DUEL with the DEVIL
Viewing comments for Chapter 42 "DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 42"The problem of creating a non-addictive painkiller
7 total reviews
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Well written.
All I can say is that Julia is a better man than I am. I would have turned around and gone to a hotel, or somewhere. And left it to Brian to figure out how, or whether, to contact me.
I'm curious, am I the only one with this sort of response?
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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Well written.
All I can say is that Julia is a better man than I am. I would have turned around and gone to a hotel, or somewhere. And left it to Brian to figure out how, or whether, to contact me.
I'm curious, am I the only one with this sort of response?
Comment Written 27-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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No you're not, but I think you nailed it with your second sentence. (Smiley face here).
Look at it like this: In the 15 years Julia had known him, only once before this has he abused drugs and become addicted, and that was way back in his freshman year of college after he suffered excruciating pain following that gym accident. Not once in their 10-year marriage has he ever abused drugs. So when she comes in to find him this way, she's more baffled than angry. Everything had been going so well before she left.
Put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn't you want to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible? Anger may come. We'll see, but I think it would be out of character for her to just up and leave without talking to him first. That comes in the next chapter.
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
There are some people in life who are prone to addictions and can't focus on what is important in life as their addiction takes over. I was once addicted to coca cola and drank cans of it at work all day long. When I kicked the habit, I had headaches for a whole week. We are creatures of habit and some take it to another level. It is easy to say this is my last fix, it is a bit like someone promising to go on a diet and puts it off until Monday, and that day never arrives.
Brian seems to be wasting his life here and I am not sure Julia will put up with it for much longer.
Another fine chapter Jim, love Dolly x x x
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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There are some people in life who are prone to addictions and can't focus on what is important in life as their addiction takes over. I was once addicted to coca cola and drank cans of it at work all day long. When I kicked the habit, I had headaches for a whole week. We are creatures of habit and some take it to another level. It is easy to say this is my last fix, it is a bit like someone promising to go on a diet and puts it off until Monday, and that day never arrives.
Brian seems to be wasting his life here and I am not sure Julia will put up with it for much longer.
Another fine chapter Jim, love Dolly x x x
Comment Written 27-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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I'm not addicted to sweets. I can give them up anytime I want to. I've done it hundreds of times.
Addiction is a fascinating subject, isn't it? We all seem to have them to a greater or lesser extent, and they all seem to take willpower to overcome them, which varies a lot in people. I seem to have very little willpower when it comes to things like sweets, so I do best when there are none in the house. I can do without them better than I can moderate them.
Comment from lyenochka
I like how Julia's love for Brian outweighs the foreboding prophecy of her mother about him. I knew she would think of it at a time like this. Good idea to switch to Julia's POV at a time that we can't quite trust what Brian says about the situation.
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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I like how Julia's love for Brian outweighs the foreboding prophecy of her mother about him. I knew she would think of it at a time like this. Good idea to switch to Julia's POV at a time that we can't quite trust what Brian says about the situation.
Comment Written 27-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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Thanks, Helen. You seem to understand Julia better than some who question how legitimate her feelings are--that she seems to be so forgiving and doesn't get fed up with him, but I don't think that would be realistic in the context of the story.
In the 15 years she has known him, he has only abused drugs once, and that was 13 years ago in college when the gym accident left him in excruciating pain. He is not the typical addict who is constantly cheating and lying to her.
She is shocked by what she finds when she returns, but she's not about to throw away a 10-year marriage to someone she truly loves without a great deal more provocation than what he has exhibited in their life together.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
It is so sad that Julia came home to discover Brian's experiment failed. Seeing what happens when he comes down from a month's long high could be interesting if it does not leave him incapacitated. He may be closer to success than his drug-addled brain knows.
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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It is so sad that Julia came home to discover Brian's experiment failed. Seeing what happens when he comes down from a month's long high could be interesting if it does not leave him incapacitated. He may be closer to success than his drug-addled brain knows.
Comment Written 26-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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Wonderful analysis, Carol. The next few chapters will show just what you're saying here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful remarks and the 6 stars.
Comment from T B Botts
Hello Jim,
I suppose if I were Brian, I'd be rejoicing that Julia didn't pick up a frying pan and bean me on the noggin. Considering that she worked so hard for the money that was used to come up with the drug and test it, I don't know that I'd have that much compassion. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that she is so forgiving, and is willing to go on this journey yet again, but it would seem that she would have some feelings of betrayal, or at the very least lose some trust in him. Going on tour again would be so difficult if he is left home alone. I guess we'll see where this goes.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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Hello Jim,
I suppose if I were Brian, I'd be rejoicing that Julia didn't pick up a frying pan and bean me on the noggin. Considering that she worked so hard for the money that was used to come up with the drug and test it, I don't know that I'd have that much compassion. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that she is so forgiving, and is willing to go on this journey yet again, but it would seem that she would have some feelings of betrayal, or at the very least lose some trust in him. Going on tour again would be so difficult if he is left home alone. I guess we'll see where this goes.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
Comment Written 26-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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I think the reason she's willing to go on this journey again is that she's really only been on it once in the 15 years she's known him--for a brief period when he was a freshman in college after he had that accident in the gym. I wouldn't think much of her if she abandons him now without making a good effort to help save him and their marriage.
