Hunt the Moon (Cassandra Palmer #5) Showing 1,151-1,200 of 1,218

[Kat]

LOL! Josie and Duca, I'm glad I wasn't alone in thinking it!

[Cameo]

You are my people! <3 ^^ haha and as far as I can remember, Pritkin hasn't.. uhm climaxed at all in the books (I guess it's the losing control bit, that makes him make Cassie to come instead), so baring in mind his iron control over his own body, I think that he's just afraid it'll move or something XD

[Lannister]

LOL, it's not like Cassie hasn't seen it in all its glory already! ;)

OK, there were a few others things I wanted to comment on ....

Firstly, this quote where Mircea is talking to Cassie about when he visited her as a child:

"I wondered then what it would be like, to grow up as a child who saw things no child should ever see. Who, every time she closed her eyes, was surrounded by pain, by horror, by death-"

I think Mircea is reminded of Dory here.

Also, we were speculating somewhere (I can't remember which thread) whether Mircea had had a fling with Augusta. There was a scene where Dory went to a house in London where Augusta answered the door in a negligee. In Hunt the Moon, Mircea says "Normally, I would call on the family to assist, but I have never cared for London and do not keep a residence here. And while I could borrow people from another senator-" So it couldn't have been Mircea's house that Dory went to. I'm thinking now it probably was Augusta's, since she answered the door. And maybe she was the other senator that Mircea refers to here. This doesn't confirm or deny that he had a fling with her, but it does explain the negligee. Somewhat!

Finally, Zeenat asked earlier about Artemis and whether we thought she recognised Cassie. I think this quote in particular is significant...(Artemis is with Roger and he keeps insisting Cassie represents a trap).

"I don’t think so," she said, her eyes never leaving my face. I don’t know what expression I was wearing, but she looked stunned, disbelieving, shocked. She put out a hand to touch my cheek, and it trembled slightly. "I don’t think so," she whispered.

We've speculated in the past about why Artemis decided to have a child. Why now, after being alive for 3000 years or more. Could it just be as simple as seeing Cassie from the future, realising that she had a child, and knowing therefore that she needed to get pregnant ASAP? Artemis's power was running out and she'd just quit the Pythia office, her last source of energy, so it would make sense to get preggers sooner rather than later, because perhaps she knew that her time on earth was finite?

My final thought for now is the scene where Mircea drains the blood of the Spartoi and admits that he's a little drunk. He also compares Cassie's blood to theirs, and saying that they're both "thick, rich, like old cognac". So if the Spartoi's blood gets Mircea tipsy, presumably Cassie's blood does too? Think back to the last time Mircea drank Cassie's blood. It was the time he suffering under the geis, and he bit her and 'marked' her. Cassie and Mircea really did have a Vegas wedding. Mircea got drunk and got married!! :D

I've finished the book now and I have a few more thoughts, but I'll post them later.

[Zeenat]

Yet why didn't Roger recognize his daughter? I think I am wit you guys though, I think Artemis knew for sure.

[Lannister]

I don't think Roger really paused long enough to take a good look at Cassie. He was too busy running around and panicking about the Spartoi to stop and take stock. But Artemis took the time and looked closely at Cassie's face. She maybe saw a resemblance with Roger.

I've another question that's puzzling me. I might just be confused here, so I wanted to see what everyone else thought of this scene.

The Graeae have captured Casanova and put him into the snare. Soon after Cassie's standing with Deino on a bridge over the little moat they have at Dante's and we get this:

Something caught my eye and I looked back down at the water. One of the reflections from the overhead lights was drifting upward. It was a testament to how my week had been going that I didn’t so much as blink when it broke the surface and floated into the air, like a small glowing balloon. Only this one had familiar shadows drifting over the surface, one half of which was dark, and the other a blinding, brilliant white. I reached out a hand to touch it, because it looked so solid, so real.

But as soon did, it just sank into my hand and was gone.

