November 2012 TMB Book Club Selection: The Passage by Justin Cronin

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by Arkie Proud, Oct 30, 2012.

  1. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
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    Not really. Writers adhere to the adage that, to make an unbelievable world believable, pay attention to the little things. Readers will accept the most outlandish things if they can accept the small stuff. It just struck me as kind of odd. And makes me wonder if there is a bigger story somewhere and this is just an allusion to it. Remember the guy Wolgast killed in the woods? He told Wolgast he always wanted kids, then Wolgast finds a picture of him with his wife and kids after he is dead. Don't tell me anything, but that stood out to me as odd. Maybe I've seen one too many episodes of LOST and I over-analyze shit sometimes...

    I want to break down and just read the ever loving shit out of this book tonight.
     
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  2. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    I know that feel. Been waiting to get off work all day just so I can continue to read this book.
     
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  3. Truman

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    No such thing

    and :doitfaggot:
     
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  4. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Read through VIII last night. :jizz: buckets imo
     
  5. Lorne Malvo

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    Part V
    Not too much to add to what others have said itt. Sanjay with the Babcock stuff is realllllllly interesting. Like The Blackfish said, it's like there are two groups right now - the groups that will be influenced by The Twelve and those who won't. Chip in Amy's neck was crazy interesting, and I loved the more that we learned about it in part VI. When that final Michael chapter happened with him learning what was on it, I couldn't wait to find out what was happening. Almost like a really great POV chapter in GoT, how you'll kind of skip ahead to the next _____ chapter to read the opening line or something. Didn't do that here, because I didn't know when it would happen.
    Part VI
    Love love loved the shit we learned about Amy. Kind of reminded me of LOST when they went through Rousseau's message in the pilot and figured out how long it had been looping. And I like how people aren't like "OH THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!" So many times in stories like this, the characters will accept that there are zombies, vampires, etc, but will still be skeptical on the smallest shit. Happy that didn't happen here.

    Am I the only one wondering why so many people think Theo is alive? I mean, at this point I kind of expect it to happen since there are so many people who think so, but dude got flung through a window. Can't imagine he'd survive, but he will probably show up eventually. Going off of what The Blackfish said again, was kind of surprised we didn't get a big battle, but I imagine they'll run into some shit out in the world. The stuff with Auntie was cool. I honestly don't think her mind is off. She knows what she's doing, but doesn't want to reveal everything.
    Overall, more great stuff. Have plenty of time to read after work, plus a flight tomorrow/Sunday, so I plan on finishing this weekend.
     
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  6. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    One more thing about the last chapter I forgot to mention:

    I was so busy seeing how this would wrap up, I completely forgot about Sanjay and his Babcock dreams. I wonder what happened to him/rest of the colony. I hope that comes up in The Twelve

    I also have a feeling that we are going to run into Peter & Theo's dad down the road.

     
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  7. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    I think the colony is all but wiped out. Sanjay is off the reservation, their "war party" was decimated, and they're in full frenzy. They also killed the only two people with a clue re: the lights.
     
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  8. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Think the Haven was my least favorite part.
     
  9. Dwight Schrute

    Dwight Schrute 7 out of every 10 attacks are from the rear.
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    Now on Part X.

    With Amy at his side, ain't no way Peter gon' die!

    I hope :/
     
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  10. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    WTF Alicia. WTF.
     
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  11. Truman

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    Found this on Goodreads.com

    Gives a little insight on the book. No spoilers are in it, so its safe to watch

     
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  12. The Blackfish

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    Post where you are in the book kthx
     
  13. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Lish just came back saying they found the mine.
     
  14. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Yeah - that's nothing.
     
  15. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    :angrycorn:
     
  16. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    On the last section... feel like I'm waiting for a hammer to fall because of the "that's nothing" comment.
     
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  17. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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  18. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    :crossedarms:

    Makes me miss the machine gun smiley on the RB.
     
  19. Truman

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    I didnt mean that as ha-ha nothing happens. I wouldnt do that to you
     
  20. Lorne Malvo

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    Weekend stopped me from reading because I got so busy. But about to fly three hours back to Omaha so I should be able to knock a large chunk out. Hoping to finish tomorrow night.
     
