Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Happy November! This is for the buddy read of The Crane War- Book 5 in the Metaframe War Series by Graeme Rodaughan.

Enjoy and please remember to use spoilers when necessary!

A Thrilling Dark Fantasy Action Adventure

Hunters and vampires are fighting a secret war for control of the fabric of reality. Whoever acquires mastery of the reality shifting powers of the Metaframe will become the new gods of the universe.

"Imagine if you could change the rules of the game, what rules would you choose?"

ON THE EDGE OF ANNIHILATION!

The Order of Thoth is on the verge of destruction. Arthur Slayne has returned from exile. The foremost foe of the Vampire Dominion seeks the aid of the Mirovar force team.

The secret location of the Panopticon has been revealed within a Vampire Dominion fortress of terrifying defenses. Only someone bereft of sanity would attempt to infiltrate it, or a Slayne.

Anton Slayne and his friends must defeat the might of the Vampire Dominion, but will Anton’s grandfather prove to be his strongest ally, or a foe with a dark agenda more dangerous than Anton's arch-nemesis, general Chloe Armitage?

“Sneak into an impenetrable fortress. Defeat the super-soldiers and militarized vampires guarding it. Destroy the Artificial Intelligence at its heart. What could possibly go wrong?”

"Like Underworld on speed, it's got all the adrenaline and action-packing shots of entertainment you could want, wrapped up in a no-nonsense narrative." - Adam Smith, Cultured Vultures

Be prepared to be blown away by a high-octane, dark fantasy, action adventure thriller, that would be at home in a summer movie blockbuster.

Awesome. Thanks, Sally.

You're welcome, I hope everyone enjoys this one as much as I did. Some of the best fight sequences I've ever read!

I'm so far behind schedule. If I miraculously catch up I will jump in. I don't want to rush it though.

Kevin wrote: "I'm so far behind schedule. If I miraculously catch up I will jump in. I don't want to rush it though."

Barring accident, I'll be around for anyone who wants to read any of my books at this group.

Feel free to jump in any time, Kevin, and you're right - no need to rush anything.

Starting this now.

Ottaviano is disgusting!

Indeed he is, Nyssa.

I had to step away for a bit after the prologue - I see what you did there -- LOL.

I am getting back to it now. Chapter 1 - Here we go!

Nyssa wrote: "I had to step away for a bit after the prologue - I see what you did there -- LOL.

I am getting back to it now. Chapter 1 - Here we go!"

Yeah, I really didn't like him either. (Snort!). 😉😎😁😂

Graeme wrote: "Yeah, I really didn't like him either. (Snort!). 😉😎😁😂"


*Snort*

I finished chapter 4. (view spoiler)[What's wrong with Arthur? (hide spoiler)]

Oh! And I meant to ask, did you purposely choose September 11th?

Hi Nyssa,

Given: “The first question I had to answer was how do you defeat an opponent who can see the future?” – Arthur Slayne

Regarding Arthur. (view spoiler)[

Arthur has deliberately split his mind* into

[1] What is left of himself (the majority of his self) and a number of sub-personalities, or mirror personalities, that hold all the memory and intent of his overall strategy. This hides his Strategic Intent and Plans from Crane, and therefore defeats Crane's precognitive power.

[2] Each sub-personality holds a specific compulsion based on a defined triggering event. That is, when Arthur encounters a triggering event, a specific compulsion flows from the triggered sub-personality and, he acts upon the compulsion.

In essence, Arthur has programmed himself to pursue his own strategy while completely forgetting what that strategy is.

Once all the events have triggered - his mind is meant to re-integrate back to its whole state - well, that's the theory...😉😎😀

*Explained later in the story.

(hide spoiler)]

Regarding the 11th of September. This turns out to be an honest co-incidence. I date-time stamp every scene and I plot locations and distances vs travel times for everything, and it just turned out that Ch 4 is on the morning of the 11th of September.

Enjoy.

Re: Arthur - That is fascinating, and I can't wait to read more!

Re: 9/11 - Cool coincidence (depending on the outcome of their current mission, that is).

Thanks, Nyssa. Enjoy the read.

