I wasn’t sure how long I had been in the cabin, days, weeks, months, time didn’t seem to move. There was no light outside, the inky darkness that surrounded the cabins exterior blocked out the world in which I had left, it locked me in, consumed my thoughts and dreams, took away my hope.
In the cabin there was only I, the writer. I had written the manuscript to save my wife, my muse, but with her saved and the story over my writing has lost rhythm, it no longer flows like it did, when I had motivation. The story had died.
There were times in the cabin when I was completely alone, times where everything seemed calm, then there were times when he was there. The man that existed outside of logic, I wasn’t sure if my manuscript had brought him here or my own lack of sanity but he was there.
He smiled at me maniacally like a psychopath restrained, his eyes never lost contact with my own as if only existing in my gaze.
His features were identical to those of my own, like a clone or evil twin, his clothes copies of my own, but was he real, was I real.
-----------------------------
I wasn’t sure how long I had been in the cabin, days, weeks, months, time didn’t seem to move. There was no light outside. The inky darkness that surrounded the cabins exterior blocked out the world in which I had left, it locked me in, consumed my thoughts and dreams, took away my diminishing hope.
In the cabin there was only I, the writer. I had written the manuscript to save my wife, my muse, but with her saved and the story over my writing has lost rhythm, it no longer flows like it did, when I had motivation. The story had died. Have I died?
There were times in the cabin when I was completely alone, times where everything seemed calm, then there were times when he was there. The man that existed outside of logic, I wasn’t sure if my manuscript had brought him here or my own lack of sanity but he was there.
He smiled at me maniacally like a psychopath restrained. His eyes wide and bloodshot never lost contact with my own, as if only existing in my gaze.
His features were identical to those of my own, like a clone or evil twin, his clothes copies of my own, but was he real, was I real.
It was unsettling. Zane had called him Mr. Scratch, he told me not to worry about him he would meet my friends when I was gone, but I was worried. Why was he here?
Sometimes my mind shifts outside of the cabin, into a world of my own twisted imagination, a world fighting me, dragging me deeper into insanity; its surroundings were unfamiliar, like a suppressed memory. These moments or shifts took their toll. Scratch had followed me, watched me suffer through the TV. He had dictated the horrors that came at every turn, like a demented storyteller, if he was so harmless, why did he try to kill me.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Tiril's 10 Reviews
The Day The World Went Away - Terminator
The chaptered fan fiction undertakes weaving a story of Marcus Wright’s life both before and after the Terminator Salvation film. Considering the subject matter, it takes on a decidedly dark and dramatic feel to it which is fitting for the character and the Terminator canon. Everything is from Marcus’ point-of-view as the reader is treated with small scenes from his life before Skynet turned him into a Terminator. This particular fiction is interesting how it shows us Marcus’ human memories in reverse, starting from his time on death row and ending with a scene of he and his brother enjoying a swim in a river.
There is very little dialogue in the beginning, the author relying on Marcus’ inner monologue to carry the story and to set down the scene, and toward the end changing to rely more on dialogue to show the differences between Kyle and Marcus in their beliefs. The order of it causes some confusion, as it isn’t linear and it takes some of the reader’s intuition to figure out if the author is handling the past or the present. The story relies heavily on the descriptive, which can either be fitting for the reader or too much depending on personal preference. Some might find issue with the characterisation of Marcus, I have too limited knowledge to really establish an opinion on the matter, but the authors interpretation is merely one of many, as Marcus as a character doesn’t get much development in the film.
It does occasionally adopt the peculiar practice of inserting random lines in brackets, which can either be interpreted as connected or unconnected with what is actually going on. This strikes me as odd, but does not remove from the experience too much. I do enjoy how the author underlines how Marcus thinks differently from the Resistance he has joined, most notably Kyle, and does insert some musing on the fact that he is no longer a human, but a Terminator.
I Was a Dad Once - Doctor Who
This fan fiction begins with a simple line that serves as the premise for the entire piece. Predictably, the line is the same as the story title. It revolves around the title character from Doctor Who, the Doctor, and his reminiscing of the past and a non-canonical child. As far as structure and spelling goes, this piece of writing is high in quality; however that is not the defining element to any piece of writing. The beginning storyline unfolds simply enough, familiar to anyone who has seen episodes of Doctor Who, with the Doctor running from some unnamed danger.
As it continues it turns iffy, turning away from the simple recipe of Doctor Who and into a barely hidden self-insert. The original character introduced seems incapable of being overly affected by the sudden unusual events and the stranger at her door. The usual tough girl recipe is used for the woman, making the Mary Sue element of her obvious. She takes the Doctor’s presence in stride, which is suspicious in any media other than the original, but the author should be given props for her dialogue and ability to keep the Doctor in character, keeping the conversations interesting and plausible for the character involved.
The largest minus for this piece of fan fiction is the Mary Sue and deviation from Doctor Who canon, as it is known that the Doctor has a daughter, but that child did not stem from a spunky American who lived in Los Angeles. The premise and original character is a definite downside, but the overall quality of writing turns a potentially tortuous experience into merely mild annoyance at the cliché elements taken into use.
Homeward Bound - Star Wars
This small vignette is focused on the relationship between Han Solo and Leia Organa at the definite end of their lives from Han’s point-of-view. It relies heavily on the Extended Universe of Star Wars, which is vastly different and far more evolved than the film canon. In this respect I cannot be certain if either of the established characters are portrayed correctly or not, as the EU is a blind spot, but the portrayal seems to carry some of their old characterisations, if aged by the years of apparent struggle the two have gone through. The piece nods to the established Star Wars canon, mentioning the death of Anakin Solo and Chewbacca, the family troubles, and Han’s shortcomings as a father and family man.
