Reading Room X - Crossover Stories - Bishonen Op by DVS

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Title: Bishonen Op
Author: DVS
Pairing: B/D
Link to story: at the Circuit Archive

The story is a Pros crossover with the long-running manga series Patalliro!.
I don't know nothing about manga, and I don't think that I ever watched more than five minutes when I stumbled over it on TV.
But then cloudless_9193 talked about it in her journal and I became curious. Thanks to Google I learned a bit about the background and the three main characters and started reading.

Night. There is a thrilling encounter with a mysterious stranger in a garden outside of a big estate. There is a missing Bodie, supposedly death. And Doyle is there to rescue him.

"The man was elegantly slim, well over six feet, and he was wearing blue eye-shadow. And the hair! Dead black, dead straight, and hanging down past the guy's ass, for God's sake!"

"But if it would get him in there to find Bodie, he'd follow the devil himself, and so it didn't matter."

"Continental, he looked, and fashionable, and dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Predator's eyes, and a panther's smooth walk. Doyle felt like a rather mangy wolf beside Van Colan's elegance. But the wolf had teeth."

"Van Colan whirled, his eyes glittering with excitement and laughter, and pressed Doyle up against the wall. In one motion, he had his hand under Doyle's shirt and his lips over Doyle's opening mouth."

Well. Is it only me, or is this a very nice beginning of a story? Aren't these all ingredients to make sure you want to read further? 

After that Doyle and Van Colan rescue Bodie and another man. And with the help of the beautiful Maraich all our heroes have an exciting escape over the roofs of the estate.

Then there are some nice moments in the helicopter.

The second part of the story is not as spectacular as the beginning.

The author offers us the lazy life on a 'sparkling white vessel' ahead of the Greek islands.

I think our boys fit perfectly, and they take the chance to sort out their relationship – surely inspired by Van Colan and Maraich, although Bodie desperately insists: "I'm not like them! WE'RE not!"

"I thought so," Van Colan laughed into Doyle's curls. His hand drifted down from Doyle's neck to his arm, hip, and buttocks. "You'll need luck to get that one into your bed," Van Colan commented.

I think something like this is very refreshing! Most of the time the 'first time of Bodie and Doyle' is a very serious matter. And here we have another man who shows his interest in Doyle, and he is mocking Doyle a bit.

The part with Patalliro, the child-king, is not really necessary, but fortunately very short.
I could happily live without this aspect of the manga.

But all in all I like the concept of this crossover, I like the 'other couple', and therefore I enjoyed the whole story very much.

How about you?

Is this all too far-fetched for you? A MI6 agent with blue eye-shadow, and hair 'dead straight, and hanging down past the guy's ass'? And then the beautiful girly boy. And the King...

Or are you happy to read something 'weird' now and then?

And I would like to know if the confusion about Maraich's gender confuses you? The author changes permanently 'he' and 'she'.

What else do you like/dislike?

Why do I like it...?
I wonder if the fact that I'm strictly a mono fandom girl, encourages me to make colourful side trips like this? ;-)

But I hope you had fun with it!  - well, are there at least a few who share my (strange?) taste??  ;-)

Comments

[milomaus.livejournal.com]

It is a fun story, and I like the charakters and the Lads reactions to them a lot.
But the whole Manga stuff with looong hair and more then thin bodies is just too far fetched.
And the boy King is just annoying.
Maraich too. I don´t like that character, not because of the gender "switching" but because of the attitude.

I really like Bodie in the stories, and I really love the answer Doyle gives to Vab Colan after he says:
"You'll need luck to get that one into your bed,"
"No." Doyle straightened. "YOU would need luck. I'd just need--time."

Though all in all, it was a fun story and it had it´s merrits, but I wouldn´t want to read it again soon.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Parts of the story were fun - you are right about the first half being more exciting. I was interested enough to read the sequel which I thought was a much better story, though I prefer 'first time' fics and of course it was 'established relationship'. However, the basic plot/world/characters didn't appeal to me much - I mean the manga characters, of course, not our lads. Like milomaus I disliked Maraich though I didn't find the gender switching confusing.

Looking at the dates of the story and the sequel I gather these were written when the author was perhaps just getting into Pros and I wonder if this crossover was initially approached from the manga story point of view. There were flashes of the lads and some nice bits of dialogue but none of the depth of characterisation I have come to expect from this author's later works. At times, the lads could have been any two generic law enforcement partners dumped into the world of the other pair.

So, interesting, and I'm grateful for the rec and the review, but I won't be reading any more crossovers with this manga fandom.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"Maraich too. I don´t like that character..."
Me too! I would never trust him. He would sell his mother...
But he is a very unusual and fascinating charakter in the Pros world, and somehow he respects and admires is turned on by Bodie and Doyle. ;-)

About the 'whole Manga stuff with loooong hair and more than thin bodies'... I must say, that I'm deeply impressed by the stylish qualities of it all! And the stories themselves are not so bad either!

