Subject: Reactions.
Author:
Posted on: 2015-12-21 10:18:00 UTC

'Prime Mover':

Unfortunate timing on the release here; it falls foul of a couple of points from The Force Awakens (no spoilers here). You claim hyperjumping into a mass shadow will blow up both you and the planet, which is no longer true; you also say you can't use the Force to put someone to sleep, which we also see. Your mission obviously took place before the movie, so it's fine not to know about those - but it also took place after the decanonisation of the EU, so making claims based on it is a dubious proposition.

As for an actual review: I enjoyed the character interactions, particularly between Des and the Reader. What caught me off-guard was the fact that the entire mission seemed to be dialogue. I'm sure you did describe some of the action in narrative, but it didn't stick in my head. I was watching people reporting what was going on right in front of them, when it would've felt more natural for the narrative to do the telling and the agents just comment when things got weird.

'Truth and Consequences':

This story splits cleanly into two halves ('Truth' and 'Consequences', I suppose). I like the first - I like particularly the Reader's expression of her feelings. The whole “I’m sick of hating you" idea really rings true.

The second half I'm less sure on. I like the way the Aviator reacts to the Reader's revelations, but it feels like I've spent a lot of time being told about how the Reader can't go back to her Gallifrey. It's like having characters repeatedly introduce themselves to each other - yes, they don't know, but the audience does.

'Excuses and Accusations':

Ooookay. So the Librarian's having a complete meltdown and pulling a 'I will shut down so I never get hurt again!' over someone else finding the solution to his hobby? Either this is seriously overwritten, or I'm seriously misreading, or... he's just not a nice character. The fact that the Reader and the Aviator seem to see his reaction as understandable suggests one of the first two. His behaviour - his attempt to murder the Aviator while yelling sexist insults at her - is not something that should've been brushed off and validated by his purported 'friends'.

So no, I'm afraid this one fell massively flat for me.

'No More Mister Nice Guy':

Skipping this one, too irritated by the Librarian right now.

'You'll Thank Me Later':

Ditto.

'TYH: Tales of Regeneration':

I love the premise here: it's one we'd never see on the show, but it is absolutely valid.

And then Naya shows up, and you've just sent me down a rabbit-hole trying to figure out what's going on. So Naya was married to a woman but suddenly has a husband instead - and doesn't react to this at all? Surely that would be worth some confusion and uncertainty. Or is this an established part of the character?

I prefer this version of the Librarian - she doesn't immediately put me on edge, so that's nice. Though with that 'like the Notary used to' line, and the Aviator, I'm thinking Morgan is having fits in the Council: "How come you all keep regenerating? Stick with one body for five minutes, for Omega's sake!" And then someone points out that she regenerated twice in two years...

Anyway, this was what any Ten Years Hence story should be: cute and fluffy, with a side order of 'hey, things have changed in unexpected ways'. Also, small children.

hS

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