The story itself focuses heavily on the emotional aspects of what the characters are going through. Leia is sick, dying, and Han is being left behind. Creating dialogue for this is difficult, and the author should receive some recognition for managing to fashion it in an only slightly wince inducing manner. It is of note how the author proceeds to show just how far gone Leia is, depicting her as delusional and unable to recall where she is. The whole thing is aimed at the emotional state of Han and the grief that stems from his wife’s impending death.
I did feel that it did turn a bit overly dramatic as I read on, but that may perhaps only be due to the sudden appearance of Leia, now dead, as a Force spectre. The Force itself is a difficult concept for those who are not familiar with it, but the use of it in the end of this piece is familiar in the aspect of its use as a tool to connect the two even after death. That in particular is an overused effect in heavy handed emotional pieces, but it must be noted that there seems to be little else in way of closure for Han in the point of view we’re given. The vignette would be perfect if it had ended there, but when the author proceeds to depict the afterlife it becomes a bit much and the poignant scene turns into an overly sweet ending that robs it of some of its impact on the reader.
The Not Quite Love Letters - Star Wars
This interesting chaptered story, based off the Star Wars canon, shows the progress through the film through various messaging media, rather than plain writing. It focuses on Han Solo and Leia Organa and their slow developing relationship from an entirely non-canon and humorous vantage point. The style of switching point-of-views regularly, and sometimes to entirely different characters than those the fan fiction focuses on could perhaps be confusing for some, but I managed to follow it and found it highly entertaining. It doesn’t regard itself highly, so it entirely possible to forgive any irregularities in canon and it does have the added bonus of undertaking actual canon events and reflecting it through the unique style the author has adopted. The writing isn’t grade a, but most can be forgiven with the wit of the piece and the fact that it is supposed to be humorous.
The representations of the characters are a bit erratic at times; Leia in particular is shown as more inexperienced than she actually is, with Han being less of the learned criminal that he has been established as in both the film canon and extended universe canon. However, as it is presented as a piece that regularly makes fun of itself, these irregularities can be forgiven for the sake of the enjoyment it offers.
Never Go Back - Firefly
The 26-chaptered story of Never Go Back, continuing the story of the crew of the Serenity after the motion picture of the same name, is told from the point-of-view of the character River. It depicts her struggles going from a science experience of the government and into the guise of a not-quite ordinary girl turning into a young woman and those around her unable to grasp the concept. The representation of River, from her Reader abilities to her convoluted mental processes, is spot on for the character from the series Firefly and the motion picture Serenity. The development shown in the writing is believable and at a steady and slow pace, with occasional steps back for perspective. It takes on a realistic view on how River, a traumatised young woman, could potentially develop into a semi-sane individual of the Serenity crew.
It should be noted that the story turns into a slow burning romantic drama and despite the potential of turning it into an over the top story that deviates from the canon material into something wholly unrecognisable, it is handled carefully. The characters remain true throughout and despite the fact that the River/Mal pairing is not one I would have imagined, the author makes it believable in the spin-off universe that has been created for that particular interpretation of the characters.
The story was solid and kept true to itself through the whole process; the added bonus of high quality writing made it a pleasure to read. It handled the subject matter maturely and respected the original material from the series, thus becoming one of few fan fictions that I could imagine going back to at a later date and re-reading.
Gossip - Mass Effect
The vignette based off the game Mass Effect from BioWare focuses on one of the NPC characters that the game does not explore as much as others. Joker is the pilot of the spaceship Normandy, the vessel of the main character of the game, Shepard. The author offers up a representation of what might have gone through Joker’s head during the game, with a notable weight on the fact that Joker controls the ship in its entirety as well as the intercom system, capable of hearing most things said on the vessel. The concept itself is original, as I’ve not come across something like that before, the execution isn’t outright bad, but it seems halting at times, some formulations and representations coming across as convoluted and a bit off.
Overall, it is meant as a light humorous vignette and this purpose it fulfils quite well. The tone remains joking most of the time, despite some departures into serious thought on Joker’s part, especially when it comes to Shepard, but I suspect this is merely a product of the authors own interpretation of Shepard. It would have been better written in a more general way, allowing readers to insert their own interpretation of Shepard rather than the author inserting her own. The ending could have been done better, the decidedly dramatic ending note we could have done without, and I do believe Joker’s infatuation with Shepard in this vignette is a departure from the true character as he was represented in the game.
Tracers - Mass Effect
Another vignette from Mass Effect, this one is focused on Kaidan Alenko and his struggles with the migraines caused by the L2 biotic implant. In style it is well done, the writing is of a high quality and the character true to form. The use of flashbacks as Kaidan suffers through one of his migraine episodes gives a feel of the fragmented state of his mind when the L2 implant flares up. The text goes to great effort to create the atmosphere of his migraine and his view on the world around him as he suffers through them. His reaction to the migraine, both inwardly and outwardly, remains true to the characters personality in the game, with the added bonus of Shepard being vague enough for anyone to insert their own female version of her into the story if they so wished.
The flashbacks in particular are of note, as they bring up events in Kaidan’s history that show up through conversation with him in the game. The use of canon material in them gives it a more realistic edge and gives the reader a greater understanding of the whole issue if they went through the effort of learning those particular details from Kaidan during gameplay. The end does carry an overly dramatic twinge to it, but considering Kaidan’s flashbacks it is warranted and suitable where it is placed.
