The Centre Cannot Hold

Answers starting to come now – the reasons for Talbot’s reticence, some explanation of the site, and, most interestingly, the revelation that the Vicar is not what he seemed. Rather than being motivated by Christian fervour, it now appears that he intends to wipe out the competition. All of them.

So, for those keeping count, that leaves us with Jack, Snuff and Larry as Closers, the Vicar and (if Talbot is right) the Count as Openers, and all the other Players as yet unknown. Plus, Holmes, of course, who one assumes is playing a game of his own.

The midpoint of the month, and doesn’t everyone know it? Nearly every single player is seen in this chapter, all on last minute missions or out enjoying themselves, since this will be their last chance for frivolity for some little while.

Yet another new player is introduced – Cheeter the squirrel, who is familiar to an old man of possibly druidic inclinations. There’s also a mention of the dour detective and his portly friend, a mysterious other canine about and finally, some hints as to the nature of the Game.

In particular, it’s made clear that this game – already fairly obviously supernatural in nature – has two factions, Openers and Closers. Of course, we don’t know what side anyone is on. Yet.

More revelations, and an alliance.

That this might be the case the Great Detective was investigating is hardly a shock, and if you’ve taken a look at the Character Guide already, you’ll have a pretty good idea of why Talbot watches the Moon so assiduously. His mention of a prior encounter with the Count is intriguing (not least because there exists no documentation of them meeting any time before they each met Frankenstein, Abbott and Costello in 1948).

Most interesting is Larry’s making free with information that everyone else is very careful with. The Count, apparently, is an Opener, while Jack, Snuff and Talbot are all opposed to him – Closers, to take a hint from Talbot’s remark yesterday. But Opening or Closing what is still unclear.

Introducing yet another player – Bubo the Rat, who works with the Good Doctor and his creation, and who provides Snuff with the location of the Count’s place.

Fascinatingly, we are privy to a conversation between Jack and Snuff, although in content it serves little more than to codify what we already know.

Zelazny is in fine form here, with clever puns and his memorable description of the items needed for particular conjurations necessitating “lunatic scavenger hunts”.