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byslantedlight.livejournal.comTitle: "Echo" and "Broadcast Difficulties"
Author: Ellis Ward
Link to story: Echo and its sequel Broadcast Difficulties"
Zine: Chalk and Cheese 7 ("Echo") and Other Times and Places III ("Broadcast Difficulties")
Short Review:
Not being at all into AU Prosfic for ages, it took me a relatively long time to read these two stories, but ohhhh - when I did!
They're science fiction alternative universe stories, where Bodie is a mercenary spacer, and Doyle a restless part-alien who has become caught up in one planet's justice system. For reasons of his own Bodie buys his bond, effectively taking him on as a slave for the specific time period. Of course, this is Bodie and Doyle... *g*
The best thing about these stories are that they are Bodie and Doyle! And not in a stereo-typed "Doyle-is-very-moral-Bodie-is-a-hardhearted-merc-who-just-needs-a-bit-of-love kind of way - I can actually hear Bodie and Doyle speaking the words that they do in these stories, and I can see them move throughout the paragraphs. Ellis Ward has done a brilliant job, I think, of keeping them in character. They're sharp, and funny and looking out for each other without getting all vocal and emotional about it - perfect!
There are a few original characters too - including the wonderful sfangi - that are very well done. The writing is so natural that I can imagine where the lads are, and I have their world safely in the back of my mind from the bits and pieces that we're told of it. There's no big explain-y paragraphs - the author assumes that we know the world already, thus bringing us closer to the characters, at the same time managing to sketch in the details that make us feel like we know the world too!
And ohhhh for the closeness of our lads, in this story! Even before they're partnered (well, you know they're going to be, in one way or another!), they've got the same pull to them that they do on screen. How can it not be alright when they've got that going for them? It's a melt-y fic, for me - and oh, there's lots of lovely extra-hot-melty moments too... *g*
It's not about the science fiction, that's totally incidental - it's about the lads. And that, I reckon, is your perfect AU story right there... *g*
Anyone else read these stories?
Author: Ellis Ward
Link to story: Echo and its sequel Broadcast Difficulties"
Zine: Chalk and Cheese 7 ("Echo") and Other Times and Places III ("Broadcast Difficulties")
Short Review:
Not being at all into AU Prosfic for ages, it took me a relatively long time to read these two stories, but ohhhh - when I did!
They're science fiction alternative universe stories, where Bodie is a mercenary spacer, and Doyle a restless part-alien who has become caught up in one planet's justice system. For reasons of his own Bodie buys his bond, effectively taking him on as a slave for the specific time period. Of course, this is Bodie and Doyle... *g*
The best thing about these stories are that they are Bodie and Doyle! And not in a stereo-typed "Doyle-is-very-moral-Bodie-is-a-hardhearted-merc-who-just-needs-a-bit-of-love kind of way - I can actually hear Bodie and Doyle speaking the words that they do in these stories, and I can see them move throughout the paragraphs. Ellis Ward has done a brilliant job, I think, of keeping them in character. They're sharp, and funny and looking out for each other without getting all vocal and emotional about it - perfect!
There are a few original characters too - including the wonderful sfangi - that are very well done. The writing is so natural that I can imagine where the lads are, and I have their world safely in the back of my mind from the bits and pieces that we're told of it. There's no big explain-y paragraphs - the author assumes that we know the world already, thus bringing us closer to the characters, at the same time managing to sketch in the details that make us feel like we know the world too!
And ohhhh for the closeness of our lads, in this story! Even before they're partnered (well, you know they're going to be, in one way or another!), they've got the same pull to them that they do on screen. How can it not be alright when they've got that going for them? It's a melt-y fic, for me - and oh, there's lots of lovely extra-hot-melty moments too... *g*
It's not about the science fiction, that's totally incidental - it's about the lads. And that, I reckon, is your perfect AU story right there... *g*
Anyone else read these stories?
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