ci5hq | Pros Novel Read-Along - Painted Angels by Angelfish

byslantedlight.livejournal.com posting in

At last!

Painted Angels by Angelfish.
Cover art by

firlefanzine

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

There has been a bomb explosion, and like the other emergency services, Bodie and Doyle, now working together as a team, responded. On arrival, however, Doyle remained by the car, too scared to go any further, while Bodie ran straight into the cloud of smoke to help.

Eventually Doyle screws up his courage and joins Bodie, who is assessing what seems to be a detonator. Doyle recognises it as a specific Irish terrorist group, and Bodie immediately knows who he's talking about. They realise that there's a second device nearby, ready to go off when the emergency services have arrived. They find it, and Doyle uses his penknife to cut the wires - a mad guess between red or blue, because it could be either - and saves the situation.

Even as they're laughing in relief, however, one of the first bomb's victims staggers into them and collapses. They're badly burned and blinded, and asking for Richard. Bodie recoils but Doyle pretends to be Richard as comfort as the man dies in his arms.

The next thing Doyle knows is that he's sitting on a wall outside a church with Bodie, though he can't remember getting there. Bodie is rubbing his back, then "tangles... fingers into his hair, carressing" and explains that the first time in such a situation is the worst, and he'll be okay. Doyle points out that he doesn't ever want to be "okay" with this situation, and begins to feel guilty about not having been able to stop it. He knows London so well, he should have seen some sign. Bodie rejects this - "Jesus Christ, Doyle. You'll sink both of us."

Doyle realises he's been in shock, recovers, and just as he's getting up spots a priest helping the victims. He's not impressed - "Oh great... God's here." Bodie's puzzled by this, and Doyle realises that the priest is giving first aid, not the last rites. As he watches the priest, however, and then hears his voice, Doyle realises that he's familiar. ""Gabriel. Gabe!" and begins to walk into the crowd."

So - what did you think?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

Okay, and my first thoughts as soon as the author described Doyle as clinging to the Capri's open door, while Bodie "didn't hesitate", and then "...Bodie to have run straight into hell, leaving Doyle with his knees turned to water, clutching at the car door..." was - as you can probably imagine - no-no-no-no-NO!

The author is still describing Doyle as "a Stepney beat-copper", completely ignoring the fact that he was a Detective Constable by the time he was recruited to CI5, and had served in the Drug Squad at least, as further experience from being a "beat-copper". Quite apart from the fact that he's surely already used to seeing pain and violence and injury at various levels through this experience, he was also in the Met in London in the 1970s - just checking Wiki for 1970-76 gives 50 terrorists incidents involving bombs (some of which were defused, but many went off). In 1976 there was the Olympia bombing, where "1976 Olympia bombing: A bomb placed by the Provisional IRA exploded in a litter bin at the top of an escalator in a crowded exhibition hall. 20,000 people were attending the Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition at the time. 70 were injured." Doyle is not likely to be unprepared to have to deal with this sort of carnage - quite apart from his own CI5 training!

And gaah for super-Bodie (in comparison) running straight in while Doyle cowers. That's just not a Doyle that I can see from the eps, or canon, or a realistic view of London and its emergency services at the time.

Yes, he redeems himself afterwards and is more the Doyle that I know - but why in the world set him up like that? It makes no sense to me... Just as I think I'm starting to believe in the characters, the author does something to make me back off again. By the end of this chapter I'm believing in them once more - but now I'm waiting to be knocked back again, to have them snatched away again...

From:

gilda-elise.livejournal.com

I couldn't have said it better. I keep vacillating between liking and not liking the story, mainly because I'm not enthralled with her portrayal of Doyle. It's too much in the old "fragile flower" mode. And, once again, Bodie is perfect. First, he heals at an amazing rate, now he knows no fear.

But I can't say that I didn't enjoy the chapter, I suppose because I found the plot exciting. I wasn't sure if she was talking about an actual bombing or not, though I imagined she was (what a thing to make up!) Anyway, I do so hope her portrayal of Doyle gets more into line with the Doyle we saw in the episodes.

