I saw in the current May newsletter that Jack was 14 in 1983. I then noted that I am 4 years older than Jack. Then I may have come across a possible nugget here. If I remember the Monroe incident happened in 1968 the same year of Jacks birth. I mean where was Jack actually born? Does he have a direct connection to Monroe himself. It would make some sense to me on why he was the chosen one. Sorry if I am rehashing a previous discussion or if my point is false lol.------Mark

I saw in the current May newsletter that Jack was 14 in 1983. I then noted that I am 4 years older than Jack. Then I may have come across a possible nugget here. If I remember the Monroe incident happened in 1968 the same year of Jacks birth. I mean where was Jack actually born? Does he have a direct connection to Monroe himself. It would make some sense to me on why he was the chosen one. Sorry if I am rehashing a previous discussion or if my point is false lol.------Mark

Oh, yeah. BIG spoiler from By the Sword. I'm warning you. I probably shouldn't be typing this. [SPOILER]Jack's conception and birth was the Ally's answer to Rasalom's rebirth. Although Jack wasn't the only one. He just has the most potential.[/SPOILER]

Oh, yeah. BIG spoiler. I'm warning you. I probably shouldn't be typing this. [spoiler]Jack's conception and birth was the Ally's answer to Rasalom's rebirth. Although Jack wasn't the only one. He just has the most potential.[/spoiler]

Where did that come from? Was it written, or is it a theory? It is brilliant, where ever it is from!

Where did that come from? Was it written, or is it a theory? It is brilliant, where ever it is from!

Geez. I warned you. That was in By the Sword. I should edit that into the above post.

Geez. I warned you. That was in By the Sword. I should edit that into the above post.

It's fine, really. I made a mistake to read it, but curiosity of got the better of me. It also doesn't spoil that much.

Geez. I warned you. That was in By the Sword. I should edit that into the above post.

It's ok I am only as far as Harbingers but I tend to try and think ahead lol----Mark

It's ok I am only as far as Harbingers but I tend to try and think ahead lol----Mark

I read it (I am one of those who never minds knowing the plot outcome before watching the movie or reading the book) and it rings true all the way. Indeed, that would make perfect sense.

One of the many things I love about the Adversary Cycle and the RJ books is how carefully foreshadowed so many things are throughout them. Indeed, I have reread the whole cycle several times and am impressed at how skilfully these foreshadowings are woven into the books. It wasn't until the second time through the cycle that I noticed the incident, near the beginning of Hosts, where the young man on the street accosts Jack and Kate and says as if in a trance, "A spear has no branches." Or the mention, in Conspiracies, in an argument between "Sal Roma" and his Otherness familiar Mauricio, of "the Lady", who actually does not enter the narrative directly until the next novel (Hosts). The whole mythos of the Conflict has become one of my favorites, and ranks with Middle Earth, the Dune universe, and the Lovecraft mythos.

Oh, yeah. BIG spoiler from By the Sword. I'm warning you. I probably shouldn't be typing this. [SPOILER]Jack's conception and birth was the Ally's answer to Rasalom's rebirth. Although Jack wasn't the only one. He just has the most potential.[/SPOILER]

Another BIG spoiler from By the Sword:

[SPOILER]I don't think we can take for granted that Jack (and the other backups) were orchestrated by the Ally. What Glaeken tells Jack is merely that "plans were put in motion". He does not specifically say whose plans they were.

Remember that back in 1941 the Ally assumed victory and turned its attention away from Earth. Much of what Rasalom accomplished since 1941was possible because the Ally wasn't paying much attention.

Right now, I'm thinking it's much more likely that The Lady put that plan into motion. The Lady's attention to Earth and its creatures has never wandered, though she was aware that the Ally's had.

That's just my gut feeling at the moment. We could both be wrong. [/SPOILER]

I read it (I am one of those who never minds knowing the plot outcome before watching the movie or reading the book) and it rings true all the way. Indeed, that would make perfect sense.

One of the many things I love about the Adversary Cycle and the RJ books is how carefully foreshadowed so many things are throughout them. Indeed, I have reread the whole cycle several times and am impressed at how skilfully these foreshadowings are woven into the books. It wasn't until the second time through the cycle that I noticed the incident, near the beginning of Hosts, where the young man on the street accosts Jack and Kate and says as if in a trance, "A spear has no branches." Or the mention, in Conspiracies, in an argument between "Sal Roma" and his Otherness familiar Mauricio, of "the Lady", who actually does not enter the narrative directly until the next novel (Hosts). The whole mythos of the Conflict has become one of my favorites, and ranks with Middle Earth, the Dune universe, and the Lovecraft mythos.

:hello: Welcome, John M!

I've also been extremely impressed by FPW's crafty use of foreshadowing and subtle references over such a long series of books. Yet another reason I think there's more to the story of Jack's existance than what seems to be the obvious.