Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

This thread will be for the buddy read of the book The Dragon's Den (Metaframe War series) by Graeme Rodaughan (continuing series read) starting September 1. Just remember to use spoilers when necessary

Awesome, looking forward to it.

Looking forward to this as well! :)

Count me in!

I'm ready! :)

Finished chapter 1. I'm not going to put any spoilers in here yet just know that it starts fantastic and the prologue was aces. I appreciated the character list in the front. Such a great series!

I've been trying to put a proverbial dent in my ever expaning pile of comics. Nice to get back into a novel.

Kevin wrote: "I've been trying to put a proverbial dent in my ever expanding pile of comics..."

Hi Kevin, it's interesting you should mention comics. The whole series would work as graphic novels, I can see the panels and artwork.... 😀😉😎

When I was writing A Subtle Agency and working out the storyline for the first three books (including this one), I was watching DC's 'The Arrow,' on Netflix, and I was very impressed with how they handled combat scenes, especially with edged weapons in a modern world.

The set of comic based stories from DC and Marvel that have dominated movies and television over the last decade have been both very enjoyable and an inspiration for my own writing.

There are lot's of examples of influence. Anton and Batman share parents murdered before their eyes, and a legacy of vengeance. The Red Ghost (Shabbah al Ahmar)/Red Empire owes much to Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins.

There's even a scene in A Traitor's War where Crane drops a flash-bang to haze his new-born vamps in a direct echo of a Malcolm Merlin smoke bomb.

All authors stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before. 😀

Graeme,

I 100% agree! It maybe one of the reasons why I enjoy this series so much. I didn't catch the similarities until you mentioned it. Which is good! It was similar but done your way.

If you get this out in a graphic novel series I'd buy it. Take. My. Money!

Thanks for your insight amd information.

You're welcome, Kevin.

Just finished chapter 3.

(view spoiler)[It seems like the 3 factions are making their moves. Chloe is viscous. I love it. Turing Ramin into a vampire is genius. The attempted rescue of Peter is upon Anton and crew. I don'tsee everyone making it out of that base. We will have to see if this truth serum works. Even if he likes to be the first to try something new. (hide spoiler)]

Kevin wrote: "Just finished chapter 3...."

I suspect, you'll find this book hard to put down from this point on.

Enjoy.

I am currently reading chapter 3.

If (view spoiler)[Peter dies or is turned I will be devastated (hide spoiler)]!

I was so hoping one of those (view spoiler)[silver bullets was going to hit Kain (hide spoiler)]!

I wonder when the truth behind the super-soldiers will be revealed to the Order.

You all are going to be glued to this book as you will get no sleep and you will have to eat in bed while reading! lol :)

Nyssa wrote: "I wonder when the truth behind the super-soldiers will be revealed to the Order."

The Day Guard is coming.

Graeme wrote: "The Day Guard is coming."

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of! LOL!!

I just finished Chapter 4! Are we allowed to cuss in this thread 'cause #!@%$!!

I don't know whether to hug Anton or smack him upside his head (view spoiler)[(after he heals of course.) (hide spoiler)]

Nyssa wrote: "Graeme wrote: "The Day Guard is coming."

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of! LOL!!

I just finished Chapter 4! Are we allowed to cuss in this thread 'cause #!@%$!!

I don't know whether to hug Anto..."

You can cuss all you want! lol

I love Anton but sometimes you want to kick his butt! lol Sometimes he makes poor decisions but though he doesn't think before acting on them I feel that he is doing things for a good cause.

He is going through a growing stage. When I was reading this series I had to keep reminding myself that Anton was 18 when all this happened to him. He has lots to learn in the new world that he has been tossed in so it will take time to learn the tricks of the trade and to grow mentally with the team.

Sorry I got carried away on my thoughts. lol

Nyssa wrote: "I just finished Chapter 4! Are we allowed to cuss in this thread 'cause #!@%$!!..."

If memory serves, someone quite significant on one of the other 'teams/factions' makes a similar assessment about Anton's general 'mayhem,' style of solving problems...

Graeme wrote: "f memory serves, someone quite significant on one of the other 'teams/factions' makes a similar assessment about Anton's general 'mayhem,' style of solving problems..."

LOL!

Marie wrote: "You can cuss all you want! lol

I love Anton but sometimes you want to kick his butt! lol Sometimes he makes poor decisions but though he doesn't think before acting on them I feel that he is doing things for a good cause.

He is going through a growing stage. When I was reading this series I had to keep reminding myself that Anton was 17 when all this happened to him. He has lots to learn in the new world that he has been tossed in so it will take time to learn the tricks of the trade and to grow mentally with the team.

Sorry I got carried away on my thoughts. lol."

No apology is necessary! your inputs are welcome.

How much time has passed between book #1 and now? I could have sworn he was at least 20/21 at this point. But yeah, I know, he was thrown into this entire thing - while everyone else grew up with it.

I'm pretty sure Li IS going to smack him upside his head, though.

Nyssa wrote: "How much time has passed between book #1 and now? ..."

I just checked. Chloe arrives on Anton's doorstep on April the 28th, and the events in England occur on August the 22nd.

So, nearly 4 months.

Nyssa wrote: "I'm pretty sure Li IS going to smack him upside his head, though...."

I think she definitely wants to ... 😀😉😎

Wait! So he is still a child!?! Well, no freaking wonder!

I don't know if I can finish this book tonight, but I am going to try!

Nyssa wrote: "I don't know if I can finish this book tonight, but I am going to try!"

Enjoy!

I don't know if this is a spoilery question, but do we know why (view spoiler)[the UK team/leader hates the Mirovar team/leader (hide spoiler)]?

Edited to Add: Anton's really starting to freak me out. Something is not right!