And a moment later, so was Deino. She hared away across the bridge with her sisters, leaving me with a cursing, livid, doused vampire flailing around in the dirty water below the bridge. And the feel of cool, cool mist on my fingertips.

At the time, I assumed it was part of the magic associated with releasing Casanova from the trap. But near the end of the book, when Cassie's fighting Niall, she falls to the ground and sees the moon's reflection ...

It reflected in the puddle I’d landed in, a luminous, wavering orb like the one Deino had offered me, but that I hadn’t understood.

What's with the orb? What didn't Cassie understand? Was it simply Deino showing a moon, since that was Artemis's symbol? I'm feeling like I'm missing something here.

[Cameo]

maybe the old bats are Caddies grandmas :p would explain why they are so affectionate towards Cassie.

[Scarlet]

They are her great-aunts, I think, but I am not sure, I checked it a while ago. But they're definitely related!

Lannister, I think Deino was, in her own batty way, trying to tell Cassie that she's Artemis' daughter. I don't remember the whole scene exactly, but I do remember that when Cassie asked them about Artemis and whether she had kids or not, they shared a look. They ran away immediatly after that because the vamps showed and chased them, so Deino was probaly giving Cassie a sign. Btw, I thouht that the orb was part of the magic too. I didn't notice the difference until now.

[Lannister]

I think the Graeae definitely knew the Cassie was Artemis's daughter, and I think they were slightly puzzled that Cassie didn't know this.

I dunno what it is about that orb. It's just the way it's worded makes me thing there's something more to it. The first time Cassie released the Graeae (from this same box) it happened off screen so we didn't get her reactions. But she's never mentioned any orbs when she thought about releasing them, even when she and Pritkin discuss how she shouldn't have been able to do it. She releases Mircea from a similar type of trap (though not the exact same one) and all she does is open the box, without any magical side effects.

I think Deino is definitely trying to tell her something via the Orb, but it's confusing. Do you think it could be somehow related to Cassie's parents having bound their souls together? The orb is half dark and half brilliant white. Maybe Artemis is the white, and Roger the dark?

[Zeenat]

Lannister, for the ORB, I was thinking the same thing, but a bit more crackpottier...

What if half dark half white orb was what was stuck in the "paperweight"? The second Orb Cassie recognized as her own, so maybe somehow Cassie gets the paperweight and brings it back in the past so she has the power to defeat the spartoi? or maybe somehow it went back to her parents when they fought together....??

[Claire]

I think Artemis recognized Cassie as her daughter because Artemis could see into the future. Roger couldn't, so how was he supposed to recognize a daughter that hadn't been born yet?

I think there's definitely merit to the theory that Artemis decided to get pregnant because she met Cassie. It's a little wacky...but with time travel, who can tell?

@Lannister It's super impressive that you picked up on the thing with the orb. I've read the book like 5 times by now and I didn't notice the connection.

[Zeenat]

Chapters 26 through the end. No questions for the hot steamy Pritkin Cassie scenes... Too distracted by all that sexiness ;)

1) Marco says everyone answers to someone. So who DOES Cassie answer to?

2) What favor do you think Jack wants from Cassie in exchange for letting her in?

3) Do you think the Mage Artemis ran off with, Cassie's dad, has good intentions or bad?

4) Mircea tells the story of his family and why it's hard for him to not be overprotective. Do you buy it? Are other things going on?

5) At the end Cassie says she's going to "Raise some Hel". What do you think that means?

6) Cassie has learned a lot about herself and her parents in this book. How will it affect her in the coming books?

7) Cassie and Pritkin crossed a line in their relationship, is it going to change things for them?

8) Now that the world has officially taken Cassie seriously, what will her first job as "Pythia" will be?

[Lannister]

I approve of the crackpot!! :D

It seems I have to eat my words. I looked back in Claimed by Shadow where Cassie first mentions the Graeae. She says:

I'd recently acquired — okay, stolen — a bunch of items from the Vampire Senate, the body that controls the actions of all North American vampires, and had been trying to figure out what they were. The first one I'd examined, a small iridescent sphere in a black wooden case, had started to glow as soon as I picked it up. A brief flash of light later and I had houseguests.