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

Vascillating is a good word! And yes, I enjoyed the chapter too, except for the stop-start-huh? moments... Sometimes I think she has Doyle spot on from the eps, and then she seems to regress him again. I wonder if it's connected with the way she likes him to suffer in her stories...

From:

jat-sapphire.livejournal.com

Jeez, all that. But I loved the bomb-defusing scene. I could really see it in my mind, and the banter and trust there was so recognizable. I love that Doyle cut the other line and that it turned out to be right without some sort of defensive display from Bodie. (Still wondering where all that damage went, though.) I like the structure of the chapter, and the descriptions are great. And there's Gabe again, and a chapter break that really makes me want to read on.

I just ... I feel as though a storyline that means "life has nearly broken both of them but they save each other" and one that means "they're already survivors, each in his own way, and all they need is to respect and trust each other" are both perfectly plausible, but they do not mesh. Then the writer ends up slicing and mixing them up, and I'm getting whiplash here. Plus the "Bodie actually IS perfect" subplot doesn't help either storyline.

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

The bomb-defusing scene was great - I could just picture it too!

I suppose Bodie's damage came out a bit when he started getting his gun out to put the bombing victim out of his misery, and the way he wasn't sure what Doyle was doing when he tried to comfort the man - but he does seem to have things a bit more in check now...

It was a good chapter end!

"life has nearly broken both of them but they save each other" and one that means "they're already survivors, each in his own way, and all they need is to respect and trust each other" are both perfectly plausible, but they do not mesh
Hmmn, why wouldn't they mesh? Surely they could both be nearly broken but survivors, but they save each other into being something more than just survivors because they each open the other's eyes to ways to react to things...? But I might not be understanding what you mean...

I'm still finding Bodie a bit Mary-Sue - the hero who rushes in, but then is tragically flawed in a way that means he'll save everyone else... but he's getting a bit better, I think. And I mean, I'd expect them both to rush into the bombing site, because that's the sort of thing they're trained to do - it's Doyle not doing it that bugs me rather than Bodie doing it this time!

From:

jat-sapphire.livejournal.com

I think those two versions of Bodie and Doyle COULD mesh, but they don't. Maybe because Bodie, for instance, has coping strategies that are all over the map. Needing to control, being a perfectionist, knowing everything he can and then figuring no other knowledge is worthwhile, okay, but killing prisoners while interrogating them, dumping fellow agents in it to preserve his own advantage, toying with the consent of his friend with benefits--nope, I don't see how Doyle can help save or be saved by them. Another bit that feels like a revision fix is that when Doyle just rides Bodie's moods, then he's okay, which also seems to work for about a day and then not.

I want Bodie to get better, but I want to understand better how that is happening. There are parts of this story when I feel like he packs up his baggage and ignores it for a while, and that doesn't feel true to me.

I'm anxious to get the Gabe plot resolved at least somewhat, but I can't see how that really furthers the B/D part either. I know we're still in the middle, but I guess I don't want to think the problems in forming a real partnership are unsurmountable.

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

Hmmn - I think the things you describe do mesh for me, because I don't see any conflict between Needing to control, being a perfectionist, knowing everything he can and then figuring no other knowledge is worthwhile and killing prisoners while interrogating them, dumping fellow agents in it to preserve his own advantage, toying with the consent of his friend with benefits. In fact I can completely see how the second part can come out of the first! And the idea, too, that Doyle can save him by reacting differently despite a similar need to control, be a perfectionist, know everything he can etc. Actually I'm not sure either of them think that no other knowledge is worthwhile - we've seen both of them learn from each other already in the story, and be willing to do so.

I do agree that things seem to be okay for a little bit, and then suddenly blown apart again, which is rather roller-coaster-ish, but really that's what life is like, so even that isn't entirely off the map.

I think for me the difficulty is that we seem to see Doyle's pov when he's feeling weak and unsure, but we see Bodie's pov when he's feeling sure and all-hero, and so I think it's as much an imbalance in the writing, for me, as anything else.

