i'm really curious as to how you'll like 'My Name is Legion' that i recommended the other day. be sure to email me or post a review, ok? cause, like, i'm really excited about it. :-p

-bs

ah, this was the reply you meant! didn't get around to checking my email to just now this evening.

i agree it starts pretty bleak. it kind of follows a classic structure: the first 3 chapters are the problem, and they *are* bleak. the next 5 chapters in part two and the beginning chapters in part three show: 1) the situation in town worsening and 2) Chris angsting - at the end of Chapter 2, Part Two, he almost kills himself, and is saved by Providence and a nicely drawn OMC. things get mildly better for Chris from that point on, but the overall tone of the story is still bleak, since the social situation in town is still ugly. JD is suffering retrograde amnesia, but slowly getting better throughout Part Two. i think he remembers all of what happens in Chapter 5 of Part Two, which is heartbreaking all over again, of course.

it gets lighter in the 3rd part. depending on what qualifies as 'looking up' to you, you could go to:

Chapter 8 of Part 3 - the big showdown with Concho Charles starts about midway down the page. OR

Chapter 10 of Part 3, where Chris faces down Concho (same big showdown sequence as Ch. 8) OR

Ch 11, with the scene in the jail where Chris confesses and gives his own sentence - which i recommend reading just for it's sheer awesomeness. this scene is really the climax of the story, the rest is denoument of JD getting better, and he and the rest of the 7 coming to terms with what happens. OR

if you want to skip that scene and start with the real beginning of JD's recovery, that begins at the end of that same chapter.

of course, if you just want the happy ending, the last quarter of the last chapter is well worth it.

it *is* intense, and *does* put the reader through a grueling sort of angst, and the lightening is gradual and stuttering until you get to Chapter 8 of Part 3 where Chris shows up to face down Concho. but that's what i like about it, because it makes the ending all the sweeter - it feels like i, as the reader, has fought as hard for the ending as the characters, and i value it that much more.

-bs

::grins:: well, in a way, this is a compliment to the author - she's such a good writer she's making you angst right along with the characters.

and i can understand not wanting to go through the low road in the middle, but as i said, that's what makes the ending all worthwhile to me. :-D

-bs

me too! i totally love this story, and i'm so glad you did too.

:-)

-bs