Cast Stones at Dragons - Supernatural
This fan fiction based off the end of the third season of the TV show Supernatural deals with what Sam Winchester does after his brother is dragged off to Hell. The story begins more than a decade after the event, from Sam’s point-of-view as he is seen revising a book he has written. From this beginning the scene is set, showing how Sam has changed since the end of the third season and how he hasn’t changed. The atmosphere slowly develops as the story unfolds, the author weaving a fascinating story around how Sam coped with his brother’s death. The use of a well-known trope, Chekhov’s gun, is a nice treat for those familiar with the series. The vague references to an element of the Supernatural canon will jog the thoughts of a knowledgeable reader and the slow reveal is extremely satisfying.
The style of writing is easy to follow and engaging, fitting with the chosen character point of view and the manner that the story is unfolding. When the conclusion finally arrives it is not a surprise, but it is no less satisfying as it fits into what Sam as a character could have potentially done. In some ways the elements weave into something equally moving and painful, as there are subtle differences from the inspiration and the end result of Sam’s actions.
Good Basis for a Friendship - Star Wars
This vignette from Star Wars focuses on Wes Janson and Derek “Hobbie” Klivian from Rogue Squadron when they were Red Squadron. It has the premise of a drinking party after the Death Star trench run, remembering the pilots lost during that battle. It depicts a conversation between two of the aforementioned pilots before they became the friends they are in the X-Wing books and comics, essentially laying down the foundation bricks for what lies in their future.
The style of writing focuses on dialogue, with a few action indicators to establish the scene between them. It uses canon events as the basis for the pilots’ thoughts, Hobbie joining the Rebel Alliance and Wes’ spot in the squadron being taken by Porkins due to sickness and his death because of this switch. The author’s way of presenting them shows a familiarity with their canon counterparts and remains true to the canon material. The writing is also of high quality and the majority of dialogue is fitting with the scene she is setting.
As someone familiar with these particular characters, I am impressed with how she depicted them and how closely they remained to the original. The premise is realistic in the setting it is presented, as the squadron throughout make a point of remembering past comrades and it remains an interesting take on how Wes and Hobbie developed into the fast friends they are represented as in canon.
Fade - Star Trek
The two-part fan fiction is based loosely off the Star Trek canon, but is set in an alternate universe where the characters are FBI agents rather than Starfleet officers. It is of note that the characterisations are of the characters from the new film rather than the original series. In this avenue we have limited knowledge as to the actual behaviours of James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy, but the author is working off the cues given in the film and the end result appeases me in the sense of realism she puts into the characters, instead of letting them fall short. It is more humorous than serious, eliciting amusement in the reader quite efficiently with the small segments of scenes the author uses.
It is of note that this is a romance fan fiction that increases at a slow boil. The slash is unsurprising considering Star Trek’s status as the grandfather of slash, but it is presented in a believable manner and the characterisation the author has chosen fits into it. The quality of the writing is high and most notably doesn’t take itself too seriously. The author’s intentions are clear, it is merely to have fun, and the fan fiction reflects this. The use of the story element of two cop partners partnering up for life is a worn one, but it works in this fiction, merely being charming rather than tedious and worn as it has the potential of being.
The chaptered fan fiction undertakes weaving a story of Marcus Wright’s life both before and after the Terminator Salvation film. Considering the subject matter, it takes on a decidedly dark and dramatic feel to it which is fitting for the character and the Terminator canon. Everything is from Marcus’ point-of-view as the reader is treated with small scenes from his life before Skynet turned him into a Terminator. This particular fiction is interesting how it shows us Marcus’ human memories in reverse, starting from his time on death row and ending with a scene of he and his brother enjoying a swim in a river.
There is very little dialogue in the beginning, the author relying on Marcus’ inner monologue to carry the story and to set down the scene, and toward the end changing to rely more on dialogue to show the differences between Kyle and Marcus in their beliefs. The order of it causes some confusion, as it isn’t linear and it takes some of the reader’s intuition to figure out if the author is handling the past or the present. The story relies heavily on the descriptive, which can either be fitting for the reader or too much depending on personal preference. Some might find issue with the characterisation of Marcus, I have too limited knowledge to really establish an opinion on the matter, but the authors interpretation is merely one of many, as Marcus as a character doesn’t get much development in the film.
It does occasionally adopt the peculiar practice of inserting random lines in brackets, which can either be interpreted as connected or unconnected with what is actually going on. This strikes me as odd, but does not remove from the experience too much. I do enjoy how the author underlines how Marcus thinks differently from the Resistance he has joined, most notably Kyle, and does insert some musing on the fact that he is no longer a human, but a Terminator.
I Was a Dad Once - Doctor Who
This fan fiction begins with a simple line that serves as the premise for the entire piece. Predictably, the line is the same as the story title. It revolves around the title character from Doctor Who, the Doctor, and his reminiscing of the past and a non-canonical child. As far as structure and spelling goes, this piece of writing is high in quality; however that is not the defining element to any piece of writing. The beginning storyline unfolds simply enough, familiar to anyone who has seen episodes of Doctor Who, with the Doctor running from some unnamed danger.
As it continues it turns iffy, turning away from the simple recipe of Doctor Who and into a barely hidden self-insert. The original character introduced seems incapable of being overly affected by the sudden unusual events and the stranger at her door. The usual tough girl recipe is used for the woman, making the Mary Sue element of her obvious. She takes the Doctor’s presence in stride, which is suspicious in any media other than the original, but the author should be given props for her dialogue and ability to keep the Doctor in character, keeping the conversations interesting and plausible for the character involved.
The largest minus for this piece of fan fiction is the Mary Sue and deviation from Doctor Who canon, as it is known that the Doctor has a daughter, but that child did not stem from a spunky American who lived in Los Angeles. The premise and original character is a definite downside, but the overall quality of writing turns a potentially tortuous experience into merely mild annoyance at the cliché elements taken into use.