I am currently reading Chapter 6.

They're in the Guardhouse, < Spoiler>and despite everything going on, I'm sitting here thinking, "Where's their gear? Wait, did they move it already? They need their gear!!"

Mind you, Peter just took out three guards with an empty gun!! LOL

It's Anton's turn now.

Edit: (view spoiler)[ They found their gear!! :D (hide spoiler)]

They're in the 'belly of the beast,' now.

1. Grandfather says, "Don't start a fire down here; the CO2 will kill you faster than the smoke." So what does the grandson do? Toss a freaking grenade!! LOL

2. Is it me, or does Anton become more crazy and badass with each fight?

Hi Nyssa,

1. How Anton sees himself: 'Anton glanced back and forth between his grandfather and Li. His lips curled into a half-grin and he shrugged sheepishly. “Well, I must’ve got a little over-excited back there.”' 😉😎😁

2. What Li is thinking: ', and one day, Anton would do something that wasn’t crazy-smart but just plain crazy, and get himself, and those around him killed.' 😉😎😨

Yep, Anton is definently going somewhere... badass, crazy, a bit of both? - remains to be seen.

Yeah, when I read what Li said, I remember nodding to myself.

I left off just after (view spoiler)[Li gained control of the Panopticon and released Nemesis for Peter. (hide spoiler)]

I'll either pick it back up night or tomorrow morning.

My gut tells me we're going to lose someone, but I don't know who. I can only think of three, maybe four, people who have plot armor at this point.

Interesting observations, Nyssa.

It's great to see readers with the sophistication to spot plot armor when its present.

(It's my job to surprise you...) 😉😎😀

And I'm off to work... I'll catch up on this thread later.

My guesses are:

(view spoiler)[We lose Francis or Jay - their recent losses mean that losing them will 'hurt less' for the reader, as we can imagine them reunited with their loved ones. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Anton obviously has plot armor, and I believe Li also does. Despite Chiara as a love interest, I see Anton and Li as a pair.
Speaking of Chiara, she is on a redemption arc that is not yet complete (since not everyone knows the truth).
I am hoping beyond hope that Peter is protected as Anton's best friend. If he dies, I, personally, will be devastated!
And Anton needs Arthur, Arthur needs to be vindicated once and for all, and having two living Slaynes keeps the pressure on Crane. (hide spoiler)]

Edited to correct a typo.

Awesome speculation. You'll need to read on to find out...

Chapter Ten

Accolades:

1. I loved (view spoiler)[Francis' final scene - returning to the arms of Juliette! I am also glad it was him instead of Jay, only because Jay is still young enough to maybe have a second chance at love. Francis would have remained heartbroken and alone. He was a good man who gave everything he had to the Order. He deserves peace. (hide spoiler)]

2. Anton. (view spoiler)[The berzerker scene was terrifying, in a good way. The fact that it was Francis' death that set it off was oddly touching. And Arthur vowing to be there for his grandson was equally so. (hide spoiler)]

Quibbles:

1. As a PoC, (view spoiler)[having the black general be a full-on dirty coward was upsetting. Especially since his race/skin color was mentioned numerous times in this book. So far in the series, all of the other generals have fought to their deaths or were taken by surprise. (hide spoiler)]

2. Overload. (view spoiler)[By the time we get to the team picking up Chiara and Peter, we've been through so much! So that added bit of pressure, as they seemed to struggle with the recovery felt like too much. I was exhausted and just wanted them on the Nightfalcon. I am glad the scene didn't last too long. (hide spoiler)]

Additional Thoughts/Questions:

(view spoiler)[ Is Anton now permanently changed? Is he forever damaged? I hope he can master his newfound powers.
(hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[I also hope that Siobhan Ulysses meets up with Louise Wesson and is instrumental in taking down the rest of the Day Guard program. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Will Li now turn away from Anton? She doesn't trust him anymore; she fears him. Is there any way for them to regain their friendship? (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Speaking of Li, will she at least inform them of the month-long timeline? That piece of information is critical for the entire team! (hide spoiler)]

Hi Nyssa, awesome thoughts. I'll deal with them in sections to do them justice.

