Comments | xf_book_club: Story 65: "The Beginner's Guide to Tight-rope Walking" by Kel

wendelah1 in xf_book_club

Story 65: "The Beginner's Guide to Tight-rope Walking" by Kel

Nov 17, 2008 18:53

This week's story was nominated by hlbr but it easily could have been nominated by me. Kel is one of my favorite authors in The X-Files fandom. She writes superb dialog, her plots are tight, her characterizations are excellent, and her stories are by turns funny and suspenseful ( Read more... )

au, msr

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great choice! estella_c November 22 2008, 16:45:24 UTC

I'd read this fic recently and meant to skim, but ended up savoring every word. It is so proficient on so many levels. Kel really is one of our could-be-pro writers ( ... )

Re: great choice! estella_c November 22 2008, 16:47:03 UTC

Double post. How humiliating. My computer went off-line and I wrote the whole damn thing over. Now this! Curses.

Re: great choice! wendelah1 November 22 2008, 16:50:18 UTC

How about if I just delete one for you? I'll delete the first. I am Oz, the Great and Terrible.

Re: great choice! estella_c November 22 2008, 17:12:37 UTC

Thank you, Oz. It pays to have an in with the great and terrible. I keep baking cookies for computer nerds, but...

A great review! wendelah1 November 22 2008, 18:33:44 UTC

Kel really is one of our could-be-pro writers.I agree! Kel is a terrific writer. Whenever I read something this good, I get inspired to read more of the author's work, and I was not disappointed by hers. Even her early fic, which can found with the rest of her work at Gossamer, is funny and readable ( ... )

Re: A great review! hlbr November 22 2008, 18:58:37 UTC

Ah, I never made the connection that 9/11 happened when xf was still airing. It's interesting to think it may have changed viewing patterns. It does rather (to me anyway) explain the success of shows like 24.

Re: A great review! wendelah1 November 22 2008, 22:04:22 UTC

It's interesting to think it may have changed viewing patterns. It does rather (to me anyway) explain the success of shows like 24.

I was surprised to read it, and maybe it did affect some viewers. I think they lost more people due to their cruel treatment of Scully's character, and to painting themselves into a corner with the William plot arc. Killing off the Lone Gunmen, Krycek and Cancerman weren't brilliant maneuvers, either. Truthfully, if I had been watching back in the day, they probably would have lost me. Forgive me if I am repeating myself, but I still haven't watched all of season nine and I'm not sure I ever will.

I agree with you that the success of 24 is due in large part to 9/11. I have issues with that series, but this is not the forum to discuss them.

Re: A great review! hlbr November 22 2008, 23:31:30 UTC

I had watched some episodes by tv when they were airing, but never all and never in order. I'm doing it now, but I'm only up to FTF... I don't know what I will do with season 9... I'm really contemplating skipping it. I watched the ending episode the first time it aired and I really really didn't like it.

I am thoroughly spoiled by reading ff, of course, but I don't mind. I'm reading post eps in Gossamer after every episode, too, which is a great way of finding gems (and a great way to learn to use the back button, too!).

And yes, this is not the place to criticize 24... the terrorism affecting viewing patterns reminded me of it, that's all.

Re: A great review! wendelah1 November 22 2008, 23:51:38 UTC

Somebody on my flist had a post about 24, terrorism and torture. I'll try to hunt it down for you, if you want.

Re: A great review! hlbr November 23 2008, 00:30:37 UTC

Oh, I would definitively read it if you find it, but don't feel obliged. I feel I'm always having you go looking up stuff for me. *iz embarrassed*

Re: A great review! estella_c November 25 2008, 11:08:24 UTC

Sept. 11 had a profound effect on my fic habits, but I suspect that everyone lost interest in their hobbies for a while, whatever their hobbies were.

It didn't destroy the show. I think we can agree that the show committed suicide.

One of the continuing weaknesses of The X-Files was that it didn't let the characters grow or change, or even remember. Scully's chip, Skinner's nanites, little lost Gibson--ignored and forgotten.

Re: A great review! wendelah1 March 23 2009, 18:24:08 UTC

It didn't destroy the show. I think we can agree that the show committed suicide.

Yes. I have said this before, but I am nearly certain that had I been watching the series in real time, I would have bailed long before season nine. Maybe even before seasons seven or eight.

The horrible way everyone abandoned Gibson, that shook me to my core. Mulder and Scully both behaved as though he mattered only as evidence, not as a real human being.

Re: great choice! estella_c November 25 2008, 10:49:01 UTC

I remember that! It was part of an epic that got longer and longer but wouldn't end. Like "Beginner's Guide," the main purpose was to get rid of Scully's microchip, but it was just too much for me to handle.

I didn't realize OMAN had an unfinished crossover. I think she could write Seinfeld fic and make it weird, dark, and provocative.

Kel

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