Fic of the Week -- Harlequin Airs, with All New Commentary

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

The fic for this week is: "Harlequin Airs" by Ellis Ward:

http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/3/harlequinairs.html (illustrated!)

http://hatstand.slashcity.net/ellis/airs1.html

This story grabbed me from the beginning, first, the deaths of two of Doyle’s partners – with just a tiny bit of information about each – and then the discussion about his new disguise, which matches MS’s appearance in Ladder of Swords. We learn about the op, and that Bodie’s a trapeze artist, that Ray used to be, and we’re pairing them up. Tight costumes and lots of muscles? Oh, we’re going to a happy place.

Several things made this a really good read for me:

• Buckets of research obviously went into this fic.
• The Lads are very much in character. Doyle’s stroppy and cocksure by turns; Bodie helps out old friends to the detriment of his new relationship; the Lads know exactly where each other is on the trapeze just like they do in canon on an op.
• The secondary and tertiary characters are so beautifully fleshed-out. Even the animals have personalities.
• The pacing is wonderful. I never felt any part was dragging or superfluous. There’s a lot of world-building in this fic – there has to be, how many readers are circus people? – but it’s necessary to the plot and never takes too much time in any one spot.
• The one chapter per day format gives you a feel for how busy the characters’ days are. The whole op takes only two weeks, but you get both the crazy rush of trying to put together an act in just a couple-three days when the whole circus is sharing the same rehearsal space, the thrill of an opening, and the dread that accompanies days where the attendance seems too slow to keep the circus going. And oh yeah, there’s that CI-5 undercover op thingumy of Ray’s, too.
• Oh, did I mention the great sexual tension? Ray and I both thought maybe he was never gonna get laid. But when he did… yeah, it was good. Our Lads are hot together.

A couple of things I didn’t care for:

• I thought Sergei / Alfred was a bit of a caricature. Absolutely no redeeming qualities other than that he loves the circus? And we only get a couple of instances of that.
• I also felt Sanjay (the tiger) was a bit over-romanticized. Yeah, that’s necessary for the climax, but still, after the recent ugliness in Las Vegas, San Francisco, New Zealand, Dublin, etc. we all pretty much know different. At least everyone in the fic was always on guard around Sanjay. Doyle’s fear of being locked in the cage while bleeding was appropriate, even if Sanjay’s reaction probably wasn’t. (Yes, yes, I know – willing suspension of disbelief, Gritsy.)

In all, a long read but a really satisfying one, where I was concerned.

Comments

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Well, bum about the iMac! I hope it turns out to be something simple, cheap, and straight-forward to fix.

I haven't really participated in the discussions here, so I'm not sure about protocol, but I did want to say a couple of things about Harlequin Airs. It's one of my favorite comfort reads, you see. I just really like this world she's created, and the fact that I can disappear into it, along with the lads. It's...comfort for me. I am well aware of flaws; they don't matter to me in this particular instance. *g*

This last time through it, I noticed two things. One is that there's a rather nifty parallel between two scenes that really show Bodie's character here. When he drops Doyle into the net, that first day they meet, he knows he's taking a risk. If Doyle isn't as good as he is, he might well have been injured or killed. But, Bodie has assessed the situation--*knows* how good Doyle is as a flyer--and acts with that knowledge to achieve his objective. In the same way, when he lives Doyle in Sanjay's cage at the end--he knows it's a risk, but he's assessed the situation--*knows* Sanjay's condition and the rapport between the two--and acts with that knowledge to achieve his objective. I just really like that consistency in characterization. There's more of that consistency in the way that Bodie has to immediately establish the "ground rules". He does it that first day with Doyle at the circus, and he does it when they're deciding that they will stay together as partners and lovers in CI5. Again, kudos for true consistency in characterization!

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I'm back, and we're crossing fingers that the computer won't fall over again.

