So, I'm really excited to go pick up and read By the Sword, so much so that I think I'm scrapping my plan to reread the entire series before I read the new one. (Besides impatience, it doesn't help that my mom has the middle third of the series borrowed from me right now.) It's still something I want to do, as I've read them as they've come out since Hosts, which means that it's been a long time since I've read some of these. But, I wanted to make sure that I remember things right, and it turns out, no one's done Wiki articles about these books...sad. So, here's my effort at a BRIEF series recap.

• The Tomb - We meet Jack. The rakoshi are the main focus.
  
• Legacies - Not much connection to Adversary cycle. The story is about wireless electricity.
  
• Conspiracies - Jack attends a UFO convention. The idea of Otherness is introduced. The novel ends in Monroe, at a house that collapses, taking out The Twins.
  
• All the Rage - Company is making a drug out of Rakoshi blood that induces rage state. Otherness likes it for the aggression and anger. Jack stops the corporation. Rakoshi ends up adrift in the Pine Barrens. Jack sees one of the Gateway orbs.
  
• Hosts - Jack's sister ends up in a cult that basically wants to make people into a collective entity that the Otherness will use as an "in" to the world. Jack stops them; his sister is killed. Jack meets the first old woman with a dog. "No more coincidences. A spear has no branches."
  
• The Haunted Air - a pair of con-men brother end up with a real ghost that ends up tapped into the Otherness. Gia is almost killed twice, once by the ghost, once in a near hit and run.
  
• Gateways - Jack goes to Florida when his dad ends up in a coma. His dad heals. They discover Gateways in the woods - sinkholes orbited by strange lights. New woman with a dog. Hints that the Otherness may be burying artifacts all over the world.
  
• Crisscross - Very dark. Scientology-style cult with ties to Otherness.
  
• Infernal - Jack's dad killed in terrorist attack at airport. Jack's brother arrives, is broke and looking for a treasure. The treasure turns out to have a countdown that sucks people into the Otherness. Vicky activates it. Jack takes it. Tom finally takes it and vanishes.
  
• Harbingers - Jack meets the Yeniceri, a group of knights basically on the Ally's side (the Twins were part of this, as is Glaeken). Turns out that they'e behind the death of Jack's dad, and they almost kill Gia and Vicky, causing Jack to lose his unborn child. Jack threatens to kill himself unless the Ally spares Gia and Vicky. They live.
  
• Bloodline - Jack discovers something called oDNA, which seems to trigger violence and evil behavior, and seems to be tied to the Otherness. Jack has oDNA in his blood. This also introduces an odd writer who seems to be writing books about Jack's life.
  
• By the Sword - BRING IT ON!
  

Here's the thing - I know you guys are more knowledgeable about these books than I am, as you discuss them more (I only just registered here, though I've been reading for a while). So what do I have wrong? What am I missing that's of major importance? I know I've missed out on a lot of the single-book stories and stand-alone bits, but I'm just trying to remember the overarching story.

Help? Thanks so much, guys (and gals) - I really appreciate the assist.

Welcome aboard Clydeumney!


Legacies - Not much connection to Adversary cycle. The story is about wireless electricity.

There is a slight connection with Conspiracies. Like, North Tusla

Welcome aboard clydeumney.

If you look in the RMJ main forum, you'll find our wiki compiled by Silverfish and others. It's titled, Introducing Our New Wiki. Enjoy the info....watch out for the spoilers.

Welcome aboard clydeumney.

If you look in the RMJ main forum, you'll find our wiki compiled by Silverfish and others. It's titled, Introducing Our New Wiki. Enjoy the info....watch out for the spoilers.

Are you talking about everythingfpaulwilson.tiddlyspot.com/? I actually browsed that, but the book links didn't seem to have a lot of plot discussion yet (some did, like The Keep, but not a lot of the actual Jack books).

Reading through the forum reminds me of Srem - was that in CrissCross? I don't remember much about it - it changed languages depending on who looked at it, but I don't remember much of the content.

Are you talking about everythingfpaulwilson.tiddlyspot.com/? I actually browsed that, but the book links didn't seem to have a lot of plot discussion yet (some did, like The Keep, but not a lot of the actual Jack books).

Reading through the forum reminds me of Srem - was that in CrissCross? I don't remember much about it - it changed languages depending on who looked at it, but I don't remember much of the content.

Howdy, clyde, and welcome aboard. You'll find the gang pretty cool. A mighty part of hanging on Paul's board?--we have experts on =everything=. Anything you might be wondering about, you'll find an answer here.

Hi Welcome aboard. Thanks for not using your first post to promote Obama. And if you haven't read it yet add Black Wind to your list, it really should be read before By the Sword. It's not a RJ novel but the events tie in so much w/ BtS that I highly recommend reading it first. Not to mention it's a great book.

I have read Black Wind and love it - once I get people hooked on RJ, I tend to point them either to that or Sims, which seem to be my two favorite non-Cycle FPW books (though, I have to say, I read Mirage last week, and really dug it.)

Anyways, no one has jumped in with any hideous inaccuracies or omissions, which makes me feel better - I remember a lot more than I expected.

(BTW, sorry for not putting "Spoiler" in the thread title - I didn't even think about spoiling old books. Sorry!)

Anything you want to write up, will go in the Wiki. I've stalled a little as work has been so busy lately. (You know year-end and Christmas and stuff.)

Stephanie

Welcome aboard clydeumney.

If you look in the RMJ main forum, you'll find our wiki compiled by Silverfish and others. It's titled, Introducing Our New Wiki. Enjoy the info....watch out for the spoilers.

Reading through the forum reminds me of Srem - was that in CrissCross? I don't remember much about it - it changed languages depending on who looked at it, but I don't remember much of the content.

Welcome, Clyde! That was all I was going to mention, except that in Infernal Jack gets the book, the Kickers in Bloodline, and the baby.