Accolades:

Francis: (view spoiler)[ I had a tear in my eye writing that scene.

There's quite a story behind that scene. In the first full draft of the book, which I took to an ARC read over at Castle Dracula, Francis was still alive at the end of the book.

One of my readers raised the amount of 'plot armor,' in the story and I realised she was absolutely right. I was holding onto Francis as a character 'cause I was always thought of him in a specific and highly dramatic moment in book #6, The Key of Ahknaton.'

So I rewrote all the 'Francis,' scenes from Chapter 10 forward and now he dies in the hangar - and becomes Anton's berserk trigger in the same chapter.

This was one of the few instances where direct reader feedback made a major change of narrative and absolutely improved the story. (hide spoiler)]

Anton: (view spoiler)[Yes. Anton and his grandfather rapidly bond and it makes sense, while not identical, they are very similar.

The moment Anton triggers on Francis is a clue to what is important to Anton going forward. Something to keep an eye on. (hide spoiler)]

Quibbles:

POC: (view spoiler)[I am aware of this, and I try to share the love around.

For positive POC, look to Siobhan Ulysses (still to come), Justin Blake (African-American father, Maori mother, with a meteoric rise to force leader within the Order), Samuel Taylor (philosopher, poet, and blademaster) who all the good guys agreed as the next Head of the Order back in The Day Guard (before it all went to hell...)

Regarding Clayton Maze, I don't see him as a coward, noting that in his final confrontation with Anton, we have him face up to a berserker

Clayton drew his katana from the scabbard at his waist with a clean easy sweep. It was time to prove why he was a general of the Vampire Dominion.

That said, he is a completely arrogant, self-interested villain, willing to sacrifice anyone else to get what he wants, with the caveat that he believes in the Vampire Dominion and is loyal to Crane.

Of note: Maze is the first of Crane's generals to die. Haras was captured, imprisoned, and then freed by Chloe. Shen Zhen has been off-scene, as has Dieter Franz (apart from the cameo in 1945...)

On the other hand, possibly the most loathsome villain presented so far is Ramin Kain, who despite his odd name is definently white. (hide spoiler)]

Overload: (view spoiler)[Yep. The pace to the end of Chapter 10 is unrelenting. Then there's a bit of rest and intrigue ... then more pace ... (hide spoiler)]

Francis: I'm glad for the rewrite as well! :)

Anton: Yes. I see what you mean. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

POC: I am definitely keeping an eye on Siobhan. She is impressive!

(view spoiler)[I think you mentioned Justin's heritage when we first met him in the series or shortly after. :)

The quibble wasn't about POC characters as a whole; it was explicitly about Clayton c compared to the other generals. He came off much weaker. All of the generals are expected to be loyal, but he felt like he was trying to save his own skin - mission be damned. His using the hum ns as a bargaining chip was sleazy but understandable. His using Siobhan as a shiel - I can not see ANY of the other generals doing that. They would have stood their ground and fought with honor. At least, that's how they read to me. So I expected the same from him and was disappointed not to see it. (hide spoiler)]

Re: The Generals: (view spoiler)[I could have sworn two others died (one at Chloe's hands - in a van). Maybe they were Shadowstone higher-ups/team leaders instead? I apologize for the mistake. (hide spoiler)]

Additional Thoughts/Questions:

Anton: (view spoiler)[He has a journey to make in more ways than one. (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan Ulysses: (view spoiler)[Insightful. I'll say no more. (hide spoiler)]

Li and Anton: (view spoiler)[It remains complicated, you'll have to read on to see how this relationship plays out. (hide spoiler)]

Li: (view spoiler)[There's a number of truths that come out over the course of this book. You'll have to read on to see if this is one of them. (hide spoiler)]

There are some big truths laid out in the open by the end of this book, and it has some big repercussions on a lot of the characters and the choices they subsequently make.

That said, and I'll say this: Li holds an important secret to herself for fear of making it come true if she reveals it, and ... there is an event in this book that shapes Li going forward - and I strongly suspect that everyone will be thinking of another event than the one that matters the most to Li's future. (I know, a bit cryptic...) I'll give a hint: It was while she was at the Panopticon fortress.

