The Reading Room -- Fic: Strange Days Indeed by HG

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Sorry I'm late!

My review of Strange Days Indeed (revised version) by HG. Now on line!

http://hatstandfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=585

I'm the first to admit while I love h/c, I generally don't read rape stories. It's just not interesting to me. And when I do read them, if the rape is shown, I skip those paragraphs. Baring that prejudice on my part, Strange Days Indeed is my second all time favourite zine after Hunted by Devils. Both are, as you might notice, by the incomparable HG. I'm laying my cards on the table right away. I adore HG. She surpasses most writers in my three fandoms, and for her, I even read her hooker story, a genre I find so darned silly that I can't usually read them. But that's for another discussion. *g*

Strange Days Indeed starts out with the boys on a dead boring stake out. Bodie is stuck in the car with a stroppy Doyle, and his patience has just worn out:

When Bodie swung round to face him, his expression was one of icy disapproval as his hard gaze raked Doyle. "Plenty, but nothing you'll enjoy hearing. You've been a pain in the arse for weeks. Silent suffering's never been your style, you like everyone else to suffer with you and I've had all of it I'm prepared to take. I'm fed up with making apologies for you to anyone stupid enough to have wanted to speak to you in the first place.

Doyle apologises, which Bodie accepts, and in usual Bodie fashion, offers to set Doyle up for a shag, thinking that's what the lad needs. Doyle is unusually unsure of his own wants or needs right now, and since he can't quite explain what's going on with him, he declines and they part amicably for the night.

Both men find willing birds and are back on the boring stakeout the next day. There's a noticeably lighter atmosphere in the car, and Bodie's quite happy with it. They are back on an even keel, even though the stakeout is quite boring. With one call from HQ, the stakeout is called off and the lads merrily head out, unbeknownst to them that they've been under surveillance for a while now.

They are much to happy to be off for three days to see danger:

The tractor blocked the narrow lane entirely. The engine still growling and juddering, the driver jumped down and came across to the car. "Are you all right?" he asked, in a soft blurred accent that neither of them could place.

Quick as a bunny, they're deep into trouble:

Staring down the barrel of the .357 Magnum pointing at his belly, Bodie didn't. Doyle, gun in hand, let it drop to the ground.

"Hands on your heads." The voice was crisp and precise now, all trace of country burr gone.

Bodie glanced at Doyle and saw his expression change. Following his gaze, he watched two armed men emerge from a gap in the hedgerow.

Handcuffed and tossed into a horse trailer, the lads are swiftly bundled away. The person responsible for the abduction turns out to be a man who Bodie knew from Africa, and he's a sexual sadist who had raped a child to death. He's not a nice guy.

I'm a bit torn about Bodie in this scene. He is very cold and hateful towards Davis, yet we're told how terrified he is of the man. Now Bodie knew this man when he was quite young, and Davis' cruelty terrified him back then. But now? I'm not so sure. I'd expect Bodie to hate him, of course. I suppose it's one of those irrational fears that we have no control over sometimes. Anyway, Bodie blacklisted Davis and ruined his military career, so now he's out for revenge, and he starts with Doyle, beating him mercilessly. I know Doyle isn't quite Davis' size, but I would have bet on Doyle in this fight. But he loses and David continues to beat him even after he's unconscious, inflecting damage that will surface as the story progresses.

Davis' current employer, a rich Mafioso named Angetti, returns to his fancy house, only to discover that Davis is using his home for his revenge. Angetti is angry at Davis and realises he's too crazy for much more usefulness, even in their line of work. He decides Davis has got to go. While Angetti speaks to another man, Cooper, whom he promotes into Davis' position, Davis takes his revenge on Bodie in the form of rape and a severe beating. Davis is ordered by Angetti that his captives must remain alive and in a recoverable state because they might be useful to him.

Through a series of events, Doyle is able to get to Bodie. He's shocked at what he sees even though he'd been privy to the sounds of the assault from the next room:

Doyle staggered across the room and slumped to his knees beside Bodie, his eyes stricken when he saw the state of Bodie's back at close range. The clear evidence of what Davis' Game entailed was spattered over the welted skin.

What Doyle finds is horrible, and he's horrified, but he does what Cooper suggests: clean up his unconscious partner and prepare to be moved. It turns out that Angetti has been convinced that it will be to his advantage to assist the CI5 agents rather than kill them by Cooper. Angetti likes the way Cooper looks at the bigger picture and agrees on what Cooper suggests: that they move Bodie and Doyle to a remote cottage and let them stay there for a week. Then they'll be rescued. In pain himself, and with Bodie's condition, Doyle agrees.

