Not quite.

THE TOUCH actually takes place during the events of Reprisal. And the event which sets up THE TOUCH, occurs at the beginning of Bloodline.

In fact, all of the RJ books could be said to take place within the five years which tell the story of the major (non-Rasalom) character of REPRISAL.

Ken V.

OK. Now I'm thoroughly confused. What event at the beginning of Bloodline sets up The Touch? I just read the beginning again and couldn't find anything. I remember the scene in the "Then" part of Reprisal that links to The Touch but I can't for the life of me find a connection in Bloodlines....

OK. Now I'm thoroughly confused. What event at the beginning of Bloodline sets up The Touch? I just read the beginning again and couldn't find anything. I remember the scene in the "Then" part of Reprisal that links to The Touch but I can't for the life of me find a connection in Bloodlines....

[SIZE="7"]

SPOILER!

[/SIZE]


Gia (I believe) mentioned very early in Bloodline that Walter Erskine had recently died.

Erskine, who we learn was known to Jack in his youth, (he was a character in SECRET HISTORIES) was the one who carried the Dat Tay Vao to America and transferred the Dat Tay Vao to Dr. Alan Bulmer. Immediately after the transfer, Walter Erskine died.
So BLOODLINE begins at approximately the same time as THE TOUCH.

Also, if you remember, early in REPRISAL, Father Bill was accosted by a "derelict" asking him if he was "the one." This derelict was Walter Erskine, who was searching for "the one" to whom he would give the Dat Tay Vao.

Ken V.

[SIZE="7"]

SPOILER!

[/SIZE]


Gia (I believe) mentioned very early in Bloodline that Walter Erskine had recently died.

Erskine, who we learn was known to Jack in his youth, (he was a character in SECRET HISTORIES) was the one who carried the Dat Tay Vao to America and transferred the Dat Tay Vao to Dr. Alan Bulmer. Immediately after the transfer, Walter Erskine died.
So BLOODLINE begins at approximately the same time as THE TOUCH.

Also, if you remember, early in REPRISAL, Father Bill was accosted by a "derelict" asking him if he was "the one." This derelict was Walter Erskine, who was searching for "the one" to whom he would give the Dat Tay Vao.

Ken V.

Gotcha. I haven't read The Touch in a while and the whole Erskine bit made it past me.

But this raises a brand new question. Bear with me here:

If "Bloodlines" kicks off "The Touch" then both books have take place between 4-5 years before the end of "Reprisal"

Bloodline is in April of year zero minus one (according to FPWs timeline) and Reprisal ends in August of year zero minus one. OK, so Erskine spends another month or two waiting for Bulmer and passes the Dat Tay Vao to him. That totally jives. The problems begin with Reprisal though.

Reprisal is split into two parts: the Present (titled "Now"), which ends in February of Year Zero and five years ago ("Then"). It is during the "Then" period five years ago that Erskine acosts Father Bill in the hospital parking lot asking if he is "The One".

So, that means that the "Then" part of Reprisal takes place somewhere around Year Zero minus five. If Bloodline kicks off in April of year zero minus one there is no way it kicks off The Touch because the encounter between Erskine and Dr. Bulmer takes place years before that.

So, if "Bloodline" kicks off "The Touch" as you imply by the death of Erskine and the transfer of the Dat Tay Vao to Bulmer then it musy be five years give or take from that point that "Reprisal" ends.......making the end of "Reprisal" year zero plus 4 which is obviously incorrect.

Keep in mind that this info is coming from the original versions of "The Touch and "Reprisal". If the revised editions of both explain this away then we can disregard everything I've said. But if not there's only two explanations I can come up with:

1. Erskine spends 4 years or so waiting for Dr Bulmer to arrive at the hospital and passes the Dat Tay Vao then. Highly improbable.

OR

2. "Bloodlines" actually takes place 4 and a half years or so before the end of "Reprisal". In which case FPW would owe us 20 or so more Jack books. I really like that explanation...

At the same time I could be totally off base and making no sense whatsoever.

Reprisal is split into two parts: the Present (titled "Now"), which ends in February of Year Zero and five years ago ("Then"). It is during the "Then" period five years ago that Erskine acosts Father Bill in the hospital parking lot asking if he is "The One".

I remember... Now.... Then.... Now. If I remember right, there were three sections to that book with Walter Erskine in the last section of Now. If that's the case, it should solve all your problems.

I remember... Now.... Then.... Now. If I remember right, there were three sections to that book with Walter Erskine in the last section of Now. If that's the case, it should solve all your problems.

No, I just looked it up. It was the "Then" part when Father Bill is leaving the hospital with his "package".

Don't forget, gang, that Repairman Jack is a featured player in "Nightworld" in the adversary books!!! (Yeah!)

Lexator

1. Erskine spends 4 years or so waiting for Dr Bulmer to arrive at the hospital and passes the Dat Tay Vao then. Highly improbable.

Not all that improbable, seeing as Erskine is a derelict.

I'd have to go back and reread the books, but I don't think that the hospital where Erskine meets Father Bill is the same hospital where Dr. Bulmer is on staff.

Ken V.

No, I just looked it up. It was the "Then" part when Father Bill is leaving the hospital with his "package".

But does it specifically say that it is the same hospital that Dr. Bulmer works at? And even if it did, Five years previous Bulmer was likely elsewhere so it makes sense that Erskine would stay put, knowing the one would happen by at some point.

Dave

Not all that improbable, seeing as Erskine is a derelict.

I'd have to go back and reread the books, but I don't think that the hospital where Erskine meets Father Bill is the same hospital where Dr. Bulmer is on staff.

Ken V.

Ken, you and I seem to have an uncanny knack of posting the same thing at the same time lately. And there are no coincidences.

Dave

Not all that improbable, seeing as Erskine is a derelict.

I'd have to go back and reread the books, but I don't think that the hospital where Erskine meets Father Bill is the same hospital where Dr. Bulmer is on staff.

Ken V.

[SIZE="3"]You're right -- it's not. It was downstate medical center, I believe (I'm answering this from the Pittsburgh airport) and Alan was on staff at Monroe Community. Walt spent many, many years searching for Alan.[/SIZE]