All Comments on 'A Dream of Empire Ch. 014'

I have assumed the top urban dictionary definition of smirk, a slight smile, with accompanying facial expression, indicating amusement, sometimes attentive and/or "sharp". Is that your intended meaning? Asking for a friend.

The chapter's initial posse scene was quite bleak. It was (among other effects) an unusual emotional balance to the long last scene in the chapter. It worked for me but I could see it bothering some readers as an intrusive out-of-context detail. Would you be willing to share your intent with this scene?

The ruminations by Talos on political structures and commerce and decentralized decisionmaking were a little choppy and schematic and obvious; it might be better to spread such details out.

The last scene of the chapter was strong, made sense, and teared me up. (To other readers; such men do exist.)

Two Truths revealed, and I hadn't thought enough about the Tatiana vs Goddess impending problem.

[green/emerald/jade] moon [event] - it is disconcerting how much trouble this is stirring up. Now the elves? This is the sort of thing that happens in the horseless carriage world that Tatiana rescued Dusk from. (That world has its charms, but paranoia and prophecy-driven fervor among the very powerful are not among those charms.)

Solais seems awfully similar to 19th century United States.