Street -- Back Again

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-01-15 06:05am

I made the announcement on the Street site yesterday, so I figured I may as well do it here too -- the first year of Street is going into print. It's got an amazing cover and will (in a few weeks) be available on Amazon or for order through your local bookstore or library. Check out the announcement here:

http://streetofeyes.com

Regards,
Winter

Raj Ahten · Post by **Raj Ahten** » 2008-01-15 03:22pm

Congradulations on getting Street in print! I'll be on the look out for it.

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-01-20 09:47am

Raj Ahten wrote:Congradulations on getting Street in print! I'll be on the look out for it.

Thanks a bunch! Mind you, if you're visually-inclined, you could even win a copy by entering our new website backgrounds contest. More info on the main streetofeyes.com page.

So if you know anyone who's good at this sort of thing, show 'em the contest and encourage them to participate!

Regards,
Winter

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-02-21 07:12am

Well, while I've been keeping the main site informed, this thread has been languishing a bit for lack of updates. Time to post what's going on with Street!

It's actually some very good news. Just this morning I received the first ever print copy of Year One, ever! I can't even describe how awesome it is. The book looks great and just having it fills me with glee.

In March you'll be able to order your own copies through Amazon or even through your local bookshop. I'll be sure to mention when!

Regards,
Winter

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-03-29 12:24am

I've read up til the bit where Gina is picked up by the fishin boat - WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-03-29 07:20am

Big Orange wrote:I've read up til the bit where Gina is picked up by the fishin boat - WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!

Well, there's a whole chapter of what happens next included with the book that's coming out (2-3 weeks, we're thinking now).

At that time we'll also start running the story on the website again.

Regards,
Winter

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-03-29 10:24am

It seems pretty bad: Gina only has Rat and Jock to go back to, while Bomber (revealed to be a US Army/Air Force vet that was subject to having almost every bone and organ replaced in his body) has now very likely been subdued by Gabriel on a airship to Switzerland, presumably heading to a heavily fortified and ultra-hightech compound in Geneva (a location I'm looking forward to).

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-04-08 06:31am

Big new announcement on the main page! First batch of books arrived on my doorstep, in only a few days you'll be able to buy the book at all major internet vendors (and even through your local bookshop or library, although they'd probably charge you through the nose). And, perhaps even bigger, we're finally starting the new serial run of Year Two! Read all about it at http://www.streetofeyes.com

Big Orange wrote:It seems pretty bad: Gina only has Rat and Jock to go back to, while Bomber (revealed to be a US Army/Air Force vet that was subject to having almost every bone and organ replaced in his body) has now very likely been subdued by Gabriel on a airship to Switzerland, presumably heading to a heavily fortified and ultra-hightech compound in Geneva (a location I'm looking forward to).

I think you'll be surprised at how the story's twisting and turning. It surprised me as well, so . . .

Regards,
Winter

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-04-11 08:20pm

Congratulations, Winter, and good luck with publishing this story, leading onto bigger and better things. But I've got a few silly issues with the story:

The AI housed in the Federation headquarters crashing was enough to throw several divisions of highly trained troops into almost total disarray? While a large chunk of the story is about how Artificial Intelligence is the most coverted weapon since the A-bomb, and that AIs most likely served a integral role in making the Federation a global superpower, with the Federation's enemies wanting to make their own AIs to effectively fight back, this strategically vital cornerstone is a double edged sword and has turned into a linchpin.

Also is Gabriel a former human turned cyborg/android? It is apparent that Gabriel in his current seemingly supernatural form has it's roots in that blasted out bunker complex in the dusty depths of nuked Texas.

And Gabriel being headquartered in Switzerland is very James Bond.

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-04-12 11:53am

Big Orange wrote:Congratulations, Winter, and good luck with publishing this story, leading onto bigger and better things.

Thanks! Allow me to point out that it's now possible to buy the book everywhere on the internets, the info is now available on the website: http://streetofeyes.com

But I've got a few silly issues with the story:

The AI housed in the Federation headquarters crashing was enough to throw several divisions of highly trained troops into almost total disarray? While a large chunk of the story is about how Artificial Intelligence is the most coverted weapon since the A-bomb, and that AIs most likely served a integral role in making the Federation a global superpower, with the Federation's enemies wanting to make their own AIs to effectively fight back, this strategically vital cornerstone is a double edged sword and has turned into a linchpin.