I like the scenes at the cottage. As expected, Bodie turns his anger into venomous words to Doyle, so wrapped up in his misery that he doesn't see Doyle's. Doyle is determined to care for his partner, but as his pain mounts, he finds the painkillers Cooper supplied make him muddled and drowsy. He needs something to keep him alert and he asks for and receives the needed drugs from Cooper: speed. I admit I could see Doyle doing something this stupid. He's hurt badly but he also knows he has to care for Bodie in the remote cottage. He's willing to do anything at this point, and he resorts to drugs to keep functioning.

Bodie is finally awake and is told about the plan:

"Where are we going?" asked Bodie, not particularly interested but wanting to avoid anything that could remind him of yesterday. He could remember sobbing his heart out in Doyle's arms like some Victorian maiden. Cringing at the dent to his self-image, he repeated harshly, "Where are we going?"

He's embarrassed and horrified at his behaviour while Doyle was caring for him. Once at the cottage, he becomes more aware of his surroundings and he distances himself from Doyle as much as possible, even as he craves Doyle's company.

The physical assault - Rape, he reminded himself grim-faced. Admit it. You've been fucked against your will. Rape. There, not so hard to admit, is it? But it was, and made all the harder because he was unconsciously convinced that the rape must have diminished him in Doyle's eyes.

He was in no mental state to wonder why the loss of Doyle's respect should matter quite so much to him.

And Bodie turns crueller as time slowly passes by. He is to wrapped up in his own misery that he pays Doyle's physical condition do mind. Doyle is even more determined to help his partner. Things go from bad to worse:

"What exactly are you hoping for while you're hovering around like some bloody vulture?" Bodie demanded.

His hands curled over the chair back for support, Doyle straightened. "That you'll trust me enough to talk about it," he said with a quiet simplicity that slid under Bodie's defences. "It can help to talk things out, or even just to have a friendly face around. I should know, you've done it for me enough times."

"Talk? To you?" Incredulity was the cruellest response Bodie could have made, the pain it caused all the greater because it was clearly unstudied.

I feel incredibly sorry for both of these men. Neither can talk to the other, and the physical and mental pain mounts with each passing moment. When Bodie derides Doyle for not going to help, unaware of Doyle's broken ribs and gut-wrenching stomach pain, Doyle attempts to slough through a bad storm to find help. He does find a road, but the one car that passes doesn't stop. He barely manages to stumble back to the cottage after hours in the cold, to be blasted by Bodie for his incompetence:

Bodie heard only the lack of concern. "You look like a bloody tramp, that's why. Christ, how bleeding incompetent can you get? It didn't occur to you to smarten yourself up a bit before you tried to hitch a lift? Or at least to shave?" He paused to draw an angry breath. "You didn't exactly put yourself out, did you, walking to the end of the track."

Doyle manages to stumble out of the kitchen and that's when Bodie reflects on what happened to him. He stoically accepts it and is determined to recover. Then he notices the mess of water and mud Doyle's left on the wall and floor. Concerned, he goes to find his partner.

Finally, Bodie realises things are very wrong. He helps Doyle, who faints from pain. Once he manages to get Doyle to the bed, they talk. Doyle then admits that he's using something to keep himself going. Bodie is incensed:

Exasperated, Bodie went through the pockets of Doyle's discarded jacket. He found nothing. "OK, sunshine. Where are they? The tablets," he prompted with unusual patience as it began to dawn on him that Ray Doyle, ex-Detective Constable and scourge of pushers everywhere, was stoned out of his skull.

Doyle's epiphany comes as Bodie takes care of him: he's in love with Bodie. Shocked, yet he knows its true, and has been for a while. He derides himself of his bad timing, and hopes Bodie never discovers his secret.

As Doyle goes through withdrawal, Bodie turns caregiver. I like that both boys get a chance to show their commitment to the other. Doyle had expressed his love for Bodie during one of his shaking moments, and Bodie muses about what they mean to each other.

Bodie's awakening interest in Doyle slowly builds, but he's determined to keep it firmly under wraps. He's a bit shocked at his interest, especially after the rape. He's barely realised that something odd is going on with him when they're rescued by the local authorities and whisked off to London.

