Holes in the plot re: sinister aspects

Use this forum to discuss the July 2020 Book of the month, "Zona: The Forbidden Land" by Fred G. Baker.
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Re: Holes in the plot re: sinister aspects

Post by kathy2705 »

I think this book is meaant to intentionally raise our curiosity and force us to stretch our imagination.
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Post by Astrolorraine »

Yes, that doesn't come up again, but I'm sure it's an intentional bit left to be resolved in the sequel. Bits like that can help provide continuity in a series, and give you more reason to want to read the next installment. I recently read a 10 book series (Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny) in which the end of each book absolutely did not resolve many plot points, but they were instead resolved in the next book. Long story short, patience! We will hopefully know more about that in the sequel.
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Post by Book Reader18 »

I completely agree, there were multiple things that went unsolved or unmentioned in the second half of the book. It felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop, only to find out there were no shoes!
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Post by David_Kariuki »

AlexisLib wrote:
> I didn't notice this while reading, I think because I was swept up in the
> expedition in the second half, so while thinking back on it now I realize
> that there were a lot of things in the first part that were never answered.
>
> I kept thinking that there was something more sinister about the expedition
> behind it on the part of Boris. He was acting mysteriously all along, as
> were Irina and Yuri. Fake hotel maids going into Grant's room, the thief in
> his uncle's apartment, having to kill Godunov (if it was just for the
> journal, they could have just stolen it). Even Randall's journal didn't
> really give that many clues (the only one I could think of was the wolves
> coming back for their dead).
>
> Yet this was just dropped in the second part. I get that it was maybe to
> make it unclear whether Irina was good or bad, but there needed to be some
> kind of resolution of whatever the author intended with all this. At one
> point I thought it was to make money from all the plants etc. and kill all
> the people who knew about it (all the people on the expedition) but we
> never find out what was supposed to come from all that. It seems like a
> pretty big flaw.

> What do you think?
I was left with a lot of unanswered questions as well. I want to think that the author had certain ideas that he wanted to put down however, the story developed in different directions and saw no need to continue some of the initial ideas. Also that the author could have left some ideas so that readers could follow to find out about them in the sequel.
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Post by readsbyarun »

Some of the incidents narrated in the book had too much of information contained in it and that made it to be a duplication of events. I think the author intended to do this to give the reader an idea that there might be a sequel to this book which might through more light to those questions that are unanswered.
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Post by Odette Chace »

I think this was a major flaw! The intrigue at the beginning was my favorite part of the book and I was extremely frustrated that it never went anywhere. I liked the book less and less the more I read and don't think I have the heart to read a sequel if it carries on the absurd wolf conversations.
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Post by Chuck Allen »

Book was fairly interesting, but the main character seemed a little naive. He went to Russia and had no concept of the fact that there was still "secret police" in place. He seemed altogether too trusting.

Also, not really sure if the author has a grasp of the power of the weapons the characters use. A shotgun shooting slugs irritated the lions and did some damage, but a 50 caliber machine gun barely hurts them, even at close range. A 50 caliber vehicle mounted weapon will shred a vehicle, so I suppose the lions are something along the lines of nigh indestructible? Also, in all of the shooting at the lions, NOTHING ever hit them in the eyes (direct line to the brain) or in their open mouth while they are roaring (another soft vulnerable area with access to the brain). I get that the lions are supposed to be extremely hard to kill, but when you use a weapon DESIGNED to do damage to an armored vehicle, it should do major damage to just flesh, even on a "super lion".
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Post by epingley896 »

I agree that there were a number of questions left unanswered, but I think that is just a way to create suspense for the next novel.
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Post by Teesheetz »

I was pleased to see this discussion thread, as I was thinking the same thing and then questioned myself wondering if I just read too fast getting caught up in the expedition and missed something along the way. I never quite connected who Yuri worked for and what "job" he was doing that had him kill Godunov. Also, Grant's dreams of playing cards repeats throughout the book, yet, I don't quite get the meaning to them all. Also, what is the meaning of the key that Grant discovers in the journal? I could go on and one with more random "clues" that don't seem to tie things together. Regardless of the loose ends, I really enjoyed this book! It left me with quite the book hangover wanting more. Hope there is a sequel!
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Post by iknwuzoh »

I agree, the author will have to sort it out and clarify them. The author will have to emphasize more.
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Post by adhambakry »

Yes, there are many plot holes, and many questions are left unanswered. But I believe they will be thoroughly answered in the sequel. This is done to urge the reader to read the next sequel.
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Post by shamayelnur »

I had some of these mysteries lurking behind my head while reading. I hope the author have it in store in the next book. Anyway, I feel the book really kept me on the edge though.
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Post by Bigwig1973 »

I kind of agree with you - it almost seemed as if there were two different writers - one before Siberia and one after. I thought maybe Boris was faking it because he didn't want to go on the expedition, I thought that there was more to the story about Irinia and Yuri - maybe I just like the notion of male spies, always up to something. Not that I object to female spies, but Irinia is just not the spy type, or she's so good, I totally fell for it! I think the reader was supposed to assume that the thief in the apartment and the fake maids were nothing more than thieves. It would be more interesting if they were more than that, unless there was a need, then he (the writer) could have done a Robin Hood-type thing. Again, I wanted there to be more about Godonov - he seemed such a decent fellow. The book could have a sequel and the writer could go back and add more to these stories. One benefit of being unclear, I suppose.
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Post by Chelsearoses »

AlexisLib wrote: 19 Jul 2020, 20:03 I didn't notice this while reading, I think because I was swept up in the expedition in the second half, so while thinking back on it now I realize that there were a lot of things in the first part that was never answered.

I kept thinking that there was something more sinister about the expedition behind it on the part of Boris. He was acting mysteriously all along, as were Irina and Yuri. Fake hotel maids going into Grant's room, the thief in his uncle's apartment, having to kill Godunov (if it was just for the journal, they could have just stolen it). Even Randall's journal didn't really give that many clues (the only one I could think of was the wolves coming back for their dead).

Yet this was just dropped in the second part. I get that it was maybe to make it unclear whether Irina was good or bad, but there needed to be some kind of resolution of whatever the author intended with all this. At one point I thought it was to make money from all the plants etc. and kill all the people who knew about it (all the people on the expedition) but we never find out what was supposed to come from all that. It seems like a pretty big flaw.

What do you think?



I didn't realize there will be a second book, hopefully, some things will be explained. I agree with you and the fake hotel maids, some things got dropped and it didn't make sense and there was no resolution. A little troublesome in my opinion.
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Post by shravsi »

Yeah, I also felt let down by the spy part. I hope Boris's true intentions would come forth in the next book to complete the hanging questions about fake maids, hidden keys, and KGB'sinvolvement. No genre reached its full potential.
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