Personally, I like Part 2 better than Part 1, in the same sort of way I like the Empire Strikes Back over A New Hope. The first was what it needed to be, but the second, using the established characters, themes, settings and such, was free to launch off and become more intense, more in depth.
‘Grow and Decay’ was the theme I started off with in Part 2, giving Ryan and Ottavio each a related premise. Ryan’s inexperience with the real world hampers him, prevents him from becoming what he must ultimately become. Marcus, being the big brother type, takes him out to see a bit of the real world. We, as humans, grow through experience.
Ryan, held in his new family, can afford to be shocked by the real world. Ottavio’s journey, by contrast, has to be different. He already believes he knows what’s going on. He has to tear down and throw away pretty much everything he knows, or thinks he knows, in order to grow into this new role of his.
The cover art uses my wife’s hands, representing Cassandra’s fingers.
You can find Adaptation – Part 2 in eBook ($2.99) and Paperback at: