Spectre's Rest [November 1, 2020]

[Sterling]

Narilka wrote: "Through Ch 33
(view spoiler)[ Oscar time woot woot! And my reaction to the calvary arriving and then sticking their collective heads in the mud was right in line with yours. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

I finished too. Very brief thoughts. (view spoiler)[What an emotional roller coaster at the end! I was so sad about Oscar, then he's back and I'm still sad because part of me had hoped he'd been released to go home. (hide spoiler)]

Going to open more spoilers before writing more.

[Narilka]

Sterling wrote: "~Fin ..."

(view spoiler)[This story took a grim turn, more than I was expecting even after Agatha's story. I think we're in for a bumpy ride to the end of the series.

Yeah, that totally explained the phone call and the doc's actions. Also put Trev and friends (and us) at square one on figuring out who the traitor is.

Sarah's role is finally out in the open. I think it's one of Sterling's suppositions above that she's related to Lysander. We will see how that plays out as I'm sure we're not done with her yet.

I was hoping Trev would be able to discharge his negative energy somehow but no luck there. At least not yet unless it was pulled out with that final explosion and I missed it or it wasn't mentioned? I've grown fond of the guy and don't want to see him devolve into an uncontrolled berserker. Maybe now that Oscar knows they can come up with some mitigation plan for that. (hide spoiler)]

[Sterling]

@Narilka

Message 52: That reflects my experience exactly.

Message 53: (view spoiler)[ As I read the final chapters a really morose feeling settled over me, similar to what you described. I thought a lot about it, and have come up for a potential reason for that.

Because of how light Location, Location, Damnation was, added to the witty nature of Moseley's writing helped me to build a false expectation. Even though grim events where happening throughout the majority of Spectre's Rest, I projected some of my expectations onto the book and kept waiting for another shoe to drop. Someway that the souls stolen by the negative energy ghosts were preserved by the prison in some form of supernatural solitary confinement. When nothing like that emerged, all the previous heaviness kinda hit me at once.

I love your speculation about potential for Trev's negative energy to have potentially been pulled out of him by that explosion. I agree that it likely didn't happen, but that would a have been a cool twist. Hopefully now that the secret's out orange kitty Oscar, Agatha & ol' Grandad Bernard can team up and help Trev! (hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

Glad, you both loved it. I'm in the back third but am reading slowly.

[Graeme]

The next book is the novella,

[Narilka]

@Sterling Yeah, I can see that. (view spoiler)[I don't know that I was expecting it to lighten up exactly. Missing the full cast's banter was part of it. More that it just kept getting more and more grim as the situation progressed and the likelihood of a solution that didn't kill a lot of people seemed less and less. (hide spoiler)]

I had been planning an UF thriller as my next book and now think I need a lighter read.

I don't mind waiting for Graeme and Anni to catch up before moving to the novella.

[Graeme]

Cool. I'll need a few days at least.

[Sterling]

@Narilka that makes a lot of sense. (view spoiler)[ I missed those interactions as well. (hide spoiler)]

Don't feel the need to rush, I still have book 13 of the WoT to finish. That has to wait a bit longer as well as I was surprised by an opportunity to beta read a novel. I probably won't be able to join you guys for two weeks give or take a day or so.

[Graeme]

Just finished. There was so much I'd forgotten since my last read...

[Graeme]

So, I got the (view spoiler)[traitor id wrong. I'd forgotten about the intercept call. (hide spoiler)] They're still unknown.

Also END OF BOOK, (view spoiler)[

Seth Lysander goes into hiding.
Susan is allied with someone but no one knows who that is.
Oscar is a kitten...

(hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

Hi Anni, how's the story progressing for you?

[Anni]

Graeme wrote: "Hi Anni, how's the story progressing for you?"

I really enjoy it, I love the humor, but I'm still only 1/3 through... I don't want to hold back the whole group if you want to continue immediately 🙈

[Sterling]

I'm 70% of the way through the book I'm beta reading. I definitely underestimated the time it would take, but it's been a fun experience.

I'm in no rush for you to finish Anni, but I am interested in hearing your thoughts on some of the events you've read so far!

[Graeme]

Me, too. I've got plenty of reading on my plate.

[Narilka]

Definitely share your thoughts. We love speculating together :)

[Narilka]

Haven't heard from Anni in a while, hope we haven't lost her.

Would you guys be up for Killing Lazarus soon-ish? Can do like we did for the last novella and just post in this thread.

[Sterling]

I'm probably three days away from finishing my current book. Do you want to shoot for Killing Lazarus on Monday the twenty-fourth?

[Graeme]

I'm good for the 24th too.

Yep, we can meet back here.

[Narilka]

The 24th sounds great.

[Graeme]

Cool, lets lock it in for on Monday the 24th on this thread.

See you then.

[Sterling]

So it looks like Tuesday is actually the twenty-fourth... This is why Graeme and not myself has been steering our ship 😳.

[Narilka]

hehe :D Today, tomorrow, it doesn't matter to me. I have the story downloaded and ready to go :)

[Graeme]

Sterling wrote: "So it looks like Tuesday is actually the twenty-fourth... This is why Graeme and not myself has been steering our ship 😳."

Whoops!

Yep, Tuesday.

Sorry about that.

[Graeme]

43% in. Down to a sea-side village in Cornwall.

Picturesque location, 'wonderful' locals, and an unusual request.

[Narilka]

Ch 1/16% in (view spoiler)[I stopped reading the book blurbs on these after book one, instead enjoying being surprised :) I had no idea we were going to get a story from Barker's point of view. Very interesting.

Annnnnd he's off to retrieve the device in the cycle from Agatha's story. I have a feeling this will be important. (hide spoiler)]

[Sterling]

I've just read through chapter three. The tone and energy throughout Killing Lazarus has been intriguing. (view spoiler)[ I was pleasantly surprised to find Barker as our lead character, he seems very different than I expected him to. A man of drift, out of time and without purpose. He doesn't seem to be haunted by his past, but his unwillingness to attempt to move on could imply a prolonged state of shock or denial.

I feel like I could have finished this in one sitting, but the world pulls me away. I'm looking forward to finishing this tonight. (hide spoiler)]

[Sterling]

~fin
(view spoiler)[ What a wild ride! Just like Narilka I've stopped reading the book summaries. So being Barker was a treat.

I enjoyed the easter eggs from the main series and the lightning pace that the storyline developed. Looks like Trev might have just gained a partner. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

at 61%, in the midst of Ch 6 (view spoiler)[and I cant help thinking that Barker should just beeline for the historic house and not bother with side fights in the street. Since it's night and there is unlikely to be anyone else at that house, Barker would be more likely to encounter the body Lazarus is inhabiting instead of a potentially innocent bystander. It also lets him save his strength. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

I finished too. Interesting story. (view spoiler)[I too am hoping that line at the end means Barker is heading back to Brackenford to team up with Trev. I'm very curious as to what the device actually is. I know it's going to be important.

I could see Barker sacrificing himself for Trev and the greater good as part of the finale. A man out of time who needs to redeem himself. Yep, sounds like great sacrifice material lol (hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

I'm at 89% so, I'll finish shortly.

Glad to see you both enjoyed the story.

[Graeme]

'The Invocation of Peace,' eh?!

I'm thinking that they sound like absolute fanatics.

If someone whispers to you, "I am, 'the jurisdiction of the law,'" or "I am, 'the purity of the good.'" you just know that someone is arrogating far too much to themselves.

[Sterling]

@Narilka (view spoiler)[ I was a bit confused by Barker's ambush attempt as well, but I figured that maybe he's become accustomed to simply overpowering obstacles. It seemed consistent with the overconfident way he handled himself in Hangman's Pond.

Do you think this Invocation of Peace is Lysander's group? I couldn't remember what color Sarah's hair was, but I suspected that she might be the woman bidding in the auction. That could also just be me grasping at straws 😅.