Cowley knows some thing's amiss the instant he sees them. I like how this paragraphs gives us Cowley's thoughts:

The signs of physical wear and tear did not worry him unduly, the atmosphere they had brought into the room with them did.

While quite capable of recognising and making use of their worth as individuals, even Cowley had come to think of Bodie and Doyle as a pair - an indissoluble team: Bodie and Doyle, bread and butter. Where you found one, sooner or later the other would appear. Insubordinate, disrespectful and obedient only when it suited them they were the best he had ever had. With a faint chill he was forced to recognise that the men standing in front of him were two distinct and clearly separate entities. Standing shoulder to shoulder, just inside the doorway, they were obviously far apart, all lines of communication severed. He was familiar with their anger, both with himself and each other. That, too, was absent, replaced by a chilling indifference.

They tell Cowley everything, down to the last detail. Cowley dismisses Bodie and questions Doyle intently. Doyle admits his poor timing on discovering that he was now in love with his partner. Doyle knows it's one sided and his only hope is that their friendship can somehow survive his blunder.

Doyle ends up with a ruptured appendix and in hospital. Bodie stifles his concern. He's determined to put his thoughts of Doyle away so he runs as far as he can, to a posh hotel and into the arms of the first willing beautiful bird. But things don't go as well as he'd hoped:

Of all the bloody stupid times to realise you'd gone and done it, he thought with disgust. Soaking wet, stuck with a clinging bird and over three hundred miles away from the one person you wanted to be with. But he felt no great surprise at the realisation, just very, very happy. The feelings had crept up on him so slowly he had been submerged in them before he knew what was happening. It was probably just as well, he would have run a mile. Only now he could see that their week of enforced intimacy at the cottage hadn't changed anything, all it had done was speed up the inevitable. Life was a more satisfactory affair when Ray was around to share it. He wanted that sharing to extend to every facet of his life, not just bed and board - although right now going to bed with Ray was high on his list of priorities. There were a few things to work out before then, he reminded himself.

But while Bodie is off trying to wipe his attraction to Doyle from his brain, Doyle's resigned. However, Cowley's done a bit of poking and has got Doyle to agree to work the "required" three months' notice. Sneaky Cowley...

Bodie races back to London, but his resolve fails. At HQ, it sinks lower when he sees Doyle, who treats him like a he barely knows him. Bodie realises how deeply his abandonment has hit Doyle, and he's determined to make it up to him. What I really like is that when Bodie goes to Doyle's flat, instead of some huge blow up or row with each blaming the other, we get a very different meeting. Bodie is immediately irritated when Doyle doesn't use normal safety procedures and merely opens the door at his ring:

Stiff-legged with tension, the initial bleakness of Doyle's expression was dissolved by a reluctant grin of sheer affection. "Yes, well, if our bright back-room boys had turned up to install it when they were supposed to, I would have done. Hello to you, too." Having glimpsed the apprehension behind Bodie's belligerence he could do nothing to conceal the warmth in his own voice.

And then we finally have what we've been leading to for many pages: the lads work it out and shag. *bg* I really enjoy the way HG shows Bodie and Doyle here. They talk, they kiss, they make love. The entire thing is a joy to read, with paragraphs like this to enjoy:

Sprawled across the carpet in a tangle of half-removed clothing, only some of which was his own, Bodie nodded wisely. "Look on the bright side we would have fallen off the table for sure." Replete and content, he couldn't remember exactly what had happened, recent events a little blurred. Unperturbed by the speed with which desire had overtaken them, he rubbed lazily at the drying semen splattered on his own skin before he propped himself against the foot of the bed, leaning his head back to stare up at Doyle.

I like the easy way they are with each other, loving and sweet yet teasing and fun. They hatch plans to finagle a two bedroom flat out of Cowley. Bodie's late for work because they spend their early mornings in each others arms. When their lovemaking proceeds along to intercourse, Doyle is surprised that Bodie would even consider it after Davis. Bodie is philosophical about it, which I believe is very much how Bodie would be:

"You don't seriously think that you fucking me will have any resemblance to Davis' style of romance, do you? Get real, Ray. The guy terrified me just by breathing. And he beat me and he humiliated me and he raped me." Bodie looked away then, unable to sustain Doyle's gaze. After a moment or two he found the courage to look up again because this needed saying if they weren't going to run into problems later. Apart from all the usual problems any couple faced, that was. "But Davis is dead and we're alive and there's no way that sick bastard could ever touch what we have. All right?

