I really enjoyed your comments about the lack of an antagonist. So far, a couple reviewers have grumbled about this, but many more have seemed to like the book because of the way it’s hard to root against anyone for too long. In my mind, the characters have their various antagonists (e.g. Lucia with Danato, but mostly with the Rezzians against the Pawelons and vice versa). But it is a little unusual to set up a story this way. As you know, I was also paying my respects to the Iliad in this way. But I did that because I think if you’re going to write about war, at least one of the books should show how relative things can be, depending on your point of view.

I’m finding that it’s harder to write that way in the second book, although there’s still going to be a similar set-up. Book 2 starts with a new culture (Andars; Ilario and Jurg were Andaran) in conflict with Rezzia, but this time there will be a stronger antagonist figure on the Rezzian side, one that’s hinted at in the final chapter of book 1. It should set things up for all kinds of fun in book 3.