Ooo, this was crazy and good. Such a nasty trial, and of course John never gives in. And Reynardine with the red hair! Love the symbolism. Whatta trickster. :)
Thanks! Reynardine strayed in from various folk tales - mostly from the traditional folk song "Reynardine", in which he's a handsome man who lures women to his doom, although more modern versions of the tale make him a magical fox-man spirit thing. I thought I'd just drop him in and see if anyone noticed. ;-)
I've been working my way backwards through the posts for this challenge and this one was just perfect! Great blend of last challenge and this one, even if it wasn't intentional. *sneaks treats your plotbunnies* ^_~ Kudos!
Thanks! I was too busy posting a WIP to answer the last challenge, but clearly the ideas were working away in my subconscious, since as soon as I started to think about this challenge, they emerged. I love the way story ideas can develop even though you're not consciously thinking about them.
I really thought I reviewed this, but it looks like I just stashed it aside to review later. Um. Oops. Anyway, this is creepy and painful and good; I love how he keeps trying even if it kills him, and the ending is just great, including the breakdown that only his team is allowed to see (and I love how you described it that way, too; it's so much more powerful than if we'd gotten every detail).
Thanks. Oh, that's good. I was worried about the "off camera" breakdown, and almost removed it, but it often happens that those things that I worry about most and almost delete end up being something that at least one reader comments on as particularly effective. It shows that as a writer one really should go with one's instinctive "first answer", and worry less.
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Love, max
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And this line was perfect: Not real? Of course it had been real, in all the ways that mattered.
Very nice job.
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