Homeward Bound - Star Wars
This small vignette is focused on the relationship between Han Solo and Leia Organa at the definite end of their lives from Han’s point-of-view. It relies heavily on the Extended Universe of Star Wars, which is vastly different and far more evolved than the film canon. In this respect I cannot be certain if either of the established characters are portrayed correctly or not, as the EU is a blind spot, but the portrayal seems to carry some of their old characterisations, if aged by the years of apparent struggle the two have gone through. The piece nods to the established Star Wars canon, mentioning the death of Anakin Solo and Chewbacca, the family troubles, and Han’s shortcomings as a father and family man.
The story itself focuses heavily on the emotional aspects of what the characters are going through. Leia is sick, dying, and Han is being left behind. Creating dialogue for this is difficult, and the author should receive some recognition for managing to fashion it in an only slightly wince inducing manner. It is of note how the author proceeds to show just how far gone Leia is, depicting her as delusional and unable to recall where she is. The whole thing is aimed at the emotional state of Han and the grief that stems from his wife’s impending death.
I did feel that it did turn a bit overly dramatic as I read on, but that may perhaps only be due to the sudden appearance of Leia, now dead, as a Force spectre. The Force itself is a difficult concept for those who are not familiar with it, but the use of it in the end of this piece is familiar in the aspect of its use as a tool to connect the two even after death. That in particular is an overused effect in heavy handed emotional pieces, but it must be noted that there seems to be little else in way of closure for Han in the point of view we’re given. The vignette would be perfect if it had ended there, but when the author proceeds to depict the afterlife it becomes a bit much and the poignant scene turns into an overly sweet ending that robs it of some of its impact on the reader.
The Not Quite Love Letters - Star Wars
This interesting chaptered story, based off the Star Wars canon, shows the progress through the film through various messaging media, rather than plain writing. It focuses on Han Solo and Leia Organa and their slow developing relationship from an entirely non-canon and humorous vantage point. The style of switching point-of-views regularly, and sometimes to entirely different characters than those the fan fiction focuses on could perhaps be confusing for some, but I managed to follow it and found it highly entertaining. It doesn’t regard itself highly, so it entirely possible to forgive any irregularities in canon and it does have the added bonus of undertaking actual canon events and reflecting it through the unique style the author has adopted. The writing isn’t grade a, but most can be forgiven with the wit of the piece and the fact that it is supposed to be humorous.
The representations of the characters are a bit erratic at times; Leia in particular is shown as more inexperienced than she actually is, with Han being less of the learned criminal that he has been established as in both the film canon and extended universe canon. However, as it is presented as a piece that regularly makes fun of itself, these irregularities can be forgiven for the sake of the enjoyment it offers.
Never Go Back - Firefly
The 26-chaptered story of Never Go Back, continuing the story of the crew of the Serenity after the motion picture of the same name, is told from the point-of-view of the character River. It depicts her struggles going from a science experience of the government and into the guise of a not-quite ordinary girl turning into a young woman and those around her unable to grasp the concept. The representation of River, from her Reader abilities to her convoluted mental processes, is spot on for the character from the series Firefly and the motion picture Serenity. The development shown in the writing is believable and at a steady and slow pace, with occasional steps back for perspective. It takes on a realistic view on how River, a traumatised young woman, could potentially develop into a semi-sane individual of the Serenity crew.
It should be noted that the story turns into a slow burning romantic drama and despite the potential of turning it into an over the top story that deviates from the canon material into something wholly unrecognisable, it is handled carefully. The characters remain true throughout and despite the fact that the River/Mal pairing is not one I would have imagined, the author makes it believable in the spin-off universe that has been created for that particular interpretation of the characters.
The story was solid and kept true to itself through the whole process; the added bonus of high quality writing made it a pleasure to read. It handled the subject matter maturely and respected the original material from the series, thus becoming one of few fan fictions that I could imagine going back to at a later date and re-reading.
Gossip - Mass Effect
The vignette based off the game Mass Effect from BioWare focuses on one of the NPC characters that the game does not explore as much as others. Joker is the pilot of the spaceship Normandy, the vessel of the main character of the game, Shepard. The author offers up a representation of what might have gone through Joker’s head during the game, with a notable weight on the fact that Joker controls the ship in its entirety as well as the intercom system, capable of hearing most things said on the vessel. The concept itself is original, as I’ve not come across something like that before, the execution isn’t outright bad, but it seems halting at times, some formulations and representations coming across as convoluted and a bit off.
Overall, it is meant as a light humorous vignette and this purpose it fulfils quite well. The tone remains joking most of the time, despite some departures into serious thought on Joker’s part, especially when it comes to Shepard, but I suspect this is merely a product of the authors own interpretation of Shepard. It would have been better written in a more general way, allowing readers to insert their own interpretation of Shepard rather than the author inserting her own. The ending could have been done better, the decidedly dramatic ending note we could have done without, and I do believe Joker’s infatuation with Shepard in this vignette is a departure from the true character as he was represented in the game.
Tracers - Mass Effect
Another vignette from Mass Effect, this one is focused on Kaidan Alenko and his struggles with the migraines caused by the L2 biotic implant. In style it is well done, the writing is of a high quality and the character true to form. The use of flashbacks as Kaidan suffers through one of his migraine episodes gives a feel of the fragmented state of his mind when the L2 implant flares up. The text goes to great effort to create the atmosphere of his migraine and his view on the world around him as he suffers through them. His reaction to the migraine, both inwardly and outwardly, remains true to the characters personality in the game, with the added bonus of Shepard being vague enough for anyone to insert their own female version of her into the story if they so wished.