So the Graeae were trapped in an orb. I'd forgotten that so maybe I'm misreading the whole thing, and it really was all about releasing Casanova. But Cassie's wording is odd. Why does she say of the orb "like the one Deino had offered me, but that I hadn’t understood." Cassie wanted Casanova freed, so it's not like she accidentally released him when she would have preferred to keep him imprisoned. And the Graeae's orb 'flashed' when they were released. This one dissolves into mist.

But I think I'm being too crackpotty now I know the Graeae were in an orb. It's too much of a coincidence that one minute there's an orb, then the next minute Casanova's free, even though Cassie's wording is odd. What a shame! :P

I wouldn't be surprised however if the thing that has trapped Artemis and Roger is very similar in idea to these orbs.

[Josie]

I haven't got to that bit yet Lannister but I will pay attention when I do! I've been taking my time, stretching the book out as long as possible.

I thought this bit was quite cute (it's Marco talking to Cassie about Mircea):

"He talks about you a lot in the family. He's proud of you - anybody can see that."

Aww! (I'm trying to catalogue all the good things about Mircea before I get to the end where I KNOW I will be mega pissed at him).

[Zeenat]

How come the two (supposedly) most important women in his life not know about each other? It's baffling.

[Cameo]

I'm fangirling SO hard over the Prissie scenes in War mage HQ

[Lannister]

Oops, I forgot about this and I have a few other notes!

Josie, I remember that scene you quoted from. I think something Marco goes on to say is really interesting. Marco admits that Mircea would prefer if Cassie did nothing but shop and do her nails, rather than endangering herself. He goes on to say about Mircea:

"And because he's a politician and don't want to give up an advantage."
"Advantage in what?"
"In the power games you two got going-"
"This isn't about power."
"The hell it's not."
"It isn't! I don't want to order Mircea around. I don't want to order the Senate or the Circle around. I just want them-"
"To take you seriously. To listen to you. To be guided by what you tell them. And that translates into power, don't it?"

I find Marco's choice of the words "power games" interesting. Do you think this battle for dominance between Mircea and Cassie is something of a game to Mircea? Must admit, I didn't see it that way at all. This isn't some girl that Mircea met somewhere and he enjoys verbally sparring with. There's too much pressure on Mircea to make this thing with Cassie work (i.e. from the Senate and the Consul, and Mircea's own plotting which goes back at least a dozen years and maybe even further). I didn't think 'power games' was an apt description at all. Which makes me think maybe Marco's not the sweetheart we want to believe. He's doing Mircea's will in smoothing over any bumps in his boss's relationship with the Pythia.

That's my cynical POV, of course! Feel free to dispute. :D

And following on from that, when Cassie tries to gatecrash the coronation party, I liked this conversation with Jack:

"Tell me, little one, do you know why vampires find the Hollywood stereotype so loathsome?"
"Bad dialogue and worse acting?"
"Because it shows us stripped bare, exposed and naked in our brutality - in other words, as we really are. We're all monsters, under the skin." He grinned at me. "Even the beautiful ones."
I ignored the jab at Mircea, who most definitely fit that description.

Is Cassie meaning 'beautiful' or 'monster' when she says Mircea fits the description?! ;) You can say what you like about Jack, but he tells it how it is.

And finally, what do you think might come of the deal Cassie makes with Jack, where she promises him a favour at some point down the line? Do we know where Jack's loyalties lie? Is he part of the M&M clique? I have a feeling this 'favour' might come back to bite Cassie in the butt.

Also, I laughed like anything at that Russian duchess woman referring to Mircea as "dat beautiful scoundrel". I propose this as Mircea's new nickname. If we have DSWM for Pritkin, we should have DBS for Mircea! :D

[Zeenat]

DBS is a perfect fit for him!