Great spotting of the parallels! I've only read this a couple of times, but I do remember those scenes and I completely agree.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

grrr, the technology - fantastic when it works, completely useless when it doesn't. I hope you get it uncrashed soon with all your files, I would really love to read your lovingly-handcrafted write-up.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

lovingly-handcrafted write-up.

Well, that may be pushing it a bit... Anyway, submitted for your perusal, and all that.

It appears the computer just needed a long lie-down. We had trouble with it overheating less than a year after we purchased it; it'll cost us a bundle if it does it again.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I really was sucked into the story considering the fact that I heartily dislike the circus in all its forms. (I believe clowns and mimes are evil. LOL!) I love the story with all its good and weaker points. I never felt like I had to rush through the read, and when I had to put the zine down, I immediately wanted to go back and read more. That's a sign that I'm really liking it.

And yeah, I have the zine. I never read it online, so let me say that I love reading the story and there on the page with me is the illustration portraying exactly what I'm reading. It just makes the whole experience such a treat. It's a beautiful zine and a fun, interesting story.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I'd read it at the Hatstand originally, so when I saw those illustrations on the Circuit Archive's version I was entranced. They're gorgeous.

The only clowns I've ever seen that I've loved wholeheartedly have been some eastern European ones w/ the Cirque du Soliel. They told a story; and it was sad and moving in parts, as well as funny.

Yes, I too could quite easily have kept reading the adventures of the circus!Lads.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I must admit I haven’t read this story for a long time but I do remember loving it and missing everything about it once it was finished. Missing the strong original characters, the moving relationships with the animals – Sanjay and the dog who adops Doyle - (I can't remember the details but I don't think I found that bit over-romantic and I'm not even a great animal lover) and missing the sheer difference of circus life, a life I know nothing about so I don’t know if it was accurately portrayed or not, but it felt right to me, felt believable. Yes, definitely a comfort read which offered me everything I ask for in a good, long story: the chance to escape reality and wallow in a completely different world.

There's more of that consistency in the way that Bodie has to immediately establish the "ground rules". He does it that first day with Doyle at the circus, and he does it when they're deciding that they will stay together as partners and lovers in CI5. Again, kudos for true consistency in characterization!

I'd never thought of that when reading the story but yes, I think that's an interesting observation. And not only consistency throughout in characterisation but I think a good example of how a writer can keep Bodie recognisable as Bodie, i.e. remove him from a ci5 setting, plonk him down in the unlikely setting of a circus (as a circus artiste no less) and still retain his essential 'Bodie' like features.

Thanks for this rec!

[tango65.livejournal.com]

This is one of my must read again stories. Its definitely a comfort read, well written and although it has flaws, they are minor and don't distract you. Definitely one of my favourite AU stories with the boys.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I like how it's AU but it's not -- there's still bits about Ray (and Bodie, tho we don't know it until the end) doing dangerous cop/spy work. And they go for morning runs, and mess about in each other's flats trailers, and just general canon stuff. Bodie's MI-6 instead of CI-5; and both of them have the circus background that they don't in canon, but otherwise it's just an undercover op, albeit one in a brilliant, fun setting.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Well, in my world, AUs are like this. I should be able to recognise the characters no matter the setting. I know, I'm weird that way, but unless the story is ultra-fabulous, if I have to hunt for the lads, I'm probably not going to finish the story.

[tango65.livejournal.com]

You're right, it still is the boys we know and love, just in a slightly different place. Makes it easier to accept and more enjoyable too, as they're still our boys.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Oh, did I say something wrong? I hope not and apologise if I did!

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

Heavens no, I think I was agreeing with you. I was trying to say it was the best kind of AU -- one that was still mostly canon, just w/ one or two changes.

"The U.S. and Britain -- two countries separated by a common language."

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I thought something was odd and that you wouldn't ignore me! I think you might have replied to someone else by mistake as your reply didn't go to my mailbox.

And yes, I agree, it was the best kind of AU and a very clever one at that!

Thanks for letting me know!