The flashbacks in particular are of note, as they bring up events in Kaidan’s history that show up through conversation with him in the game. The use of canon material in them gives it a more realistic edge and gives the reader a greater understanding of the whole issue if they went through the effort of learning those particular details from Kaidan during gameplay. The end does carry an overly dramatic twinge to it, but considering Kaidan’s flashbacks it is warranted and suitable where it is placed.
Cast Stones at Dragons - Supernatural
This fan fiction based off the end of the third season of the TV show Supernatural deals with what Sam Winchester does after his brother is dragged off to Hell. The story begins more than a decade after the event, from Sam’s point-of-view as he is seen revising a book he has written. From this beginning the scene is set, showing how Sam has changed since the end of the third season and how he hasn’t changed. The atmosphere slowly develops as the story unfolds, the author weaving a fascinating story around how Sam coped with his brother’s death. The use of a well-known trope, Chekhov’s gun, is a nice treat for those familiar with the series. The vague references to an element of the Supernatural canon will jog the thoughts of a knowledgeable reader and the slow reveal is extremely satisfying.
The style of writing is easy to follow and engaging, fitting with the chosen character point of view and the manner that the story is unfolding. When the conclusion finally arrives it is not a surprise, but it is no less satisfying as it fits into what Sam as a character could have potentially done. In some ways the elements weave into something equally moving and painful, as there are subtle differences from the inspiration and the end result of Sam’s actions.
Good Basis for a Friendship - Star Wars
This vignette from Star Wars focuses on Wes Janson and Derek “Hobbie” Klivian from Rogue Squadron when they were Red Squadron. It has the premise of a drinking party after the Death Star trench run, remembering the pilots lost during that battle. It depicts a conversation between two of the aforementioned pilots before they became the friends they are in the X-Wing books and comics, essentially laying down the foundation bricks for what lies in their future.
The style of writing focuses on dialogue, with a few action indicators to establish the scene between them. It uses canon events as the basis for the pilots’ thoughts, Hobbie joining the Rebel Alliance and Wes’ spot in the squadron being taken by Porkins due to sickness and his death because of this switch. The author’s way of presenting them shows a familiarity with their canon counterparts and remains true to the canon material. The writing is also of high quality and the majority of dialogue is fitting with the scene she is setting.
As someone familiar with these particular characters, I am impressed with how she depicted them and how closely they remained to the original. The premise is realistic in the setting it is presented, as the squadron throughout make a point of remembering past comrades and it remains an interesting take on how Wes and Hobbie developed into the fast friends they are represented as in canon.
Fade - Star Trek
The two-part fan fiction is based loosely off the Star Trek canon, but is set in an alternate universe where the characters are FBI agents rather than Starfleet officers. It is of note that the characterisations are of the characters from the new film rather than the original series. In this avenue we have limited knowledge as to the actual behaviours of James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy, but the author is working off the cues given in the film and the end result appeases me in the sense of realism she puts into the characters, instead of letting them fall short. It is more humorous than serious, eliciting amusement in the reader quite efficiently with the small segments of scenes the author uses.
It is of note that this is a romance fan fiction that increases at a slow boil. The slash is unsurprising considering Star Trek’s status as the grandfather of slash, but it is presented in a believable manner and the characterisation the author has chosen fits into it. The quality of the writing is high and most notably doesn’t take itself too seriously. The author’s intentions are clear, it is merely to have fun, and the fan fiction reflects this. The use of the story element of two cop partners partnering up for life is a worn one, but it works in this fiction, merely being charming rather than tedious and worn as it has the potential of being.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Nat's Fan Fic reviews
Grey's Anatomy - Make It Without You
This was one of the best fan fictions I read. It was for a possible flashback episode of Grey’s Anatomy, describing the initial meeting of Dr Torres and Dr Robbins. Each Chapter or Part begins with a song lyric, which I think was quite effective, almost giving an indication as to the theme of the piece. I preferred that the text wasn’t written as a script either, but more of a narrative.
How I Met Your Mother - One Would Call It Cheating
This text was a possible episode for How I Met Your Mother mainly involving two of the main characters Ted and Barney. In the actual show they are both heterosexual males, but in this fan fiction episode they are portrayed as being in love with each other. I like how opposite the two are, and how unexpected. I also think it’s interesting how the author seems to have taken inspiration from real life, as the actor who portrays Barney is actually gay – this might be an easy way to come up with a theme, use real life experiences.
How I Met Your Mother - Choices
This fiction is a possible storyline for How I Met Your Mother involving Robin and Barney.Despite this being a relatively short piece of fan fiction, it contains an entire storyline worth of information. It starts as the two characters dealing with one situation but by the end of the piece they are much older and are looking at that problem with reflective hindsight. I’m not sure this works that well as a storyline. I think it would have been better to focus on the one dilemma for the episode, and not go to unnecessary lengths to tie the story up over the lifetime.
How I Met Your Mother - Box Full o Honey
I found this fan fiction very interesting as although it was focusing on two characters from How I Met Your Mother, the line between trying to be true to the characters as they already are, and trying to create characters that fit into your storyline, was blurred, and the characters ended up sounding out of context and fake. It was almost as if the author changed it too much, or not enough. Dialogue that the characters were given was off-putting and ended up sounding out of place.
Sex and the City - Big Changes
This fan fiction is a possible episode of Sex and The City. I thought the use of different points of view within the chapters was very effective, it would be a much simpler way to structure a narrative in that style, but unsure how it would work when actually produced on screen. There were also some spelling and flow issues with this piece, which made it hard to follow at times.
I enjoyed the narrative style of this Friends storyline involving Chandler and Rachel. Rather than just a mechanical sounding film script, it tells the story in a more descriptive way. I like how the ff reads this way and could work as a novel or short story instead of purely a filmed episode.
