Thoughts on: Fables of the Flying City 20-23

Fables of the Flying City

By:  Jared Axelrod

Genre:  Steampunk

Episode:  20 of 33, Book One: Ashe of the Air

Format:  Podcast; 10:18 minutes

Synopsis:
Gatling Weighs In On War

In which Gatling makes her presence known, wars lack of complexity is noted, the twin side of bravado is revealed, the moment we're living in described, the promise of the Aerial Guard is considered, the score is counted, stone is preyed for, and the dead are listed.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Gaitling weighs in on War, from her latest issue of The Hunter.  She references anyone who is a fence sitter as target practice; that you have to pick a side during war. Gaitling talks of the scouting mission and the loss during it as well.  She prints the names of those lost, and Captain Sarawasu and Jobrani are among the many deaths.

Oh god!  We've, or Ashe has, lost a friend.  A few friends at that.  This is sad news.

Gaitling is one tough talking woman, and I believe she would back it up too.  lol.  I'll say, I wasn't so sure about the Gaitling episodes at first but I've come to love this woman's descriptions.  She really is so amazing at comparisons, comparisons I would never even think of, she has them.

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Episode:  21 of 33, Book One: Ashe of the Air

Format:  Podcast; 9:54 minutes

Synopsis:
The Raptorwife

In which the Raptorwife is sought, a children's rhyme is remembered, the birds are denied, blood is brought up, Ashe presses her point, money is turned down, the body remains, the furnace is offered, and Hanner Gatling arrives once again.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Ashe takes Jobrani's body to the Raptorwife for his preparing and sending off in death.  The woman tells Ashe, after looking at the body that she can't perform the ritual as his body is to charred, Ashe is upset and demands it as she needs it.  But there might be another way, with his home religion.  However, he is Consaguine thinking and according to the Raptorwife there is no burial needed.  Leaving, Ashe runs into Hanner Gaitling, and she has an idea.

The Raptorwife is a form of mortician with a curved knife on her belt, yet a friendly person.  There is a child's rhyme that is told of the Raptorwife, and it is told in this episode.  Very neat to hear, and learn the process of any who die on the flying city.

I feel as I'm really getting a depth to the story in the last several episodes, and this is wonderful to hear.  We also get to learn more on different religious beliefs around the city.


We learn that Ashe has been promoted for sighting the planes on the warship first.  But Ashe is afraid that she can't keep everyone safe, and wants to know she can at least follow through with it in the death rituals.  But that might be difficult to do.

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Episode: 22 of 33, Book One: Ashe of the Air

Format:  Podcast, 9:05 minutes

Synopsis:
Beyond Mistakes

In which our heroine crashes with an old friend, a balloon launch is plotted, Gatling's breath is ablaze, the wisdom of Kivings is revealed, Jobrani travels beyond mistakes, the Vrussians know the custom, a debt is created, and sarcasm is employed.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Gaitling tracked Ashe down at the Rapturewife's place and offers to help send Jobrani to the birds.  She has planned another form of burial, Kivings way, with a balloon and a pyre.  She says the Vrussians will not shoot the balloon down as they know the ritual and will respect it for the dead.

This is touching with the ways and thoughts of old sayings.  And thoughts on the passed Jobrani.

However, Gaitling has an ulterior motive in her helping, to ask something of Ashe.  I do enjoy when Gaitling is in the picture, she is touching, then turns around and makes me smile with her snark in the end.

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Episode: 23 of 33, Book One: Ashe of the Air

Format:  Podcast, 11:02 minutes

Synopsis:
A Warrior of the Future

In which a hotel is entered, a young man is met, a boyfriend is denied, a soldier is described, a room is witnessed, a technique is learned, a destination is revealed, and a promise is made.

My Thoughts and Summary:
We walking into the elaborate Red Law Inn, where Gaitling has brought Ashe.  Gaitling introduces Ashe to a very important man at the hotel, and warns him to treat Ashe better than her.  Taking Ashe to her room, Ashe sees the printing press and is taken by the machine.  Gaitling needs Ashe's help with the press while she is gone...on a Vrussian ship.

I love Gaitling and her expectations of treatment, which comes when meeting the man of the hotel.  lol.  I think she enjoys giving people a hard time, and making a joke out of it.  However, Gaitling is one that is great to boost confidence in Ashe.  She references back to Ashe knowing what the consequences of soup would be, and she still sent it flying.  Ashe is a strong one, and she knows it.




If you would like to Listen to the stories about Ashe, you can find Fables of the Flying City free on the site for Fables of the Flying City: http://www.fablesoftheflyingcity.com/  There are links to iTunes and RSS feed.  You can also see the list of episodes in their order on Jared Axelrod's site.


If you are curious about the Graphic Novel, it is now available!  The Battle of Blood and Ink by Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker.  You can view a sample of the first 20 pages on Tor's site.