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I think I probably just hit a Reply button in the wrong place... or my computer might have had one last hiccup before settling down. *hangs head, applies percussive maintenance to obnoxious iMac*

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

I started this way too late and am only half-way so far, but ohh, I'm enjoying it very much!
Am imagining Doyle's look as MS from LoS (which I've loved since I saw the movie not too long ago) and the circus atmosphere and lovingly described details really work for me.
Every once in a while I'm thinking maybe Bodie and Doyle are just a touch too perfect on the trapeze together, with not a single glitch so far, but it's not a serious quibble.

Lot's of interesting and engaging original characters, including the animals!

I do wish we could have a POV giving us Bodie's thoughts every once in a while, but I assume it would reveal things we aren't supposed to know until later in the story.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I'll be good and not spoil it for you, but yeah, this is strictly a Ray PoV story.

And isn't it fun?

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I happy to really enjoy single POV and not being told every single thing as the story progresses. It's so much fun picking up the hints and watching the story unfold. It's more "real" in that Ray can't read Bodie's mind and must learn about him as I do. So for me, this single POV makes me more "in the story" in Ray's head totally. I love it.

[sineala.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever really commented on one of the Reading Room stories before, so here goes.

I love love love this story. This is the story that got me into Pros fandom (um, last year). I had read "The Cook and the Warehouseman" before, but that's so SF it doesn't really count, and didn't make me want to read the entire rest of the fandom like this did. (Am still trying to find a copy of the zine; had no luck contacting the distributor.)

It helps that I really, really enjoy Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Catch Trap (http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Trap-Marion-Zimmer-Bradley/dp/0345315642/) (and clearly so did Ellis Ward!), and "Harlequin Airs" is a lot like "The Catch Trap" minus a lot of the homophobia and angst (and I love that book, but man does it have a lot of both). So really, from the summary of this, I was in. It probably also helps that I'm a huge fan of AUs anyway, and you don't actually need to know much about Pros to appreciate this. (But if you do, y'know, it's even better.) Besides, you get to see them falling in love, and I really adore the UST between them. It smolders. There were a few bits that really hit me hard and just made me stop and stare in wonder.

I think the plot is a little weird -- Cowley wants Doyle to seduce Bodie, whom he already knows is MI6, and blah blah guns -- and so for me it's good that a lot of the story isn't really about the gunrunning plot, but, hey, I really like undercover!gay stories, and this is a good example. And I mean, sure, it's the Everyone Is Gay Circus, but whatever! It's awesome!

One thing I really adore that no one ever mentions is that this is the only story I've seen take the "anal sex is painful" trope and turn it on its head. I figured the author was just going for the usual "sex hurts" description during the sex scene, and then it turned out that it hurt because Bodie was secretly undercover!gay and didn't actually have a clue what he was doing. That wins my respect. :)

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I've never read "The Catch Trap," but I might see if I can dig up a copy. I was a big MZB SF fan for a long time.

It's true; you don't need to know Pros to enjoy this, but it's so very Pros that you enjoy it if you're already a fan. (We had a big discussion here about "The Cook and the Warehouseman," and feelings were evenly divided, or maybe even ran a little against it.)

And I'm with you -- I did like that the "first time" pain was a coupla virgins not willing to admit to each other that they didn't know what they were doing, instead of it being that the top was just too eager.

[scherwood]

I think you said it all... *giggle* =P
I totally love this text and I don't really know what to say. This is one of those texts I return to time after time. *happy sigh* Bodie and Doyle are both in character (important), and the information from the author about both characters are great. I feel kinda sad when authors write to little about the background and stuff, so therefore I like a lot of info.

And it's even more great when the characters around the main ones are properly written and figured out by the author. It's always nice to have a lot of info about them too. (I know - I know - I'm an information geek). This text is written in a good way, and when I start to read it I just can't put it away. It grabs you and won't let you go.

