Re: Nightwatch Who Watches the Watchers by Bill Wo
Posted: November 25, 2006, 10:45:28 PM
I'm not going to say anything about pace, setting, dialog, etc. until I've seen it all…
I'd have to say that this is a downright, bone-chillingly creepy notion. I was awake for an hour the night after reading it, just pondering the possible ramifications to the Nightwatch universe.
This is an outstanding story idea. One so good and so difficult, in fact, that I wonder if it can be pulled off in less than 4 installments. I say that for a couple of reasons:
First, this one seems to be all intro, all set up for the real adventure in future stories. There's a fair effort in setting the stage, revealing Tom's character, his inner conflicts over helping Nightwatch. That shows Tom as a very self-aware individual, and that should help him realize what the telepaths are doing to him (thus, letting us know, too).
Second, the notion of a secret group, capable of controlling people and events against their will and without their knowledge… it's Matrix-esque. Tom (and Simon, if he can come around) either do the deed for these telepathic Illuminati and hunt down a powerful psychic boy whose already messing with lives at Nightwatch, or they fight against these telepaths.
The Nightwatch Institute isn't ready for this.
You can't tell a telepath by just looking at one. Melvin Squibb shouldn’t have a set of psychic shield watches they can wear (or Magneto's helmet, for that matter), and even if he did, people around them can be suddenly turned & fight against them (ala Matrix when the Smiths take over a body).
'Go find a psychic with amazing powers that can hide himself so well other psychics can't find him, and when you do, be careful because he might blow you up with a thought.'
Exactly how does one do that??
I suppose the easy way out would be to just say it's the out of place boy sitting in the café and let him be caught (so I really hope that's a decoy, or he's not so easy to catch). However, I have high hopes that this won't be the case, especially since this would be the cliffhanger episode for December, and cliffhangers need to be exciting.
So, if I'm right, Tom & crew will have to find the boy, maybe find out he's not so evil (from how much he fought against the 'bad thing'), and then stand up to the cabal. I can't see finishing that off and be believable in only one more story, unless it's about 45,000 words.
But then again, I have been wrong before.
I eagerly await the next installment.
Nate
I'd have to say that this is a downright, bone-chillingly creepy notion. I was awake for an hour the night after reading it, just pondering the possible ramifications to the Nightwatch universe.
This is an outstanding story idea. One so good and so difficult, in fact, that I wonder if it can be pulled off in less than 4 installments. I say that for a couple of reasons:
First, this one seems to be all intro, all set up for the real adventure in future stories. There's a fair effort in setting the stage, revealing Tom's character, his inner conflicts over helping Nightwatch. That shows Tom as a very self-aware individual, and that should help him realize what the telepaths are doing to him (thus, letting us know, too).
Second, the notion of a secret group, capable of controlling people and events against their will and without their knowledge… it's Matrix-esque. Tom (and Simon, if he can come around) either do the deed for these telepathic Illuminati and hunt down a powerful psychic boy whose already messing with lives at Nightwatch, or they fight against these telepaths.
The Nightwatch Institute isn't ready for this.
You can't tell a telepath by just looking at one. Melvin Squibb shouldn’t have a set of psychic shield watches they can wear (or Magneto's helmet, for that matter), and even if he did, people around them can be suddenly turned & fight against them (ala Matrix when the Smiths take over a body).
'Go find a psychic with amazing powers that can hide himself so well other psychics can't find him, and when you do, be careful because he might blow you up with a thought.'
Exactly how does one do that??
I suppose the easy way out would be to just say it's the out of place boy sitting in the café and let him be caught (so I really hope that's a decoy, or he's not so easy to catch). However, I have high hopes that this won't be the case, especially since this would be the cliffhanger episode for December, and cliffhangers need to be exciting.
So, if I'm right, Tom & crew will have to find the boy, maybe find out he's not so evil (from how much he fought against the 'bad thing'), and then stand up to the cabal. I can't see finishing that off and be believable in only one more story, unless it's about 45,000 words.
But then again, I have been wrong before.
I eagerly await the next installment.
Nate