by RichardGerald
But this story blows, man. You should try something else. I'm out.
I know you are building up the suspense. I'm ooking forward to the next chapter.
You have become on of the best on the sight. You plot lines are intricate and tight with well developed interesting characters. Keep up the good work.
I agree. Richardgerald is a legend. This had been a great read so far.
I gave it 4* only because of spelling and grammar errors. Really like the build-up and suspense but wish you would post more per chapter. Your chapter breaks tend to be in awkward places but over all a great story.
and in passing rolls on and over minutia of sapiens, TK U MLJ LV NV
The wildly varying passions that RG's work generates in reader comments is a clear testimony to his creative skill. Richard has explored unique insights into the nature of love, infidelity, forgiveness, and redemption. He has also crafted complex characters whose capacity for self-deception is on full display. I have read all of his work and liked some stories more than others..I'm convinced, however, that he is the most provocative writer working on the site today..Like him or not,. agree or disagree with the themes he has developed.but you cannot deny his influence.
Wow, can't wait to see where this goes. Just rereading Crime and Punishment there were a lot of unanswered questions.
Great story line, can't wait for the reveals.
Like Diogenes, I'm shining my flashlight (instead of a lantern) on the Crime and Punishment stories looking for a moral (honest) man or woman. So far, I've only seen immoral and amoral ones or rascals and villains.
Soooooooooooooo...
Frank Patterson's black now?
Since when? 'Cause, sorry - the sonofabitch wan't black before! Sure, no race was mentioned to describe Patterson when he came up on the original "C&P" run, but, then again, it's not as if RG had any problem back then, or nowadays for that matter, pointing out the skin color of his characters - hell, in the same chapter Patterson was introduced, Pat Sullivan also recalled his day dealing with the case of Leroy Johnson, a BLACK MAN who happened to caught his wife cheating... So, why was race important for a side-character that had little to do with the main story, and not with the main villain of said story?
Do you guys know how unaware i was that Frank was black? When RG wrothe following...
"... Susan said to the tall, pale blonde woman standing with a handsome, impeccably dressed BLACK man."
... I thought out loud "Wait - Laura was stepping out on Pat with ANOTHER motherfucker?! Man, fuck that whore!" Honestly, Learning that the black dude in question turned out to be Patterson made me lose it, a little bit - I'm actually writting of all this before finishing the story - a first for me! - 'cause I still haven't gone passed "On introduction, the man standing next to Laura with an arm around her waist was Frank Patterson..." Still pissed out it! SO FUCKING UNNECESSARY.
... Why Richard? Why is it so hard for you keep to what you've wrote before? And I can see your excuse coming a mile away: "But, but, but, he was always black! Sure, I never wrote him as such before, but that's how I saw him in my mind! So since I'm the writer, it is what it is, and if you're not happy with it, tough, kid, 'cause that ain't my problem!"
So, you know... thanks for completely take me out of this new chapter, and somehow managing to almost FUBARed your original story at the same time, something I actually defended you to NOT being able to do! You really didn't need to, like, REALLY didn't need to, but, for some reason, you still went there, you just had to...
That some bad writing right there, Gerald. Very disappointing.
Stuff happens in the halls of power , that's for sure. Skirts go up and off as deals go down. A presidential aide allegedly hobnobs and Manhattan househunts with Fox News anchorwoman as his wife gives birth alone . Divorce negotiations proceed as lawyers clean up small details. A pro life congressman is caught out urging his. pregnant mistress to get an abortion and has to resign. I don't even want to talk about the Weiner imbroglio.
Where is this story going ? No traditional heroes in sight , that's for sure . This author who is às accomplished as any in this amateur forum seems to be fixated on duplicitous wives who spurn power broker lovers because that would limit their machinations on professional and erotic levels. The pot-boiler story is accruing heat. Exactly what's cooking is yet to be determined.
