The Ark Discussion Board (Spoiler-free): Chapters 12-23

[boydm]

So on to the second week of the discussions. Thanks for your feedback so far. From this point on, it becomes hard to keep discussion questions spoiler-free. If anyone would like to post your thoughts about this section, please do. But if you haven't read this section yet, please don't peruse any further posts in this thread until you do. That way, we can discuss this part without giving away anything that happens after Chapter 23.

[bkworm8it]

sorry fokes that this was in the wrong place before, hard to keep my chapters streight, thanks Boyd for letting me know!

The part I had to suspend my belief was that the monorail was actually working that day!   


theresam

[Ann in Arlington]

Definitely a page turner  (button clicker?)  I can see it being made into a movie. 

I may have been reading a little to fast but I didn't grasp why they so quickly connected the plane crash with the assassination attempts. . . of course, as a reader,  we know they're connected even if we don't know how.  I like how the 'why' of the bad guys is being made clearer bit by bit.

I'm thinking that the bad guys don't plan on doing anything to the fancy new cruise ship, but rather that they plan on releasing their pathogen on land and taking off in the ship to survive.  So, they'll hijack it somehow.  I guess I'll go find out if I'm right. 

Ann

[boydm]

I may have been reading a little to fast but I didn't grasp why they so quickly connected the plane crash with the assassination attempts. . . of course, as a reader,  we know they're connected even if we don't know how.  I like how the 'why' of the bad guys is being made clearer bit by bit.

Sam Watson mentioned Hayden to Dilara as he lay dying. When Locke hears about the crash of Hayden's plane under very unusual circumstances the same weekend, he doesn't think it could be a coincidence. Was there some way I could have made the link clearer? Is that too much of a leap of logic for Locke to make?

[Ann in Arlington]

I kind of think so. . . . I mean he hasn't even heard yet that it's anything other than mechanical failure, and is only just coming around to thinking that maybe Dilara is really in danger.  When they do go there a bit later, that is the first he learns that there might be some kind of bio-hazard thing going on.  At that point the bells would get louder but to automatically assume such a strong connection is a bit much.  OTOH, as I said, I was reading pretty fast. . .it does pull you along. . .so maybe I missed something key.  It just felt like a connection that wouldn't have been made yet. . . .

Ann

[frojazz]

The part I had to suspend my belief was that the monorail was actually working that day!   


theresam

Does the monorail not work often?

I have to say, I enjoyed the monorail 'chase' and the creepy quasi-religious exchange on the elevator.  I'm wondering, though, if it would have been better for the bad guy to not let go?  He would have been crushed and harder to ID...although it seems like IDing him didn't help authorities at all, anyway.

I also like the way the story seamlessly moves from the assassin's point of view to Locke's and then to Garrett's, although I would like to see more of their personality traits come out in how/what they think.

As for whether or not Locke could attach significance to Hayden's plane crash--as he tried to get the FBI agents to understand, he already assumed that the helicopter was an attempt on Dilara's life, so I could see him connecting everything that Sam told Dilara as part of a grander scheme.  It didn't seem like such a jump to me.  I am just always surprised at how quickly things are moving along and how quickly I get to the end of the chapter!

[bkworm8it]

Does the monorail not work often?

well, in the 10 years I've lived in Seattle I think it's been down more than it was up and running. And the 4 years I worked in downtown Seattle it was mostly down. then they got it up and running again and they had an accident so it was down again. It's pretty much a joke but is nice if/when it works. 

It was interesting having them chase through a mall that I know so well and loved to shop during lunch breaks!  Though I have only made it to the space needle itself only once. Nope didn't take the monorail. We walked from Picks Market all the way up to the space needle. Needless to say didn't need to exercise for the next week!! That was a long walk!! Lots of it up big hills!!  We decided on a taxi ride back to the car LOL.

I didn't think it was a big leap either from her saying that Sam said something about Hayden and Locke attaching significance to it that he wanted to go check out the crash. Then after finding out more info at the crash it seemed to become more apparent even if he doesn't know the whole reason or how it fits in he knows it does.  Like you said with the attempt on Dilara's life and the attempt to blow up the oil rig, and with others dead that they Sam mentioned I can see Locke making that leap.

theresam

[boydm]

Does the monorail not work often?

The monorail has a reputation for breaking down or catching fire, sometimes both. Nobody has been hurt, but in the past few years, it has caught fire twice, collided with the other monorail (which seems impossible, but it can happen at one of the stations), and gotten stuck between stations, where passengers had to be rescued by the fire department with ladders since there is no emergency escape system. However, to my knowledge there's never been any gunplay inside the monorail cars, except in certain authors' imaginations. 