The boys move on with their lives now that both are back on active duty. An op involving Ojuka's son turns up, and Bodie and Doyle are sent to reconnoiter a cottage that the boy and his playmate, plus the mate's family, would be using for a holiday. Things turn nasty at the cottage when Bodie recognises a former college from his merc days. A fire fight ensues, and another interesting thing developed during the melee:

The worst part of any operation was always the aftermath, he mused, his hands curled around the body of the mug in an effort to warm them. Of course, this op. had been slightly more complicated because of the development which neither he or Ray could have foreseen. One of the men they had killed had been familiar to both of them, only the last time they had seen him he had been working for Angetti under the name Cooper.

I like the last part of the story also. Well, I like the entire story, so of course I like the last part! The lads go off together to a cold holiday in an old cottage. It's nice reading them being alone, making love, teasing each other, and then talking about their future. They make plans for when they leave CI5:

By the time they returned to London they were the proud, if impoverished owners of a near-derelict cottage and three and a half acres of land. Half-embarrassed, half-gleeful about the step they had taken to protect their future, they spent the entire journey to London discussing ways and means of doing up the cottage and letting it until they wanted to make a permanent move from CI5 and London.

So the story is a favourite of mine for many reasons. It has love and hate; death and life; fun and sadness. Everything one could ask for in a great novel. Thanks, HG.

Comments

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I absolutely loved the story - the double hurt/comfort element, the suspense, both during the captivity and afterwards, and the whole plot. I thought it could usefully have been tightened/shortened but was happy to read and skim through some of the slightly repetitive bits.

However, I was shocked (again) at the number of typos and downright errors (the wrong name given for the speaker etc.)and particularly for this writer who doesn't usually have such a glaring crop of mistakes. Is this one of her early ones? I know in the notes she talked about rewriting but maybe she didn't pick up on earlier errors. There were far more than could be explained by lack of a decent spell checker or lack of a beta.

I know, I know, I go on about these things but it really does throw me out of a story (and I have recently abandoned a couple of published authors for the same reason). I don't think, by the way, that the 'amateur' status of fanfic is relevant - if anyone other than the cat is going to read your writing you owe it to them to make it presentable.

(Also by the way, I'll be away for the next two but re-read and adored them both and didn't find anything to criticise - just so that you know!*g*)

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

"I'll be away for the next two but re-read and adored them both" - hee!

Have a gold star!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thanks!
*attaches gold star carefully to laptop*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you did enjoy the story even with the things that bugged you. Thanks for joining in!

Have a good trip.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Your summaries are brilliant! You should do this for more long fics, as a bluffer's guide to Pros fic.

Not having read the fic (and being short of time) I'm quite put off by the plot. No matter how blissfully happy the ending*, I don't much enjoy fics where there is that gulf of misunderstanding between the lads, where their unspoken feelings and anxieties about them just drive them apart.

*I did cheat and read the opening pages, then cut to the chase (the first time scene *g*), before running out of time again (but how many times did you re-read it, J?). It was pretty blissful, I'll grant. But I did like the writing of Bodie's appearance at the flat, too, their mingled awkwardness and happiness was well done.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I'm big on rereading stories that grab me. In fact, I'll ignore new fic for a comfortable loved one. I've read this one five or six times.

But really, it's a fabulous read.

Thanks for the kind words about my summaries. I try to keep them tight to avoid everybody falling asleep. *g*

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I'll ignore new fic for a comfortable loved one

That's so true! I'll read a favourite story again and again rather than push myself to read a story I'm finding hard to get into. And I don't have easy access to a printer and hate reading online so again, I'd rather reread a favourite story on hard copy than plough through something on the screen unless it's something very good such as the Roman soldier story by Sineala.....I managed to read all of that straight from my laptop.

I haven't read that many of HG's stories but I did read this one a long time ago and remember enjoying it, partly because it actually had a plot, action *and* it was slash. I love character and relationship stories but sometimes it's refreshing having something else going on as well - something apart from how they feel towards each other, or maybe a plot which manages to bring out how they feel about each other, one which is more episode-like..... so yes, I did enjoy it (though I can't remember the details).

And thanks for the interesting review.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've reread zines many times because I can haul them with me to bed. *g*

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks for joining in!