I feel myself getting impatient. Then the resume of author is remembered and non-price of my admission paid factors in. This story is in novels and novellas because it's a slow burner. The safe to dying bishop's office has been surreptitiously opened and mysterious contents have been withdrawn. RichardGerald isn't revealing his cards just yet.
Hardcore fans who feel this author has hardcover talent have no choice but to ante up for another installment if they want to know what his game is.
had no idea Patterson was black either, as someone else previously mentioned
I love all of his stories. I may not like the characters, and in fact usually don't, but he brings them alive and weaves a complex tale that keeps me fascinated.5 stars.
I find that I am enjoying all three "lawyer heros". All three share some common traits, and appear to be connected by their relationship with the governor, but I find that the character of Pat to be my favorite as he is truly the tragic hero. He is the one I can share feelings of loss and sorrow for.
That being said I want to know how Jim is going to get the governor out of trouble, and what is the information that Carrie has lead him to.
Thank you for the great reading material.
So yeah - 'kinda lost my everloving shit over that whole 'turns out Frank Patterson's black' nonsense (from now on, he will literally disregard that fact, otherwise I'll bitch too much about it to truly enjoy any of RG's stories.)
So... without thinking about that whole race-swapping business... overall, how was this chapter? Meh. The part about Maryann McManus was sorta intriguing, but the party that followed it, quite bland. It didn't really help that its description in "Faithful in Her Fashion" was way more entertaining than it was here.
This chapter feels like it should have been annexed to Ch. 04 instead of being a standalone one. It does advance the plot somehow... but it was ultimately so boring, we could have wait for RG to give us more to read before bothering with it.
But I hope there's an eminent domain issue in here somewhere so David Landon makes an appearance.
Lot of Charactors. Hard to keep track of, but gotta keep trying. It's a good story.
It is refreshing to read stories where the women aren’t just victims who are easily manipulated. The author has jaded views of true love, and how easily marriages and affairs can be meshed throughout their lives, but heck, it’s what makes the story entertaining.
Agree with one third. I like these female characters, but hate their morals. In fact I’ve never met a woman like them. The only woman I know that keeps her husband content in the bedroom, schedules their sexy time on a calendar. He is very happy. Great work. 5 stars
We think these stories by our talented author mere fiction. Stop and look around you though. Back in the 60s there was the Kennedy men and Marilyn Monroe. Then there was Clinton and Jennifer Flowers and Monica of course. Then we all thought the 'casting couch" was gone and Epstein comes to light, who is now in jai. Then there Weinstein and all the big wigs connected to him including Bill Gates one of the richest men in the world. And if you remember Bill had a girl friend even after he married his present wife who is now divorcing him. So the only question is how many of these people had discrete affairs on the side? Morals? No, I think not. The kind of wealth these people have corrupts the soul.
RG has a talent for writing intriguing characters who are utterly bereft of morals. I love his stories, but hate the characters. It’s testament to his talent that he can write three dimensional characters so thoroughly repugnant and create compelling narratives.
Hate Susan, read the story concerning Laura, don't like her either. Hope for considerable BTB on both.
Laura and Susan are self serving. Narcissistic moral degenerates bereft of ANY moral code save those that serve them in the moment. The "Good Doctor" is, in a way, even worse. I am hoping that all three of these witches get burned at their moral and political stakes. These women don't love, the use and deceive themselves that that is love.
REALLY well written with complex characters and evolving, interweaving story line. Multiple stories evolving all at once. Extremely well done.
As a movie I believe such characters would make me viscerally I'll yet, as noted by one commenter below, this precisely the behavior endemic to the rich and powerful in finance, Hollywood and politics. I suspect these people have long ago surrendered their souls.
I have to agree with most of the posts regarding Susan, Laura, and the other sluts in the story. Yes, these are extremely well written, love that part. I think the author is trying to make some kind of statement, but I'm not smart enough to see it. Why do these guys continually put up with their wive's slutting around? Is this some kind of therapy thing?
If you take out that part of the story, the crime drama part is great.