I found the explanation of how Lazarus drew out Barker a bit far-fetched. That he happened to be in the room to bid on (and eventually steal) this item of incredible import, without knowing what it was. Or how Lazarus initially gained the knowledge regarding Barker's previous soul manipulation, that necessitated him to seek an agent to locate Ezekiel in the first place. (hide spoiler)]

[Sterling]

Graeme wrote: "'The Invocation of Peace,' eh?!

I'm thinking that they sound like absolute fanatics.

If someone whispers to you, "I am, 'the jurisdiction of the law,'" or "I am, 'the purity of the good.'" you ju..."

Right on brother 😁

[Graeme]

@Sterling, (view spoiler)[Being able to possess bodies would allow Lazarus to investigate anywhere he wanted to. He knew a lot about Barker's past and recent past, which suggests a comprehensive effort to get Barker. (hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

When would you like to start the next book (new thread) ?

[Sterling]

@Graeme While I always bite off more than I could chew in terms of my reading list, I'm down to start book four whenever you guys are. I'm really enjoying this book group we've formed. I would like to read it in a new thread, I've been bookmarking each buddy read thread I've participated in here, almost like merit badges 😳.

(view spoiler)[ I see your point on the mechanism in which Moseley enabled Lazarus to uncover the information on Barker. But I can't imagine there are very many people who even knew about the Barker situation, let alone the specific details on his former possession. All of the people who did were likely custodians, meaning they should have had the sight, which would have limited Lazarus ability to hunt down the intel he needed. That Lazarus was able to uncover Ezekiel's full history and remain seemingly undetected seems very unlikely to me, even without the added complication of stealing this Key from the IoP. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Graeme wrote: "'The Invocation of Peace,' eh?!

I'm thinking that they sound like absolute fanatics.

If someone whispers to you, "I am, 'the jurisdiction of the law,'" or "I am, 'the purity of the good.'" you ju..."

Definitely fanatics.

[Narilka]

Graeme wrote: "@Sterling, [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Being able to possess bodies is a definite bonus for anyone wanting to spy or investigate. Since he can swap as easy as a handshake means he could easily body jump and travel pretty darn fast with little effort. I imagine he'd have to have been tracking Barker for a lot longer than events we know about so far. (hide spoiler)]

I can start the final book as soon as this weekend if you guys are game.

I too enjoy our mini book group and would love to continue with another series after we wrap up Brackenford.

[Graeme]

Sterling wrote: "@Graeme While I always bite off more than I could chew in terms of my reading list, I'm down to start book four whenever you guys are. I'm really enjoying this book group we've formed. I would like..."

Interesting, Sterling, I think you make some excellent and unanswered points.

[Graeme]

Ok, how about I request a new thread to start this weekend.
On Saturday (Here's me checking the date on my laptop... ... ... yeah, got it...) the 28th of November.

The admins are usually very quick - does the 28th work for both of you?

[Narilka]

The 28th works for me.

[Sterling]

I'm in my friends, I hope you both enjoy a happy Thanksgiving! (Assuming the holiday is celebrated in Australia, and wherever friend Narilka lives 0_o)

[Graeme]

The 28th it is, then. I'll ask for the thread.

[Graeme]

Thread requested.

[Sterling]

I'm excited for the weekend, I think things will really break open in this next book. It feels like we've left the building stages of the series and things are about to heat up. I definitely agree with Narilka about continuing on to another series once we catch up to the most recent book in the Brakenford Cycle. I'd be sad to see our crew break up.

[Narilka]

I'm in the US :) Happy Thanksgiving Sterling!

[Graeme]

On now.... Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate it.

[Graeme]

Sterling wrote: "I'm excited for the weekend, I think things will really break open in this next book. It feels like we've left the building stages of the series and things are about to heat up. I definitely agree ..."

We'll have to think of something when the time arrives.

[Graeme]

No new thread, yet... may have to continue here.