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  21. Dwight Schrute

    Dwight Schrute 7 out of every 10 attacks are from the rear.
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    Just finished the book.

    Overall I liked it. Interesting story. I think I'm going to read the 2nd book now.

    I'm super pissed Amy dropped all the vials in the fire, though. WHY CAN'T THEY ALL BE IMMORTAL????

    And I figured the "hive-mind" thing of 'Babcock' pretty early on. Picked up on the subtle cues based on my experience of fighting the Flood in the Halo campaigns. Hells yeah, halo.

    Anyway, having 11 left is going to be an interesting bitch. I hope the next book doesn't create a ton of new characters and what not
     
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  22. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    How this old black bitch ain't dead
     
  23. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    dat dank ass tea
     
  24. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Does every negro in this book make dat bomb ass tea? Ole Lacey gotta be pushing 130 and she out there sangin' and shit. How she ain't get eviscerated? Smokes no like that blood soaked in booty tea mirite.
     
  25. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    LOL I thought you were talking about Aunite. Im glad/lucky I didnt spoil anything
     
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  26. Truman

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    Theory on some stuff, but wanted to ask a question first. Dont open unless you are at least 2/3rds through the book

    I can't remember, was Fanning a result of getting bit by one of the bats in South America, or did they administer him the first form of the weaponized virus like Babcock and the rest?
     
  27. The Blackfish

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    he was infected in South America
     
  28. Truman

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    Unfortunately I think Im about to punch a huge hole int he plot/premise, which I dont really want to do, but:

    If Fanning was infected "naturally" for lack of a better term, why hasn't this apocolypse happened sooner? Would think that spot in Bolivia would have been the epicenter and spread out from there, a long time ago before Lear or Fanning or this story had a chance to be told.
     
  29. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
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    I'm still lagging behind with work and stuff and hate you fast-reading fucks and your 'look-at-me spoilers
     
  30. The Blackfish

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    Very remote in the jungles, just go with it
     
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  31. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Finally finished. Starting the Twelve.
     
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  32. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Unspoilered just for Arkie Proud :

    :violin:
     
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  33. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    I'm ready for December... Didn't start the Twelve... Audiobook was like $50 effing dollars.
     
  34. Truman

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    I got a audio copy that I listened to on my drive home for thanksgiving. Torrance is your friend.

    The fucker reads slow as shit though. 5 hours and only 20% of the book, which isnt too long.
     
  35. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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  36. The Blackfish

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    Read The Twelve? Absolutely do if you liked The Passage.
     
  37. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    No, I meant if the audio book is expensive, read the fucking book.
     
  38. The Blackfish

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    haha missed that.
     
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  39. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    Read parts VII and VIII back to back, so I'll just put my overall thoughts on these two together since they blended with each other.
    So I had previously said that I thought Theo was alive just because that was the way a book like this would normally go. Just didn't think they'd have a good reason to keep him alive. But I was wrong. Love the idea of the virals keeping them alive just to fuck with them. Was a cool reveal when that happened. The stuff with the dreams was crazy interesting. Bringing old memories into the current people to turn them? Awesome. Just don't see badass stuff like that.

    Stuff in Vegas was a ton of fun to read. I love how the virals have evolved over the years (or so it seems to the characters at least, maybe they were always smart). Rather than be a bunch of dumbasses like zombies in other mediums, they have their shit together and seem to be able to form plans and ideas. Obviously their pod system helps this even more so. I love that the enemy in this book is something that requires a skill to defeat, not just weapons and running.

    Continue to worry about going to Colorado though. They seem so confident that things will go well, but if we learned anything from the first two parts, the government wasn't exactly helping anyone. Hopefully I'm wrong, but don't expect to be.

    Was so excited that Amy finally spoke, first time since what, part II? Badass. Wondering if she'll kind of open up about what she's seen over the last 90 years. The stuff with The Twelve is great, can't wait to learn more about them.

    There is a ton of other stuff that happened, but those were the things that really stood out to me. Didn't read as much as I thought I would yesterday and Monday, but I will be traveling for family tomorrow then Friday and Saturday for work, so I should finish soon. Though I have ~20% left in the book, so I might just power through tonight/tomorrow. Love this book, can't wait to read The Twelve.
     