Large and square, Bodie's hands waited for him.
"You're incredible!" Doyle gasped as Bodie tightened his grip round Doyle's thin wrists.
Dark anger lurked in Bodie's eyes. With magnificent control and impossible strength, he unhurriedly drew Doyle closer until they were face to face and scant inches apart. He pronounced coldly, "And you're a prima donna." With an abrupt twist, he tore his hands free.
Taken by surprise, Doyle pitched toward the ground.

Hehe... I love this chapter and the following ones... and I just can't stop laughing at them both. *giggle*

"Get some rest, Bodie. Don't think I'm up to competing tonight."
"Compet--?"
Doyle closed the door quietly and with finality behind him.

All right, who wants to smack Doyle? *rase hand*
But don't worry, it's things like this that keeps me on my feet while reading. Emotions... and more emotions. And I guess I'm not making any sense.

Derek winked, his knowing eyes plunging straight to Doyle's groin.
"Bloody hell," Doyle groaned. "Is there no respect in this place?"
From the stall at the end of the stable, Piper gave a noisy blow.
Bodie shook his head. "There's your answer, sunshine: straight from the horse's mouth."

Cracks me up every time...!! :D *giggle*
I love Bodie's humour and way of speaking in this text too!
And no, I haven't forgotten Doyle... He's great too!

http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/11/harlequinairs10.jpg

My fav illustration to this text! <3

It was just after eleven when Doyle drove back into the caravan site. Zipped protectively in his jacket, tongue lolling out of her mouth in simple-minded happiness, Basil barked once to announce their arrival as the bike came to a stop.

You just gotta love that dog!! *hugs Basil*

"Oh. You might've told me."
"Just as well I didn't," Bodie said sardonically. "Otherwise you'd have missed out on the pretty missus and her daughter."
"That is true," Doyle said sedately.

Bodie in jealous mood... gotta love it! *wicked smile*

Reaching out, Bodie removed the large container from Doyle's hands and set it on the sideboard, a few inches of it left hanging precariously off the edge. Then he stepped forward and took Doyle into his arms. "I've never met anyone like you, you know that? One minute you're an arrogant swine; the next you could sell shares in humility."

Is it just me, or do anyone else out there think Doyle is schizofrenic?

I would have liked there to be even more angst and soul hurting from Doyle before he got happier again... *pout*
But I like how the mood goes from the dark beginning to the lighter touches with Bodie to the great ending. *happy sigh*

And I agree with sineala "I think the plot is a little weird -- Cowley wants Doyle to seduce Bodie, whom he already knows is MI6, and blah blah guns -- and so for me it's good that a lot of the story isn't really about the gunrunning plot, but,"

(I do apologise if this was confusing, but it's 6 am and I have just finished reading the text... *blush*)

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

This fic is great for both its background research and its beautiful descriptions of tiny moments, and I think that's two good reasons why everybody likes it.

[scherwood]

Absolutely... *nod*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

All right, who wants to smack Doyle? *rase hand*
Heee - no! I wanted to smack Bodie! *vbg*

[scherwood]

Oh, really? why? *grin*

[emmamydog11.livejournal.com]

I also love this story. It was one of the 1st I read after discovering Pros fiction earlier this year. I re-read it for the reading room this week and enjoyed it as much as the 1st time and know it is one I'll return to like all good things that comfort. I do always think that the ending with Cowley's justifications of wanting to get B/D together (in terms of seeing how they work together) appears a bit odd. But am prepared to overlook this as the rest of the story is lovely. I love the circus animals and the opportunities it provides for Doyle's softer emotional side to come out while Bodie pretends to be the hard guy but is hooked as well.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Cowley was "just making sure" Bodie came to Ci-5 like he'd already asked to by sending the perfect partner (in more ways than one *eyebrows waggling*) his way during an undercover op? That's a bit beyond triple-think, even for the Cow.

(Of course -- and this is completely off topic -- in my personal fanon the Cow has always been fairly displeased that the Lads hook up in a physical sense -- he is a dour old-fashioned Presbyterian -- and only allows it to keep his best team working for him, and then only if it never, ever affects their work.)