@Nyssa.

Luther endorses the UK force team in chapter 1 as a 'real force team,' indicating their leader is firmly in the Kain/Luther faction of the Order.

The Kain/Luther faction view 'traditionalists,' like Francis and Juliette as dinosaurs.

Graeme wrote: "@Nyssa.

Luther endorses the UK force team in chapter 1 as a 'real force team,' indicating their leader is firmly in the Kain/Luther faction of the Order.

The Kain/Luther faction view 'traditiona..."

Ah. Okay, because even Francis seemed confused by Walker's animosity.

Walker is an unpleasant fellow.

The force teams are quite independent and rarely meet up.

The loremasters are an exception to that as they effectively communicate via technology enabled telepathy. Which is why Walker's loremaster backs Juliette. A position Walker dismisses as biased.

Graeme wrote: "Walker is an unpleasant fellow.

The force teams are quite independent and rarely meet up.

The loremasters are an exception to that as they effectively communicate via technology enabled telepath..."

Right. I remember that.

The Mirovar force team are operating in the Walker force team's jurisdiction....

Hence are guests and have to cede operational primacy to Walker.

Francis expects Walker to put the mission first, but Walker plays politics.

Graeme wrote: "Francis expects Walker to put the mission first, but Walker plays politics"

Which Walker then claims as putting the mission first.

I just finished chapter 8.

I can practically hear the warfare at this point. So many bullets, missiles, and explosions.

I don't think studios would have a big enough budget to make this into a movie!! LOL

@Nyssa.

Chapter 9 begins the final act of this volume.

Chapter 8 is one of my favourites with (view spoiler)[duelling helicopters... (hide spoiler)]

With regard to budgets the show could always go old school ... (somewhat inspired by this sequence ...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spJf3...

Graeme wrote: "Chapter 8 is one of my favourites with (view spoiler)

That was just crazy!!

And yes, I see the influences from the clip. lol

I will start chapter 9 when I wake up tomorrow.

Awesome, Nyssa. Sleep well.

Nyssa wrote: "Graeme wrote: "Chapter 8 is one of my favourites with (view spoiler)

That was just crazy!!"

Waist mounted minigun on a helicopter - (view spoiler)[same as what Li used. (hide spoiler)] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rXvT...

Graeme wrote: "Nyssa wrote: "Waist mounted minigun on a helicopter - [spoilers removed] https://www.youtube.com/watch?..."

That's pretty much the sound I was hearing while reading ... lol

What I was aiming for (no ... (well yes ...) pun intended...) 😁

Graeme wrote: "What I was aiming for (no ... (well yes ...) pun intended...) 😁"

LOL!

I'm currently reading chapter 10.
(view spoiler)[Chloe has just sent Marcus to his possible death. (hide spoiler)]

I'm hoping the team realizes the truth (view spoiler)[of what happened to Li (hide spoiler)] before Anton hits a point of no return! I am still very worried about him. (view spoiler)[ Is he somehow linked to Chloe (in a psychological way) without his full knowledge? (hide spoiler)]

I'm also ready for the infiltrator to be revealed. I have two possibilities in mind. As I stated in the last discussion, there is one person that I do not want it to be.

Lastly, I'm terrified for the group at the exfil. I think luck has just run out.

But I won't know until after work (unless I can sneak a few pages in).

Nyssa wrote: "But I won't know until after work (unless I can sneak a few pages in)...."

Looks like you managed to sneak those last pages in before work. 😉

I sure did!! LOL
I had 12 pages left after lunch and I was like NOOOOOOOOO!
So, I started reading between calls. But Shhhh that's our secret! :D

Nyssa wrote: "I sure did!! LOL
I had 12 pages left after lunch and I was like NOOOOOOOOO!
So, I started reading between calls. But Shhhh that's our secret! :D"

Awesome.

I set up the thread for the next book which starts October 1st.

Here is the thread for easy convenience:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Just finished chapter 5. wow. I need to lay down. Very exciting chapter. You were right. Definitely hard to put down.

Awesome, Kevin. Glad to see you back and enjoying the story.

Thanks Graeme. Nice to finally get some reading time in.

Just finished chapter 6

(view spoiler)[Another exciting one. I don't know if it was intentional or me being 40+ years old but when Peter was attempting escape and "something tore, and something cracked", I immediately thought he hurt his back and blew out his knee.
Haha. (hide spoiler)]

At that moment - entirely possible. I needed to leave open the possibility that (view spoiler)[Peter was strong enough to break himself against an immovable object. (hide spoiler)]

Seeing you enjoy this brings back fond memories of writing it. This book was the easiest of the books to write. It just flowed...(from one wild scene to the next).

Got to chapter 8.

(view spoiler)[Very busy few chapters for everyone!
Between the battle, the aftermath and the ongoing chess match, I'm not sure I can take it! Looking forward to finding out what Chloe has been up to during all this. This installment of the series is intense! (hide spoiler)]

The final act begins with chapter 9. Enjoy.

Finished!

(view spoiler)[What a finish to that one! Talk about an emotional roller-coaster. I like that no pne seems to be safe. Status quo stories are boring and predictable. You got me with Li though! Chloe is a tough cookie for sure. It's a shame her plan hinges on a lot other people dying. But she's a vampire.
What shoulf I expect. (hide spoiler)]

Great work again, Graeme. Looking forward to the next one.

Yep, that last chapter is quite the tear-jerker, and yes - she's a right predator underneath that silky super-model exterior...

We have a buddy read for starting on the thread next door.

I'll see if I can round up some fellow hunters for the buddy read.

I have had to do so much work on the house before winter hits that I have not had much reading time lately, mostly audio's. However I am determined to finish off The Dragon's Den this week and start the next book in the series. I will catch up!