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bishopjoey's review
5.0
These stories wrap up a lot of the loose ends left by the main characters of Churcher’s Battle Ground series. She covers how some of the characters got where they were in the main novels and a little bit of where they’re off to next.
First off: If you have any connection at all to Battle Ground’s characters, some of these stories will tug your heart strings. I’m trying not to give spoilers here, but each story lists the other stories it has spoilers for. Don’t read it until you’ve read the rest of the series (at least books 1-5; #6 is a story that was supposed to be here but turned into a very good novel by accident.)
One of the big questions in the later books is why Dan is so intent on getting back to Margie. He’s willing to jump through any hoop Bex suggests and some that she doesn’t in order to rescue Margie. Very late, we learn that they’re in love, but the connection is never discussed. This makes sense because the main narrators, Bex and Ketty, weren’t there. So the titular story in this collection makes Margie’s connection to Dan explicit. As soon as I started reading it (and note: I’ve been a beta reader for this entire series), I said to my self, Oooh, that’s what was going on. And only because I knew the end of the whole story was I not bawling at the end.
Jackson’s Dreams is another tearjerker, but he’s one of the characters we know least well, and only from Ketty’s point of view. Getting some of Ketty from his POV is something of a treat, but knowing Jackson’s fate, it’s a harsh read.
Other stories in this volume investigate the connections between the characters. Maz and Charlie, Ketty and Ryan, and the entire group of other main characters, from Charlie’s perspective.
The additional treat in this volume is the bonus material. Blogs, a playlist, map, and diagram of the whole story. Each of these provides further insight into both the creative process and the political background of the series. Note: My review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher.
First off: If you have any connection at all to Battle Ground’s characters, some of these stories will tug your heart strings. I’m trying not to give spoilers here, but each story lists the other stories it has spoilers for. Don’t read it until you’ve read the rest of the series (at least books 1-5; #6 is a story that was supposed to be here but turned into a very good novel by accident.)
One of the big questions in the later books is why Dan is so intent on getting back to Margie. He’s willing to jump through any hoop Bex suggests and some that she doesn’t in order to rescue Margie. Very late, we learn that they’re in love, but the connection is never discussed. This makes sense because the main narrators, Bex and Ketty, weren’t there. So the titular story in this collection makes Margie’s connection to Dan explicit. As soon as I started reading it (and note: I’ve been a beta reader for this entire series), I said to my self, Oooh, that’s what was going on. And only because I knew the end of the whole story was I not bawling at the end.
Jackson’s Dreams is another tearjerker, but he’s one of the characters we know least well, and only from Ketty’s point of view. Getting some of Ketty from his POV is something of a treat, but knowing Jackson’s fate, it’s a harsh read.
Other stories in this volume investigate the connections between the characters. Maz and Charlie, Ketty and Ryan, and the entire group of other main characters, from Charlie’s perspective.
The additional treat in this volume is the bonus material. Blogs, a playlist, map, and diagram of the whole story. Each of these provides further insight into both the creative process and the political background of the series. Note: My review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher.
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