Nothing Left to Lose by Jane and Madelaine Ingram

[przed.livejournal.com]

Okay, for my first rec I thought I'd cover one of my old favourites...

Title: Nothing Left to Lose
Author: Jane & Madelaine Ingram
Circuit Archive Link: http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/4/nothingleft.html
Zine: Originally published in Leather and Blue Jeans
Permission to archive: Sure

Summary:
An AU set in a not-too-distant future where society has broken down after a meteor strike has devastated the planet. Bodie is a sheriff in a small English settlement; Doyle is a gunfighter arrives in time to warn him of a marauding motorcycle gang. The two of them end up being the town's only defenders when the gang attacks.

Review:
I've never been a huge fan of Jane's writing. I couldn't get past a chapter or two of The Hunting, and the Rainy Days universe bores me to tears with its overly domestic view of the lads. This story, however, has stuck with me for years and is one I regularly go back to re-read.

From a purely shallow perspective, this story offers plenty of mind's eye candy. Both the lads are clad in riding leathers and jeans throughout the story, and much time is spent on their proficiency with a motorcycle. If the visuals of Wild Justice are to your taste, you should get a kick out of this story.

Part of the satisfaction of an AU, I think, is how it can show that Bodie and Doyle are fated to be together, no matter the place or time. And this story is no different. The characters here haven't gone through the same experiences of our lads canonically, but the connection between them is immediate and obvious. That connection does not mean that they immediately become a team and a couple, however, and the struggles they go through toward realizing the strength of their connection makes the whole story even more satisfying.

The world that Jane and Madeline Ingram have built contains a gratifying amount of detail. There is a large amount of time spent with this Bodie's history and how he came to be in his current position. That history not only provides a feast for those who like their Bodie angsty, but it gives a broad understanding of how different the world of the story is from the one we know.

And then there's the sex. I know some reader's prefer their slash with a large helping of sex. I'm not necessarily one of them. Not that I don't like sex scenes. A well-written sex scene can not only be enjoyable unto itself, but provide an opportunity for really interesting, rewarding character development. And sometimes they're just darn fun. But a mediocre description of sex leaves me as cold as poorly handled exposition, and can feel just as mechanical. Fortunately, I think this story has just the right amount of sex. The attraction between the lads is set up early on and provides a satisfying amount of heat throughout the whole story. (Much as I enjoy fulfillment of sexual attraction, I think I might actually enjoy the lead up to it better.) And the final sex scene is entirely satisfying, not too drawn out but hard and hot and with a nice sense of anticipation leading up to it.

If I don't always feel the need for sex in a slash story, I'm a huge fan of hurt/comfort. (Hurt/comfort was pretty much my gateway drug to slash.) And there is a very nice amount of h/c in Nothing Left to Lose. I've already mentioned that Bodie has an angst-ridden history, and Doyle has one to match, though since the story is told from Bodie's POV, we don't get as much detail about Doyle's past. In the months preceding the start of the story, Bodie has been recovering from a gunshot wound delivered by the same biker gang that's about to make a return visit to the town, giving him a nice amount of vulnerability mixed in with his obvious toughness and competence. And there is full-blown hurt/comfort at the end, the details of which I won't give away, but which made my h/c loving heart very glad indeed.

Comments

[justacat.livejournal.com]

I have just recently discovered that there is a sequel to this story (which I also love!) ... I never knew that! I'm hoping to get it onto the archive in the not-too-distant future ....

[przed.livejournal.com]

A sequel! Can you hear the squee coming at you from Canada? 'Cause, wow, that's awesome!

I'll be looking forward to reading it on the archive.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favourites too, which kind of surprises me cos it's not perfect, but like you I keep going back to it. (Of course I'm a sucker for post-apocalypse, biker-lads h/c... there's really not enough of it around. *g*) There's the odd line that makes me wince, but on the whole it's a good read, the lads are pretty much the lads, AU notwithstanding as you say, and there's a great atmosphere to the whole thing.

*Echoes the squee!* Can't believe there's a sequel, I can't wait until it's archived... *goes to wait*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Of course I'm a sucker for post-apocalypse, biker-lads h/c... there's really not enough of it around.