End of story hints ahead: (view spoiler)[I assume you're aware I'm writing the final book to this series now, and after I finished The Key of Ahknaton, I sat down to plot out the ending to this story.

Now, I've had an ending in mind since since 2015 when I began writing A Subtle Agency, which looked a lot like this ... (Excalibur final battle scene) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZEqM... , however I quickly discovered that I couldn't reach it - so, I had to throw it in the bin, and reshape the final book.

That reshaping began by digging deep into the characters, and that revealed a truth about Li that I hadn't noticed I'd written into the story in The Crane War. A truth that becomes pivotal towards the end of the series as a whole. (hide spoiler)]

Yes, I like Siobhan too.

You're thinking of Rawlings, a 'Centurion,' commander of the praetorians and taken out by Chloe in the back of a van in A Traitor's War.

The distinction around the generals as opposed to everyone else is that they are all cursed (by Allemande) to not harm Crane.

It was clear that something huge happened (view spoiler)[when Li connected to the Panopticon. I think she merged with it somehow - they are now part of each other. But, she also said it was gone - so I wasn't sure. It left an imprint on her, at the very least. (hide spoiler)]

Indeed. An imprint. 😉😎😁

Well done.

Graeme wrote: "You're thinking or Rawlings, a 'Centurion,' commander of the praetorians and taken out by Chloe in the back of a van in A Traitor's War."

Ahh -- Okay. Thanks for clearing that up.

Nyssa wrote: "... human shield..."

I'm having a slow morning 🤨 and not reading stuff clearly.

You raise a very interesting point regarding Siobhan and Clayton, and the 'human shield,' incident.

Reflecting on this: (view spoiler)[

[1] I have a new character 'Siobhan,' I want to show in a good light. She acts bravely (Testicular Attack!) in a desperate situation.

[2] I have Anton, who is now berserk - and at this point, beyond all constraints - he needs to be true to that. So he advances, despite the presence of Siobhan.

[3] Siobhan's brave attack is what takes her out of harms way, as Clayton throws her to the side.

[4] I have Clayton, an established senior villain, and the 'villain of the moment.' Anton is making mince-meat of his soldiers and he's trapped with his back to open sunshine. He makes a desperate move to regain the initiative - a move that fails.

Principle: I'm always trying to write character driven narratives. I.e. I breathe life into the characters and they go their own way, and then end up telling me what they want to do. For me: a big sin would be inauthentic character action. I.e. something that a character does that doesn't ring true for them. That's appalling and if you ever discover it - please call me on it as I always want to know how to better my craft.

So, why a human shield? (1) It allowed me to showcase Siobhan as brave, cool-headed (in the extreme ... she's an ace!), and effective. (2) It allowed me to demonstrate that Anton, in BERSERK MODE = ON! will not be swayed by an angelic face, or damsel-in-distress, but will kill every living thing around him until he burns out. (3) It was the obvious go to maneuver for Clayton with his back up against a wall, who viewed all humans as expendable 'meat sacks.'

There's actually quite a lot going on there when you break it down and pull it apart. (hide spoiler)]

P.s. I respect your thoughts, Nyssa. It's not everyday I have the pleasure to come across a reader with genuinely insightful, thought-provoking comments who challenges my thinking.

Cheers Graeme

Reading your breakdown has helped me to see the situation from another perspective! I better understand why you made those decisions. I appreciate that!

Thank you so much for engaging with us, in general, and speaking with me in particular. Thank you for making me feel valued as a fan!

Nyssa wrote: "Reading your breakdown has helped me to see the situation from another perspective! I better understand why you made those decisions. I appreciate that!

Thank you so much for engaging with us, in..."

Hi Nyssa, it is absolutely my pleasure.

Cheers Graeme

P.s. Enjoy the read! 😉😎😁

General tip...

Explaining my emojis...

