Brendan’s Comments (group member since Mar 14, 2016)

Brendan’s comments from the English 4/3rd Hour group.

At a bar, Cantwell meets up with a love interest by the name of Renata. She is very young at 19 and he is middle aged at around 50. Renata did mention how she fears him dying before her in combat or other causes but she has strong feelings for him. The reader also finds out that the main character, Cantwell has made few big mistakes in his life. He did not go into detail but his biggest regrets are losing three of his battalions and has lost three women, the causes were not revealed. A lot is being introduced in the book but is not being explained which leads me to want to read more so that I can learn details

Is there any other series that you could possibly compare the series you are currently reading to? Would you say that the story is complicated or hard to follow at all? Also is there another author that you could possibly compare to the author you are currently reading?

After the "Order" (which still remains vague" meeting ended, they planned to meet at a later time. While Cantwell is by himself drinking, he seems to regret the life he has chosen in the military in a sense. He talks about knowing how brutal he is in nature. At the same time he talks about wishing to be a kind and good man. I feel like this conflict could become a theme that can be carried on throughout the rest of the work.

Do you think that with Charlie working with both teams would cause a conflict if the two teams happened to face each other? Does the story reveal where in the world they are located? Also was Charlie's team historically bad? I saw you mention they got their first win after he helped coach.

At the point I ended reading, A group of some sort is revealed to the reader, simply called the Order. A very formal meeting was taking place and the members discussed amongst themselves. Cantwell was talking to another man named the Gran Maestro and talked about an individual they called the Leader, or the Revered One. They talked about how he has been silent recently. Hopefully this will all get cleared up soon in the book.

What was done or said to make Bianca agree to Lady Artemis' offer and leave her friends? What would happen if Bianca were to have broken any part of the oath that she had taken?

What would you consider the most valuable piece of information that you had absorbed while reading this book?

I am now on page 51 and at this point, Cantwell and a young soldier named Jackson are leaving Milan and are heading to their main destination, Venice, Italy. That is where they will be stationed. During the trip, Cantwell recounts stories of past battles to Jackson as they pass by the many views that Cantwell considers beautiful. The views of the certain areas brought back his memories.

At this point in the book, Cantwell reaches Milan and is resting in a bar and takes note of a group in the group, more specifically a woman in the group who he notes as being very beautiful and wishes that he had someone like her. I think this could be the woman that he later falls in love with. According to the summary this aspect of the story, him falling in love with a younger woman.

What name would come with flying sparrows and death? Are these some sort of visions that he has?

Who is trying to bring him alive again? How would they accomplish this? Is the main character in some type of hell? Also I was wondering if it explained how the main character ended up there in the first place.

This book follows the events of a an aged colonel stationed in Italy at the tail end of the second world war by the name of Richard Cantwell. At the point in the book that I am currently in, he, a driver, and a young soldier by the name of Jackson are on their way to Venice to be stationed.