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  40. Lorne Malvo

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    Just finished. Will post full thoughts later but

    FUCK at the end. "End of document, discovered at the site of the Roswell Massacre." Feels bad man
     
  41. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    :feelsbadman:
     
  42. Lorne Malvo

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    Great book. Great book. I've read two books within the club (this and Ready Player One) and had already read one that was chosen (11/22/63). Loved all three of them, no idea where to rank them. Continue to be happy we are doing this because I've read some stuff that I wouldn't have heard about. Specific thoughts:
    The "nest" theory and all that is awesome. Really well put together. Pretty crazy that they've taken out Babcock already. Feel like he would have been one to survive until the end of the trilogy. Wouldn't be surprised to see him show up somewhere/somehow though. Just to continue to fuck with people's minds.

    Bummed about Amy getting rid of the vials. Was interesting how she said she didn't want them to be like her. I wonder if there's some shit she's going through that she doesn't like? Would be interesting to learn about in the future.

    Could not believe Theo and his baby momma survived. No idea wtf happened there. Also happy that Alicia survived. I wondered if shit would just look like it was going awful until the very last second and that's what seemed to happen. Love how she has the viral qualities while still keeping her shit together.

    Really bummed by the post script dammit. Liked those characters. Didn't want them to die.

    Haven't decided if I want to start The Twelve now or later. Need to see what the December book is. Though I feel like I will just end up reading it tonight because I can't stop thinking about The Passage.
     
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  43. SmoochieWallace

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    Finished it. Loved it. If I weren't on the doorstep of finals, I would start The Twelve. Great Choice:golfclap:
     
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  44. SmoochieWallace

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    They aren't dead for sure. It is quite possible that they escaped the massacre. Based on the books track record, until you see someone die I wouldn't write them off. On that note, I think Theo/Peter's dad is still alive. Maybe as a semi-vamp
     
  45. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    The Passage is discussed on a podcast on Grantland. Discussion starts @ 40:30. The first part they are bitching about The Walking Dead, just like we do in the show thread. So if you are so inclined to listen to 40 minutes of that, be my guest.

    These guys loved the book just like we did. I think Arkie Proud in particular would really enjoy the discussion as they speak on the literary devices and writing styles and all that in depth stuff the tread's grandpa mentions often.

    SPOILERS IN PODCAST. DO NOT LISTEN IF YOU HAVENT FINISHED THE BOOK.

    http://espn.go.com/espnradio/grantland/player?id=8656521
    They mentioned they are going to discuss The Twelve next month. :bananallama:
     
  46. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    I thought the same thing.
     
  47. The Blackfish

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    Make sure to post The Twelve podcast when they do it :heythere:
     
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  48. Lorne Malvo

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    Listened to that podcast the other night while I was working out. Really enjoyed their conversation. Read only ~7% of The Twelve because I got busier than I thought I would, but hoping to get into it tonight.
     
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  49. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
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    If I'm reading correctly, you just called me the thread's grandpa. In the future, I would appreciate it if you just referred to me as the threads father and you can just call me 'daddy' like you do in real life.
     
  50. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
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    OK, so I finished.

    The book had highs and lows. I think the part about Haven could have been cut or in some way... done different. I guess, in the scheme of things, it had to happen. But it seemed episodic and disturbed the 'flow' of the story. Didn't care for it. That was the low part

    Everything else was the high point. Such a great book. Cronin relies on some tried-and-true literary devices but does them quite well without being hackneyed. Are they alive or dead? Who knows! Seeing Sister Lacey again floored me. And Wolgast still being out there. Fucking huge.

    I don't know if I can take reading The Twelve right now, however. Will probably take a break.

    My casting:

    Peter Jaxson
    Donald Glover
    [​IMG]
    Alicia Danadio
    Emma Stone
    [​IMG]
    Theo Jaxson
    Malcolm Jamal Warner
    (Probably because the name Theo)
    [​IMG]
    Maus Patal / Jaxon
    Rekha Sharma
    (She was in Battlestar Galactica and was awesome)
    [​IMG]
    Amy NLN
    Chloe-Grace Moretz
    (the girl from Kick-Ass)
    [​IMG]
     
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