[Lannister]

LOL, I think I'll need to make a thread in the group information folder for the nicknames and abbreviations we use around here!

[Aileen]

Yes...yes we do. Asshat, DSWM, DBS, BJ...M&M...

[Lannister]

Let's not forget Missie and Prissie!

[Aileen]

Lol NO ONE in this group can forget those two terms...they define our allegiances...

[Zeenat]

And it would be helpful in a serious sense too-- Like the book abbreviations or KC...

[Lannister]

OK, I'll create a thread. If I miss anything, you all can let me know.

[Claire]

Leodora wrote: "I'm fangirling SO hard over the Prissie scenes in War mage HQ"

I do that every time, too.

@Lannister I think Marco was being rather insightful. Mircea probably really enjoys that part of his relationship with Cassie. Sure there's pressure to make it work...but really, Mircea cares just a bit too much about Cassie to have their relationship be strictly business. His personal feelings are wound up in there too, and the constant back and forth between probably really appeals.

[Josie]

Lannister wrote: "Oops, I forgot about this and I have a few other notes!

Josie, I remember that scene you quoted from. I think something Marco goes on to say is really interesting. Marco admits that Mircea would p..."

Aw man, I will continue to think the best of Marco until a time when it is indisputable!

It might be a game to Mircea - not in the sense that it's mean-spirited, but in the sense that this is what he does. He negotiates, pushes people's boundaries to get the best possible outcome, and most probably enjoys it. He probably even experiences a rush when he succeeds, as he plans his moves, and pulls out his ace.

In regards to Cassie, he has a measure of control over her, but she has enough of her own power and stubbornness to be a really good "opponent" for him. To a extent, Cassie does see through his bullshit - I remember in CtD when he tries to seduce her into moving into his apartment and she calls him out. Perhaps this is also part of her allure? Basically I think after Marco saying it, that 'power games' is actually an apt description IMO.

I wondered about Jack's little deal! I do think it'll come up again, I reckon it'll put Cassie in a rubbish position.

[Lannister]

Good points on the 'power games', Claire and Josie. I wasn't actually taking into account that it's Mircea's job to negotiate and make deals. Between his first level master position, Senate seat and mental abilities, he probably doesn't get many real challenges. I know when I get something new and challenging at work, I can't wait to get into it. Mircea's probably the same. And when you mix in his emotions, it's quite a complex situation.

It would be interesting to see where things go with Jack. He was turned by Augusta, but I'm kinda wondering if there's any loyalty there. She didn't exactly treat him well. Jack wanted to be with Dracula and maybe deep down he harbours some resentment against Mircea for the part he played in preventing him meeting Drac, and maybe even for killing Drac eventually. The fact that Jack let Cassie into the Coronation shows just how much he thinks of the Senate's rules (and presumably these rules were laid down by Mircea and/or Marlowe). I'm thinking he's not part of their little clique and might actively side against them at some point in the future. Which should put Cassie in an interesting position!

[Josie]

Completely agree. I don't like Jack but I do wonder how he feels about the rest of the Senate. Especially as even vamps seem to be quite disgusted at him.

[Kathleen]

Something's been bothering me: When Cassie was locked out of her coronation, she had no bodyguards. Marlowe just pushed her out ,and locked the door.

Supposedly the idea was to keep her safe, ,yet she was locked outside with strange vamps, assassins like the Spartoi and whatever other enemy was lurking.

Why didn't the Senate scramble a bunch of masters to escort her?

AND if Rhea could easily see that the decoy lacked the aura of power, why couldn't the other magical bigwigs?

It looks almost like a setup to make the magical. world think the knew. what she looked like and make Cassie look like an imposter if she ever went. to them for help.

In fact, being looked outside almost got her killed.

