The Twelve: Part XI: The Darkest Night of the Year.

[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.

[Ann]

Part XI The Darkest Night of the year
Chapter 63 It begins - in slow motion choreographed scenes
Chapter 64 Lila "I am a Doctor" and all the light went out
Chapter 65 I am Wolgast Where is Amy?
Chapter 66 No one ever left the field / Tifty finds Nitia

[Carol/Bonadie]

Wow, the final battle was somethinig. I didn't get the full impact when I listened, so much was going on. I just re-read it and it was moving.

One thing (among many) that I don't understand is how Wolgast came to be a viral.

Is Amy really gone? WE are led to believe she was blown up in the final blast, but it seems a shame that she got this far only to be extinguished. But I guess with being a viral and all she's not going to come to a good end any way you look at it. It makes me sad to think Alicia will also suffer that fate some day.

[Ann]

Yes, wow! The battle in chapter 63 was something quite amazing, wasn't it Carol! It does warrant a re-read and then still isn't quite clear how Wolgast was there or what role he played in the Viral's existence. It is clear that he is a sacrifice on a field of many attempted sacrifices. Each of our warriors attempt to be the one to take down the Virals, and each helps the others to finally, finally, finally succeed.
Amy and Alicia get Martinez at last. It was gratifying to read of Guilder's demise, a man with no soul or compassion.

[Ann]

Quote at the end of chapter 66 "They would bury him where he’d fallen, in the field. Because you never leave it, Greer explained; that’s what Tifty always said. You might think you can do it, but you can’t. Once you’d stood there, it became a part of you forever.
No one ever left the field."
the connections from he beginning of this book finally come together in a few deeply moving ways.

[Barry]

Almost seems like it all could have ended here. I guess we still have Zero to deal with, and I am not ready to count Amy out yet.
Wolgast: like many that were taken, all we saw in the book was that they were gone. Subsequent events would reveal the manner in which they were gone.

[Ann]

It could have ended here, yes, I think so too Barry. The rest was some explanation, some set-up and all good to know; but this was quite an ending.