😉 I'm often ironic, and I love to satirise my own work (check out my reviews of my own books...)
😎 'cause I'm often wearing sunglasses, I do a lot of intrigue, and spy-vs-spy-vs-spy in my books, and I can't always tell you everything...
😁 'cause I'm enjoying this.

I am currently reading Chapter 13. (view spoiler)[ They're gearing up to take on the horde at the airport (hide spoiler)].

I just read the line, "A sliver of dread pushed into his gut," and I know, without a doubt, that the Order is about to suffer more losses. I really hope this isn't England all over again.
I also hope Blake and the Taylors have enough plot armor to make it through. I don't know how they win otherwise, and the thought of them losing is unbearable.

I also just realized that Li hasn't said a thing yet.

This is going to be bad! :(

(view spoiler)[
Honest Opinion - I do not usually enjoy stories where "everybody dies" - I'm left feeling like, well, what the hell was the point? Why did I invest so much time and energy into caring?

Plus, I don't know if I can handle more deaths right now. (hide spoiler)]

What is the death count to this point, anyway?

Nyssa wrote: "What is the death count to this point, anyway?..."

I've lost count.

I'd love to be able to allay (or confirm) your fears, but I can't do that without spoiling the story, but what I can give you is a list of principles underpinning the series (not just The Crane War).

Time is never violated. Time always moves forward, and no one will be saved by a time reversal or an alternate time pathway (This is not the Marvel universe).

If someone is dead - they stay dead. No resurrections. That said, just like the Princess Bride, someone who is 'mostly dead is still a little bit alive.'

When I 'Ice,' a character, sometimes it's by way of imprisonment rather than death, allowing a 'prison break,' comeback.

Everyone who is in this fight will do their utmost to win while remaining aligned within their moral context.

Sometimes help comes from unexpected directions.

On rare occasions, death is random.

Maturity often comes from bitter experience.

Friendship, family and love all matter and sometimes (but only sometimes) they matter tragically.

The series ends conclusively and all fates are known.

And finally ...

It's always darkest before the dawn.

I would never expect you to provide spoilers.

I am/was feeling overwhelmed and vocalizing my concerns - as you may be able to tell, I'm an emotional person. My Zodiac sign is Cancer - I can't help it! LOL

I'm explicitly trying to share emotional investment in the characters and immersion into the story, where the reader forgets they are reading, and just experiences the story.

Which is precisely how I experience it.

Looks like it's working. 😉😎😁

I took a break and will return to the story after work today. I will pick it up at the start of Chapter 14; I hope to finish it by tomorrow night.

Ch 14. Ohhh... you're well into it now. Enjoy.

Thanks :) I don't know if I should be thrilled or terrified! LOL

One could be both. 😨😯....

Have fun.

So I fell asleep somewhere in Chapter 17. I will have to backtrack a page or two and finish up.

I'm mad at you, Graeme! (No, not really). Your story is bombarding me emotionally. I don't like it. It hurts!

Hi Nyssa, yes, the story is definently intense. Book #6, perhaps more so, or at the very least at the same level as this book.

Chapter 17, is filled with revelations and new plans and purposes.

Enjoy.

Nyssa wrote: "So I fell asleep somewhere in Chapter 17. I will have to backtrack a page or two and finish up.

I'm mad at you, Graeme! (No, not really). Your story is bombarding me emotionally. I don't like it. ..."

Nyssa, I started the book last night and I fell asleep on page two! I was so exhausted I couldn't even hold my kindle up.

Indeed, Netanella. Sleep ultimately conquers all. I hope you're well rested for the next reading session.

Netanella wrote: "Nyssa, I started the book last night and I fell asleep on page two! I was so exhausted I couldn't even hold my kindle up...."

My goodness, I never realised how powerful the first two pages were... 🤨😉😎😁

Hi good morning. I read the 1st 2 chapters last night and they were a lot of fun to get back into. I feel like I've been away from the series for such a long time, and it's only been 2 months. Reading last night was like returning to an old friend. The opening scene with Arthur Slayne in the underground vault was pretty exciting I can't believe I fell asleep in that!

Awesome, Netanella. Glad you're enjoying it.

Mazes and labyrinths and a weird obsession for me. They keep showing up...