If I were to guess (since I don't remember what happens, despite reading this before!) I'd say that Gabe is probably going to be a catalyst for Bodie realising that he does actually fancy Doyle, and then realising that he has stronger feelings about him. I'm quite looking forward to seeing what happens though, cos I'd like to think that Angelfish can be a bit more complex than that... *g*

From:

jat-sapphire.livejournal.com

Well, we'll see as the novel goes on. I hope it does all tie up well.

From:

firlefanzine.livejournal.com

"...Doyle with his knees turned to water, clutching at the car door..." was - as you can probably imagine - no-no-no-no-NO!"

LOL! Exactly my thoughts!

"...And gaah for super-Bodie (in comparison) running straight in while Doyle cowers."

That's the way professionals should act in such a situation. In any case, showing any feelings AFTER such an operation.

No, I have no problem with the Bodie here. But that's not the Doyle we know! And it's not just his hesitation at the beginning, it's also all this musing about heaven and hell - at this wrong moment, when there is real hell around him.

"...tough one for a Catholic, taught from birth that God is up there and mankind down here, hopelessly and forever separate. He has put God back where He should be -- right in his own human breast, with all the joy and pain and agonising responsibility that entails. There is need for him to enter hell..."

And so on..., and so on...

What follows is a superb bomb disposal scene. *bows*

And then again, as you mentioned it, the scenes outside the Brunswick church, and the moment he sees Gabe. All his professionalism is forgotten, and he acts like the heroine in a regency novel.
Hello? Where is my Doyle, please????

Anyway - up until now, I still enjoy the powerfull writing!
...it reminds me a bit of reading Kate MacLean - you don't like these guys, you don't even know them - but you can't stop reading! ;-)

From:

siskiou.livejournal.com

I was thinking Kate MacLean, too, with the narrow point of view.
We are inside Doyle's head, but have no idea what Bodie is really feeling, only getting to see his perfect behavior under pressure.

I'm trying to tell myself that Doyle's hesitation is really just a split second, before going in like he is trained to do.
In the episodes, Doyle does what needs to be done, and saves any doubts and feelings for later.
He really doesn't display that kind of behavior (though we aren't mind readers, and Bodie has said he is scared all the time, for example, but we don't really see that from his actions)
So conceivably, they could both be scared to death, but in this story, Doyle is always the one needing support from a Bodie who knows it all, and has so much more experience.

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

but have no idea what Bodie is really feeling, only getting to see his perfect behavior under pressure
Maybe that's something else that throws me though - because we do get the story from Bodie's pov sometimes. Like when he thinks about how he thought Doyle was going to abandon him because he didn't follow Bodie straight in - "he'd gone cod white...", that bit. I suppose below that we get a bit of Bodie's positive view of Doyle, in the bomb defusing scene, but it's not the sort of hero-view that we're shown of Bodie... When we see Doyle he's quite often scared or nervous or summat, but when we see Bodie he never is... It just seems unbalanced as writing, as much as anything, I think....

a Bodie who knows it all, and has so much more experience
And that - that right there's what I don't get, or believe! Different experience yeah, but in fact Doyle's been the one dealing with the IRA's terrorism in London since he started in the police force...

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

hat's the way professionals should act in such a situation. In any case, showing any feelings AFTER such an operation.
Yes! Exactly! That's what they've been trained to do!

this musing about heaven and hell - at this wrong moment, when there is real hell around him
Yes, that too. Although I think the bit you quote below isn't so much him musing as the author telling us what his life has been like. But still... It's too much hesitation, too much cowering, when he should be getting on with his job.

Love the bomb defusing scene - now that I can just picture! *g*

and the moment he sees Gabe. All his professionalism is forgotten, and he acts like the heroine in a regency novel.
Hmmn, I don't know about this, I actually didn't have a problem with him here. His professionalism has taken a hit anyway when he's reacted so strongly about the man dying in his arms (which I have no problem with - there's professionalism and then there's being a robot, and I don't think there's many trained professionals who wouldn't be affected by what happened then), and he's just about to head back in to help again when he sees Gabe. As long as he doesn't just vanish from the job entirely, I'm okay with this bit...

reading Kate MacLean - you don't like these guys, you don't even know them
Ah, now we disagree over Kate MacLean too, I seem to remember... I adore her Pros stories! *g* And I'm also never thrown out of them by the sort of inconsistencies we see from Angelfish here...