Sex and the City - Death, Sex and New York
This piece deals mainly with the characters of SATC dealing with the loss of Samantha. The writer attempts to make the storyline sound original, but this is tainted by their choice of dialogue and actions, that are exactly as the original writers have already used. There is a lack of originality in this area and I found that this affected my overall interest in the story. I think it would be good to make sure not to use these elements directly from the original piece, but to elaborate on the characters in further ways.
Sex and the City - You've Got Me
This piece could almost be described as a crossover fan fiction between SATC and You’ve Got Mail (Ephron, 1998). It involves Carrie and Big having an argument. There are significant references to ‘You’ve Got Mail’ within the character’s dialogue. It was kind of tacky to begin with and cliché but the reference was tied up nicely at the end with a lighter tone, and not so obvious.Adding more to the subtext of the narrative, rather than making the link painfully apparent.
Sex and the City - I'll Think Of A Reason Later
This ff is a re-write of an episode of SATC which the author didn’t enjoy the original. I especially liked the reference to the original episode, as the author used dialogue that Carrie uses all the time (“couldn't help but wonder…”). This reads more like a narrative again, rather than a script, as it gives internal monologue as well as storyline encased in the dialogue. Again, I had a problem with the unoriginality of some of the choices in language, and the cliffhanger ending wasn’t nearly as interesting as it could have been.
The Big Bang Theory - The Drabble Adhesion
This ff of The Big Bang Theory is a series of chapters (drabble) that individually are very intriguing, but as a whole, are not cohesive and end up being quite confusing when collected as one episode. Certain chapters would be fantastic if they were formed into an episode worth of flowing content. The history of the characters is accurate to what has aired so far in the series, and the author focuses mainly on a relationship between Penny and Sheldon. A lot of the ff I read dealt with unlikely characters sharing some sort of unexpected or forbidden relationship.
My FanFiction - The Road -
Draft
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Dawn snatched me from my sleep with an anguished howl of salty air. Alone. I was now alone. I looked out across the wasted planes. From the charcoal of the burnt tree husks to the off-white the snow had taken due to the ash diluted into it, my sight was met by a spectacal of faded greys. I had to keep moving, now was a time which deprived us of the rights to luxury we had taken for granted. Nesting was one of them. I had made camp on the coast, in the dunes. Not to far from what I suppose has been a small fishing town. Its just a ghost town now, it's no longer safe but there might be food.
Ash and sand blew through the air, stinging my eyes. The dust got everywhere. Choking, clotting, blinding dust. I unassembled the makeshift bed that would soon be on my back along with all my worldly possessions, which mainly consisted of a knife, tarpoline, rags, odd shoes and a leather pouch which I used to keep food. It had been empty for weeks.
I stripped down to wash before I left for the town. I caught my relfection in the blade of my knife. It brought back memories of school history lessons. A flesh coloured skeleton of Auschwitz gleamed from that blade showing my mortality. I coughed with disgust at myself. A cough that shredded my throat. Blood mixed with ash and phlem pooled in my hand. Examining it, I knew there was too much this time. I was deeply sick.
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Dawn snatched me from my sleep with an anguished howl of salty air. Alone. I was now alone. I looked out across the wasted planes. From the charcoal of the burnt tree husks to the off-white the snow had taken due to the ash diluted into it, my sight was met by a spectacal of faded greys. I had to keep moving, now was a time which deprived us of the rights to luxury we had taken for granted. Nesting was one of them. I had made camp on the coast, in the dunes. Not to far from what I suppose has been a small fishing town. Its just a ghost town now, it's no longer safe but there might be food.
Ash and sand blew through the air, stinging my eyes. The dust got everywhere. Choking, clotting, blinding dust. I unassembled the makeshift bed that would soon be on my back along with all my worldly possessions, which mainly consisted of a knife, tarpoline, rags, odd shoes and a leather pouch which I used to keep food. It had been empty for weeks.
I stripped down to wash before I left for the town. I caught my relfection in the blade of my knife. It brought back memories of school history lessons. A flesh coloured skeleton of Auschwitz gleamed from that blade showing my mortality. I coughed with disgust at myself. A cough that shredded my throat. Blood mixed with ash and phlem pooled in my hand. Examining it, I knew there was too much this time. I was deeply sick.
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Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Michaels 10 Fanfic Reviews
Friday Night in Sin City - SIN CITY FAN FICTION
The main gist of this piece was to show the author's favourite character (Marv) as the author see's him. So he takes us through a rundown of a "typical" friday night at Marv's local bar/strip joint. Although there were a few spelling mistakes, I found that it was written very well. The author shows us that Marv is a instinctual character by using short sentences to describe his surroundings. With each sentence he focuses more intently on the description, creating a tableux feel in my imagination as slowly, the picture builds. This Style of writing is both compelling and helps us to quickly develop an idea about what sort of person Marv is. It also, being written in a narrative form, stays "true" to the movie by making us think like the character. A great start to a fanfiction, however, it could go on into the story more as i suspect marv would want to find out the reason for the womans blood on the moustache man.
Salisbury Tales - FALLOUT 3 FAN FICTION
The story portrayed in the fan fiction is one about a girl, whom due to the conditions she was conceived under, was born with a deformed leg. Her father starts a post-apocalypse inn for travelers in the D.C. wasteland to take shelter in. I enjoyed this story because of its view on a preconcieved game world. In the game you have to choose to either help or hinder the peoples of the wasteland, you never really have a "home" as you are constantly travelling. By makeing the story about an inn keeper they developed a different vantage point in the way they could write (by making the story about adventures she hears about rather then her own adventures).
The only downside I felt about it was that the characters the writer introduced were not developed enough.