It might be a different story if this were to continue to happen now, but her efforts will be directed to helping restore him to health so that he can find the ultimate solution, which is making his drug successful.
Comment from Wendy G
I thought he would be really angry with her for her coming home early and catching him out. And I thought she would be really angry with him, for letting her down and himself as well. Maybe they will both explode in four hours' time. Julia is a very good person to be willing to stand by him - but if he doesn't pull himself together, then love alone might not be enough. She wouldn't want to live with him the way he is for too long. Looking forward to more.
Wendy
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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I thought he would be really angry with her for her coming home early and catching him out. And I thought she would be really angry with him, for letting her down and himself as well. Maybe they will both explode in four hours' time. Julia is a very good person to be willing to stand by him - but if he doesn't pull himself together, then love alone might not be enough. She wouldn't want to live with him the way he is for too long. Looking forward to more.
Wendy
Comment Written 26-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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He was at the height of euphoria when she comes home, so I don't think he could feel anger about it. And she feels more baffled than angry. Everything seemed to be going so well before she left, and she doesn't understand yet what happened. Anger may still come, but we'll see.
Absolutely correct, though, Wendy. If he doesn't make the effort to pull himself together, that may spell doom for their marriage.
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I am very much enjoying this story.
Comment from lancellot
Okay, I will give you a straightforward review. It is not personal, just my observation.
Hmm, a character POV shift, sort of. I say that because in a way, Julia's character is the same as Brian's, which is the same as Francine, which is the same as Daniel and Kimiko, and Dr.... and so on. They all seem like they're cut from the same template.
"Perhaps I should feel anger that he has squandered our money, and he appears to have done nothing to fix this problem that he created after it had been going so well"
-Yes, you're shining a light on what the readers will take as an obvious story and character issue, but that doesn't eliminate the problem. As the character of Julia doubles down (like we knew she would) on the 'saintly support' syndrome that most of the characters have. They are not normal or balanced humans, and they all (except for stepmom) behave like they are all on some happy drug or live in a strange world where they are exceptional humans.
And yet again Brian seems as if he will suffer no real consequence or repercussions or loss. Which at this point the reader knows he won't, so.... what devil is there?
Now, don't say the usual FanStory, I'm sorry you don't like it. That's not it. Jim, you can write. You can. This story, like the others are ultra positive, and an outgrowth of you. But you, and your personality can't be the source of every story. That makes the world and behavior of the individual characters unrealistic, predictable and carbon copies.
Brian is an unrealistic addict, because he has not been allowed to behave like a typical addict or even hit rock bottom. That would be negative. A real addict, steals, lies, cheats, abandons, get abandoned, loses morals, rebels, denies, has friends and family who doubt him, get angry, fight him, walk out, cry, and so on. Brian (the genius) hasn't even been arrested once, or gone homeless, or kicked out of school, or fired, or dumped. And his sister is a cop, now FBI agent
So, if there is a devil, it is not an effective devil. He even has a perfect excuse for being on drugs. A real incurable painful injury. So, he is not to blame for his actions.
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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Okay, I will give you a straightforward review. It is not personal, just my observation.
Hmm, a character POV shift, sort of. I say that because in a way, Julia's character is the same as Brian's, which is the same as Francine, which is the same as Daniel and Kimiko, and Dr.... and so on. They all seem like they're cut from the same template.
"Perhaps I should feel anger that he has squandered our money, and he appears to have done nothing to fix this problem that he created after it had been going so well"
-Yes, you're shining a light on what the readers will take as an obvious story and character issue, but that doesn't eliminate the problem. As the character of Julia doubles down (like we knew she would) on the 'saintly support' syndrome that most of the characters have. They are not normal or balanced humans, and they all (except for stepmom) behave like they are all on some happy drug or live in a strange world where they are exceptional humans.
And yet again Brian seems as if he will suffer no real consequence or repercussions or loss. Which at this point the reader knows he won't, so.... what devil is there?
Now, don't say the usual FanStory, I'm sorry you don't like it. That's not it. Jim, you can write. You can. This story, like the others are ultra positive, and an outgrowth of you. But you, and your personality can't be the source of every story. That makes the world and behavior of the individual characters unrealistic, predictable and carbon copies.
Brian is an unrealistic addict, because he has not been allowed to behave like a typical addict or even hit rock bottom. That would be negative. A real addict, steals, lies, cheats, abandons, get abandoned, loses morals, rebels, denies, has friends and family who doubt him, get angry, fight him, walk out, cry, and so on. Brian (the genius) hasn't even been arrested once, or gone homeless, or kicked out of school, or fired, or dumped. And his sister is a cop, now FBI agent
So, if there is a devil, it is not an effective devil. He even has a perfect excuse for being on drugs. A real incurable painful injury. So, he is not to blame for his actions.
Comment Written 26-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 27-Sep-2024
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This is the third time I've tried posting this response to your review, and it doesn't seem to want to take. I'm going to try something different.