Re-reading The Tomb and I'm noticing a couple things. First off, this is the edition with the "Jack silhouette" on the cover, "The Tomb" in letters with a chain making the "O" in "Tomb". Not sure if that's the updated edition.

Anyhow.

As I mentioned in another thread: Vicky and chocolate. Specifically, her strong allergic reaction to chocolate being a plot point of this book. Yet a year (and a bit) later in Crisscross, she's crazy about chocolate candies on Halloween. Maybe I'm wrong somewhere here (probably; FPW is usually very tight on details).

Second: Abe says, in one of his first conversations with Jack, that he doesn't have a "fallout shelter" type deal. They're going on about Abe's prediction of an economic Holocaust. He could be lying, sure. I mean, who wants to tell someone, even someone they trust implicitly, about their ace in the hole. But in Nightworld, doesn't Abe take Gia and Vicky to a shelter somewhere in the woods to ride out the worst bits of that book?

Last (I think; not done yet): I thought Abe was shorter than 5'9". That's the height in the book, but I swear he's shorter in the later novels. Again, this is from memory (and mine is . . . what was I saying?), so . . .

Anyhow, just pointing these out; I've noticed some people spot editorial errors so FPW can repair them in later editions. Don't know if Rakoshi has wrapped editing so it can be printed, and if so--maybe the movie tie-in paperback could benefit.

Re-reading The Tomb and I'm noticing a couple things. First off, this is the edition with the "Jack silhouette" on the cover, "The Tomb" in letters with a chain making the "O" in "Tomb". Not sure if that's the updated edition.

Yep, it's the updated edition. There are just a few microscopic changes. For example, in the original THE TOMB, Nellie says she watches the Johnny Carson Show. As this reference dates the book, Johnny Carson is removed.

As I mentioned in another thread: Vicky and chocolate. Specifically, her strong allergic reaction to chocolate being a plot point of this book. Yet a year (and a bit) later in Crisscross, she's crazy about chocolate candies on Halloween. Maybe I'm wrong somewhere here (probably; FPW is usually very tight on details).

I'm not an Endocrinologist, but some people grow out of allergies, and sometimes medications are found which negate or minimize the allergic reaction. It may be dealt with in the next book.

Second: Abe says, in one of his first conversations with Jack, that he doesn't have a "fallout shelter" type deal. They're going on about Abe's prediction of an economic Holocaust. He could be lying, sure. I mean, who wants to tell someone, even someone they trust implicitly, about their ace in the hole. But in Nightworld, doesn't Abe take Gia and Vicky to a shelter somewhere in the woods to ride out the worst bits of that book?

Enough time has passed that Abe could have established one. The discussion in THE TOMB could have been the cause. And in Night World, Jack already knows about it.

Last (I think; not done yet): I thought Abe was shorter than 5'9". That's the height in the book, but I swear he's shorter in the later novels. Again, this is from memory (and mine is . . . what was I saying?), so . . .

Anyhow, just pointing these out; I've noticed some people spot editorial errors so FPW can repair them in later editions. Don't know if Rakoshi has wrapped editing so it can be printed, and if so--maybe the movie tie-in paperback could benefit.

Abe's height is a bit of a problem. In some of the earlier novels, he is, or is barely, 5'8". In Crisscross he is 5'2" or 3". I just see it as the authors slightly changing vision of the character. It's only noticeable to fanatics like you . . . and me.

Ken V.

As I mentioned in another thread: Vicky and chocolate. Specifically, her strong allergic reaction to chocolate being a plot point of this book. Yet a year (and a bit) later in Crisscross, she's crazy about chocolate candies on Halloween. Maybe I'm wrong somewhere here

Unfortunately you're right. I fixed the "shelter" and height but screwed up the chocolate thing in Crisscross. Damn. Too late to change the hardcover. Have to fix it in the pb. Double damn.

Someday some OC reader will sit down and list all the characters and their vital statistics book by book. But until then, I have to rely on my increasingly fragile memory.

Unfortunately you're right. I fixed the "shelter" and height but screwed up the chocolate thing in Crisscross. Damn. Too late to change the hardcover. Have to fix it in the pb. Double damn.

Someday some OC reader will sit down and list all the characters and their vital statistics book by book. But until then, I have to rely on my increasingly fragile memory.

OC?

I spend a lot of time sitting and reading to my wife, and I've started doing just that . . . listing vital statistics that is.

OC = Obsessive Compulsive. I get it now.

Ken V.

I contacted my editor and gave him the two changes re chocolate (the Snickers bar on Halloween and the Boston creme donut). He thinks he can sneak them in. Thank you, nijimeijer

I contacted my editor and gave him the two changes re chocolate (the Snickers bar on Halloween and the Boston creme donut). He thinks he can sneak them in. Thank you, nijimeijer

I wish I could say "my pleasure", but I hate stressing people out. Sorry 'bout that.

Quick question, though: much like Heinlein women characters, many of your female characters share similar traits. Specifically, a lot of them come from rural areas (often Midwest, or somewhere like that) and find themselves displaced in urban life.

Is your wife like that? Or someone else you know that influenced those creations? I know that Heinlein based a lot of his female characters off of Ginny, his wife. Just wondering if you were the same way.

Quick question, though: much like Heinlein women characters, many of your female characters share similar traits. Specifically, a lot of them come from rural areas (often Midwest, or somewhere like that) and find themselves displaced in urban life.

Is your wife like that? Or someone else you know that influenced those creations? I know that Heinlein based a lot of his female characters off of Ginny, his wife. Just wondering if you were the same way.

Nope. Mary and I both grew up within minutes of NYC. The reason is much more pragmatic: drama. Drama is conflict -- ends, means, values, personalities, etc. A city mouse in the city is nowhere near as interesting as a country mouse in the city. And vice versa (ie, Jack's fish-out-of-water status in Gateways).

I don't know, my dad has shrunk over the last few years...

Unfortunately you're right. I fixed the "shelter" and height but screwed up the chocolate thing in Crisscross. Damn.

Well then. Rest assured I shall be registering my disgust across the interwebs