Hello.
Is Tom Clancy hiding behind your brain somewhere? That's the only rational explanation I can find for the tremendous amount of research you put in your stories. And I thought [deleted] X-COM Saga was good. I'll gladly put a link to your site, you'll just have to wait till around Saturday (Pacific Time). I hope you get more good reviews; you certainly deserve it.
Either you're Tom Clancy, or we may have found the Pentagon's only mole.
Hehehe.
Lio
(5 Feb) - Oh-oh, they found me out! Thanks. Tom, uh, I mean, Fernando

The whole issue of dramatic effect is to keep the "audience" waiting, let their imaginations come up with alternates, and then hit them with something they wouldn't have thought of given their state of knowledge (as long as it follows what had been presented before and the clues (though maybe obscure) laid in advance). I think the current chapter is fine as long as you continue the action into the next chapter. I like the episodic feel with cutaways to short paragraphs that set up the action for later.
Now that the Ethereals have arrived, they are obviously here without the permission of the Kraals (read "muton"?). Did the Ethereals take over the that group of Sectoids to soften up the area and see what's the best Earth has (since they are using their stun bombs, collecting samples)? Are they on the verge of taking over the other alien species now that their economies are collapsing? I guess you're not ready to unleash the Ethereals' psychic powers on the humans yet. In XCOM, the Ethereals were the top dogs and controlled everyone else psychically (via the master mind). Is their coup in the offing?
Is the point of invasion (new base?) in New York or Australia or somewhere else? Questions and more questions. Is the Australian AWAC echo the Ethereal ship?
I anxiously await the next chapter to devour.
-Roger
(23 Jan) - There is a reason behind the 'suicide attacks'. I'll supply it later.
Well, I think I want to introduce the psychic aspect of the game with great care. What I don't think I'll do is have that power in humans - after all, we don't have it now.
Ahhh, all will be revealed in the next chapter. At least,these two questions will.

Fernado,
Liked you chapter. Here are some suggestions.
In the story, you portray floaters but you have a line that states, "The Ethereal fired first." Isn't it a little early to introduce Ethereals?
Your really need to physically describe the floater a little more.
With so much destruction within New York, would the power be out in the subway?
In the subway tube you could add a night vision device for XCOM or the Electroflares.
Recommend you develop SGT Lee's character a little more. Describe him. Get us to know him. Then when he gets hit, we could identify with him.
What is the other space faring race doing when the NOVA destroyer gets hit?
Again, I like your writing. Keep up the good work. I'm hooked on your story. Regards,
Bill
(23 Jan) - Thanks!
Maybe not. After all they did arrive with the fleet. Their motivation to attack Earth is as yet unknown (well, actually there is a reason, just haven't supplied it yet).
Yeah, you're right. I think I rushed the chapter out too early. I'll do it in the next one.
Oooops. Um, really good subway electric lines?
Well, they were on a day mission and hadn't forseen having to enter a dark space. SpecOps wouldn't carry unecessary equipment - hinders mobility.
Absolutely right. Should have done this. Next chapter will have more on the New York scene. The Ethereals? Attacking New York. But yes, I definitely have to expand on that.
A thousand thanks, Regards, Fernando

Thanks for some very good Xcom stories!! You are really the best.
Thanks again and keep up the good work!
(19 Jan) - Thank you for the compliments

Hi! This is the first time I e-mail u...but I ALWAYS thought you're the best X-COM novelist on the net!!! :) I just wanted to ask one thing of you... if it was possible to have some more space battle scenes as in the last chapter (it wasn't much of a battle since there weren't any human manned spacecraft involved). I wondered when the Avenger's are going to come on line.... ];)
Well...that's it... KUDOS!!!!!
Silencer
(19 Jan) - Ciao Giorgio!
Thanks for the compliments. The next chapters are going to deal with land and air battles, some stuff in New York and ....
Space combat will happen but probably later. I'm thinking about it but haven't come up with a good solution. I mean, humanity can't design, develope and build a space fighter in a few months! I trying to come up with an original and plausible situation.
Regards, Fernando
P.D. BTW, what part of Italy are you from. I lived a couple of years in Rome.

Your stories are absolutely amazing. I can't begin to tell you how much I am enjoying them at the moment. It's a superbly crafted masterpiece. I mean, I just wish that the game was actually as every bit action packed and exciting as your work is.
I would be honored if you could add me to your mailing list for chapter updates. Thank you.
---
Lee Yu
(12 Jan) - Hi Lee Yu
Well, thank you very much for the compliments!!!
I've added you to the list and the next update, which I'm currently working on, should be the at end of this week.
Regards, Fernando

I've read a bunch of yer stories. They're great in every way I can think of, but I still don't like some of them because they're too bogged down with details. Of course, I suppose many people like that. I think i'll try writing my own story or two. Oh yeah, "Hello Satya, this is yer no-good-absent-good- for-nothing XO.
Cpt. Harris.
(8 Jan) - Hi
Well, yes, actually I like the detail part. Then again, I think you're somewhat right - I've read through the first chapters and some of them do have too much detail. I'm trying to correct this in Volume II.
Looking forward to reading your stuff.
Regards, Fernando

Awesome work! Yes, you're right, I'm going to need a heavy dose of patience... to wait for the next chapter!
On a related note, I've already sent in my article to the IT paper I told you about, so now it awaits publication :)
(8 Jan) - Hi John
Please send me a copy of the paper, scanned as you suggested (if possible, that is) - it's just that I find it pretty exciting !!!!!!
Regards, Fernando

You're better than [deleted]! you really do your research. i heard that tom clancy (or is it frederick forsyth?) does similar in-depth research. unless you're making up the statistics :)
> like that kid. The whole sequence with Gandalf on mIRC was very cool. the whole internet angle was *great*!
i have a few questions, though:
what is this kraal race? i cant remember it from xcom1 and 2? what are those robot tanks? im not talking about the cyberdisks, but about the "3-axled" black Robots.
er...thats all the questions i can come up with right now :)
please keep me on your mailing list, where you tell us about new chapters. i cant wait!
satya
(30 Dic) - I'm writing as fast as I can:-)

Could you put me on that list. Email: [deleted]. Love your writing, the only problem I can see with getting it published is getting microprose to agree to it. God knows it a lot better than most of the books that do get published in this genre, that is science fiction/action as for the spelling mistakes, a good editor would make short work of those.
Thoams
(7 Jan) - Back from vacation today ... ah, well, all good things come to an end.
If I were to get it published I would simply change a few names around to avoid all conflict with Microprose...say call X-COM EXDEF=extraterrestrial defense (or something to the effect). I don't think it would be a biggie.
The spelling mistakes, bane of the past. The first chapters did have some mistakes, but the latter I've screened with Word's dictionary and should be clean .. there might be a few lurkers slipping through though.
I've included you on my list. Thanks.
Regards and happy new year, Fernando

If you feel like contacting me with criticism (constructive, I hope) please do so at fsch@elpais.es