From:

firlefanzine.livejournal.com

"...and the moment he sees Gabe. All his professionalism is forgotten, and he acts like the heroine in a regency novel.
...As long as he doesn't just vanish from the job entirely, I'm okay with this bit..."

But he does! He could have come back later, after the event, to look for Gabe. Now that he knows where he probably works. But no! Without thinking he "...and begins to walk into the crowd."
That's a very stupid thing to do at that moment!

"...Ah, now we disagree over Kate MacLean too, I seem to remember... I adore her Pros stories!"

Well, then we should put her on the list for the next Novel Read-Along! :-)

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

He could have come back later, after the event, to look for Gabe. Now that he knows where he probably works.
No, it makes absolute sense to me that he walks towards Gabe at the end of this chapter (But he does! had better not be a spoiler, btw!). He's not leaving the site of the bombing, and just abandoning everything, but he has just seen someone who's absolutely tied up with a major trauma in his life. I don't think it's a conscious decision on Doyle's part at all, and I don't blame him either - if I suddenly saw someone I'd loved and lost years ago, and not been able to find since, then I'd probably drop everything to follow them too! And to be fair, he doesn't know that Gabe works at the nearby church, he could just have been passing when the bomb went off, he could have been visiting it, etc.

That's a very stupid thing to do at that moment!
Why?! Why is it "stupid"?

We've got the next novel-read-along story lined up, but we can put Maclean on the list for another time! *g*

From:

firlefanzine.livejournal.com

"Why?! Why is it "stupid"?"

It is absolutely nonprofessional. It's a very critical situation, and every helping hand is needed - and this CI5 man walks away to follow some ghost from his past...

"...but he has just seen someone who's absolutely tied up with a major trauma in his life. I don't think it's a conscious decision on Doyle's part at all,... "

Oh, come on! Even worse! He's not some butcher or school teacher, or whatever. If he can't handle his past - at such moments -, he's in the wrong job!

And I'd like to see Cowley's reaction if he knew! ;-)

From:

byslantedlight.livejournal.com

It is absolutely nonprofessional. It's a very critical situation, and every helping hand is needed - and this CI5 man walks away to follow some ghost from his past...
Okay, so you're saying unprofessional (an assessment of the situation) - "stupid" is just a person insult with an ambiguous basis!

I still disagree though - it's not as if Doyle's been slacking (if we ignore the un-Doyle-like behaviour of not running straight in like Bodie did). The reason they're sitting on the wall in the first place is that they worked out who planted the bomb, worked out that there was a second bomb, found it, defused it with seconds to spare, and were just recovering from that when a victim so badly burned that he's blind and his nerves are no longer working, literally falls onto them. Doyle offers what comfort he can, but the man still dies in his arms. I think any professional, no matter how experienced, would be excused for taking whatever kind of break they need in order to keep their sanity. Professionals and the emergency services are trained and experienced, but they're also still people.

And as I said before, there's a limit at this stage to how much they can personally do. Yes, they can jump in and help triage any victims who haven't been given attention yet, but to be honest I'm surprised that Gabe is finding bodies out in the open like that to deal with, because as Doyle notes at the start of the chapter, the emergency services were already there when Bodie and Doyle arrived - "no need for Bodie to run straight in". So there'd be police and other CI5 agents and first responders already on the scene, plus ambulances and medics, plus apparently unhurt passers-by like Gabe. If there was no need for Bodie to run right in as soon as they got there, then twenty or so minutes later there are going to be even more people there to help, and even less need for the lads to wade in. So I reckon they're due a breather, myself!

I reckon Cowley would have recalled them once they'd found the second bomb - and sent them off to chase down Christy McMahon... *g*