[Kristen]

Isn't that when Mircea went out and sat on the steps with her and grabbed her right when she told him to let go because she was being pulled back in time? Maybe Marlowe thought she'd take the hint and just leave, because they were pretty sure it was high risk for her to be there because there'd be some sort of attack right? I'd have to go back and look but I think Mircea said something similar to her when he came out and she was upset about it, and she responded that that was even more reason for her to be there because she didn't want some innocent impersonator getting hurt in her stead, and Mircea told Cassie that was the pretend pythia's job. Though I have no idea why no one else recognized the lack of aura or power surrounded the pretender. Even past Anthony mentioned to Mircea at the vamp party she got accosted at that Cassie echoed power, and Rosier of course saw it too. Though it's possible the old power ones could sense the power but not recognize it as the pythia's or it would of put a bigger target on Cassie everyone she went before she slept with Tomas and initiated that link, it also would get her into trouble in the past when there is another pythia on the throne and she's running around unless there was someway she learned to mask it?

Maybe Rhea knew what to look for because she was used to and around that kind of power, and she's also in a way linked to it isn't she?

Anyway I got slightly off track, but maybe that was part of why Mircea came out to see Cassie other than have a little difference of opinion, that he was going to get someone to escort her back? Or try and get her to understand the danger and sway her enough to where she'd shift back to the hotel?

[Kathleen]

Think about it: The man who locks her in when she is tired and who had. her. locked. out of her own coronation couldn't spare. one. master to ,guard her??

He came. out to chat, like Dad. consoling a kid.

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[Kristen]

Yea it was patronizing, and they didn't send her out with a guard Marlowe just locked her out before assigning her someone, though so maybe no one would notice her (with the way she was dressed though...) he was pretty quick to get her out as soon as possible I guess incase danger strikes. But I'm not 100% sure what would of happened after the fact, if Mircea would just go back into the party or maybe take her to a room there to wait, send a guard after their convo? Because the power pulled her through again.

They might not care so much about risking the danger if they think it's worth their purposes.

[Kathleen]

The reason given for keeping her out was "safety". Yet the party was ultra secure. I never believed that excuse.

But then she was simply locked out without protection. That makes no sense.

If being IN the ultra secure party was too risky, they would have ***whisked*** her away from the outside doors---either locked in an inside room or ***away***. (M would surely have a let line car of some kind.)

[Kristen]

Sounds like a good question to ask KC assuming it's not too spoilery for anything, which I don't think it will be. But all the questions I've asked are, but that was no surprise.

[Zoltan]

Firstly, she wasn't in danger because she was outside, she was in danger because the crazy demigod who nobody knew about used the magic Pythia-magnet that again, nobody really knew about (except the mages and it was a pretty major oversight to ignore the threat that could represent) to pull her out of time and space (she was on her way to Dante's from the past).

Second, she was glamouired outside, whereas inside the glamouires don't work - therefore looking like the Pythia inside would have been more dangerous than looking like a waitress outside the servant's entrance. Marlowe and Mircea also admitted that they expected an attempt on the Pythia's life that night (who as a decoy was standing right there just in case) so it would make sense to remove Cassie from the place. At that point, they had to be discrete not to call any more attention to Cassie, that's why Mircea just continued playing the part with the decoy and Marlowe quickly ushered her out the servant's entrance (without a sudden escort of master vampires).

Like Kristen, I also think that Rhea recognized the Pythian power (or lack of it) because she knew what to look for. But auras can register simply as power (which the decoy probably had for some extent, since she was probably a mage or something) since in the past Anthony also just commented on her having power, and Mircea also called her only a witch, as opposed to them trying to get a hold of this random Pythia they found in the ballroom. Jack told her he recognized her scent, which makes sense since he is one of the few who actually met her in person (and he was told to look out for her and not let her in) - but you never know with Jack, right, he's creepy like that.

And I don't believe she directly said how long she was alone outside, but soon after she was taken outside, Mircea himself went to her (despite how strange it must have looked to abandon his own party and just stroll outside the servant's entrance), since he clearly cared enough to make sure she sees reason and returns to safety (rather than hope she just took the clue and left, or send someone else to bully her into leaving).