[scherwood]

I love the circus animals and the opportunities it provides for Doyle's softer emotional side to come out while Bodie pretends to be the hard guy but is hooked as well.

I totally agree with you on that! :D *hugs*

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

If sc_fossil hadn't said it first, I would have been too shy to say that I don't like circuses and the circus plot was what had put me off reading this much-revered fic before now. And circuses with animals! My mother taught me to disapprove thoroughly, and the state of poor Sanjay just confirms my prejudices.

So as ever I'm so glad you've recced this as it has made me overcome my reluctance. Can't fault the writing - the descriptions of the weather and thescenery around the circus, and the trapeze performances, are superb.

Predictably, though the things I liked best weren't circus-related. Loved Basil the dog and Doyle being so good with her, it gave him a very human, appealing quality.

Loved the original backstory for Bodie, making him an MI6 agent - makes me want to re-watch eps where CI5 clash with MI6 (or Bodie has a curry with his mate from MI6).

To be a nerd for a moment, I'm a bit thrown by the chronology. When Doyle finds Bodie in Cowley's office, Bodie is wearing his grey suit and blue tie from 'Old Dog with New Tricks' (and other series 1 eps). Cool, I thought, it's 1977 and this is how they came to be paired - that's interesting. But on the other hand, Doyle's been in CI5 for 6 years and has had the DiaG bullet wound - so it's post 1981?

To that extent it really is an AU because it seems Doyle has been in CI5 from 1975 to 1981 or whatever without Bodie. Personally I would prefer to see it as pre-Old Dog with New Tricks all the same (I want my lads together, NOW!)

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I must admit I didn't let the chronology worry me any. I was just "yeah, ok, Ray's got his boatload of scars, we all know that" and didn't really think about Bodie showing up in a series 1 outfit at the end. If one were to attempt to justify it, one could always say that Bodie started out in business outfits whenever it was that he started w/ CI-5, and it was Ray's influence over the years (and the fact that it's demmed uncomfortable chasing bad guys across the miles on foot) that gradually made him ease back on the suits and ties.

I'm not horribly keen on animal acts meself; I much prefer the human ones. That's the reason I love Cirque du Soliel. You do still have to deal w/ the clowns, but they're usually only one or two acts and not so much w/ the creepy.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Re chronology, I am being excessively picky. No doubt Bodie would wear a suit for this meeting with Cowley and Doyle - but it struck me the author is so clearly visualising that particular suit and tie. Any opportunity to muse on Bodie in a suit is not to be missed, imho.

I meant to add that another thing I liked/found interesting was the lads' relationships with Cowley. It was convincingly like in the eps, but exaggerated. Here Doyle really seems to hate Cowley, but can't avoid grudging respect. Bodie and Cowley are much more at ease with each other here, like (for me) in the eps.

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

I didn't quite feel like Doyle *hated* Cowley, but that he was very, very emotionally hurt and kept everyone from being close, including his co-workers and Cowley, who seems to care for Doyle in his own calculating way.

In canon I think Doyle is much less trusting with authority figures than Bodie, due to his upbringing and experiences with his superiors and corruptness of the police force, maybe.
Bodie and Cowley both have a military background, and part of that seems to be that you need to trust your commander.
I actually think that Cowley appreciates Doyle not trusting him fully if evidence is against it (he knows that everybody has a price or breaking point) and that's part of the reason he paired Bodie and Doyle. Yet another thing that balances them so well.
(I have a migraine, so I hope this makes some sense!)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Bodie is wearing his grey suit and blue tie from 'Old Dog with New Tricks'
Wow - this never even occurred to me when I was reading, to me it was just Bodie wearing a tastefully-coloured suit (and it sort of fitted in with the fact that all the MI6 agents we saw in the eps were wearing suits rather than the cooler stuff that B/D wear)!

I love that people pull so many different things out of Pros stories!

