All Comments on 'Petroglyph'

Great century mark story. All the stars they will let me give.

Hooked

Wow. Fascinating and mysterious. Looking forward to the next parts. 5* so far.

Thank you for the start of a great read (like all of your stories). Also thank you for getting so many great authors together at one time.

An extremely ambitious start - It almost feels like you're trying to wedge too many different ideas into one narrative. I'll be interested to see where this goes, if I can keep track of the plot lines. I guess I'd better track down the first two parts of your trilogy to see where this came from. Four stars - almost became five, but not quite because some of your transitions were confusing. I'll be watching for more. Thank you!

Absolutely loved this story.

Thank you for much anticipated book 3. I’ve been waiting and watching for it. The start didn’t disappoint. Great job and I’m looking forward to tying all the books together. 5*

Love the story. Reminds me of a Louis L'Amour story Haunted Mesa. it almost feels like a part of that world I read about as a kid. Can't wait for the next one.

As ever, I'm truly in awe of your storytelling. You are a gem, I hope that your life is as rich as your prose has made ours.

Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Paul

Wow....

Now that's story telling....

Great job, held me to the end...

Five wonderful stars

Cagivagurl

Outstanding, you sure fit the nail on the head with parasite class. Great story looking forward to mor! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent story. Makes me wonder if you know of or have read a series book called The Myst Reader. There is a multi-player on-line rpg game called Myst Online:URU Live by Cyan Worlds I have played since 2010 and still play at times. The people in that story were called D'ni and the story starts in New Mexico. It used Books instead as portals to other worlds. Anyway loved your story and wait (impatiently) for the next installments.

Shorah b't' Shemtee

Haha! Reads like a REALLY sexy Nancy Drew story. I can’t wait for additional chapters, this is great.

~Spiny

Great story Randi! Can't wait for the next chapters are released.

I got a little confused on the "Book 3," since I saw several "Book 2" stories, then I saw the single "Eye In the Sky," presumably "Book 1," followed by five "Book 2" chapters. Now I'm gonna have to go back and read them again, though I may wait for Chapter 3 to post.

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Very nice story.

Awesome!! I bought your first “Eye in the Sky” book and I hope you publish book 2 & 3 so I can buy them too.

Another 5 star? And now I have to add it too my 2nd reading list. You’re making this too much work for me. Thanks Randi!

Congratulations on story 100 and the book, Randi. It's a very interesting (and different) plot line so I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here (and finding books 1 and 2). Thanks, too, for organizing the challenge and for the invitation. 5* for this one.

Loved it. Very well done. 5 BIG ONES!

Love the story and the Maybe history of the southwest. But IMHO the sex got in the way. Five stars still earned.

Since this turns out to be only Part One of a trilogy, I will withhold judgment, but as a standalone, this didn't really work for me, something I have never said of something by you, and I am not sure why. Part of it is because this is something of a 'throw in everything including the kitchen sink' type of story {erotica, love story, martial arts, political philosophy, science fiction?, etc.} Part of it is that I didn't find the Dolan's relationships plausible, an area that is generally one of your strengths. Part of it is because I wanted to argue with the conclusions of Marley's philosophy. A lot of it had to do with the science fiction elements, which you are getting a pass on because you have two more chances to resolve my objections.

I have been reading sci-fi for sixty-seven years, if you can count "The Spaceship Under the Apple Tree." {Actually, I guess "Tom Swift and His Flying Lab" was my first, which is of no interest to anyone.} I mention this only because I have read a LOT of s-f and fantasy and have some opinions about what works and what doesn't. There are two basic approaches to writing that type of story. The first is to just treat that world as perfectly natural and tell the story in that world with as little explanation as possible, only as much as necessary so that the reader doesn't get lost. A perfect example of that is "The Demon Queen of Hell," one of the best stories on this site by an outstanding author. That is more fantasy than s-f, but the principle holds. The other way is to build up the world of the story with explanations to create the elements that are needed to fashion a new world in the reader's mind along with exposition as to how these differences came to exist. This method is a lot more demanding on the writer. In the first method, the reader just suspends belief and immerses himself in the new world. There is no conscious evaluation of plausibility as long as the story is sufficiently entertaining to allow the reader to be carried along. In the second method, the reader's conscious mind will evaluate the explanation in the process of building a mental picture.

In the case of this story, the stakes have been raised because you have introduced suspense/mystery and that means that the s-f elements not only need to carry the story, but they also need to justify the suspense. You have elements of magic and two different sets of aliens who demonstrate a real mix of primitivity and the sophistication to construct world portals. Seemingly, the 'demon people' are the ones with the knowledge to build the portals but encourage cannibalism. {I am guessing that Marley's diatribe will connect that in some way.} At the same time, Kia's people are relatively unsophisticated but have found a way to hold off the 'demon people.' My understanding to this point is that they are not free to use the portals because it leaves them vulnerable, but Kia has knowledge of any number of languages. The cannibals seem to be free to travel, however. I guess the blue glow will be explained at some point. If the 'demon people' were able to conquer the 'people' so quickly {Was it by forming a cult or dining?}, why did they stop? The Olmecs/Toltecs were not that far away. {My history isn't good enough to remember which would have been contemporaries and I am too lazy to google it.} What happened to the 'demon people' once they had conquered? I assume that the one who knifed Marley had just transferred in and hadn't been hiding in the desert all that time. If I think about it, I could probably come up with more questions, but I will stop there. When I had only on {Lit} page to go, I was sure there wasn't enough story left to satisfy me, but you saved it with the trilogy declaration.

I will await the next two parts.

I agree with the last anonymous.i love most of your work and got through this one but it just seemed... Not quite... Something. The writing was good, but I just lost interest in some parts. First time I've ever skimmed a part of one of your stories....

Bummer really... I was so excited when I saw something new here!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I think it's fantastic!

What happened to Chapter Six? It jumps from Five to Seven.

It is a bit strange but interesting. Resonates with other stories like 'the Artifact', and 'Hybrid'. (Sci-fantasy) I wonder how post-apocalyptic or post-climate change worlds would speculate about us on the cusp of earth shattering change. (Food for thought or a writer's event?)

4-25-2024.... MORE PLZ.. ITS BEEN AWHILE,.. YEA I KNOW IT TAKES A TON OF TIME TO WRITE STORIES LIKE THIS. IM JUSTVAN INPAIENT OLD MAN THAT LIKES A GOOD STORY... LIKE THIS.. (and thanks 4 the ones uve alredy wrote).. Any way.. wère allbwaiting 4 the finish! And thks🙋🤷😁😁👍👍👍👍👍💯💯💯💯🌹