Sheila Paulson
Author at Real Ghostbusters Fan Page http://members.aol.com/Venkie/rgb/rgb.htm.
Alliances (Stargate/Shadow Chasers)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 13th April 2002 (5)
Zine: New Worlds And False Gods
Issue: 2
Tags: Novella
(172K)
The summary goes: "Anthropologist Jonathan MacKensie has located a
dangerous artifact that could spell trouble for himself and SG-1." Now,
I've never seen Shadow Chasers, but I thought I would give this a go
anyway, in case it just worked if I treated the Shadow Chasers
characters just as guest-characters in a Stargate story -- and it did.
The opening was particularly cool, as we got to see the Stargate folks
from the Shadow Chasers folks point of view, and the interaction was
delightful; particularly with reactions where the Stargate people are
trying not to let things drop.
My favourite parts of this story was the character interaction; the
actual action parts (and the inevitable Very Powerful Alien) weren't
quite so interesting to me. (And of course we get the not unexpected
Ghostbusters reference which the author seems to like to drop in to a
lot of her stories). One of the things which made this story work as a
crossover was the former encounter between Benedek and Daniel, and how
that impacted on the tensions in the plot. As someone said, if you're
going to have a crossover, you need a reason for the crossed people to
be there, and that was the character reason (as distinct from the plot
reason) for them to be there. I liked it.
(Also at http://www.shadowchasers.tv/scfic.htm)
Catalyst (Sentinel/Magnum PI)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 13th August 2000 (8)
Tags: Short Story
(37K)
I don't know Magnum PI very well, maybe saw one episode, but I
could really see Higgins, hear his voice in this. This was good.
Sentinel stuff, character stuff, and jeopardy.
Addendum: nominated for favourite crossover story in the 2001
Cascade Times Awards.
A Christmas Miracle (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st October 2001 (19)
Zine: Holiday Sensations
The summary says "It's Jim and Blair's first Christmas together but
Jim is playing the part of Scrooge." Of course, you know that that isn't
going to last (otherwise what would be the point of writing the story?)
but I liked the way that it wasn't too easy. No flip of a magic switch
suddenly zapped Jim with the Christmas Spirit. Which is why I actually
disliked the epilogue because... it robbed the miracle of its realism.
But apart from that, this was really good -- good Jim and Blair, and the
interaction of people and how we affect those around us, for good and
bad.
The Dating Coach (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st October 2001 (18)
Zine: Sentry Duty
Issue: 3
This story was tres amusing; an action-packed situation comedy with
a delightful guest-character; your typical very nice absent-minded
professor.
Tossing the illegible mess on his desk, Blair glanced up to discover
Professor Titus Aronsen hovering diffidently in the doorway. "Have you
got a minute, son?" Aronsen absent-mindedly called all the teaching
fellows 'son'--unless, of course, they were female, then he called them
'my dear'. They joked that he did it because he couldn't be bothered to
learn their names, although he never became confused enough to misgrade
their papers.
Blair is his own incorrigible self, and Jim does good too.
Extraction (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st October 2001 (16)
Zine: Sentry Duty
Issue: 2
The summary reads something like "Blair has a bad day; Jim has a
worse one" and that is really all that is wise to say about the content of
this story without spoiling it. There are some really good moments in
this, how the whole thing starts off as if it's just going to be your
run-of-the-mill owie/comfort story (poor Blair) and then... well, that
would spoil it. Just go read it. The end makes me go "Awwww."
Fatal Images (Real Ghostbusters/Highlander)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 15th April 2001 (2)
Zine: Remote Control
Issue: 10
I like crossovers, when I know at least one of the series in
question. In this case, it's Highlander (though I'm starting to get
to know RGB because of other crossovers I've read...). This was a
well-done how-to-save-Richie-from-Archangel story, which actually makes
a lot of sense, tying up the loose ends and making Archangel make more
sense too. How do the Real Ghostbusters come into it? Well, there's a
demon involved, isn't there? The opening of the story was particularly
atmospheric...
The wind drove him crazy. It was always there, never stopping, never
fading away, wailing between the rock spires, sliding off the crags,
masking the sound of threat, the warnings of danger. It tugged his
choppy hair, cut through the thin cloak he'd managed to acquire, and
rattled off his blade in its makeshift sheath, forcing it between his
legs and tripping him when he was least expecting it.
The one thing that bothered me a little was that some of the characters
seemed just a bit too insightful, seeing things that I couldn't quite
believe would be seeable, but maybe that's just me. On the upside,
it was lovely and long (hey, I like long stories!)
Gateways (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 29th July 2001 (12)
Zine: Sensory Overload
Issue: 2
Another Sheila Paulson story, I saw, I pounced, I read. And I was
not disappointed. She does good Jim and Blair, with their weaknesses and
strengths; Jim the concrete, Blair the imaginative. I really liked the
idea of the whole thing being a test of trust under fire. (I wonder why
it is, though, that Blair having a half/step-sister seems to be more
popular in fanfic than him having a half/step-brother?) I also
spotted the mention of the Ghostbusters and smiled.
Heartsounds (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 21st October 2001 (3)
Zine: Observations On The Function Of A Modern Sentinel
As expected, this was another good story from this author, full of
nice warm fuzzies and angst. The opening was very dramatic. And then
things get more dramatic... "When Blair's burned out car is found with a
body in it, Jim doesn't want to accept that his guide is dead."