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

In fact, I'll ignore new fic for a comfortable loved one. I've read this one five or six times.

I do this too. Sometimes you just want the tried and true, the comfortable familiar. There are certain stories I read again and again -- or sometimes a certain passage. That's the case here. While the fic as a whole is not my favorte, I love the section at the cottage, and I've read it many times. It's one of my all time favorite hurt/comfort passages. Nice and long, emotionally complex, and plenty of hurt and comfort on both sides.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, the part when they're dropped off to recover is fabulous. It's heart breaking but so good. I don't mind misunderstandings as long as they're not beaten to death, and I don't feel it is here.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, the part when they're dropped off to recover is fabulous. It's heart breaking but so good. I don't mind misunderstandings as long as they're not beaten to death, and I don't feel it is here.

It's a nice balance, I agree.

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this rec!
This is one of my "most read" stories (the old version), and apparently I've read it so much, that I kind of stumbled over some of the little changes made in the re-write. :}
Not the added new part, but word/sentence changes in the "old" part.
I'm sure I'll get over it, after reading the new version a few times! *g*
For me, the most enjoyable part of the story is the time they spend at the cottage, recovering.
Bodie closing off, and Doyle trying to give support, and then Bodie slowly turning outward again, and realizing Doyle needs help.

I'm not sure I totally understand why Bodie would reject Doyle so completely, after his realization that he wants him. I can almost see it, but wish we could have more of Bodie's internal thoughts in this passage.
I always feel so bad for Doyle here (probably intended by the author. *g*).
Taking into account Bodie's reaction (and thinking Bodie has found out how Doyle feels about him), I can see why Doyle thinks removing himself from CI5/ Bodie is the kindest thing he can do.

Their getting together, and the passages where Doyle and Cowley interact are wonderful, and I'll have to re-read the new part a few times to fully appreciate it all.
Love that they buy the holiday cottage and can see them spend time there, whenever they can, fixing it up.

Regarding some of the mistakes, I wonder if it has to do with the OCR software. Having tried converting a zine myself, so I can read on my PDA, it takes several readings, to find the many oddities added by the software.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your comments. *pours tea*

I've read both versions and while the longer one has that cottage ending, it's really not necessary for me to have that. I'm very pleased that they find their way into each other's arms and for me, that's the icing on the case. The rest is good, of course.

I think Bodie is terrified and in the usual way of a lot of men who don't like emotional things, he runs and hides, even from himself.

(I didn't know that about OCR software. Good info.)

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Yes, I guess Bodie does clam up and keep out everyone, when he has problems (Wild Justice, Fall Girl, the one with Keller).

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's very true to form for him to put on that cold face and not say a word. It isn't "manly" to want to talk about things, especially emotional ones. And can you imagine him wanting to talk to Doyle about wanting him? No wonder he ran away.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

That's intersting about OCR. (What is it, anyway?) It might explain a lot.
It does seem that stories that were originally in zines are more prone to these errors and I always assumed it was because they were less likely to have had a thorough beta or for that matter, a spellcheck.

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition, meaning you can scan in pages with print, and it will turn it into a pdf of txt document, but depending on the original, it can be a lot of work to clean it up.
Words get "read" wrong, and letters get changed, but you really only find out when you read through it word for word.
I suspect most of the zine stories were converted this way, and that's where some of the mistakes come from.
Does anyone here have the zine and can check if the same mistakes are in it?

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the explanation! It might well be part of the problem - a bit like monks copying manuscripts and making mistakes... *g*

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I just can support what Jaycat said. That summary IS brilliant!
Thank you Kat!
And I really consider if this is a story that needs exactly those informations BEFORE you read it!

I've read the story about three months ago, and I didn't like it entirely.
There are parts I absolutely enjoyed, but there are other parts I had problems with. It’s a permanent up and down, and I even overflew some parts of the story. Therefore I can’t really analyse WHAT doesn’t work for me. But I’m very curious what others may say!

There is one thing I would like to know - is Tony a picture of a Bodie who hasn’t joined CI5, who hasn’t been partnered with Doyle? Reckless to a certain point, but not heartless?
Why else would HG have spent so much time with that minor character?

And considering this question… – why ARE there not more good minor characters in Pros stories? Why do I wonder about this one?
There ARE certainly more, but spontaneously I only remember few good minor characters. For example in Arabian Nights by Pamela Rose, and of course there is (poor)Robbie in Exile by P.R.Zed.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome. Thank you for your kind words.

