Prosfic Rec - "Beasts of Burden" by Deveroux Dane

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Title: Beasts of Burden
Author: Deveroux Dane
Link to story: Not online
Zine: Heroes 2
Review:

Beasts of Burden is the only Pros story in the multifandom zine "Heroes 2", which means that not many people might have read it/be able to get hold of it, but I figured that shouldn't mean that it's not worth reviewing/reccing...

The non-spoiler-y rec bit is that although it seems at first to be a fairly straight-forward plot/story, even in relatively few pages (32, but with quite large type) the author manages to weave several sub-plots and some very interesting twists and turns without actually losing me by being over-plotty with it... And it doesn't stick with looking deeply into just one character either - we find out more about Doyle, then Bodie, and then Cowley, all through it, and by the end I wasn't just thinking oh, good plot, I was thinking about how it fitted in with their personalities, and the way they behaved in different eps, and how that fitted in with the story - which I always like in a fic. A thinky bit... *g*

It's not written perfectly, though it's fine - there's the odd Americanism-type twist of phrase, and the bizare s'what type punctuation, and even the odd typo, but it was all interesting and twist-y enough to keep me reading anyway - it's worth ignoring to find out what happens!

I actually wanted this to be a longer fic - I'm sure there could be a great novel-length story around everything that was going on... *g*

Has anyone else read this one?! What did you think? Was it "different" for you? *g*

The spoiler-y bit:
You can tell that something's up, within what seems to be an otherwise straightforward op-plot, because we're told quite quickly that Bodie is exhausted and apparently being picked on by Cowley, and Doyle isn't. I have to admit I was worried at this point that it might turn out to be B/C, even after it became clear that B/D were already having an affair - but it didn't! Then it seems to be something of a betrayal-fic, because Bodie's taken in and drugged by CI5 itself, and I started to wonder if he'd been set up for something by the KGB at some point, then it turned out to be Doyle that Cowley was getting at, and I thought ah, it's the old test-them-to-see-if-they're-still-suitable-for-CI5-despite-their-relationship plot, only then it turned out to be... Well, I'm not gonna spoil that bit. *g*

Comments

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever heard of this writer, let alone the story so thanks for bringing my attention to it.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I've seen her name come up now and again - mostly in zines, I think, Australian or American ones? Can't remember if I've ever read anything else she's written, but this wasn't a bad introduction! Shame she's not online anywhere that I can see - or even on the ProsLib CD...

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Never read it! But it sounds intriguing (& if I can get my brain to function again I'll try to think of an example of "out there" fic as well).

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It was rather intriguing! And yeay rec - best wishes to your brain... *g*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I think a good project would be to gather all those odd stories that only appeared in multi-fandom zines over the years and haven't made it to the net, and publish them in a zine of their own. But I imagine the problem finding the original authors would sink that plan. Still, it would be nice.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

That'd be a fab project, you're quite right!

I suppose the person to ask about original authors, especially the Americans (if DD is American!) might be justacat - I know she's said in the past that she has permission to archive swathes of fic that isn't up on Circuit yet, she's just waiting for the time to be able to do it... Shame she doesn't have more time and/or help for that sort of thing, because it almost feels as if we're losing fic like this Deveroux Dane one...

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I know for myself, I don't buy multi-fandom zines nor do I trib to them any longer. Simply because I don't read in other fandoms. I think in the days before net, they were a great idea. They introduced people to shows they had no clue about. Now, with the net, people tend to stick to stories they want to read since it's so easy to find out about new or unusual fandoms.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

^^^I know for myself, I don't buy multi-fandom zines nor do I trib to them any longer. Simply because I don't read in other fandoms.^^^
The same goes for me! I've tried it, and found it quite boring (NCIS, S&H, Man from Uncle, Voyager, even Inspector Jury...). And to be true - I'm glad about that. Pros "steals" enough time... (You know what I mean!) :-)