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with jaycat92 in thoroughly disapproving of animals in circuses; right down to it being mother-influenced. Sanjay I can justify because he's old and it's not something the circus can help and he's not performing (okay and because I adore tigers and big cats so much, I love to see them anywhere in stories), but the elephant at the end. If this had been a paper zine I would have flung it. A story I've enjoyed and loved so much and at the end I have that jarring note. I skip over those paragraphs.

Short of that, I love this fic. I'm right there with Doyle, from his everyday minutes to the magic of the trapeze, sometimes even painfully there. He's hurt, I'm hurt, not just empathetic; that's impressive writing. The characters are vivid and the setting lives.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

but the elephant at the end
But I thought Derek had rescued the elephant from somewhere that was using him cruelly (like he had Sanjay), so that he's a good animals/circus bloke? Doesn't sound like he ever had Sanjay performing, and there's a big thing made at the beginning about Sanjay belonging to Derek and not to the circus at all...

What about dogs and horses in circuses, are they different? (I'm curious about this, not being awkward! If I go with trained animals at all, then I can't see why there would be a difference between big and small, "exotic" and otherwise, but presumably this has been discussed/thought of by many other people, so..? *g*)

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but there are better things you can do with a rescued elephant -- a baby one at that -- than bring it into a circus. She's going to spend 99% of her life in a cage with occasional highlights of movement in the ring. No matter how well Derek takes care of her, or how good he is, that's a shitty life for any animal but for one as intelligent as an elephant is a death knell. Circus elephant lives are shockingly short not just because of cruel treatment but because of grief and boredom. And a baby. I'd be surprised if she reached maturity, no matter how good Derek's care. Self-aware, highly intelligent, and extremely social and she's going to be isolated in a cage with no real stimulation from an early age.

I'm not big on it either, but dogs and horses are domesticated animals. We've adapted to live together and what they do isn't too far off from the tricks we teach our pets or the competitions of skill. Wild animals aren't and have no business being shoved in cages and trotted out for our entertainment. It's basically glorified "look, a wiiiiild animal let's make it roar/jump/stand up/obey our commands". And other reasons that would be more coherent at times other than eek, 5am and are emotionally charged involving animal dignity and who the fuck do we think we are thinking everything is here on earth for us.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"who the fuck do we think we are thinking everything is here on earth for us."
You are absolutely right(especially with the elephants)!

But we can observe a rethinking in the last years. Just look at zoos. There is no longer that 'as many animals as possible' thinking. They try to specialise in just a few species and try to deliver the best conditions that are possible - something a circus can't do!
Yes! - it's not perfect! Wild animals are supposed to live free... But how many of 'us' are forced to do a job/live under bone and mind breaking conditions...

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I knew there was a discussion I wanted to come back to, and now I'm so late I've nearly missed it - sorry!

Totally with you, I love this zine, and in fact I'd forgotten it was up this week but had just re-read it anyway, so... *g*

I think, as many people have said above, that for me it's the fact the lads are so beautifully in character, right down to the little things that they do. And they're not perfect - they're both dealing with conflicts, and not sure they're doing it right (I like seeing into their heads like that, which we can't always in the eps!). I love that Doyle gets involved with people, not just as a job, which I think he does in the eps too, and that Bodie has his "secret past" as he does in the eps... And that they're beautifully hot together, and they know it - we can see the click between them, just as we do on screen...

Aaaaand... oh, just what most people have said, actually! Basil the dog irritated me a big (author's a dog-fan, by any chance?) but that was the only thing that felt a bit extraneous - and even that was justified by the escape attempt at the end - or the failed rescue attempt by Bodie, really. But I really can't think of anything much that didn't work for me in this story! *g*

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

That's the nice thing about LJ -- you get notified about comments no matter when the post was made! We're still discussin' -- we may be discussin' until next Thursday (or at least until this evening when we start on Ladder.)

I agree -- the fact that this fic is soooo detailed (well-researched and In Character details, at that) makes it such an enjoyable read.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Like Sc_fossil and jaycat92 I dislike the circus. Don't know why, even as a child I wasn't very keen on 'going to a circus show', although it was an event. Especially the clowns and harlequins put me off. For me it’s an artificial and pretending world, and it’s separation from the ‘real one’ is done on purpose (from both sides).

