The Reading Room - Scissors by LRH Balzer

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

Title: Scissors
Author: LRH Balzer
Link to story: LRHB Fiction Site
Zine: After the Battle
Permission to archive the rec/review at Palely Loitering: No

Some people may be put off by the way this fic is constructed. I generally don't like it when fics jump back and forth in time instead of telling the story in a more linear fashion myself, but I think this particular story couldn't have been told any other way. The flashbacks both helped to maintain suspense about what happened to Doyle, and also allowed the story to unfold for both the reader and Doyle at the same time. That said, I still think a couple of the flashbacks went on too long. I found myself getting impatient to get back to the "now" part of the story.

The thing I really love about this fic, though, is the portrayal of traumatized Doyle. I've read so many fics where some traumatic event reduces him to a helpless, childlike state that doesn't much resemble the cantankerous Doyle I know and love. The Doyle in this fic is firmly convinced that he's been through much worse than this and that he shouldn't be having any trouble getting over it, yet his body keeps going and having panic attacks without consulting him, and he doesn't understand why and it's kind of pissing him off. Bodie, of course, does understand why and is there to guide Doyle through it.

I also liked that while Doyle had taken a giant step forward in his recovery by the end of the fic, he didn't spontaneously get over what happened to him in time for the end of the story, and there was no magical healing sex. Doyle will get past this just fine, but it'll still take some time.

Comments

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I thought the fic was well done - and the 'jumping' suited the subject matter and atmosphere. But I can admire it and hate it at the same time. I hate any writing that dwells lovingly on cutting/blades/blood, whatever the purpose or standard of the writing! So I wouldn't normally have read this. However, I struggled through and agree with your conclusions about its merits; it just isn't/wasn't for me!!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what she said! It's well done, but I don't much care for lingering lovingly over torture. Agree that it's very good on Doyle's reactions - he's not suddenly a wibbling helpless infant, and he's not "manfully" shrugging it off either ("in time for the end of the story"! Yes! No neat done-up-in-a-bow (with magical healing sex) here!). In fact, the whole point is his real courage - that he does succeed in forcing himself to cope when he is in fact bloody terrified.

So, I guess I'd say it's got lots of good points but I probably won't be re-reading it .... for quite some time. Thanks for the review, though!

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

I didn't think it dwelled or lingered lovingly on the cutting at all. It was just a couple of scenes in the flashbacks, and they were only as bad and as long as they needed to be to make Doyle's post-traumatic stress plausible. The focus of the story was very much on Bodie's successful rescue mission and Doyle's recovery.

Contrast that to an A-Team fic I was trying to read last night. The torture in that fic was very graphic and was the focal point of the story, except for a couple of paragraphs at the beginning and end. I hit page down a lot.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's just that it made a strong impression on me!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"No neat done-up-in-a-bow (with magical healing sex) here!)"
I agree - every allusion to a 'first time' or 'healing sex' would have given the story an unwanted new dimension.
There is as much closenes between them as can be - so everybody can say this is pre-slash or whatever, if he needs to.
But I'm utterly happy that it remained a gen story with the focus on the aftermath of the torture. And this is IMO very well done.

[izzie7.livejournal.com]

I haven't read this one for a while, but I remember very definitely enjoying it. I thought the character of Lisa, the hairdresser, was great, and Doyle's PTSD very convincingly drawn.

I knew there was one thing that bugged me about it, though, and having gone and checked I remember what it was - Bodie on his way to a 'midday cricket match"! Clearly the writer has no idea about how long cricket matches last. I can't recall when one-day matches were first introduced (it might have been around this time), but there is a clue n the fact that they were called 'one-day' & this was deemed fast. No way could you complete a cricket match in much under that. This was one of those things that just irritate, and it's a shame because I did like the story & have enjoyed her Sentinel fanfic too.

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Lois is Canadian (or at least she's lived in Canada for as long as I've been reading her fic, which is somewhere around 12 or 13 years). I'm surprised that bit slipped through though. Her MUNCLE fics were always really well researched.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I think it's a pity if such a minor detail can 'bug you about it'!
The author has seen Bodie playing cricket and used it - so what?
If I would read that an author puts 15 instead of 11 into a football team - I would smile about that, maybe shake my head - but it wouldn't influence my opinion of a story.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I like the story very much - although I'm not fond of torture scenes too.
But I agree to what you've said above: "...and they were only as bad and as long as they needed to be to make Doyle's post-traumatic stress plausible. ", so I closed my eyes and read over those parts...
Without being too much of an amateur psychiatrist Bodie is doing a damn good job here to help his friend. And that although he is terrified himself.