Right! The boy King IS annoying! :-O

Thanks for coming around! :-)

[murphybabe]

I liked it. I liked it the first time I read it, and I was pleased to meet it here again, so thank you for the review and the questions. I did find it a bit far-fetched. I didn't have a single clue that it was a cross-over, and I dislike Manga, so I would never have found it, but I was able to suspend my disbelief to go with the bits I did like.

The bits I had trouble with: very long hair would surely be a liability. The king - should have been drowned at birth, indeed. Some of the description was - aptly - over the top, but it fitted the whole surreal feeling. Van Colen is just a bit too competent, the boat and the island are just a bit too perfect, and Bodie and Doyle are just a bit too sidelined for my tastes.

The use of he/she about Maraich didn't bother me at all - I think it accurately portrays how he/she felt in the story.

I agree with you - I like the fun element of our lads' first time. I also agree with moth2fic that this was perhaps written from the Manga side, which would fit with my complaint that B&D are not the focus of the story.

Liked the fic, still don't like cross-overs!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I remember this one! I think I read it years ago and I always remember the very memorable beginning with the scene in the garden (though I thought it was Bodie, not Doyle) but for the life of me I couldn't tell you what the title was so I'm grateful to you for the reminder. The Manga connection was completely lost on me (I had no idea it was anything to do with Manga), and that was partly the reason I didn't read it again as the idea of Manga holds no appeal.

Well. Is it only me, or is this a very nice beginning of a story? Aren't these all ingredients to make sure you want to read further?

Yup, as mentioned above, a good, memorable beginning - different - and as you say, refreshing. And yes I think the intriguing first scene would invite people to read on.

But all in all I like the concept of this crossover, I like the 'other couple', and therefore I enjoyed the whole story very much.
How about you?

I have (almost accidentally) enjoyed stories which are crossovers e.g. the Starsky and Hutch one, Crying for the Moon by Fanny Adams (I think that's the correct title and author). But illogically probably, I think I prefer *not* knowing a story is a crossover before I read it in case I'm put off by being unfamiliar with the other characters, the sub-text and posssible nuances etc. If I don't know it's a crossover I can just accept the other characters in their own right. e.g. Patterns in Walls (Debra Hicks I think) was a story I enjoyed a lot without realising that some of the characters were from another fandom.

Or are you happy to read something 'weird' now and then?

Probably not really but I’m not sure what you mean by ‘weird’? Your weird might not be my weird....... Do you mean things like the gender swapping? I suppose if there are weird characters or other kinds of weirdness in a pros story but bodie and doyle react to it in character then it might work but I don't think I'd deliberately go looking for weirdness, I' m happy with the basic kinds of plots of goodies and baddies etc.

And I would like to know if the confusion about Maraich's gender confuses you? The author changes permanently 'he' and 'she'.

Knowing me I think it probably did but I have only very vague memories of it.

I enjoyed your review and thanks for reminding me about this story and where my memories spring from!

[smirra.livejournal.com]

I absolutely enjoyed both parts.
I like DVS writing style and what she did with these exotic characters. Carefully developed, it's starting with Doyle and his mission. As I wasn't familiar with the Patalliro Manga, so wasn't Doyle and is musing about the strange but quite attractive and mysterious characters Van Colan and even more Maraich. And their mystery never fades away. I was hooked and fascinated by both of them. Even the little prince was fun the way he is somewhat subdued in the plot, compared to the actual manga.
I like how the relationship and the first time are unravelled, how Van Colan never gives up his hopes for Doyle and how Doyle is that tiny bit excited. And I love jealous Bodie.
And that huge amount of hair porn :D ! Sensually done by the author.
Thanks for the rec and the introduction to the fun patalliro manga.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I love your icon! Sorry, back to the discussion........

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"...which I thought was a much better story, though I prefer 'first time' fics and of course it was 'established relationship'."
I always wonder about the reason for this. Because I really prefer 'established stories'! But this is another theme. ;-)

"However, the basic plot/world/characters didn't appeal to me much - I mean the manga characters..."
I was surprised how much I liked it! It provides the Pros world with a kind of distance. A view from a 'weird' world. Though our lads stand their ground(?) in this world. I like that!

"...and some nice bits of dialogue but none of the depth of characterisation I have come to expect from this author's later works."
This is true! I just can agree. Maybe a characterization of these four complex characters would be too much for one story?

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I didn't have a single clue that it was a cross-over,..."
That's interesting! I knew from the beginning about the background, and I wonder how I would have seen it without that knowledge. Maybe I would have thrown it away? Because - come on... I only can buy the scenario because it is manga!

"...my complaint that B&D are not the focus of the story"
Really? Maybe I'm so fixated on them that I always think that they are the hub of the world! ;-)

"The king - should have been drowned at birth, indeed."
*g*

Thanks for stepping by!

[smirra.livejournal.com]

One of NDs fab icons, thank you! :-)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"But illogically probably, I think I prefer *not* knowing a story is a crossover before I read it in case I'm put off by being unfamiliar with the other characters, the sub-text and posssible nuances etc. If I don't know it's a crossover I can just accept the other characters in their own right. e.g. Patterns in Walls (Debra Hicks I think) was a story I enjoyed a lot without realising that some of the characters were from another fandom.
I know exactly what you mean!
But IF you know a bit of the other characters, and IF you can recognise them - maybe you enjoy the story even more.

