The Salvation War

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:13 pm

So, in the name of the ironic, given a certain lively thread in IMHO, I thought the Gaming Den might appriciate knowing that Stuart Slade's The Salvation War: Pantheocide is now in progress, and I'm not getting around to notifying you people about it.

Link to Cleaned up Book One: Armageddon (also comtains the link to the original thread with commentary and the inspirational thread)
Link to Cleaned up Book Two: Pantheocide
TVTropes article

Due to cries of boredom from the last link, I'm obligated to inform you that The Salvation War is written in the style of a documentary; there isn't supposed to be tension about who'll win the war.

Lago PARANOIA · Post by **Lago PARANOIA** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:15 pm

I would like to know some back information about the Salvation War. With a name like Stuart Slade you know it's going to be good.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:05 pm

I completely agree with Lago on all his points. I want to know about Salvation War.

With a name like Stuart Slade it has to be good.

Who the fvck is Stuart Slade?

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:08 pm

the setup is simple: God calls a rapture or something similar and tells everyone that Heaven is full. A significant portion of the world commits suicide as a result. Those left declare war on Satan and Yahweh. Fortunately, this is a hard science Earth and the demons are organics who, while immune to bronze weapons, die to modern ones.

Slade usual style, so I've heard, is to (1) setup the scenario, (2) infer what happens, and (3) narrate the interesting elements, hence why it's more like a documentary that a typical novel.

Slade is responsible for the TBOverse, an AU where a 1940 coup against Churchill succeeded (it failed IRL), ending the Western Front. It was written to squash the "Nazis conquer all" AH stories, or attempt to, and spiraled into its own AU from there. I haven't read them, but I've heard they're good.

cthulhu · Post by **cthulhu** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:12 pm

President Bush looked dully at Secretary Gates. The betrayal that had been represented by The Message had hit him deep, torn apart the faith that had kept him going even in the darkest years of his presidency. Then, with his opinion poll figures trending up at last, this had to happen. He shook his head, tried to clear the clouds of despair from his mind and absorbed the information. As he did so, his eyes lit up for the first time in three days.

“Get word out to all our armed forces. Tell them to engage these, these things, at every opportunity. Shoot first, hit hard and keep hitting them. Let them know that we may go down but it won’t be without one hell of a fight.”

“Them Sir?”

“Them. Everybody. Our forces, the religious leaders who brought that message to us, those who the message came from. I don’t care who “they” are, either they attacked us or they betrayed us and I don’t see the difference between those who promise us an eternity of torture or those who would hand us over to that fate. They’re both our enemies now. And we’ll fight them. All of them.” Bush’s voice had gained strength and he made his commitment. “We may have believed in higher powers once, but they’ve forfeited any loyalty we may have owed them. Secretary Gates, get the word out. We fight.”

“Sir, I have to warn you, this may well be committing a war crime. We haven’t had United Nations approval for any action and without a vote in the UN, we are committing an act of aggressive war, which is a war crime. I therefore rule that we must hold off any action until there had been a full meeting of the Security Council. I will also issue orders for the pilots involved in this incident to be arrested and brought up on war crimes charges.”

There was a rumble of discontent around the war room. Bush heard it and that made up his mind. He looked at the JAG officer with contempt. “Place this man under arrest. Remove him, get rid of him. From now on, the United States will act in its own best interests and defend itself as best it can. Any other nations who want to join in this struggle are welcome to do so.”

Lawl. Bill Clinton blows away a demon with a shotgun on a later chapter.

Meikle641 · Post by **Meikle641** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:23 pm

I read a decent chunk in and enjoyed it. Could use a little less "America, FUCK YEAH!", but that could be me.

Definitely has some awesome moments, though.

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:23 pm

Yeah, Obfuscating Stupidity is true in there. Mark it under "Needing Disbelief Suspension," like FTL.

Clinton? Yeah, there's some Rule of Cool/Rule of Funny stuff, like tinfoil hats and Clinton blowing away a succubus.

[edit] TBO is somewhat the same. I guess it comes from being a Targeteer (the people who decided where the nukes would be directed).