Hmmm, I think we need a post-apocalypse, biker-lad, h/c challenge. No, seriously. :D

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Funny, isn't it. I get pulled up every now and again by one of "those" Jane-ish sentences that make me cringe, but overall I enjoyed it too.

Sequel??? Yay!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You're a bad, bad woman. No, seriously. But we like you. *g*
(Hmmn, would challenges that come out of fic reviews be out of place at your comm..?)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Jane is definitely not my favourite stylist, but I still adore this story.

[przed.livejournal.com]

You're a bad, bad woman.

Why, thank you. *g*

Challenges from fic reviews? I don't see why not. I shall have to bug empty_mirrors.

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

What a great excuse to reread this one. I have to include my vote of approval. I can happily overlook the odd glitch for the atmosphere and visuals. Mind you, I do tend to have 'Do not forsake me, oh my darling ' playing in my head as I read. :-D It's definitely evocative that way.

And sequel? That is good news. Can't wait to read it. :-)

[(Anonymous)]

*Ventures shyly out of lurker-dom, blinks in the light*

Hi all, haven’t an LJ as haven’t got a clue how they work, but many thanks for setting up this site, and all the work everyone does for this fandom! Hope I am replying in right place :)

I never read Jane’s story before, there aren’t many AUs I go for (except Courtney Gray’s Night Moves), but was moved to read this thanks to your reviews. It’s a well thought out universe, like Mad Max mixed with Tombstone stirred into Stephen King’s Running Man. Have to agree some of the wording made me wince though, had to read some parts really quickly to get them out of the way! But overall, not bad at all, thanks for pointing it out as would never have read it otherwise. Magenta

*Ducks head at the room, waves and dives quickly back into burrow*

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

The opening paragraphs really set the scene. I was completely hooked by the time they met each other. I think that might be why I can cope when it wavers in the middle section a bit.

Mind you, I do tend to have 'Do not forsake me, oh my darling ' playing in my head as I read.
*LOL*! Now I'm going to be humming that too!

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Oh dear - looks like I'm going to be the one disagreeing with everyone else here.

I am a very easy to please person. By that I mean I'm possibly not the most discerning person around to critique anything - although I have my definate dislikes in a fic, and things that put me off. However this fic completely turns me off.

I dont like where it's set, I dont like the characters she's written, purely because in my mind's eye I cannot see them there, which is, I think, a big part of enjoying a piece of fanfic.

I cannot *care* about her characters in this. Quite frankly, I dont give a toss what happens to them. So much so that when I finally and very happily reached the end, I was happy to consign the fic to my NEVER-READ-AGAIN file.

Sorry to be the voice of dissent, but this is JMHO.:-)

[(Anonymous)]

(Hurt/comfort was pretty much my gateway drug to slash.)

(Big grin) Heh. And I thought I was the only one.

Thanks for the review. Gotta check this out!

frame-gray

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

like Mad Max mixed with Tombstone stirred into Stephen King’s Running Man

Yeah, I definitely get that vibe. And I hope you venture out again. It was good to hear from you. :-D

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Is it the post-apocolyptic scenario? The almost sci-fi vibe? Did you find the characterisation very different to what you associate with the lads in a CI5 setting? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I'm curious that way.

And it's good to have a dissenting voice. Wouldn't life be boring if we all liked the same things. :-D

[probodie.livejournal.com]

No, it's not the sci-fi thing because I truly do like sci-fi. I just really dont like the way she portrays the boys. Maybe it IS because I do (mostly) prefer them in the CI5 situation, but then again, I do like certain AUs. I just don't like how she portrayed them here. I don't like the scenario. If it had been Wild Justice, I'd have been Cowley threatening to kill Bodie!!! LOL

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

LOL. It's funny how some AU universes just click and others don't. I find the historicals really problematic since I don't see either of the lads easily slipping into historical roles whilst still retaining whatever it is that makes them recognisably them for me. Having said that, I've read a few historical AU's that were fun enough to read as original fiction, just with familiar names and faces.

