/Spade detective talk, and the surprising veer into metaphysical/meta-literary territory. Such elegant phrasing, such clever thought puzzles. I’ll check back again at the end 👍🏼

Expand full comment
author

Thanks so much! This is a Weird one, and basically a novella in length, but you're picking up exactly what I was going for. Excited to hear what you think of the rest of it!

Expand full comment