And finally, Mircea isn't an actual person, so the reason he went outside to her instead of having her ecorted upstairs or sending someone else may have simply been because KC needed to have Cassie show up at the party and grab Mircea somehow so they could timetravel back, as needed by the plot ;)

[Kristen]

Ooh and there's the favor Cassie promised Jack. I'm wondering how that could be part of the plot? It was sort of random and hasn't been brought up again, Jack has appeared a few times within the series, but hasn't been postered as a important character, even later down the road. I thought his time in the spot light was limited and ran it's course for the moment/scene, but that favor has me thinking otherwise. It wouldn't of been brought up or even happened if it wasn't going to matter, but to whom besides Jack and Cassie?

[Kathleen]

@Zoltan. If your reasoning were valid, then Cassie could just wear a cheap glamourie at all times and would not need bodyguards or a secure, warded suite. Someone should tell Mircea!

Oh, wait, he's not a real person, just a literary device?

Um, OK, sure.

BTW, glamouries don't work all the time (ex: inside the party) or on everyone.

[Kristen]

I think it was mentioned in the Dory series at the tournament/fights that the majority of vampires use glamour or use their power towards their physical appearance, I can't remember a time when someone was able to see through it. I know there is some sort of magical device that strips away glamour when individuals pass through, because Dory commented on what one of the vamp consul members looked like, and that Marlowe looked the same being one of the vamps that didn't use any. There was also the potion that Mircea threw on Cassie getting some green goo on her when she went back a little in the past and he thought it was a trick because he had just seen her leave. And Radu uses one, the first time Dory had seen what he looked like under it was when Mircea was injured and Radu was trying to feed him some of his blood, the whole blood of the family thing, and he either was too busy focusing too keep it up or trying to push what power he could into his brother. So there are ways to see past it, other than those few instances I can't remember much of the subject, I don't think KC went into too much detail on the subject, otherwise I need a reread.

[Kathleen]

There is a difference between the vampire powers of masters to disguise their own looks and the glamouries made (and often sold) by human magic users for use by others, such as the ones that Rosier and Cassie wore when hunting for Pritkin.

Notice that such glamouries do not disguise magical identity. Ex: the Victorian Pythia knew that a Demon lord had been in London. That's why she was chasing Cassie.

There is some discussion of glamouries, in connection with the Spartoi at least and probably elsewhere.

[Zoltan]

Kathleen wrote: "Something's been bothering me: When Cassie was locked out of her coronation, she had no bodyguards. Marlowe just pushed her out ,and locked the door."

I don't see how your suggestion of "Cassie could just wear cheap glamourie at all times" would hold up, seeing as I was talking about that one incident that you originally mentioned. And for the record, standing glamouried and dressed as a waitress at a servant's entrance (where nobody expects you to be, since you are already inside) may be a little different from attempting to live your whole life incognito, especially when you are supposed to meet people, go places and travel in time (and become a universally recognized magical authority, which was incidentally the whole point of the coronation).

And yes, as obvious as that may sound, all the characters were crafted by KC, "for the plot" (as she so often keeps mentioning whenever people ask her about why character X did that and why character Y is made like that, etc). So I don't see how it's a big stretch to assume that KC simply wanted to write the time-travel storyline and she needed an inconspicous way to sneak Mircea and Cassie away from the fray, alone, so that they could have their sudden random time-jump. I merely suggested this as a reminder, that perhaps not all of Mircea's actions need to display some major character flaw or hint at some hidden devious plot, they might merely be there for the purpose of the plot itself.

As for glamourie, Jack admits that the house had anti-glamourie wards, so regardless of what they can or cannot do, having the Pythia (decoy) and the Pythia in waitress scrubs in the same ballroom would have caused a fuss if noticed, which brings me back to my original points, but please, feel free to explain why you think they are invalid.