My reasoning here is that, with the AI being much smarter tactically and much faster to respond than any human command structure, all troop coordination and such has been handed over to the AI. With the AI down, both the troops who depend on the AI for orders and direction, and the officers who depend on it for advice and intelligence (it having direct surveillance over every part of the building and the outer grounds), are suddenly left on their own and are unable to adapt to the situation. After all, under normal circumstances, the AI does not go down.

*tiny text snipped*

I can give you the spoilers of what Gabriel actually is, in private, if you want . . .

And Gabriel being headquartered in Switzerland is very James Bond.

Well, Bomber's no international super-spy, but he comes close!

Regards,
Winter

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-04-15 07:55pm

Street: Empathy is now up for sale! Check out the website at http://streetofeyes.com

It's been a long time since I first started this thread, so is there anyone here planning on getting it?

Regards,
Ryan

Raj Ahten · Post by **Raj Ahten** » 2008-04-18 10:13pm

I've been looking forward to acquiring a physical copy of Street for some time now. Here's hoping the sales go well!

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-05-15 02:29pm

Raj Ahten wrote:I've been looking forward to acquiring a physical copy of Street for some time now. Here's hoping the sales go well!

Well, it's not a bestseller yet, but it's doing alright.

I just realised I haven't posted here to remind everyone, the serial run of Year Two has commenced, has actually been going for a month now and seems to be a big hit going by website stats! Also, there are some more reviews of Empathy in the pipeline which we're hoping to see over the next few weeks. They're likely to be as positive as all the feedback for Street has been. Fingers crossed!

Regards,
Winter

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-07-17 11:57am

What a cliff hanger, Winter, keep on going!

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-07-17 05:07pm

Big Orange wrote:What a cliff hanger, Winter, keep on going!

Heh, thanks! For a while there I was wondering if anyone still read it.

How's the second book holding up so far?

Regards,
Ryan

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-07-17 09:42pm

I like the story this year and this could be leading up to a big climax, but I disliked how you made Rat a small minded racist fuck in regards to the Japanese (even though 'the King' was a poor example of his nation) and a street urchin brought up in a bland and mostly post-national world under Federation rule would more likely have little thought for Korea's nutty ultra nationalism - the same would apply to outcasts from other similarily xenophobic countries like Japan (but ironically the Imperial family came from Korea, as do a lot of 'pure' Japanese really, and in WWII many IJA soldiers were recruited from Korea).

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-07-18 03:20am

Big Orange wrote:I like the story this year and this could be leading up to a big climax, but I disliked how you made Rat a small minded racist fuck in regards to the Japanese (even though 'the King' was a poor example of his nation) and a street urchin brought up in a bland and mostly post-national world under Federation rule would more likely have little thought for Korea's nutty ultra nationalism - the same would apply to outcasts from other similarily xenophobic countries like Japan (but ironically the Imperial family came from Korea, as do a lot of 'pure' Japanese really, and in WWII many IJA soldiers were recruited from Korea).

Ah, but when have you ever known me to let my characters' silly preconceptions stand?

Regards,
Ryan

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-08-22 07:13pm

The Federation seems to have a very long reach officially everywhere except the former Soviet Republics (but even then they had a small airfield with a mechanized detatchment). The Feds have gone past being a paramilitarized Intepol on steroids, but seems to be a world government with the biggest military on the planet with a garrison in almost every city.

My mental picture of Gina's dad is a cross between Ted Levine and Timothy Dalton.

I hope I'm not disappointed with Gabriel's Swiss fortress, but I hope it is a castle instead of a skyscraper.

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-08-23 04:35am

Big Orange wrote:The Federation seems to have a very long reach officially everywhere except the former Soviet Republics (but even then they had a small airfield with a mechanized detatchment). The Feds have gone past being a paramilitarized Intepol on steroids, but seems to be a world government with the biggest military on the planet with a garrison in almost every city.

I didn't make it clear, but the airfield isn't actually theirs and the good Director's little adventure isn't officially authorised.

My mental picture of Gina's dad is a cross between Ted Levine and Timothy Dalton.

