When good packing materials go bad.

"Y'know, I kinda hate cauliflower, but this marinate makes it pretty OK. It makes me forget that cauliflower usually tastes like styrofoam that's gone rotten."

"What? How does styrofoam go rotten??"

"By turning into cauliflower."

Yeah, that's about all I have to say. I plan to post another excerpt from 'Echoes of Erebus' soon, but part of the problem is giving away a big spoiler. an even BIGGER problem is posting something that needs a ton of explaining... then again, maybe I can just caulk that effect up to creating some mystery. Maybe I'll post cliff's notes to go with it.

It's not that any one section is all that complex, but there's a layering effect going on. Some rules get set, and the book follows them. Ok, a short tutorial, with minor spoilers:

Sarah isn't human, although she looks it. Her nervous system, brain included, is heavily operated by a fleet of nanites and related techno hooba-jooba.

Something she has in her brain is her 'father', Jason, who lives in her mind as a separate, mostly-independent thought process. Jason wants to help guide his 'daughter' in her new life, so they talk to each other a lot. Still with me? Seeing as they both think inside the same skull, there's no need for any vocalizations. Much like an online chat, they send thoughts at each other. And when this happens in the book, I let you know by modifying the syntax-

":::Hey Jason, I have to talk to you, but the people on the bus don't need to hear it."
":::No kidding. I, on the other hand, really have no choice but to talk to you through this system, because I don't have a mouth. I'm basically just a program in your head."
":::Where's the uninstall button?"
":::Ha freakin' ha, Sarah."

That lame exchange wasn't from the book.. it's just a demonstration. This ":::" syntax won't be totally alien to anyone who's read Watching Yute.

Well, it's late, I'm gonna pass out now. Bug me to get an excerpt up!