"Your weird might not be my weird....... Do you mean things like the gender swapping? I "
That's one aspect. But it's more the whole situation. With the unusual MI6 agent and this strange little King.
And for me 'weird' isn't meant to be negative!

"I' m happy with the basic goodies and baddies type of thing.
I'm not! ---sometimes...
Since 2007 I read nothing else as Pros... and that's certainly not only because I'm a slow reader, but also because the stories are so 'different'!!!
There is always something new! :-)

Thank you! :-)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Sigh! That's a very nice summary about the strengths of this story!
Maybe you should have written this rec! :-)

Thanks!


...hair porn...
:-)

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

But IF you know a bit of the other characters, and IF you can recognise them - maybe you enjoy the story even more.

Yes that's true and perhaps that's how I managed to enjoy Crying for the Moon. And I think I've read a couple of stories which included the MUNCLE characters (one by JJ Minerva) and enjoyed them.

"Your weird might not be my weird....... Do you mean things like the gender swapping? I "
That's one aspect. But it's more the whole situation. With the unusual MI6 agent and this strange little King.
And for me 'weird' isn't meant to be negative!

Ah, good point. I must admit that I did interpret 'weird' as negative but it doesn't have to be.

Thank you! :-)

No, no, thank *you*!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I should have known! They *are* good.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Oh, I read this some months back! And while I have more familiarity with manga than most here (at least I *think* so), I didn't know this was manga or a crossover.

Aaaaand... I didn't really like it. Just a matter of personal opinion, but for me the two didn't go together very well.

(Then again, I'm the person who was talking about Pros & Mr Rogers the other day...)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I must admit that I did interpret 'weird' as negative but it doesn't have to be.
Yes, sorry! Smirra's 'exotic' is a much better use of words!

I must read Crying for the Moon!
There are some fandoms - like MUNCLE for example, where I enjoy vids and crossovers much more than the TV show itself...! ;-)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

That's great! Right at the moment when I was thinking that I could like manga - you tell me this is something you don't like if you like manga.... if you know what I mean? ;-)

Who is Mr.Rogers?
And how is Larton?

[smirra.livejournal.com]

You've written a good introduction to the story!

If any story earns the label "hair porn" it's this one! HP done brilliantly!
Shows the mastery of a writer to get such a topic done without being ridicolous.

You know I'm familiar with LOTR fandom, so hp is not new to me...

[smirra.livejournal.com]

Every good story needs a charcter who would sell his mother...

The only thing that disurbed me a bit was, the similarity of Body and Van Colan. I couldn't really buy that.

[cloudless-9193.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I'm late, I had to sleep off a really exhausting week.
I'm so pleased you chose Bishonen Op to review here. The Patalliro characters are a bit weird, but after all they were the trigger for Bodie and Doyle to reassess their relationship, and I liked them well enough, even Maraich. Bodie H/C, first time and DVS - that pushed all my buttons.

The helicopter scene, Doyle's encounter with Van Colan at the railing, and the beach - those were the scenes I like most. I can almost visualize them in technicolor. ;-)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

...and Doyle is quite mesmerised by that hair!
Is he secretly dreaming of a female version of Bodie? ;-)

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I'm so pleased you chose Bishonen Op to review here."
I had some other crossovers in mind. But whereas the others are really interesting too, I think Bishonen Op is the most skillful story among them.
I'm very glad you suggested it - two years ago! Time is running...

Those are indeed very good scenes! :-)

Thank you - and enjoy your weekend!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"The only thing that disurbed me a bit was, the similarity of Body and Van Colan. I couldn't really buy that."
That doesn't disturb me.
I think this similarity is more of the kind that both are tall, dark and beautiful, and maybe Doyle wonders if a bit excitement (like the very ong hair) would suit Bodie too - sometimes! ;-)

Nonsense! Bodie is exciting enough, isn't he! :-P

[cloudless-9193.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-)

[smirra.livejournal.com]

I... don't think so. And somhow the hair doesn't make Van Colan any female.
More like: I'm that good at this job that I can still afford to wear that way. And you've read it: it's distraction.
Works pretty good with Doyle.

[smirra.livejournal.com]

The hair line at the upper head is somewhat similar.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

I *knew* there was something I didn't answer!

Okay:

Well, you can like manga and like this, too! There's a whole range of storytelling across the manga univerese (although a lot of it requires some suspension of disbelief). LOL, I'm far from a manga expert.

But now you have me wondering if Gankutsuou (a *very* good anime version of The Count of Monte Cristo) couldn't be molded into a Pros framework somehow... Bodie as The Count and Doyle as Albert. Hunh. (Though that would be slashing slash - which might make my head explode, lol)

Fred Rogers had an educational children's program on for years, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Rogers%27_Neighborhood). If you were a kid in the US during a certain time period, you watched this program.

Larton isn't here yet... but at least it's been ordered. *Just.* :D