That's interesting. The person I had in mind most was Michael Hogan/Saul Tigh from the new Galactica. Timothy Dalton definitely seems too smooth and refined for a crude authoritarian like Vaughan.

I hope I'm not disappointed with Gabriel's Swiss fortress, but I hope it is a castle instead of a skyscraper.

You won't be.

Regards,
Ryan

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-08-23 10:50am

Winter wrote: I didn't make it clear, but the airfield isn't actually theirs and the good Director's little adventure isn't officially authorised.

I agree that airfield was privately bought up and the Fed troops were unofficially sent there, with plain clothed agentss sent out after Gina.

Well it seems like the local authorities among the former Soviet Republics seems awfully weak anyway if they tolerated a big airship hovering over town and deploying a private army.

That's interesting. The person I had in mind most was Michael Hogan/Saul Tigh from the new Galactica. Timothy Dalton definitely seems too smooth and refined for a crude authoritarian like Vaughan.

Timothy Dalton played pleanty of slimy villains in The Rocketeer and Hot Fuzz, while Ted Levine made it big by playing a weird serial killer.

You won't be.

Gabriel's organization still seems to be something of a mystery and I wonder if he is operating behind a big corporation.

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-08-24 02:59am

Big Orange wrote:Well it seems like the local authorities among the former Soviet Republics seems awfully weak anyway if they tolerated a big airship hovering over town and deploying a private army.

We'll see more on that.

Timothy Dalton played pleanty of slimy villains in The Rocketeer and Hot Fuzz, while Ted Levine made it big by playing a weird serial killer.

I know The Rocketeer and Hot Fuzz, and it's just totally not the right style. The character I would totally cast as Dalton, though, is Colonel Obrin. He comes complete with moustache!

Regards,
Ryan

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-09-05 07:52pm

Winter wrote:
Big Orange wrote:Well it seems like the local authorities among the former Soviet Republics seems awfully weak anyway if they tolerated a big airship hovering over town and deploying a private army.
We'll see more on that.

Incoming fighters! I'd say a giant airship is cool for a mobile headquarters, but presents a big fragile target.

I know The Rocketeer and Hot Fuzz, and it's just totally not the right style. The character I would totally cast as Dalton, though, is Colonel Obrin. He comes complete with moustache!

Regards,
Ryan

Oh dear, it seems like Colonel Obrin is not such a nice chap after all (And it is very hard to like a guy who replicates exact copies of himself or flogs a half finished product he stole from somebody he tried to murder. Why Col. Obrin's sob story about the remants of the US Military being on the run from the Feds and Gabriel, when he is a big figure in an international company?).

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-09-06 02:56am

Big Orange wrote:Incoming fighters! I'd say a giant airship is cool for a mobile headquarters, but presents a big fragile target.

Yes. I'm liking how this is playing out.

Oh dear, it seems like Colonel Obrin is not such a nice chap after all (And it is very hard to like a guy who replicates exact copies of himself or flogs a half finished product he stole from somebody he tried to murder. Why Col. Obrin's sob story about the remants of the US Military being on the run from the Feds and Gabriel, when he is a big figure in an international company?).

Like he said, Obrin doesn't do business. The company's a military front where he's flogging off US state secrets to keep the resistance funded.

Regards,
Ryan

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2008-09-08 08:01am

Winter wrote: Yes. I'm liking how this is playing out.

I found the prep time to be too rushed, but the team insertion was action packed and somewhat not as I expected it to be. I get the impression that Gabriel's main headquarters is some way out of town, mostly built underground beneath the Alps, with the main entrance being a row of commercial warehouses in an industrial compound located right by a mountain that is too well defended to be infiltrated from ground level (but the armed guards, security droids and point defence emplacements are well concealed). The main underground complex itself is doughnut shaped, with Gabriel's many labs, barracks, living quarters, armouries, brigs, control rooms, workshops, and offices branching out from the main circular multileveled avenue which itself encircles the main hub area that contains the AI core and, most likely, Gabriel's inner sanctum. At this point of the story most of Gabriel's human forces are elsewhere, but the AI and it's contingent of automated drones are still a threat. Am I right in my assessment?

Winter · Post by **Winter** » 2008-09-08 08:01pm

Big Orange wrote:Am I right in my assessment?

I'd say that about sums it up, yeah. Couldn't have worded it better myself.

Regards,
Ryan