The Touch: Is It Really The Last One?

[torchomatic]

We've heard it before haven't we that the next Necroscope book will be the last. Is "The Touch" truly the last of the Saga?

I've always wanted to know how things panned out for Trask and Co after Avengers. Ah well, I'll make it up myself.

[Ilya Sul]

I'd say...wait and see...or in German ..."Abwarten und Tee trinken"
Maybe Mr Lumley is already at work, thinking or not...I really can't say..

[Trimmer]

I think The Touch was a bit disconnected from the original Necroscope concept in that the Necroscope was no longer fighting vampires. So although it may be officially a part of the series I see it somewhat as a thread that has ventured off in another direction and I would like any future book to be directed more towards the battle against the blood suckers.

As others have suggested the dweller's time on sunside/starside may be the plot to carry on the saga.

[Helmet Head]

The Touch was a good book, but I felt that if it was removed from the Necro universe it could of been so much better.
Brian's style of writing is my absolute favourite to read, and the back story in the Touch about this Alien race was brilliant and up there with some of his best stuff, but I felt it got held back by the inclusion of e-branch and Harry Keogh.
Dont get me wrong I love Harry etc and a brand new Necroscope is always welcome as long as there's the scope and space for it in the series but thats not all that Brian's writing is about and I felt Brian had some really good ideas with this and they weren't done enough justice in this book...

Thats just my opinion as most others loved it but for the first time ever I got frustrated with one of Brians books and was just as shocked when I started thinking that I wished this was a stand alone book and not a Necroscope one.

[sdkdmd]

I thought the book was excellent. I think I would of enjoyed it more if it was a stand alone novel. I'm looking forward to the short stories Brian's working on about Harry, but I don't know if I want to see more necroscope novels.

I want to see more stand alone novels.

[Bite me]

Since the end of Avengers, I've always hoped, deep down in the bottom of my heart that somewhere in Brian's mind was the thought to resurrect Harry. For whatever reason, be it a warp in the Gate dropping one of the Wamphyri off on another, more advanced, planet (surely there aren't just two grey holes in all the multiverses!), or something equally sinister, I'd love to see a reason to bring Harry back with the full range of powers. Hell, even team him up with Nathan, since Nathan learned to travel between universes without the use of the Gates.

Sure, Harry is scattered throughout all the universes, and throughout time, but if the Powers that Be can distribute him so, what's to stop them from bringing him back together?

[megadeth]

An interesting thought Bite. I would second that idea.

[Chris Banks]

Seems like a cunning plan.............

[Rick27]

Hey all, good to be here among avid BL fans.

As to the topic i hope with all my heart that Brian carries on with the Necro series. Id give my left arm for him to write another 2/3 books detailing the war on our Earth between the rival vampire clans that E-branch are involved in (when Ian Goodly spies the future in Avengers)

Heres hoping, Rick

[Bite me]

For whatever reason, be it a warp in the Gate dropping one of the Wamphyri off on another, more advanced, planet (surely there aren't just two grey holes in all the multiverses!), or something equally sinister, I'd love to see a reason to bring Harry back with the full range of powers. Hell, even team him up with Nathan, since Nathan learned to travel between universes without the use of the Gates.

So, just for the hell of it, I was re-reading "The Source"....and in the battle for the garden, both Harry and The Dweller let a couple of lieutenants charge them and follow them into the Continuum, then exited, leaving the lieutenants in the Continuum. As I recall, Harry said numerous times that if he let it, the Continuum would eventually eject him, like a mote in it's immaterial eye. So here, if Brian ever reads these things, is a nice starting point if he ever decides to start another trilogy with the Wamphyri, in future Earth time. Just let the Continuum dump the lieutenants (or their bodies) somewhere where spacetime is thin, such as an advanced planet where warfare or warp-drive usage has left spacetime thin from repeated abuse.

[Chris Banks]

Which is exactly where I saw The Mordri Three (THAT ******* number, YET again) being spewed forth from (without they themselves knowing it - a bit like Shaitan I s'pose). Just imagination, 's all.