It's not an easy story to read. There is a lot of pain and suffering, then there's selfishness and unhappiness, but in the end, I like this ride. *g*


Good thought re: Tony could be Bodie without CI5 and Doyle. Tony seems to have a bit of conscience. He liked his job, but he does have his own set of ethics. I think it shows when he tells Doyle that when he kills them, that it will be quick. He sees his job dispatching people who cross his boss as serious, but he's not into any sort of torture. It is rather ironic that he thinks Davis is too crazy. I suppose that's the old "honour among thieves" syndrome.

[etain-antrim.livejournal.com]

This is also one of my favorite stories, especially for the last 2/3 of it. I adore H/C and there's lots to enjoy! Even better, though, is the last part, from Bodie returning to London and seeing how his flight had affected Doyle to the end. I haven't had time to more than skim the new additions, but I loved the old version so much that more story set in the happy climate the lads create for themselves can only be welcome.


Lovely summary! Echoing jaycat92, it would be terrific if you (and others with your skill) wrote a brief synopsis of the longer stories that are not available yet on-line. I for one would be very grateful.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading. I'm glad the summary worked for you. I've read both versions so I'm good with either.

I've really dont' rec too mahy zine stories because not everybody has access to zines. I did do a rec for PRZed's zine, Exile, a while ago. I know I've rec'd a few others off and on over the past few years that were zine stories.

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

First off, thank you for the rec. This story is one I haven't read before and I was glad I had the time to join in this week.

On the whole, I enjoyed this. The plot was well thought out and had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged (who saw that Doyle had appendicitis? Not me), and the banter between the Lads was spot-on. Tony was a believable character and I was almost sorry to see him killed off.

Having said that, I was a little put off by the way the POV kept jumping - or maybe that was just me not reading thoroughly enough. Also, I felt that Bodie recovered far too quickly from the rape, especially considering the fear and resignation that Davis inspired in him.

So... I enjoyed reading this fic and although it isn't one of my favourites I'm sure I'll be reading it again, so thanks once again for the rec :)

(Btw, in your summary the last two bolded paragraphs are the same. Is this intentional?)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading and pointing out the paragraph mistake. Darned if I can remember which paragraph I meant! I swear, I've been dead busy this week that I even messed up the days of the week!

It is a good fic, long and involved. The POV is a tad off, which is generally a big thing for me. I've learned to read multiple POVs but sometimes it still throws me off. Thankfully, this story is very good and even though she brings in multiple POVs, it's clear who's who. I tend to be a single POV writer, but I understand that most other authors aren't.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I really enjoy a lot of HG's work -- her longer works in particular. She has strong, imaginative story ideas and solid character dynamics. And I think SDI is one of her best efforts, although interestingly about half to three quarters of the story is lifted straight from Remember Angola by...I forget who it is now.

Anyway -- slight diversion here -- I remember being startled at how much of the initial set up was written by someone else. It's fascinating to me that back in those days this idea of fusion -- taking someone else's work and reshaping it into your own -- was relatively common. You had Pros writers doing all kinds of sequels to each other's stories or rewriting of someone else's stories. Now days you'd have writers screaming "plagiarism" or something, I fear. But what a courageously creative time that must have been. A creatively generous time. Was it unique to Pros or simply where fanfiction was in those days? Wouldn't that be a wild challenge for these days? To take a favorite classic piece of fic and do a fusion? Or is that just too wacky an idea?

Anyway, where HG's story diverges from the original is when the story really starts to pop. She totally gets the romantic possibilities there in a way the original author didn't grasp. I love the scene at the cottage -- it makes the entire fic for me. Poor Doyle. Bodie is such a bastard. But poor Bodie!

She's not great with settings -- and I don't feel she ever developed the wordcraft of her contemporary and sometimes writing partner Sebastian -- but HG does good dialog, and dialog is such a major part of the pleasure and the characterizations. Her dialog is often funny. (Although I find her funniest in her omniscient sly observations, as in stories like Jigsaw, etc.)


I think -- and this is true for me of all HG's longer stories -- she doesn't know how or where to end. So the stories (this one is a prime example, in my opinion) continue to roll after everything has been resolved and the tension is gone. But that's okay for those who love just seeing the lads rubbing along together. Speaking of which, she does very nice sex scenes.

