Just to be clear, the Spinward Fringe series will be going on after Samurai Squadron III, but the trilogy nested within it will be wrapping up, to be followed by Broadcast 21.
I’ve finished the first half of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 20: Samurai Squadron III. This trilogy started with a smaller entry in the series, one that focused on Ronin, giving us a bit of an update on how he’s doing, and what he’s thinking. The second expanded the scope of the story, and the third does so again. We join Ronin again in Samurai Squadron III, but are treated to a story from Remmy’s point of view as well as another character who has become a favourite of mine.
So far, Samurai Squadron III is one of the most difficult novels to write since Broadcast 4: Frontline. While I was writing Frontline I hit a wall, a rare writer’s block that took me weeks to get over.
I haven’t suffered from writer’s block since then. The challenge comes in another form with Samurai Squadron III. Stories that started in Samurai Squadron II are continuing, and one of them goes to a very dark place that was essential to the book, but I wasn’t happy to go there (mentally).
Stephen King was the first writer that I’ve heard say that writing is a form of telepathy. I’d thought something similar years before, but it wasn’t quite as apt, or as complete. I believed that great writing could evoke specific emotions, and controversial ideas can surprise people as jarringly as finding someone in your closet after midnight.
All of those beliefs linger on in a simpler sentiment, summed up by Stephen King’s more well expressed quote. If I imagine a state of mind and a place well enough, there’s a chance that I can craft that experience for someone else. Telepathy including empathy. I enjoy writing. It’s what I want to do for the rest of my life, but there are scenes that aren’t as much of a pleasure to write. Thankfully, I derive a great deal of satisfaction when I finish writing one of those scenes in a dramatic way, and when I see that the story benefits as a whole.
Samurai Squadron III isn’t like many of the other books in the Spinward Fringe series. I’m always trying to evolve my style and try new things, and this book is no different. There is more than one story in the first half of the book, and they read in sequence instead of running concurrently. It’s the way it had to be this time. After looking at the character paths in my outline, it turned out that this was the only way to follow the main characters properly without turning the novel into a one thousand page tome. I know, some of you may be cheering for a book that’s four times as long as the average, but it’s easy for a novel to get weighed down by extra content that doesn’t measure up in importance or quality.
That’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of quieter character moments. They need to come alive on the page, so they need a little room to breathe, time to show you how they live when they’re not busy fighting. I enjoy chapters like that. They allow for subtlety and more depth.
Now, for a little synopsis!
The Samurai Squadron and the Triton have a critical role to play in the war for the Rose System. Led by Ronin, the Squadron enters a new phase in the conflict as all sides look towards Planet Rodus for its secrets and strategic importance. Under the cover of conflict, the Raven, under the command of Captain Remmy Sands, leaves for Grace in search of help. The Order of Eden threatens liberty as the enigmatic insectoid Edxi are making another appearance after hiding, regrouping and planning. There will never be another war like it. The Triton and Samurai Squadron are right in the middle.
I’ve been serializing this on my Ream site, which is a Patreon like subscription service specifically made for writers and their readers. The halfway point is a big deal for me because it means I’ve told the first two stories featured in the book, which build up to the rest of the novel.
I’m having the most serious fun telling this story.
Samurai Squadron III: Spinward Fringe Broadcast 20 has a tentative release date of May 21, 2024. It is currently being serialized exclusively on Ream.
Pre-orders are available here:
Randolph Lalonde 