The Grand Finale

Chapters 15+16+17


Dear Loyal Readers,

This is the end my friends, but I will leave you one last marvelous, spectacular, breathtaking blog. So it begins.

We left off with Petra and Rosalind abandoned in the Fringes village, and David beaten up and left outside the village. So, we were in pretty bad shape. When David is laying there, bruised and bloodied, he feels someone dragging him away form the village. Who could it possibly be? Sophie!? I didn't see that coming. As awful as this sounds, Sophie should have died. They would not have kept her alive, and it would be much more tragic if she had. So, David and Sophie find each other and go to her secret cave. Which, by the way, doesn't sound like too bad of a spot to live. You discover that Sophie is crushing hard on the perverted spider man. Ew. You see a glimpse of the Fringes. It is very poor, and seems more like a disaster than a settlement. We find out that the Fringes women are made infertile by the societies that they are kicked out by. This makes me feel pretty angry. Sophie is distraught because she wants to love the spider man, but she can't give him children so that's why he wants Rosalind. It's just one big drama fest. So, spider man and some men go to fight the oncoming Waknuk force, and so Sophie goes in to rescue Petra and Rosalind. Her and Rosalind have a little cat fight over David. I don't know why. We never really receive any information about David's physical appearance. I don't want to make it sound like looks are everything, I'm just saying he doesn't sound like that much of a catch. Sorry, that was probably not needed. Moving on. Petra is still in touch with her friend from Zealand, who is only about sixteen hours away now. I have to admit that I thought that this woman wasn't coming. It sounded a little too good to be true. We know that Michael is with the approaching people from Waknuk. He is planning to meet up with Petra, David, and Rosalind in the Fringes. However, their plan is brought to a close when the battle plans of the Fringes and Waknuk mess everything up. Now it doesn't look like Michael can get past the river without being killed! Finally, the battle manages to make its way to the heart of the Fringes campout. David, Rosalind, and Petra get a front row seat to watch the battle. David sees his father get shot with an arrow in the shoulder, the spider man shot and killed, and Sophie is shot in the neck. Just as the battle is starting to heat up they see the white fish (helicopter) coming to land. The helicopter is shooting out silky strands that are like spider webs. When they stick to you they start to tug at your skin and they are extremely sticky. They are so sticky that once you touch any of the strands, it will not come loose. Anyway, the lady that Petra was talking with comes with this special spray stuff that removes the strands and gets Petra, Rosalind, David, and Michael loose. We learn that all the other people who had been trapped by the strands are dead. That escalated quickly. She says that she can only take David, Petra, and Rosalind because they don't have enough fuel to take extra weight along. Rachel and Michael will have to come later. So, they go and the Zealand and it's just like the city in David's dreams. Suprise, suprise. I didn't see that coming either.

My views of the Novel:

  Impressive. Not only did it capture me, but it was fantastically written. Wyndam is a genius. My only problem with the novel is the ending. I have been motoring through the the pages, and it ends with minimal heartbreak, minimal suprise, and almost disappointment. The science of the Zealand people is not mentioned. Yes, they have a chopper, but how futuristic is their society? Not enough answers. Also, it felt too abrupt. I know that it didn't have to be a long ending but it is like 'battle, then instantaneously leave FOREVER.' The over all story line was strong and very mesmerizing. I liked the first person narrative perspective of the novel. It made it more personal and heart clenching. I believe that it had to be more tragic. Not all stories have to end in everybody dying, but someone who is more of a main character should have died. Just saying. I enjoyed the book, and I would definitely recommend reading it.