[drterror666]

Well, I finished The Touch last night and, although I found it a really great story, I feel that Brian is pushing it a little bit. I do like the way he's filling the holes with these stories, but surely he can't go any further with the whole Necroscope concept? There's only so many times that various people can be made to forget everything!

I think there are only a few real possibilities left:

1) Something happens in the far future of Earth, maybe involving the survivors of the Shing't massacre.

2) A new extraterrestrial/interdimensional threat raises its head on Starside/Sunside.

I truly do not see how Brian could reintroduce any more Wamphyri!

[pheral]

I really love all the Necroscope books but have to admit to missing Harry's presence in the last few. ( E-branch series and The Touch. ) Saying that I enjoyed the e-branch books better because you got to know the lead character better The Touch was to short and to introduce a new concept into the equation just did not work as well as it could have.
I would love to see harry back in a future book but think there is plenty of avenues to explore with Harry's golden darts.
Whatever happens please Brian write more!! I need more necroscope.

[John & Paul]

I don't think you'll have that long to wait for another few Harry adventures

[Chris Banks]

You could try and find Harry Keogh and Other Weird Heroes. I think it's available in Waterstones and the like at the moment. They can certainly get hold of a copy for you if you ask.

[Bite me]

I think there are only a few real possibilities left:

1) Something happens in the far future of Earth, maybe involving the survivors of the Shing't massacre.

2) A new extraterrestrial/interdimensional threat raises its head on Starside/Sunside.

I truly do not see how Brian could reintroduce any more Wamphyri!

If I recall correctly, someone at the end of "The Touch" says that Shania and Scott keep their memories so that one day, when an alien race does contact Earth, there can be someone there who remembers.

In "Avengers" Goodly's precognitive journeys during his vampire sleep indicate that in the future, there will indeed be Necroscope(s) descended from Jake and Liz...so if/when that contact occurs, surely a very long deceased Scott or Shania would try to contact the Necroscope(s) of that time.

I do know this much, though: There's *more* than enough potentially loose ends to make "The Touch" an integral part in any (crosses fingers, knocks on wood, prays to St. Jude) future Necroscope novels.

[Dragonosi]

Just a thought guys...the future isnt the only place to look for interesting stories in the necroscope worlds...theres a three thousand year span between the infection of Shaitan the Fallen and the arrival of Harry in Sunside/Starside that is only lightly touched on...Nathans wasnt the only bloodwar.

Build a man a fire, he will be warm for a night. Light a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life.

[Ilya Sul]

Waldemar Ferenczy, he never actually died.

[esoper]

Ive always been so enthralled by the necroscope books thats its hard to imagine them coming to an end, so therefore I hope in whatever way they keep going!! Whether it is in another thread such as Scott St. John battling aliens or a new uprising of the wamphyr, it matters not to me just the ideas and the sheer adventure of the books is what captivates me and keeps me wanting more!! Lets see what Mr. Lumley has in store for us in the future!!

[Dragonosi]

Finished reading the touch last night and i have to agree...though a great book..it didnt much feel like a necroscope book and my reasoning is that ive always refered to the series as "My favorite vampire book series". and other than mentioning mind-smog and wamphyri themselves once or twice...they simply didnt matter in this book. as far as it being the last of the necroscope books or what have you..im reminded of what trask was telling nathen about the nightmare zone before going there...that trask witnessed st.john move a sheet of paper across his desk without having touched it..seems kinda tough to remember that when A. it didnt happen in the touch and B. the memory of st.john was removed from the minds of e-branch....so im betting scott will be seen again..and with a lovely wife and loyal wolf in tow.

just a thought...if ,durning the 3ish months after harry left earth for residence on starside, he was out and about one night and saw a clock with 4 oddly moving hands on its face land before him...and titus crow stepped out of the clock...and from there (place grand adventure here)..would it then be a necroscope book or in with the titus crow series? thats kinda how i view the touch being a necroscope addition...enough e-branch and harry to give it the necroscope title.

Build a man a fire...he will be warm for a night...Light a man on fire...he will be warm for the rest of his life.

Drago