My Life in the Brotherhood - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
This fanfiction is about an initiate in a military organisation 80 years after a nuclear war that desimated the world. I found the story interesting although the concepts in it were far from the actual concepts of the game. Aka the military organisation puts saving lives above all other duties, so the idea that as a training excercise they would sluaghter each other is preposterous. The writing style was interesting although there were many spelling mistakes as well as grammer mistakes. However as i was saying the first person perspective was a perfect way to write this as it is a personal account of a trumatic experience and therefore in first person it it conveys the account in a bias way. Overall its an adverage story in my oppinion just because it strays so far from the original game concepts.
Cold - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
This is the story of an unnamed hunter in the capital wasteland, he does what he needs to survive, that includes hunting humans as they are the most abundant source of food left. His only companion is a mutated dog which he found as a pup 10 years before the events in this story. The story structure is composed brilliantly as it "trickles" information about the character. This makes it a very enjoyable read as you begin thinking the character is a savage raider, but in actuallity he just wants to survive. However it did have a very "rushed" feeling to the writing as if the author didnt really plan what they were going to write as the sentances sometimes didn't really flow and a few had grammar mistakes. overall it is probally the best of the fallout fanfictions i have read as it sticks the the ideals of the game as well as going more indepth about the "mechanics" of surviving.
Dehumanization - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
Dehumanization is a fanfiction about a young boy whom eventually grows up to be a raider. However after reading it i felt a little ripped off, the story didn't really develop anything towards the raider aspect of the character. In saying that i did enjoy the way it was written and if it continued I know that i would have read more. The pace was a really good aspect of the way it was written, by making milestones in how far the character got to the door it enthralled you into the anticipation the character is feeling. There weren't really any spelling or grammar issues with also helped in making it easy to read. The ending left much to be desired though, as the structure dissipated and led to a dead end where i ending up just being dissapointed because until that point it was great.
If Only - A CLOCKWORK ORANGE FANFICTION
The author of this fanfiction has decided to tell the tale of how Alex (the main character in A Clockwork Orange) met his three Droogies; Pete, Dim and Georgie. It is written from the perspective of Georgie and hints as to reasons they droogies hold malice towards Alex in the original. The interesting thing about this piece of writing is that language-wise, it follows the orginal book perfectly. It does this by using the same "pace" in the sentences as well as the words that were created as slang specifically for the book. I really enjoyed reading "If Only" as it had no grammar or spelling mistakes, it seemed like it was extensively planned and the contain was a near-perfect style to that of the orginal book. I think it has the potential to be extended and become a very good piece of literature.
The Road Taken - THE ROAD FANFICTION
The Story here is the boy has gone with the "good guys" and what happens in the passing day. The good guys are a family of wanderers much like the boy and his father were. I think the author intended initially to write more as the first quarter of the story is recapping over what was pretty much explained at the end of the road (eg. describing the new characters, what the plan of action is, etc). I found it too repetative having read the road, the characters don't really do anything they havent done before and they dont really develop into any thing more then colourful sillouettes. Personally unless more is written i think that the story would have been better if it was unaltered. Overally I believe it is a good idea that just failed to really deliver anything a fanfiction should.
Don't Speak Against the Sun - THE ROAD FANFICTION
This is a fanfiction that is based soley on the apocalyptical world describe in the book the road. It is the memoirs of a Woman whom is slowly dying of the ash blight which has spread across the world. As a story peice i found it quite enjoyable if not a little confusing as to what was going on, from what I could figure out, the intervals of time were determined by the intervals of blood, which i suppose was ment to symbolise the lack of working time devices (Watches, clocks, etc). However i think it would have been far more effective if they just wrote it as days since the memoir was started. I like the authors style of writing though, it was blunt and to the point and i think with a little more planning it would be an awesome peice of writing. The ending was also rather genius, the abrupt mid-word cutoff could only have ment death was met. The author went through a lot of effort to convey the world as that which is imagined whislt reading the road, so overall this is one of the better pieces i have read.
A Moment in Time - THE ROAD FANFICTION
"A Moment in Time" is a fan fiction that relates the last day of a man. It is set in the world created by the author of the road and decribes the setting with details as are used in the book. The Story is good as it accounts what the man has learnt from surving as long as he did in the wasteland and has a good pace with a solid intro, middle and ending. How ever i did find that the writer should have stressed just how sick the man was. I liked the amount of discription that went into the mans activities and setting though. After reading it you realise that all along the man knew when he was going to die, and it was just his attempt to have the best day he could possibly give himself.
The Road: The Long Road Home - THE ROAD FANFICTION
This is a genius fanfiction. The writer puts off telling you that it is about the man and his son until around half way through the story. Using blunt conversation and vivid description he captivates and enthralls the reader into picking up pace as they read. However the Cherry on the cake is that In the very last line you realise that the author is just intentionally making a satire mockery of the novel. I really enjoyed it, half because of the ending and half in spite of it. The writer obviously was very good at capturing the writing style of the book and mixed it with the conversational style of the movie making it a combination of portrayals of the road. Funny and clever, the first of the good satire fanfictions i have read.
The main gist of this piece was to show the author's favourite character (Marv) as the author see's him. So he takes us through a rundown of a "typical" friday night at Marv's local bar/strip joint. Although there were a few spelling mistakes, I found that it was written very well. The author shows us that Marv is a instinctual character by using short sentences to describe his surroundings. With each sentence he focuses more intently on the description, creating a tableux feel in my imagination as slowly, the picture builds. This Style of writing is both compelling and helps us to quickly develop an idea about what sort of person Marv is. It also, being written in a narrative form, stays "true" to the movie by making us think like the character. A great start to a fanfiction, however, it could go on into the story more as i suspect marv would want to find out the reason for the womans blood on the moustache man.
