>Another thoroughly enjoyable opening to a story arc. Here's hoping
>that this one goes well.
>
>As always with EPU, I appreciate the little touches. (I'd call them
>throwaways, if so many of them didn't develop into full-blown stories)
>
>-"You ought to know that Mom's alive." Bam! I've been waiting for
>that since she disappeared. Now the problem becomes finding the time
>and resources to -do- something about it when there are so many other
>irons in the fire.

Time, well, I'm sure Gryphon will MAKE time. Resources, that's a bigger problem.

>
>-Hermione Granger as padawan to Hercule Poirot...what a beautiful
>picture.

You know, I'm actually more pleased to see her as a Jedi knight, for some reason. She's still able to bask in knowledge and mysticism, but not forced to play second fiddle to Harry in combat solely because of destiny. I notice he's not even mentioned, and while I don't virulently hate Harry, I do wish the others would shine on occasion. (Especially Hermione; I'm all for the learned type.) Dunno about Poirot, though, I haven't read any of those books.

>
>-M'yl'ya's family, as has already been mentioned, is -fabulous-.
>
>-Did Vader just -eat- Quevas XIII's soul?

I had a flashback to Soulcatcher from the Black Company books with that scene, though I feel rather certain there's no influence from that here. I have a sneaking suspicion her helmet, though, was inspired by Vader's...

>
>-I desperately want to see O'bi-Wann and Saionji have a gripe session
>about their students...

Heh.
>
>All in all, well done!

Hear, hear!

"They say one should not speak unkindly of the dead, so I say, 'nice try'." --Lezard