As usual, I attempt to really draw out my reading of a Repairman Jack book (for the sake enjoyment), and, as usual, I get hooked into the book and finish within a day or two.

My thoughts:

- Darryl. When he was introduced in Bloodlines, I saw him as this seedy character who was barely above a hobo. Then, in By the Sword, he started to get fleshed out a bit more as a really cool guy who you had to be careful with. But here? I actually felt like he was one of the better characters in the story. When he became Fhinntmanchca Darryl, my jaw hit the floor.

- Weezy. Often, I try not to get attached to new characters in Jack's life (and especially characters from his past) because a spear has no branches. But Weezy surviving and being a damn good asset to conquering the Compendium was great. I would really love a book about the First Age with Glaeken and Rasalom. "Demonsong" was a fun read, but I want to know the genesis of Rasalom into whatever he is.

- My only major criticism: Not enough Abe! I think Jack went see him one time in the entire novel, and while it was vintage Abe, there was this foreboding/foreshadowing in the conversation between the two. Abe remains one of my favorite characters in the series, so any chance interaction with Jack is just great for me.

All in all, it was a great book, and while that open-ended feeling that FPW warned about in the intro wasn't a great feeling (How could you leave us with a cliffhanger like that? Count down until book 14 begins), but I think the flow that By the Sword established is continuing, and the books are building to a good conclusion.

As usual, I attempt to really draw out my reading of a Repairman Jack book (for the sake enjoyment), and, as usual, I get hooked into the book and finish within a day or two.

My thoughts:

- Darryl. When he was introduced in Bloodlines, I saw him as this seedy character who was barely above a hobo. Then, in By the Sword, he started to get fleshed out a bit more as a really cool guy who you had to be careful with. But here? I actually felt like he was one of the better characters in the story. When he became Fhinntmanchca Darryl, my jaw hit the floor.

- Weezy. Often, I try not to get attached to new characters in Jack's life (and especially characters from his past) because a spear has no branches. But Weezy surviving and being a damn good asset to conquering the Compendium was great. I would really love a book about the First Age with Glaeken and Rasalom. "Demonsong" was a fun read, but I want to know the genesis of Rasalom into whatever he is.

- My only major criticism: Not enough Abe! I think Jack went see him one time in the entire novel, and while it was vintage Abe, there was this foreboding/foreshadowing in the conversation between the two. Abe remains one of my favorite characters in the series, so any chance interaction with Jack is just great for me.

All in all, it was a great book, and while that open-ended feeling that FPW warned about in the intro wasn't a great feeling (How could you leave us with a cliffhanger like that? Count down until book 14 begins), but I think the flow that By the Sword established is continuing, and the books are building to a good conclusion.

Good ah-deers all, Crimson King. But the conclusion is building to NIGHTWORLD, in which Rasalom roars in his glory as The Otherness triumphs. Hmmm--wait a minute here... Humanity still has a few dauntless men and women fighting...

I LOVED Ground Zero! I thought it was one of the better books, and I liked getting to know Diana better. It was shocking to realize the dirt Darryl was scaping out of the thing was once a person!:yikes: And the 9/11 conspiracy theory was the best I have heard...

Yeah, I presume she's the collective unconscious force of the Spirit of Humankind. Just not very sure what the Dog is.

Balance.

Took a month and 15 days, and finally finished.

Wow!





I have a question. In page 372, at the first line. Weezy said [SPOILER]
"They failed. Nine/eleven...the Septimus Order and Rasalom brought down the Tower...."

Why did she know the name of "R" ? But at the next page, she said "What about R?". Hmmm....[/SPOILER]

I looked in my book and it says "R". :confused: What edition do you have?

I looked in my book and it says "R". :confused: What edition do you have?

Mine is Gauntlet First Edition.

Surely she said "What about R?". But before that, she said "Rasalom".

Mine is Gauntlet First Edition.

Surely she said "What about R?". But before that, she said "Rasalom".

Mines the Tor edition, so it must have been corrected between the two editions. Nice catch.

Speaking of Ground Zero, I was searching for some new wallpapers with which to adorn my computer monitor, and I found this:

http://abstract.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/195608/

It reminds me of Weezy and the Compendium of Srem; the red rose she is holding in her hand could be symbolic of her childhood love for Jack.

I know it goes against the plot, not to mention (why does everyone say that and then go ahead and mention it anyway) Jack is accustom to using 'normal' weapons, but knowing what I might being going up against - that katana would be going with me almost everywhere. Especially if I was going to find the 'outsider'. (Wasn't going to try and type out the phinnnn - thingie)

I know it goes against the plot, not to mention (why does everyone say that and then go ahead and mention it anyway) Jack is accustom to using 'normal' weapons, but knowing what I might being going up against - that katana would be going with me almost everywhere. Especially if I was going to find the 'outsider'. (Wasn't going to try and type out the phinnnn - thingie)

I want to say because it's just a sword to him. And the one time he used it, it acted like a sword. He knows it's special but he really does have to put faith in the weapons (and easily concealable weapons I might add) that have served him well throughout the years. He's just finally faced a problem bullets didn't take care of in "Ground Zero". He had no reason to think the sword would help. IMO

(I wasn't about to type it either!)