[Zoltan]

Kristen wrote: "Ooh and there's the favor Cassie promised Jack. I'm wondering how that could be part of the plot? "

Yeah, I noticed that too as I was re-reading that passage, and it was indeed somewhat out of the blue! There isn't any immediately obvious purpose what it might be about, although Jack said it wouldn't be too disturbing and that Cassie would have to agree with the favour? That's one more piece of mystery to the pile... Could it be about Augusta? Or related to the Senate somehow? I feel that we don't know enough about Jack to know what he might want (it might also be something totally new that we didn't have a clue to yet)

[Kristen]

Good point I wonder if Augusta will make another appearance? I remember somewhere in a Q&A KC was thinking of killing her off but decided not too because her character was too much fun? We've only see her twice in the past in the Cassie series with Mircea, and it's clear they were something more romantic about their relationship. KC mentioned she left the NA senate because of disagreements with another senate member. Mircea? And about what to make her leave?

[Zoltan]

Yeah I vaguely recalled reading about KC showing her mercy, that's why I assumed there might be something with her in the future. But oooh, I didn't remember that she left because of another Senate member! It HAS to be Mircea indeed then! Though it's really weird... Mircea admits to loving women and probably never getting bored of them in Masks, but he didn't seem to have too romantic ties to her - he explicitly said to Anthony that she isn't HIS Augusta (as she kept telling everybody) and seemed a bit frustrated at that - maybe that's what drove her away? Much like the Spanish countess - that Mircea wouldn't give them his mark? But yes, Augusta seemed cozy enough with him, considering she was standing by as he tended to his wounded daughter, and he had time to go out with her to places while Drac was on the loose (though I also believe Mircea mentioned that they were recently taking care of something for Anthony -wonder what that could have been too).

[[deleted user]]

The one thing revealed about Jack is that he killed His victims to attract Dracula's notice/approval. He might want Cassie to prevent his capture or death. Surely he wouldn't expect Cassie to stop Mircea and Augusta from proving that he really was the Ripper killer, would he? He said she would have to agree with his favor. She wasn't agreeing to do just anything he asked.

Maybe he wants Chavez, Drac's incubus lover, killed so he would have a chance with one of the charismatic Basarabs.
But Chavez was instrumental in saving Mircea's life and helping him capture Drac in the isolation prison box. Does Jack know any of this, or does just want to have a romantic rival eliminated?

Maybe he holds a grudge against Mircea for outing him. Or, maybe Mircea and Augusta framed him, and the rumors were true. It really was Dracula who was the Ripper killer.

Well, I'm going wild with the "maybes". Perhaps I will start my next thoughts with "perhaps".

[Kathleen]

@Zoltan The point is that there was a major security lapse that is inconsistent with the level paranoia normally displayed by the Senate--- much less for an event (publicized worldwide) featuring an extraordinary collection of high value targets, much less for the most high value target of all.

The enemy could be expected to have in place, if not a full-blown assassination plot, at least a sharpshooter or two for opportunistic kills. One guy with a rifle with potion shells could have taken out Mircea and Cassie without ever being seen.

Just because no one died, that doesn't mean security was good.

All the rest is beside the point: uncharacteristically poor security.

[[deleted user]]

The whole moving the event plot doesn't make much sense. It was mentioned that there were 2000 guests. Probably all of them more or less important and the press. They all got notice on the day that they held the event that it got moved. And there was no problem with that? Nobody (besides Cassie) got angry?
The security should be actually worse in such a case, because everything was planned for a different day...
I think the whole thing only happened, because Chance wanted Cassie to battle the Spartoi in front of everyone, without anyone being able to interfere, and that was the only way she could come up with such an unlikely event. First Cassie was locked out, and then everyone was locked in.

And I'm not even talking about the rest of the unlikely happenstances that were necessary to make this happen. Pritkin badly injured by the Spartoi, but not dead. The Spartoi only got Cassie called to him but not Mircea, when in Curse the Dawn Cassie and Pritkin were shifted to Marsden. Cassie let Billy steal that device from Marsden, but gave it back to him to make the whole event happen...

