Alright, so I read some of the reviews of the first chapter, and I decided to explain some things a little bit. I promised I will write something for every type of reader, so I here I will reveal how this story works if you want more information. First of all, this guide will somewhat spoil the pleasure of discovering everything by yourself. It's not giving away the story, but it somehow takes its veil away if you will. If you've found the preview a good read, and you understood most of its plot (not all of it, because that's the point) you shouldn't continue reading this page, just add your information in the form below, and you will be notified every time I post a new chapter in the story. Your information will be kept private, I will be the only person who will have access to it. Feel free to use a fake name and/or a secondary email.
p.s. I suggest reading "THE BOOKS" section to choose what book you prefer reading first.
p.s. I suggest reading "THE BOOKS" section to choose what book you prefer reading first.
NOTHING MAKES SENSE!
Well.. it's not supposed to. It's this book, this character that is particularly confusing. If you read the preview, you now know Alice is the main character. "Instrument 2" (volume 2 of the series) is about her. And the prologue finds her during a psychotherapy session. We read that she can't make a clear distinction between her real memories and her fantasies. Her memory, her past, is fragmented in the beginning. Just like this book. As the story goes on, everything becomes clearer, Alice, as well, putting the pieces of her past back together. I picked a quote from the Bible for "Instrument 2" , it was :
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
It was my intention to make this the reaction of a first-time reader of the series. The disoriented newcomer reads about this horrific violence and death depicted so close to the first pages, it almost feels like he/she has been purposely dropped in a warzone, to act as a spectator, to promptly pick sides, to decide who are the good guys. Well, it will be hard to pick sides. Every reader will pick sides based on their own personalities and motivations. There are no real antagonists in these books. The main characters are antagonists to themselves. As I said in the beginning of the preview, the only enemy is an eternal one. I won't spoil this one for you. I'll let you figure this one out.
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
It was my intention to make this the reaction of a first-time reader of the series. The disoriented newcomer reads about this horrific violence and death depicted so close to the first pages, it almost feels like he/she has been purposely dropped in a warzone, to act as a spectator, to promptly pick sides, to decide who are the good guys. Well, it will be hard to pick sides. Every reader will pick sides based on their own personalities and motivations. There are no real antagonists in these books. The main characters are antagonists to themselves. As I said in the beginning of the preview, the only enemy is an eternal one. I won't spoil this one for you. I'll let you figure this one out.
The Books
The story starts with the second book for a reason. It's marketing mostly, really. I'm selling you my confusing, half-fledged, plagiarized story, and competing directly with the established, professional writers you read on a daily basis. So, obviously, I had to cheat my way into your bookshelf. I gave you the 'gem' of the story. I'm just throwing you in the middle of all the fun stuff. If you want a casual, adventure read, that is structured and makes more sense, I suggest you wait a little bit. The first book will explain the time setting, characters and the plot of the whole series. The first part of the series is kind of a trilogy, meaning that you get a complete story, a closure if you will, after the third book. When I find the time and motivation I'll continue the journey. What is great about this trilogy is that you can start with any book, and still get the whole story. For every type of reader there is a type of book to start with:
INSTRUMENT 1: CUNNING, SCRUPULOUS AND DEVOTED - gives you more history, lore, setup. Recommended if you want a more traditional approach to this story
INSTRUMENT 2 : INNOCENT, YOUNG, AND NAIVE - choose this if you enjoy reading mystery books, detective novels or just like a good ol' mindfuck
INSTRUMENT 3: VENGEFUL, DAMAGED AND TURBULENT - starts kinda like a superhero origin story, only that it goes south real fast as soon as people start dying
INSTRUMENT 1: CUNNING, SCRUPULOUS AND DEVOTED - gives you more history, lore, setup. Recommended if you want a more traditional approach to this story
INSTRUMENT 2 : INNOCENT, YOUNG, AND NAIVE - choose this if you enjoy reading mystery books, detective novels or just like a good ol' mindfuck
INSTRUMENT 3: VENGEFUL, DAMAGED AND TURBULENT - starts kinda like a superhero origin story, only that it goes south real fast as soon as people start dying
The characters/InStruments
So, basically, the narrators, the main protagonists of every book are the instruments. The instruments and only the instruments narrate the story. ( for the narrators in the Prologue read below). Look at the series as a concerto, every book being a piece of this concerto, that brings together some, or all, or one of the instruments. For example, the first volume has only one instrument, it's a solo, hence it has only one narrator. The volume two, "INSTRUMENT 2 : INNOCENT, YOUNG, AND NAÏVE" has TWO narrators. TWO instruments. You'll be introduced to each new instrument with every book, i.e. INSTRUMENT 3: VENGEFUL, DAMAGED AND TURBULENT has three instruments, three main protagonists, the narrators from the first, second and the third book.
THE PROLOGUE OF VOL. 2
The prologue is very confusing for the reasons stated above in "NOTHING MAKES SENSE!" section. Furthermore, the first lines of it, the relaxation technique, they are meant for Alice, one of the narrators (explained later in the story). She uses her gift to reach out of her physical body, out of the asylum. She's sees and describes the approaching cars, the Recon Teams, even her own body, at some point (the blonde middle schooler). She sounds older as a narrator because she is older when telling this story. So there are only two protagonist-narrators in this volume. More details about how narrators work in "THE CHARACTERS/INSTRUMENTS" section.
If you have more questions or suggestions, leave a comment below and I'll be happy to respond. Thank you for showing interest in this book.