"Battle for the Wastelands" and More TVTropes...

I've completed sixteen continuous chapters of Battle for the Wastelands and over the weekend completed the first half of the last chapter.  I've still got a fairly large chunk of book left to write and will need to edit something fierce to keep the word count below 100,000 and deal with the divergence between Andrew's story-arc and Grendel's story arc.

However, I'm thinking that I'll be able to get my first draft done by Veterans' Day after all.

In the meantime, here are some more TVTropes featured in my book:

Pragmatic Villainy-Grendel didn't get where he's at by being Stupid Evil.  This has led to some question as to whether he's truly evil or not, since he doesn't go Kicking the Dog.

What the Hell, Hero-Alonzo Merrill forces Flesh-Eater turncoats to kill their officers in front of a cheering crowd; Andrew and fellow members of his squad bayoneted Flesh-Eater wounded after a battle.

I'm a Humanitarian-The Flesh-Eaters practice ritual cannibalism.

Even Evil Has Standards-Grendel finds Karl "Mangle" Steuben, who's really into Body Horror, to be disgusting.

The Lost Lenore-Cassie Wells, Andrew's girlfriend who is wounded during the fall of Carroll Town and captured by the Flesh-Eaters.

Made of Iron-For a 16-year-old boy suffering from malnutrition, Andrew survives a whole lot

Wicked Stepmother-Averted with Signe Allansdottir, who raised Falki Grendelsson after his mother's death; played straight with Lenora Starr, who wants her son to succeed Grendel and not Falki.

Rated M for Manly-My friend Alex Hughes has described my story as "a boy book" and suggested I send it to Baen.

Even Evil Has Loved Ones-In the chapter we first meet him, Falki Grendelsson teases his little sister in a brotherly manner--before showing his father the list of death sentences he has authorized. Plus Grendel and his (many) children.

Me Love You Long Time-Grendel's late wife was of a quasi-Chinese ethnicity; Grendel himself is quasi-Danish.

Really Gets Around-After his wife's death, Grendel took many concubines and fathered many children.  This is a running problem with Falki, who complains his father's promiscuity is leading to too many potential rivals for the succession.

Obligatory War Crimes Scene-A whole bunch, mostly from the Flesh-Eaters but some from the Merrills as well.