I have to say, I enjoyed the monorail 'chase' and the creepy quasi-religious exchange on the elevator.  I'm wondering, though, if it would have been better for the bad guy to not let go?  He would have been crushed and harder to ID...although it seems like IDing him didn't help authorities at all, anyway.

Both demises are definitely dramatic, but I decided that Olsen would have let go to prevent Locke from pulling him inside at the last second for later questioning. As you pointed out, he knew his ID wouldn't have helped them.

[frojazz]

Ooh...I like reading with the author!  Thanks for the quick replies, theresam and boyd!

well, in the 10 years I've lived in Seattle I think it's been down more than it was up and running. And the 4 years I worked in downtown Seattle it was mostly down. then they got it up and running again and they had an accident so it was down again. It's pretty much a joke but is nice if/when it works. 

!!!

The monorail has a reputation for breaking down or catching fire, sometimes both. Nobody has been hurt, but in the past few years, it has caught fire twice, collided with the other monorail (which seems impossible, but it can happen at one of the stations), and gotten stuck between stations, where passengers had to be rescued by the fire department with ladders since there is no emergency escape system.

Wow, and people still ride it?  I guess, if they don't want a hilly hike or a taxi fare to pay.

It was interesting having them chase through a mall that I know so well and loved to shop during lunch breaks!  Though I have only made it to the space needle itself only once. Nope didn't take the monorail. We walked from Picks Market all the way up to the space needle. Needless to say didn't need to exercise for the next week!! That was a long walk!! Lots of it up big hills!!  We decided on a taxi ride back to the car LOL.

theresam

I love being able to visit scenes from books.  I especially enjoy it if I've spent time there.  Thank you for sharing your experiences that collide with the book!

I've always wanted to visit Seattle, but now I have to so that I can see where this all went down (in a certain author's imagination, of course!).

[bkworm8it]

That would be one good reason to visit Seattle but you need to stop and shop at the market place.  Some of the best fruit and veggies around. One of the things I miss about not working in downtown Seattle, is running across the street to the market for fruit and bakery foods. Different seasons always brought wonderful new fruits. Also you should see the size of the seafood stuff they have. I swear that stuff is on steroids LOL.

July is usually the least rainy season but most of the time it doesn't rain all day just part or during the night which is nice. I love the drive into Seattle from the airport side. When you see all the tall buildings. Don't know what it is about it but I love going to visit but would never want to live there. Not a very safe place after dark. Not to mention most of the area closes down at about 6pm anyway. Oh and a ton of restaurants!!

If you do visit, stay in a hotel in Seattle so you can walk every where. There is also an underground busing system (soon to have train going through it) that gets you from one end to the other. All buses are free within downtown Seattle. 

Ohhh did I say I miss the market place??? <ggggg>


theresam

[frojazz]

theresam--thanks!

This sounds awesome.  I'm just now realizing that I'm a foodie.  I love crab!  I'll have to convince the hubby (shouldn't be too hard) that we need to start planning a trip to Seattle!

[geoffthomas]

Boyd,
I asked Mike (KeelanWarrior) if he could make a leaderboard for this book klub, and he has.
It can be found with the others in the book Klub info thread under book klub leaderboards - the first posting has the entire list.
And I think you need to go there to get it.  Full instructions as to how to put it into your signature are included there.
Here is the one for The Ark.  You can see it in my post at the bottom.
The Ark

Code:

[boydm]

Thanks for doing that, Geoff!

Now how can I add the Kindle Owner leaderboard? I can't find it anywhere.

[geoffthomas]

Thanks for doing that, Geoff!

Now how can I add the Kindle Owner leaderboard? I can't find it anywhere.

The original set of "signatures" was in a thread from Harvey called:
Adding a userbar to your forum signature 
Under Forum Announcements and Tips
I need to learn how to put links to threads in my messages.

[boydm]

Thanks, Geoff. No wonder I couldn't find it.

[crebel]

Testing to see if I added the leaderboard successfully!

[crebel]

Only sort of successful, I see, why is that extra stuff in there?  Help?!

[crebel]

Thanks to whoever fixed the leaderboard for me!  Back on topic to The Ark.  I have particularly enjoyed the Seattle references more since actually being there last summer.  Even if an author is descriptive, my brain enjoys the correlation more when it can actually "see" again the visual memory.  I think I would head to the Market almost every day if I lived there.