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Could be worse. Could be the birdie song. :-D

[probodie.livejournal.com]

*grins* and it's the historical stuff i absolutely adore!

It's very funny and interesting what makes fandom work, and how people are so different. Which is great because everyone can get something they are interested in.

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

In virtually any other fandom, I'd agree with you. I used to write historicals in the Buffyverse and have a couple of historical original novels on the go, but with the lads it just doesn't work for me.

Like you say, funny and interesting, and great 'cause look at the diversity of fic it produces. Something for everyone. :-D

[przed.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of us start out with h/c. ::bigger grin::

I'll be curious to hear what you think.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Interesting to hear a different take on the story. And yeah, that is what makes fandom great.

I have to say that I also love the historicals. Or some of them at least.

Why not pick a favourite and rec it here?

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Oh I dunno about that! LOL We'll see. If I can do it good enough, I might.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

It’s a well thought out universe, like Mad Max mixed with Tombstone stirred into Stephen King’s Running Man.
I loved that comment. Worth archiving with the review, IMHO.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'll third that. It's a perfect summing up of the story.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Remember, you don't have to write an epic review. A few lines on why you like a story would be entirely welcome.

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Oh right. Thought it would entail having to go into minute details, which I'm not very good at.

Ooh now I may just do that, then - thanks for clarifying it :-D

[aussiejoan.livejournal.com]

Personally, I really enjoy AU and I do like most of Jane's writings. However, she is an author that for me, I either really, really enjoy her story or not at all. There is no in between for me. 'Nothing left to loose' is a story that falls on the "I don't like side." It's been a long time since I read it and I'm trying to think why I didn't care for it. I think it was the hopelessness they found themselves in. Oh, I know they eked out a meager existance but it seemed a little futile and I found it somewhat depressing. I avaoid sad-ending stories and I suppose this story just wasn't 'feel-good' enough for me.

[przed.livejournal.com]

It's always interesting to hear other people's takes on stories. I actually found the ending to this one rather hopeful. But then I also have a deep and abiding love of tragic endings, so my tolerance for darker stories is obviously rather high.

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

My first thought was 'Lew Collins as Mel Gibson?' The Mad Max theme was definitely running through my head while I read this. Thanks for reccing it.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Bodie in black leather on a motorcycle in Wild Justice? 'Cause if not, you totally have to. I'm just sayin'.

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

Nope. Seen him in nothing other than Pros. Black leather, eh? I could definitely be convinced.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Wild Justice is Pros. You *have* to see that episode. Both the lads ride bikes rather a lot and look rather tasty doing it. They're both on record as saying it was one of their favourite eps to film, just because of the bikes.

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Need to go check these disks against the website. Thought I had seen all but 2, but "Wild Justice" isn't listed on any of the CD labels. *iz puzzled*

Oh, and I just bought a stash of 8 fanzines from the late 80s/early 90s off a woman in Indiana. Go, Ebay. Checked the contents against the ProsLib and CircuitArchive lists first, to make sure the contents weren't readily available already. Chalk & Cheese 1 and 2, that sort of thing. 3 are from Australia.

I appear to be making a serious financial mistake by entering this fandom.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Wild Justice is the second ep of season four. I'm not sure where that puts it on the disks. (They crammed five seasons onto four disks.)

The Chalk & Cheese zines are, let us say, highly variable. If the Australian zines are from Nut Hatch, there's some really good stuff from that press (which tend to be a lot of AUs: werewolves, vampires, pirates) and things I'm less fond of (Jane's Rainy Day series are, IMO, interminably dull, domestic stories).

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Any chance of editing the post to change the link on the circuit? I would if I could but it won't let me. Ta la.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Done!

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Mega. Do your other rec as well, will you? :-D

[przed.livejournal.com]

Couldn't remember if I'd linked to the archive or Dorinda's site on that one. It's done.

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

So, um.... browsing for something completely different, I came across this and laughed. Just eyeing 'Babylon is Fallen'. I see you decided not to wait for someone else to write it :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Heh. I don't even remember this post, but there can never be enough post-apocalyptic Bodie on a motorcycle. *g* I'm glad to have made my contribution to the trope.