The Twelve: Part IV: The Cave

[Carol/Bonadie]

The Twelve by Justin Cronin. This is the second in the trilogy begun in The Passage.

Since spoilers are allowed please only post contents related to the part referenced in the title. The first person posting might want to do a brief summary of what happens in the section, so we can be reminded of when to start (and stop) posting, contents-wise.

[Donnajo]

Wolgast comes to amy in her dreams. he asks her if he ever told her about lila and Eva their little girl. okay was wondering when that came in.
have to remember not to read the hc book while trying to do the exercise bike which is making alot of noise (needs oil) with these chapters getting confusing at times I need my concentration to be fully on the book.

[Ann]

Part IV is actually titled The Cave, not The Field which was Part III and Part IV covers Chapters 24-28

Chapter 24 Wolgast appears to Amy in a dream / Chapter 28 and again in a dream
Chapter 25 Peter Jaxon and Alicia go into a cave to catch Martinez
Chapter 26 The mysterious jailed Major Greer
Chapter 27 Peter gets reassigned to the oil fields
Chapter 28 Amy has a pain in her belly

The main point here seems to be how the Expeditionary troops work, and the often fruitless and difficult search for the remaining of the twelve. The cities that are taken over by Virals are staggering. Peter seems to be somewhat beaten down, a "junior officer" who takes orders and doesn't have the kind of role he wants to find the Lead Virals. It seems that the powers that be don't even think it is possible to destroy any of the Twelve.
The whole Cave thing in Carlsbad Caverns was creepy and dangerous and Alicia is the only reason Peter didn't die down there like Satch. I am totally confused by the segment with the jailed Major Greer. The President came to visit him and she asked Greer questions that start to reveal details about a battle or some sort of confrontation that the survivors of The Field disaster from Part III experienced later, with Amy leading Greer away from his station. Was it Roswell? We still have that being mostly a mystery.
I guess we'll get more out of this info later when it is tied in. Wolgast says Amy is going to be leaving, perhaps they all will be drawn somewhere else.
I don't feel like I understand these chapters much at all.

[Dan in AZ]

I found that all the questions are eventually answered, some sooner than others. The workings of the Expeditionary Force are not a surprise to anyone who's been in the military, and even Peter's transfer to get him out of the way seems very realistic.
The book works on two levels: the straight action events, and the Twelve/Amy/Wolcast/etc relationships.

[Ann]

Dan: Interesting if they are all answered; in the last book he left quite a bit open. Assuming there will be a third book, I look forward to seeing how he leaves this one in a few days.
Daniel wrote: "I found that all the questions are eventually answered, some sooner than others. "

[Donnajo]

I agree. Interesting that questions will be answered. I'm deciding if I'm taking the book or nook with me to get the car serviced. not taking the notebook for my notes so whatever I read I'll have to deal with remembering any notes until I get home.
I'm glad this is a group read since I know I would really be lost without everyone's comments. As I remember saying with the first book I wouldn't have made it to the end of the book if not for other's reading it with me. This is so not my usual type of read. yet with really so many vampire/etc reads the last year or so I guess I should be expected to know some of this stuff.
I read a few things online (googled justin and his books) and probably some had spoilers so I won't link them here. they were mostly interviews, etc. I'll try to link them at some point for who has finished the book. It was mostly the same stuff with how he got started writing this series (his daughter on a run with her) and about writing about these different type of vampire and how they aren't what people expect to read about.

[Ann]

Note to Carol: I used my new moderator powers to rename this thread "The Cave". It was accidentally called The Field just like Part III's thread and chapter segment. I promise to only do good things, and to let you all know what I do, if anything. I figure once a year or so... :)

[Dan in AZ]

Ann wrote: I used my new moderator powers to rename this thread "The Cave"... I promise to only do good things, and to let you all know when I do..."



...And so it begins.

[Ann]

Funny guy, Dan!
Daniel wrote: "...And so it begins."

[Carol/Bonadie]

Ann wrote: "Note to Carol: I used my new moderator powers to rename this thread "The Cave". It was accidentally called The Field just like Part III's thread and chapter segment. I promise to only do good thin..."

Oh, that explains it! I saw your post correctinthing the name, but when I looked at the thread title I saw that it was correct. Sorry about that. And yes, feel free to use your powers for good, LOL... I know that's all you could do anyway, given who you are. Not like some I could name...

[Carol/Bonadie]

Ann wrote: "Part IV is actually titled The Cave, not The Field which was Part III and Part IV covers Chapters 24-28

Chapter 24 Wolgast appears to Amy in a dream / Chapter 28 and again in a dream
Chapter 25 Pe..."


I found myself wondering how Greer got captured and why he is locked up.

This is where the book started getting confusing. I can't keep straight all the different locations introduced, and the there also are gaps of time in which things happen off stage and aren't really explained. I can think of an example in the next part so I won't mention that here.

And what is with Amy's stomach pain? Is that supposed to be the pain that accompanies a woman's monthly "friend"? (LOL, ladies of a certain age will remember that terms. I wonder if girls still use it.

And what is with Wolgast appearing to Amy in visions?

And, I didn't get Peter's status, exactly. It seems like word of his exploits have gotten around (whatever they might have been, wish Cronin hadn't blown through that part, I would have liked to experience Peter's growth). So he is some kind of big deal, or was. This impression is continued in his next encounters which I can't discuss in this thread...

[Ann]

I know, Carol - what Wolgast is doing now is so mysterious, and he is so important to Amy or she to him, I supposed why she sees him so vividly.
I remember the phrase for a monthly "friend" too ;) I think Amy's body is reacting to the infection or whatever you call the results of having the virus given to her (can't remember how exactly, I guess it was when she was in the complex where the Twelve escaped back in the first book.)

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "And what is with Wolgast appearing to Amy in visions? "

[BarryP]

Tehre is certainly a mystic quality to Wolgast, but this is not new, we have seen this foreshadowed. He was a good character, it is nice to see him persist in some manner, and he is hardly the most mysterious thing happening.
I also noted that they defined (archaic) "familiar" in the same manner I did for the earlier chapter. In their use though, they were defining the Renfields as familiars of the dracs. (I keep wanting to say Renquists, could that be my political leanings?).
Like Dan, I am ex military, so the workings of the force are with me.

[Ann]

LOL, or your judicial side!
Barry wrote: "In their use though, they were defining the Renfields as familiars of the dracs. (I keep wanting to say Renquists, could that be my political leanings?)."