I'm happy about the two good minor characters who are allowed to be more than the bird of the week, or tragical cannon fodder for the show down.
And I like the location (Soho, hairdressers) and the atmosphere of the story.
There are some moments I keep in my mind, - nothing special, but good!
"He ran along the pavement, sticking close to the buildings, seeking some shelter under the colorful awnings. Past a bargain shop, a Chinese takeaway, several Bohemian-style clothing shops, a coffeeshop, and then the hairdressers. A sign in the window said that Soho Scissors was closed, but Lisa showed up quickly when Bodie knocked on the door.
"What's up? Where's Ray?" Bodie asked, shaking the water from his hair and peeling out of the dark leather jacket, setting it over the back of one of the chairs. His eyes darted around the small shop, but there was no sign of his partner or anyone else. "

Thanks for that rec!

[starlite876.livejournal.com]

It has been awhile since I have read 'Scissors', and as I was re-reading the story for this week discussion I was surprised how many flashback scenes there were. As far as the structure of the story go, the flashback scenes were useful to let the reader know what had happened to Doyle, so I wasn't put off by the use of the flashbacks.

I like this story because I love partnership and h/c stories. As the_other_sandy mentioned, Doyle here is traumatised and vulnerable, but not wimpy. He comes through in the end in dealing with MacGregor. I also like Lisa, the hairdresser, who is a well written character.

I'm glad that the story ended the story in a positive note (with Doyle on his way to recovery).

LRH Balzer's The Bisto Kids series introduced me to the Pros fandom so Loris has always been one of my favourite Pros authors. I wish she had written more Pros stories.

Thank you for this week's rec!

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

LRH Balzer's The Bisto Kids series introduced me to the Pros fandom so Loris has always been one of my favourite Pros authors. I wish she had written more Pros stories.

I've been a fan of Lois's MUNCLE fic for many years, and I was thrilled to discover she'd written Pros fic. I'd already read everything else of hers in my other fandoms.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this one. As a matter of fact, I think it was one of the first -- if not *the* first -- gen fic I read, and it created an unrealistic expectation. :-D The focus is totally on the lads and their relationship, and while it is not a romantic relationship (at least at this point) it is an intense and all encompassing friendship, and therefore satisfying to me.

The character of Lisa doesn't get in the way of that. She's just an amusing side character -- nothing Mary Sue there.

I agree that the flashbacks work here, although less would have gone further and some of the physical action sequences didn't really make sense (to me). But that's quibbling.

I agree also that Doyle's struggle to hold together is believable and doesn't turn him into a whimpering baby. Even tough guys can suffer from PTSD. I like Bodie's practical caretaking. It seems a realistic blend of sympathy and pragmatism. He wants to send Doyle home to bed and safety, but he knows he needs him -- needs him to hold together for just a bit longer.

An enjoyable fic! Thanks for the re-read.

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

I think it was one of the first -- if not *the* first -- gen fic I read, and it created an unrealistic expectation.

I know what you mean. Lois ruined me for other MUNCLE fic after I read her Collections series.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Finally got here, after a very quick read - enough to know I love her style, so clear and concrete, and canon (Bodie's exchange with the radio operator at the beginning sounds like something I've seen in an ep), and spot on character.

"Damaged Doyle" is a bit of a turn off for me (but I still read all of "Waiting to Fall"!). Considering how often it is written, imo, in many cases Doyle is depicted as dealing with his past trauma pretty well/amazingly well/superhumanly well. A good honest case of PTSD is quite refreshing.

The discussion about blood and cutting above reminded me of Helen Raven's "Technique" (http://www.kelper.co.uk/helenraven/technique.htm), a fic that should sicken any right-thinking person, but I confess I found the cutting scene (more so than the rest) very seductive because of how well she writes the B/D relationship that gives rise to it.

Thanks for a very interesting rec!

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

A good honest case of PTSD is quite refreshing.

That was exactly my reaction to the story.

Someone in this fandom who's good with graphics needs to make an 'I read Waiting to Fall' banner that people can put in their user profile as a badge of honor. ;-)