Salisbury Tales - FALLOUT 3 FAN FICTION
The story portrayed in the fan fiction is one about a girl, whom due to the conditions she was conceived under, was born with a deformed leg. Her father starts a post-apocalypse inn for travelers in the D.C. wasteland to take shelter in. I enjoyed this story because of its view on a preconcieved game world. In the game you have to choose to either help or hinder the peoples of the wasteland, you never really have a "home" as you are constantly travelling. By makeing the story about an inn keeper they developed a different vantage point in the way they could write (by making the story about adventures she hears about rather then her own adventures).
The only downside I felt about it was that the characters the writer introduced were not developed enough.
My Life in the Brotherhood - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
This fanfiction is about an initiate in a military organisation 80 years after a nuclear war that desimated the world. I found the story interesting although the concepts in it were far from the actual concepts of the game. Aka the military organisation puts saving lives above all other duties, so the idea that as a training excercise they would sluaghter each other is preposterous. The writing style was interesting although there were many spelling mistakes as well as grammer mistakes. However as i was saying the first person perspective was a perfect way to write this as it is a personal account of a trumatic experience and therefore in first person it it conveys the account in a bias way. Overall its an adverage story in my oppinion just because it strays so far from the original game concepts.
Cold - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
This is the story of an unnamed hunter in the capital wasteland, he does what he needs to survive, that includes hunting humans as they are the most abundant source of food left. His only companion is a mutated dog which he found as a pup 10 years before the events in this story. The story structure is composed brilliantly as it "trickles" information about the character. This makes it a very enjoyable read as you begin thinking the character is a savage raider, but in actuallity he just wants to survive. However it did have a very "rushed" feeling to the writing as if the author didnt really plan what they were going to write as the sentances sometimes didn't really flow and a few had grammar mistakes. overall it is probally the best of the fallout fanfictions i have read as it sticks the the ideals of the game as well as going more indepth about the "mechanics" of surviving.
Dehumanization - FALLOUT 3 FANFICTION
Dehumanization is a fanfiction about a young boy whom eventually grows up to be a raider. However after reading it i felt a little ripped off, the story didn't really develop anything towards the raider aspect of the character. In saying that i did enjoy the way it was written and if it continued I know that i would have read more. The pace was a really good aspect of the way it was written, by making milestones in how far the character got to the door it enthralled you into the anticipation the character is feeling. There weren't really any spelling or grammar issues with also helped in making it easy to read. The ending left much to be desired though, as the structure dissipated and led to a dead end where i ending up just being dissapointed because until that point it was great.
If Only - A CLOCKWORK ORANGE FANFICTION
The author of this fanfiction has decided to tell the tale of how Alex (the main character in A Clockwork Orange) met his three Droogies; Pete, Dim and Georgie. It is written from the perspective of Georgie and hints as to reasons they droogies hold malice towards Alex in the original. The interesting thing about this piece of writing is that language-wise, it follows the orginal book perfectly. It does this by using the same "pace" in the sentences as well as the words that were created as slang specifically for the book. I really enjoyed reading "If Only" as it had no grammar or spelling mistakes, it seemed like it was extensively planned and the contain was a near-perfect style to that of the orginal book. I think it has the potential to be extended and become a very good piece of literature.
The Road Taken - THE ROAD FANFICTION
The Story here is the boy has gone with the "good guys" and what happens in the passing day. The good guys are a family of wanderers much like the boy and his father were. I think the author intended initially to write more as the first quarter of the story is recapping over what was pretty much explained at the end of the road (eg. describing the new characters, what the plan of action is, etc). I found it too repetative having read the road, the characters don't really do anything they havent done before and they dont really develop into any thing more then colourful sillouettes. Personally unless more is written i think that the story would have been better if it was unaltered. Overally I believe it is a good idea that just failed to really deliver anything a fanfiction should.
Don't Speak Against the Sun - THE ROAD FANFICTION
This is a fanfiction that is based soley on the apocalyptical world describe in the book the road. It is the memoirs of a Woman whom is slowly dying of the ash blight which has spread across the world. As a story peice i found it quite enjoyable if not a little confusing as to what was going on, from what I could figure out, the intervals of time were determined by the intervals of blood, which i suppose was ment to symbolise the lack of working time devices (Watches, clocks, etc). However i think it would have been far more effective if they just wrote it as days since the memoir was started. I like the authors style of writing though, it was blunt and to the point and i think with a little more planning it would be an awesome peice of writing. The ending was also rather genius, the abrupt mid-word cutoff could only have ment death was met. The author went through a lot of effort to convey the world as that which is imagined whislt reading the road, so overall this is one of the better pieces i have read.
A Moment in Time - THE ROAD FANFICTION
"A Moment in Time" is a fan fiction that relates the last day of a man. It is set in the world created by the author of the road and decribes the setting with details as are used in the book. The Story is good as it accounts what the man has learnt from surving as long as he did in the wasteland and has a good pace with a solid intro, middle and ending. How ever i did find that the writer should have stressed just how sick the man was. I liked the amount of discription that went into the mans activities and setting though. After reading it you realise that all along the man knew when he was going to die, and it was just his attempt to have the best day he could possibly give himself.
The Road: The Long Road Home - THE ROAD FANFICTION
This is a genius fanfiction. The writer puts off telling you that it is about the man and his son until around half way through the story. Using blunt conversation and vivid description he captivates and enthralls the reader into picking up pace as they read. However the Cherry on the cake is that In the very last line you realise that the author is just intentionally making a satire mockery of the novel. I really enjoyed it, half because of the ending and half in spite of it. The writer obviously was very good at capturing the writing style of the book and mixed it with the conversational style of the movie making it a combination of portrayals of the road. Funny and clever, the first of the good satire fanfictions i have read.
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