(no subject)

[arliss]

I spent a little time over on slounger tonight, and read some amazing stuff. I'm sure the folks who put the group together as a birthday present for the amazing shrift are a little nonplussed by the stranger who wandered in, commenting out of the blue, as it were. But there were a couple of things I left in a silent daze, and actually felt I had to go back to and comment, they were that good.

I wrote fic in fandoms long ago and far away. I don't, very much any more, because I have other things that devour my time--to the point that I decided about a year ago I couldn't afford to read fic, unless it's on a special occasion, and by someone I know is better than good, and only when I have the time to spare. I miss it--both reading and writing it. But there's one thing that's stayed with me, that still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck, as it did tonight. And that's when an author nails the characters so well that, even if they go on an improbable journey and do improbable things, there is an inevitability about what happens. The story is character driven, and following the steps that are taken, there's really no surprise at any improbability, it couldn't have happened any differently. There was that, tonight. And it was wonderful.

Comments

[jesseh.livejournal.com]

I can guarantee that no one would mind a random compliment from a stranger.

[jenlp.livejournal.com]

I was going to say, I'm pretty sure you could replace nonplussed with chuffed in your post.

I know, there's some fabulous stuff, isn't there? Much of it is for things I've never seen, and I'm still enjoying it.

Hee, that's so funny that the three stories I read are three of your faves. I really was blown away by how different they all were. Shrift has got some serious dexterity of style going on, I tell you what.

[fufaraw]

Her voices are almost always dead on. She reads a character like nobody else, and can take them places, in character, that few others can.

I have an elitist dislike for writers who move canon characters around at whim like game pieces, without regard for the humanity (even "alien" races) and solid reality of said characters. This would not be shrift.