[Zoltan]

Kathleen wrote: "The point is that there was a major security lapse that is inconsistent with the level paranoia normally displayed by the Senate"

Kathleen wrote: "The reason given for keeping her out was "safety". Yet the party was ultra secure. I never believed that excuse.But then she was simply locked out without protection. That makes no sense."

So do you believe that the party was ultra secure, or not secure? Either way, what was your issue with Cassie being inside or outside the party in the first place? The Senate's safety measures didn't count on her showing up at all, so yes, her being there in the first place did put her at more risk than if she had just stayed away (but that's her doing, not like the Senate planned for it - and when they realized it, they tried to salvage the situation by a) getting her out of the target zone (the Pythia decoy) and b) having Mircea personally trying to convince her to go away, just in case there will be an attack).

Also, I'm no security expert, but I think it's standard to sweep the perimeter - and even if they didn't what reason would a "sharpshooter" have to shoot a waitress at the service entrance... shouldn't they be trying to get inside the portal-bubble so they can take a shot at the Pythia parading herself in front of the glass?

Kathleen wrote: It looks almost like a setup to make the magical. world think the knew. what she looked like and make Cassie look like an imposter if she ever went. to them for help."

You claim that your issue is that the party had poor security, but your above accusation is somewhat confusing, what does it even mean? Perhaps if you elaborate what you suspect the true meaning of this 'lapse' was?

[Zoltan]

@Stardust: that's how I saw the event mostly too, considering their importance in how the plot developed.

But in addition, I don't think it was too illogical that the Senate tried to do their best to throw off any would-be attackers: the security was Mircea's masters (and the Senate's like Marlowe and Jack) mostly, so they could be ordered on the spot with a mere thought, and the venue was being prepared by Mircea in advance anyway, so the new date gave them an element of surprise on the turf they already controlled.

So I think most of the details (Cassie being away from her own coronation, Mircea coming outside to talk to her and going back to the past with her, her magically being yanked back by the Pythia-charm thing, etc.) made sense enough if interpreted in the way they contributed to the plot.

[Zoltan]

So, a recent update by KC: somebody on Facebook (Felicity, or someone - sorry can't remember their name exactly) posted this discussion - Kathleen's original question, to be exact - and asked if that isn't a sign that "Mircea is just using Cassie and their relationship is disturbing". To which KC answered in the short version that a) escorting her somewhere wouldn't have had permanent effect since she can shift at will b) Mircea wanted to convince her to return to Vegas because of that, and also because he thought that Marlowe's tactic wasn't going to work and could very well backfire.

Interestingly, it has since been taken down from the FB comment section - maybe KC will post it as a Q and A (she mentioned that she doesn't like long questions in comments because there is space for a long answer), or I don't know why.

[Lannister]

So who has been reading Hunt the Moon? Anyone?

What do you all think of this book in comparison to the others? Better or worse? Any favourite (or not so favourite) scenes?

There are a lot of action scenes in this book, and I have to admit that the scene where they fight the dragon isn't my favourite. It feels like it goes on for ages and is sometimes a little confusing. Having said that, the aftermath of that scene, with Cassie & Pritkin talking at Mage Central, is one of the best things KC has ever written. It's such a touching scene with them simply comforting each other.

Another thing I like in Hunt the Moon is how Marco is developed. He's not just Mircea's muscle any more. He becomes a fully fleshed out character with a messy history, and his comment that he had a little girl once was so sad. A thousand years later and he still remembers his little girl. *wipes away a tear*

What does everyone else like/dislike in the book?

[[deleted user]]

Oddly enough, when there have been no comments on this reread, l believe many people said that this is the best of the series when it was published. I think your countdown to RtW has captured all the attention!

My favorite action is the 'night out of time.' **whew!**
The aftermath when a hungover Cassie returned to the suite from Billy Joe was hilarious: "And just what part of 'we' came up with the get-out-of-jail-free card?"
Hilarious!!