Simon winced at the sound of it. "Do you want me to stay with you?"
he asked.
"No," said Jim without hesitation. "I'm all right." The conventional
words were automatic. They had nothing to do with reality. He wasn't sure
he could ever be all right again. He was a man without a soul. His soul
had died in a fiery crash tonight. "No," he said again. "It's not true.
It's just a goddamn mixup, Simon."
Simon was good here, as well as Jim and Blair and a peek from an
interesting supporting character. One interesting thing was that the
dramatic tension wasn't about whether or not Blair was dead -- because you
know you can't really write a Blair is dead story and have your readers
believe it (unless you really do a Blair is dead story and have your
readers hate you) but the tension was in what various people believed about
the manner of his death.
A Matter of Trust (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 13th August 2000 (7)
Good short story; misunderstanding, hurt, reconciliation.
Nine and Sixty Ways (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 16th March 2001 (1)
Tags: Novelette
(60K)
Another good one from this author -- no surprise, that. The
summary says "When Jim goes through one of his periodic episodes of
frustration with being a Sentinel, Blair gives him some breathing space
-- and walks into a hostage situation." I loved how Blair was giving Jim
space; love is understanding someone well enough to know when they're
just being like a bear with a sore head and don't really mean it... it
reminded me of me and my brother. Then the hostage situation, full of
tension and danger -- Blair is scared, but realizes he's the only one
there who's able to keep his head. That it's Up To Him simply because
the cavalry has yet to arrive. I liked that, it's true to life too.
This Blair wasn't a smart-alec Plucky!Blair, but someone a bit wiser
than that. No, this story isn't all Blair, but it's mostly Blair.
That's fine, because it's a mighty fine Blair. And Jim gets the best
line at the end...
Addendum: nominated for favourite drama story in the 2001
Cascade Times Awards.
Reap the Whirlwind (Blake's 7/Stargate)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 28th June 2009 (3)
Tags: Novel, Crossover, AU
(551K)
Summary: A Blake's 7 and Stargate SG-1 crossover.
As is so often the case with crossovers by this author, Our Heroes display a
preternatural ability to read body language, so that they can deduce things
that they really shouldn't know about the characters from the other universe.
It's a short-cut that I find irritating, but at least it is better than the
"tell each other our life stories" method of crossover writing. There's also a
tendency to info-dump to some degree, particularly early on in the story.
However, I like the world-building; that is, the extrapolation of the two
universes to make them fit. I was amazed at how many connections were made
between the two universes, where I had thought there were none. I also like
the theme of reconciliation; how the strain between Avon and Blake (post Gauda
Prime) is paralleled in the strain between Daniel and Jack (post "Shades of
Grey"), and how both sets work through their problems.
As ever with this author, there is a hopeful ending.
Thanks For The Memories (Sentinel)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st October 2001 (17)
Zine: Sentry Duty
Issue: 1
This one is a Blair-has-amnesia story, and opens in the middle of a
dangerous situation, a lull in the action. This has all the yummy
goodness one would expect from a Sheila Paulson story; angst, drama,
villainy and smarm. Unfortunately I wasn't at all convinced by the
female guest-character, muttering to myself all the way through "Why is
she lying? She has to be lying." which was kinda distracting. Unless
that was supposed to be one's reaction, I'm not sure.
Limbo
(1) Limbo (Blake's 7)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 19th February 2002 (1)
This story has a number of things in it which would
send many a fan running for the delete key even before they'd
tried to read the story. It has an original female protagonist.
It's set in the 20th Century. It's told in first-person.
And almost the only other Blake's 7 character in the story is Avon.
But before you start screaming "Mary-Sue! Mary-Sue! Kill! Kill! Kill!"
let me tell you the things which rescue this story from Mary-Sue-dom.
Firstly, I doubt very much that Sheila Paulson is a widow living in Iowa.
And the protagonist certainly isn't Mz. Perfect.
But more importantly, this story works because of the thematic resonance
set up between the protagonist and Avon, both being people who've
shut out the world because of the pain of loss. Well, I think
it works. And it's fun to see the reaction of Avon to things
in the 20th Century. Some people may still find it too much of a wishlist
of all the things one could say to Avon to try to make it right.
But, hey, this is Sheila Paulson! Happy endings are her middle name.
(2) The Way To Go Home (Blake's 7/Real Ghostbusters)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 19th February 2002 (2)
This is a sequel to "Limbo" but doesn't work quite so well.
It's more self-indulgent and doesn't have the same kind of unifying theme
as the previous story. The characters are too insightful to be true,
I just found that a bit too hard to believe. And I wasn't really comfortable
with the advice to the B7 characters to be more "touchy-feely"
because, well, they just aren't that kind of people (especially Avon!).
On the other hand, there were moments of wit, cool weirdness, action
and definitely a lot of niceness, so if you feel like some niceness,
and want to find out what happened next, then you wouldn't be wasting your
time.
Star-Sentinel
(2) The Limits of Trust (Sentinel/Stargate)
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 15th September 2002 (4)
Zine: The Limits of Trust
Now that this story is up on the web, I can direct your
eyes to the zine review
that I did of this story.