All in all, thumbs up from me -- this is a story that is a pleasure to revisit.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comments. Good stuff here, and I agree with your points.

I've heard the rewriting and sequel additions being referred to as "riffing" and was perfectly acceptable pre-net days. Now I agree, folks would scream, but it wasn't considered stealing, just a rewrite. I think the idea was everybody accepted that the characters belonged to others, so the stories weren't so much "property" as they are now. That's from what I've heard when speaking to writers from twenty to thirty years ago in this fandom. Sort of like those dozens of Shakespearean movies that have been made over the years. Everybody has their own idea and nobody considered it awful or bad. They just wanted to share their idea or take on the situations presented.

I often wonder at my own failing that I much prefer HG as a writer. I shamefully admit I've started many Sebastian stories and never finished them. I have no clue why. She's a more than competent writer. I suppose it's my sadly lacking taste. I much prefer a good rock song to any great classical piece, so there ya go. *g*

But I do agree about the end. I've read this many times and really don't feel the end with the cottage purchase and Ojuka need to be there. I'm perfectly content with their first reunion back in London. But as an author, we each get to pick and chose what we like. And as a reader, we get to read all or pieces or none.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I've heard the rewriting and sequel additions being referred to as "riffing" and was perfectly acceptable pre-net days. Now I agree, folks would scream, but it wasn't considered stealing, just a rewrite. I think the idea was everybody accepted that the characters belonged to others, so the stories weren't so much "property" as they are now...."
Ah! Thanks for explanations! That goes even further than my feelings about it!
But anyway I think even 'these days' it was certainly 'nice' to say: "I was inspired by this story or by that writer..."

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I've heard the rewriting and sequel additions being referred to as "riffing" and was perfectly acceptable pre-net days. Now I agree, folks would scream, but it wasn't considered stealing, just a rewrite.

Riffing. Yes, I've heard it called that too.

The writers that I've come across all seem to be fairminded about giving credit where credit is due.

And of course we're all inspired by each other -- that happens within any genre or field of writing. Creativity is an organic thing. Maybe a viral thing. *g*

I think the idea was everybody accepted that the characters belonged to others, so the stories weren't so much "property" as they are now. That's from what I've heard when speaking to writers from twenty to thirty years ago in this fandom. Sort of like those dozens of Shakespearean movies that have been made over the years. Everybody has their own idea and nobody considered it awful or bad. They just wanted to share their idea or take on the situations presented.

Yes, it does seem to have been more creatively open, less possessive about characters and situations that, technically, belonged to Brian Clemens (for example). Of course some of that possessiveness might have evolved as writers took their fan fiction ideas, filed off the serial numbers, and sold them as "original" m/m fiction? One would tend to get caught up in the illusion that it was all your own creation.

I often wonder at my own failing that I much prefer HG as a writer. I shamefully admit I've started many Sebastian stories and never finished them. I have no clue why. She's a more than competent writer. I suppose it's my sadly lacking taste. I much prefer a good rock song to any great classical piece, so there ya go. *g*

Well, I prefer good rock and roll to bad classical music and good classical music to bad rock and roll. *g* Technically, Sebastian is the stronger writer (in my opinion), but technical proficiency -- style, craft -- is only one part of the writing puzzle. The other parts are storytelling, originality, and the ability to execute concepts. In some ways -- and probably for most readers -- style/craft is one of the elements of lesser importance. I think what often determines whether we like or dislike a writer is the way they conceive the characters -- and the situations they put them in.

I'm guessing you prefer HG's view of the lads and the sorts of situations she places them in (rent boy Doyle notwithstanding) to Sebastian's characterizations and concepts. Which makes sense to me. There are plenty of excellent stylists who just don't tell stories I'm interested in reading, so I don't care how clever they are at wordspinning. They either bore or irritate me.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"It's fascinating to me that back in those days this idea of fusion -- taking someone else's work and reshaping it into your own -- was relatively common."
Well, I think as long as it's common knowledge(is it?), and maybe a story from another fandom, and the new writer had the feeling that the story would be a good plot for Bodie and Doyle, I don't really mind. I mean, the 'new writer' has probably a lot of adjustment to do. And I've seen it for myself, how much certain stories have impressed me, that I had the feeling I had to write an addition, or a sequel or even my own version of it.

"But what a courageously creative time that must have been."
I really think so. Let everybody use Kat's rec to write an own story - I'm sure that it would lead to a bunch of fantastic results! And all different! Some I would like, others not... (BTW that's why I can't understand the spoiler discussion!!!)