I didn’t have to force me to read the story! No, I think it’s a quite good plot and Bodie and Doyle are ‘in character’! But that’s it, I won’t read it again - because for me there isn’t that ‘magic’ circus feeling, and that is supposed to be a main part of the story.

But I was very enchanted by the artwork of Suzan Lovett! She must have spent hours and hours for the research work for those special postures during the trapeze acts! As much as I can tell they are very well done! Not to forget the richness of details! ;-)
And I’m very grateful that both, story and artwork, found their way to the CA!

And now I ‘have to’ enjoy shooting2kill’s visions post. That’s nearly as good as good artwork, and if possible I try to print a story together with the pictures!
Ahem... Why only ‘nearly as good’? Well, we have to deal with screen shots – no chance to live out fantasies like in the artwork for this story for example... I wish I could paint... Sigh!

Thanks for the rec!

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

Not every rec is going to work for every reader, and if nothing about a circus appeals to you then yeah, this one won't do much for you. But that artwork is truly brilliant -- the detailing is what takes my breath away, personally.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Damn, I pretty much missed this – and it’s one of my favourites! I can’t believe that I’m actually 2/3 through re-reading it right now as it came up on the random button on the archive, having completely forgotten (well, consciously at least) that it’s this week’s discussion fic!

I enjoy this fic very much indeed (I knew nothing at all about LoS when I first read it, though LoS is a bit of a bonus I suppose). Some things are borderline-too-perfect (everyone is nice except Sergei/Alf and Donal The Bad Guy; everyone is either gay or non-homophobic; the audience really appreciate and are awed by the dressage/haute école act; B&D are not just extremely competent but the world’s greatest trapeze act *g* so amazingly good that they impress the hell out of their fellow-professionals; and yes, the animals are perhaps a bit too wonderful) … and yet none of this was taken so far as to really jar, and the OC’s are extremely well fleshed-out and varied. The world-building, complete with OCs, is very impressive!

And mainly I love this fic because the relationship-building is wonderful. Bodie as seen through Ray’s eyes is amazingly well written! You can really see his mixed feelings about his attraction to Ray (especially once you know who he really works for!), his professionalism, his appreciation of Ray’s skills and competence (as already pointed out by others above), how much it costs him to put the job before his new love affair – but he must put the job first … the way they are so much experiencing the same life-changing dilemma, unbeknownst to each other! (I love that they are both inexperienced, and both struggling between the demands of their job and new love, but that neither of them knows the other is too – and the fact that this “coincidence” is not overdone, so the reader never feels “oh that’s too neat”). Ray’s emotional arc, the fact that they both have reasons to be reluctant to let it be love, works very well I think.

Well, I love this story. And I still have the last 1/3 or so to re-enjoy!

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

Yes, everybody here is a little too black-or-white, I'll admit. But like you said, it doesn't jar, and hey, we're here for a good time, anyway.

And you're absolutely right about Bodie -- he's probably a more complex (in a good way) character when you read it the second time through, knowing he's MI-6 and on an op just like Ray is.

[jaicen5.livejournal.com]

this is one of my three fave slash fics. I lived in a caravan for 2 years, I love MS as Don Demarco and the whole romantic feeling about the circus (animals notwithstanding) just appeals to me. The gentle fall of them for each other overcomes any plot holes (like Doyle flying without any problems after 10 years). Some fics can really overcome any sort of inaccuracies for me, and this is one of them. It was just special. And the illustrations are breathtaking.

sorry again for posting way after I should have, but I didn't know about this site in July.

I thought about reccing this then had a suspicion it already would have been and I was right. But really wanted to say that I like this one.

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

No worries -- the nice thing about LJ is that you get comment notifications no matter when the original post went up!

I like this fic better than the movie! The Lads are wonderfully portrayed.