I'm new to RJ, and started with The Tomb, then circled back and read the young Jack books. I'm on Conspiracies now and spotted an odd inconsistency. In the chapter where Jack and Lew Ehler are devising a cover story before registering at the conspiracy theorist convention, Lew and Jack briefly discuss odd lights or "lumens" in the Pine Barrens. Jack states unequivocally he's never seen them. But I distinctly remember Jack chasing the "lumens" on his bike in one of the young Jack books, I think the last one. Small detail, just curious if anyone else noticed, and if there are any other inconsistencies in future books.

Oh Good Lord. I realized that my post about an inconsistency has a major inconsistency right in the title of the thread! I meant Inconsistency in Conspiracies, not Legacies. I guess that's karmic justice for you. Never point out another's gaffe without making sure your announcement is gaffe-free itself!

I'm new to RJ, and started with The Tomb, then circled back and read the young Jack books. I'm on Legacies now and spotted an odd inconsistency. In the chapter where Jack and Lew Ehler are devising a cover story before registering at the conspiracy theorist convention, Lew and Jack briefly discuss odd lights or "lumens" in the Pine Barrens. Jack states unequivocally he's never seen them. But I distinctly remember Jack chasing the "lumens" on his bike in one of the young Jack books, I think the last one. Small detail, just curious if anyone else noticed, and if there are any other inconsistencies in future books.

At the time Paul wrote "Conspiracies", the YA trilogy wasn't even thought of. By the time he got around to writing the YA trilogy, a decade had passed and he most likely forgot this piece of conversation occurred. Paul claimed this is why he limited the YA series to three novels and the upcoming early New York years trilogy to three. He was afraid if he continued to fill in Jack's back story that it would cause inconsistencies and alter the Secret history of The world as we know it.

However, Paul does take into consideration gaffes, such as this, caught by readers and corrects the text for future releases.

Good catch!

Thanks, Tony.

I guess when you're writing an epic saga such as The Secret History Of The World which cross-references so many books and short stories, there are bound to be these little mistakes. That's the only one I've caught as of yet, but I'm only on Conspiracies. Unless you have a brain with total recall, it's bound to happen sooner or later. It happened to me in a glaring way right in the title of the thread:doh: I plead temporary dopey-ness due to the intake of Nyquil to treat a nasty head cold.

At the time Paul wrote "Conspiracies", the YA trilogy wasn't even thought of. By the time he got around to writing the YA trilogy, a decade had passed and he most likely forgot this piece of conversation occurred. Paul claimed this is why he limited the YA series to three novels and the upcoming early New York years trilogy to three. He was afraid if he continued to fill in Jack's back story that it would cause inconsistencies and alter the Secret history of The world as we know it.

However, Paul does take into consideration gaffes, such as this, caught by readers and corrects the text for future releases.

Good catch!

Taking into consideration the fact that Paul doesn't reread his novels as we do. . . .

Just finished Conspiracies. We don't find out who killed Olive Farina, the Christian conspiracy theorist. Which is a shame, because I felt sympathy for that character. Even if her childhood abuse was hypnotically implanted (although that was never solidified in the novel), it was still an awful weight to carry around. I'm assuming we discover who in fact mutilated her corpse in subsequent books, most likely the next RJ novel. At least I hope so, since I really want to know.

I felt a lot of sympathy for the Pediatrician/incest survivor who hired RJ in Legacies; but her decision to not reveal the secret formula for broadcast energy just because she hated her father was a bit of a jaw-dropper. I understand her anger, but we're talking about saving, or at the very least magnificently enriching, millions of human lives with that formula. She could even have pointed the lab out to a couple of energy scientists and told them to take credit for the discovery; anything to get that energy source to the people.

Just finished Conspiracies. We don't find out who killed Olive Farina, the Christian conspiracy theorist. Which is a shame, because I felt sympathy for that character. Even if her childhood abuse was hypnotically implanted (although that was never solidified in the novel), it was still an awful weight to carry around. I'm assuming we discover who in fact mutilated her corpse in subsequent books, most likely the next RJ novel. At least I hope so, since I really want to know.

I felt a lot of sympathy for the Pediatrician/incest survivor who hired RJ in Legacies; but her decision to not reveal the secret formula for broadcast energy just because she hated her father was a bit of a jaw-dropper. I understand her anger, but we're talking about saving, or at the very least magnificently enriching, millions of human lives with that formula. She could even have pointed the lab out to a couple of energy scientists and told them to take credit for the discovery; anything to get that energy source to the people.

I've got to admit, when I first finished Conspiracies I too thought like this. But then, would you want to make a hero of a monster? And would the scientists have accepted a random phone call from someone saying that they could provide them with the details of broadcast power? Would they not want to unearth who discovered it and it may lead to certain "issues" being dug up.

I think it wouldn't be too much trouble to hire an intermediary--most likely a lawyer--to do some reearch and find a couple of Energy Scientists with pretty good credentials and draft an agreement where, although the broadcast energy formula would be released to the world for free, sort of like what Dr. Salk did with his Polio vaccine, they would get very attractive financial compensation as well as the glory for the discovery itself. They would become worldwide celebrities overnight, the world would benefit immensely, especially the poor of the world, and her sleazeball father wouldn't get an iota of recognition.

At least, that's what I would do in such a situation. Her hate for her father was totally understandable, in fact if I were her I would have killed him for what he'd done, but when I think about all the people who would benefit from that technology, it's a no-brainer to release that discovery to the masses.

I just got done the last of the three young adult series loved the references to the barrens!!!!

I just got done the last of the three young adult series loved the references to the barrens!!!!

I visited New Jersey when I was a kid with my dad on a business trip but I didn't really have a chance to look around much. I did know about the New Jersey Pine Barrens before the Young Jack books however because of The Sopranos episode when Paulie and Chris get lost in them while trying to dispose of the Russian's body.

The Young Jack series was very cool. At first I was unsure if I was going to get involved in them as much as the adult RJs but--no big surprise--FPW's talent for storytelling pulled me in like a linguistic Rip Tide. As I am only 5 years younger than Jack, I liked the early 80's references. Can't wait for Cold City and the early 90's!

I visited New Jersey when I was a kid with my dad on a business trip but I didn't really have a chance to look around much. I did know about the New Jersey Pine Barrens before the Young Jack books however because of The Sopranos episode when Paulie and Chris get lost in them while trying to dispose of the Russian's body.

The Young Jack series was very cool. At first I was unsure if I was going to get involved in them as much as the adult RJs but--no big surprise--FPW's talent for storytelling pulled me in like a linguistic Rip Tide. As I am only 5 years younger than Jack, I liked the early 80's references. Can't wait for Cold City and the early 90's!

I had to drive to Wildwood NJ a few months ago. I kept sending text messages to a freind about being in the pine barrens- or so the signs said!- and being eaten by a rakosh