This book quietly surprised me. I find as I reflect on it, I really enjoyed the ride, and love what happens between the characters. The story starts with Julian set to meet a possible investor in his green tech start-up at Craven Club, an exclusive, high-end club. When he is told the investor is “delayed indefinitely,” he’s not sure what to think.
Julian sees Weston, an extremely successful venture capitalist, across the room. He was standing near the back of the room watching. His eyes locked onto Julian’s, making Julian feel unsettled. Julian held his gaze until Weston looked away. As Julian is deliberating whether to stay or go, he is given a note by the host, it reads “If you’re staying, please take a seat.” He decides to stay and walks towards a table missing two players and sees that Weston has already taken one of the free seats.
Julian, of course I was instantly pulling for. Weston, intriguing, yes, but at the start I was thinking, is he another cold and calculating person, like the rest of the players at this club? The answer is yes…and no. He challenges Julian to basically put it all on the line. He knows Julian is at the end of the line in securing funding for his start-up. After Julian won the third hand Weston tells him “I underestimated you… I think we’re done with child’s play here.” Then he wagers, “A weekend at my place. If you win, we talk money. I know who you are: I hear your start-up could use a donation. If I win”…Weston let the words hang in the air, a challenge, a dare. “You stay.” Julian is surprised Weston even knows who he is. He realizes this isn’t about the cards or the money or the funding. This is about power and control. Julian has to decide to accept the challenge or walk away. The players around the table hold their breath, waiting for Julian to respond. He meets Weston’s eyes…nods once, sharply. Game on!
The game play was intense, with Weston watching Julian closely, cataloging his every move. Weston ends up winning, royal flush to Julian’s straight flush. For Julian, this wasn’t just losing a hand. He lost everything. His pride, his resolve, the tenuous control he’d held over himself.
Weston didn’t gloat or mock, just quietly said “Be ready by seven tomorrow.”
In addition to rage and fury, Julian feels something far more dangerous, curiosity.
I’m ending the main story review here. The rest goes into what happens at Weston’s, the dance between these two men. I can’t give the rest of this delicious story away. There is a lot more to Weston and his interest in Julian. I think what is interesting about Julian is he seems to have a mix of ambition and idealism. He doesn’t let his ambition take away from his core values, which seems to be the key to unlocking Weston’s interest. There is also a moment, near the end of the main story, that melts my heart and leaves me wanting more.
Puppet Master: Weston’s Story is the bonus story Ryan sends to his subscribers. I can’t go into too many details. This story is the background leading up to Weston meeting Julian. At the beginning, it had me wondering what game Weston is up to. By the end I was just smiling.
Ryan’s stories are so enjoyable, surprising, and make me adjust my assumptions of people. I think his stories are interesting in that he manages to take characters who may seem cold on the surface and reveal they have so much depth. Many times they let that cold and calculating image be what most people see, a big huge wall. Then when someone manages to find a crack in their armor, you see the vulnerability they were protecting, see how they have to decide between being walled off and safe, or vulnerable and alive.