But of course nobody should claim a foreign story as something own...

Anyway - an interesting information, and it would explain those 'ups and downs' I noticed.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I really think so. Let everybody use Kat's rec to write an own story - I'm sure that it would lead to a bunch of fantastic results! And all different! Some I would like, others not... (BTW that's why I can't understand the spoiler discussion!!!)

I love the idea, actually. Although it could be intimidating if you were tackling a writer you really admire (or that everyone else really admires). Much easier if you tackled a story that you think the author didn't quite do justice to -- or you see another spin.

But of course nobody should claim a foreign story as something own...

No, no. The original work should be acknowledged -- but it seems to me that in Pros, at least, it always was. HG certainly did.

There are a couple of really old gen stories that I think would be fun to redo -- good ideas but sloppy execution. Of course, in fairness, they didn't have the instant resources at their fingertips that we do now, so naturally there are some embarrassing gaffes.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"There are a couple of really old gen stories that I think would be fun to redo..."
But with 'redo' you don't mean to make a slash story of it, no? :-P
Oh, come on... (I've thought better of you!)

"There are a couple of really old gen stories that I think would be fun to redo..."
What a good idea! Would maybe something for a future challenge!
;-)

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

"There are a couple of really old gen stories that I think would be fun to redo..."
But with 'redo' you don't mean to make a slash story of it, no? :-P
Oh, come on... (I've thought better of you!)

Well, I do write Pros as strictly slash, but that wouldn't be why. *g* Some of those old -- I mean really old -- gen stories had some great ideas, but the execution was jaw-droppingly bad. And that's rather tempting. *g*


"There are a couple of really old gen stories that I think would be fun to redo..."
What a good idea! Would maybe something for a future challenge!
;-)

It would amuse the heck out of me, but I suspect it would make a lot of people too uncomfortable. *g* I'm not quite that unkind.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Spork? 'fork/spoon'? Draycevixen is slashing muffins and you the silverware??? :-)

"It would amuse the heck out of me, but I suspect it would make a lot of people too uncomfortable. *g* I'm not quite that unkind."
Probably! On the other hand nobody would be bothered if I would do it. Nice to have fool's license! :-P
So maybe you could give me an example?

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

So maybe you could give me an example?

Let's see...Lillian Shepherd's Tiger by the Tail series (it's on the Pros Lib CD). Actually, I think she did try to slash it with a story called Action of the Tiger, but that was as bad or worse.

Of course, they wouldn't have to be bad stories. Someone could do it out of admiration too. There are stories I love that I just don't want to end. Unfortunately, writing isn't quite the same as reading -- though it's pleasurable in a different way.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Anyway -- slight diversion here -- I remember being startled at how much of the initial set up was written by someone else. It's fascinating to me that back in those days this idea of fusion -- taking someone else's work and reshaping it into your own -- was relatively common. You had Pros writers doing all kinds of sequels to each other's stories or rewriting of someone else's stories. Now days you'd have writers screaming "plagiarism" or something, I fear. But what a courageously creative time that must have been. A creatively generous time. Was it unique to Pros or simply where fanfiction was in those days? Wouldn't that be a wild challenge for these days? To take a favorite classic piece of fic and do a fusion? Or is that just too wacky an idea?

I'm not sure about other fandoms but I'm aware of frequent fusions like this in SGA which is, obviously, present day - usually the second writer contacts the first and asks permission and it all goes from there. Sometimes permission is not asked and then tempers can rise because it's 'netiquette' (and permission would not be refused). Also, from what I can gather from friends in OTW the whole idea of rewrites and fusions etc. is actively encouraged in many quarters.

But in the case of SGI I gather HG couldn't at first find the original author to ask.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

But in the case of SGI I gather HG couldn't at first find the original author to ask.

I can imagine. Especially since the need for anonymity was much greater than it is now (or people took it more seriously). I'm sure it also complicated matters with so multiple pen names and identities floating around. I've read those early Hatstand Expresses and other communications where people were begging writers to pick one pen name and stick to it. *g*

[raven-rs.livejournal.com]

Thanks for finding this story. I am a fan of HG's writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, although I would say it's not one of her best pieces. Still very enjoyable though.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Sure, I'm always happy to rec a good read. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and she certainly has a lot to pick from. That way we all find a favourite. Thank you!