Each week it gets more and more difficult to share anything about the newly-released episode for fear of spoiling the story for those who are either behind on their episodic reading or are waiting to read the story in its entirety when it comes out soon in novel form.
This past Tuesday saw the release of episode eleven of The Human Division, leaving us with only two more to go. “A Problem of Proportion” returns readers to the Clarke with Lieutenant Wilson taking center stage. The crew of the Clarke find themselves interacting with a crew from the Conclave and in so doing find what could be a key piece of the puzzle of who is orchestrating the attacks that begin in episode one.
Whenever we are with the Clarke I am a pleased reader and this week was no exception. I continue to be concerned about how this can possibly be wrapped up satisfactorily with so little time left but that has not stopped me from enjoying the experience and looking forward to each week’s episode.
If you want to join me for a more detailed discussion of the story, please follow after the break.
It was great to see the story circle back to events that were happening at the very beginning with the battle that ensued as this episode began. I think most of us who have been following along week after week have expected the answer to not be a simple one and it was nice to see the Conclave brought into the forefront as the reader sees how they too have been having the same issues as the Colonial Union in that ships are disappearing and it appears to be a set up orchestrated by some as yet unrevealed party acting with nefarious purposes. That is if we are to believe the Conclave characters that the crew of the Clarke interacts with in this episode. Personally I have no reason to believe they are lying if only because there isn’t enough story left to give that kind of storyline a fair shake.
The idea of “the human division” was looked at a bit differently in this episode as it is revealed that the “crew” of the ship that attached both CDF and Conclave was a human who had been separated…divided…from his body and wired into the ship itself. I enjoyed the interaction between Wilson and Rayth Ablant and felt that Scalzi took the right direction with this in not allowing some implausible miracle to happen that would save Ablant. It gave the story more emotional heft while at the same time showing how potentially evil this unseen (as yet) enemy is.
Although the reader doesn’t get to spend much time with him/her/it, Lieutenant Navill Werd makes an impression. I thought Werd was a nice cocky-but-not-overbearing partner for Wilson. He brought just the right amount of humor to the episode.
To close, fellow Scalzi fans, I must ask: how in the world is this all going to get wrapped up without feeling rushed in only two more episodes?!?! I’m at a loss to guess but am looking forward to finding out.
It’s funny, because up until this episode I had the same feeling as you: how is he going to wrap this up? I can’t explain why, but after this episode, I’m no longer worried about that.
Maybe it’s Harry’s calm demeanor throughout the various crises he’s been involved in, or maybe it’s the meeting of the Clarke crew with the Conclave reps, but I feel things are finally set up for the finale in a way they haven’t previously been.
Not sure if any of that helps, because beyond my intuition about it, I can’t put it in words any better than that.
I too think things are setting up for the finale but am waiting to be convinced that it will do so in a satisfying manner with two episodes left. I’m hoping one or both of the are longer like the first one. Guess we’ll know more tomorrow!
While I’m not reading your detailed reviews, I’m enjoying the artwork. The book is on preorder, of course.
I’m loving the artwork too and really hope an edition comes out at some point with colored tip in plates between each chapter. And of course I hope it isn’t wildly expensive.
I return to my comment from a few weeks ago… I am going to be so mad if it has “To Be Continued…” at the end of the last chapter. However, I did enjoy this chapter. I actually read this and prior chapter back to back because I was so busy the previous week. It is quite strange to have each chapter so distinct.
I suspect the next few chapters will be amazingly detailed to complete this story.
I still don’t expect that, Ian, but am certainly more easily convinced that it could end up that way the way things are going! That would not be a pleasant experience, to be sure.
Since this is really a story told in 13 short stories (we probably won’t find a nice neat epilogue) Scalzi will keep us/the tension going right up to the end… I can hardly wait..
I think he’ll have to Carla, to keep up with the episodic nature of the story. Good point. I’m just hoping for a worthwhile payoff.
No entry yet for Chapter 12? The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads.
Great chapter… Chapter 13 will have to be a doozy to gather all the pieces and come to a conclusion.
I’m thinking “To be continued…” and this story will be resolved by a sequel or a trilogy.
In either case I’m OK with that. I am enjoying the characters a lot.
So I finished. Looking forward to to wrap up Carl.
Chapter 13 was much longer than the others (much like chapter one).
Looking forward to the sequel.
Hey Carl, have you abandoned the Human Division? No review or discussion on the last two chapters?
Maybe I missed something.
I was wondering the same thing? I was enjoying the conversation. I guess you were sort of right, Ian. It didn’t leave on a cliffhanger, but it didn’t resolve itself quite as neatly as other OMW stories have.