Once Out of Nature
(1) Incubus (Highlander)
By Selena
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th January 2004 (4)
Tags: Novella
(166K)
I found the title of this story confusing, because I couldn't
find an Incubus anywhere -- then I looked up the word in the dictionary
and found that it had another meaning besides "demon that sleeps with
women", and that meaning does fit the story very well: "something that
oppresses, worries or disturbs greatly, esp. a nightmare or obsession".
The summary says: "While Duncan is in the monastery, Methos and
Cassandra form an uneasy alliance searching in Donan Wood for clues left
behind by the old hermit. They find far more than they bargained for."
In other words, this is set post-"Archangel".
This is told mostly from Cassandra's point of view, as she has to choose
between her friendship with Duncan and her hatred for Methos, while he
has to try to persuade her that, yes, he can be trusted, as he needs her
help to help Duncan -- to figure out whether he was really seeing a
demon, or whether Duncan has finally gone mad.
And then complications ensue.
I like this -- the characterisation of Cassandra manages to strike a
strong middle -- neither the loony bent on revenge, nor is she willing
to forgive and forget just on the strength of Duncan's word. After all,
in her eyes, Methos is the most consumate liar of all time. At the same
time, she is trying to overcome her old reactions to him. And the
Methos here is good too -- he knows that Cassandra would never believe
that he cares, so he just throws on the pragmatism with a trowel.
(2) Transferences (Highlander)
By Selena
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th January 2004 (5)
Tags: Novelette
(86K)
Summary: After Morgan Walker's death, Watcher Amy is transferred
from field duty to psychiatric studies. In preparing a report on a
confessed child killer, she learns the true meaning of the Watcher oath
to "observe, record, and never interfere."
This is a sort of tangential sequel to "Incubus" in that it is set later
than it (naturally, it's set after "Indescretions") but just follows up
on the Watcher character in "Incubus", Andrew Lanart -- as investigated
by Amy, Joe's daughter from the episode "Indescretions". This is
interesting for its Watcher-centric PoV, with a few more ponderings
about what it means to be a Watcher. And we also get to see Methos from
Amy's point of view, which is also a treat.
(3) Once Out of Nature (Highlander)
By Selena
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th January 2004 (6)
Tags: Novella
Characters: Methos, Cassandra
(145K)
Summary: The Immortals have a new group of deadly enemies:
scientific researchers intent on learning their secrets. Now it's
Cassandra's turn to ask Methos for help, as she risks her identity and
both their lives.
This story is in a couple of different chunks, really; we start off with
some nice Cassandra-Duncan interaction, where he talks to her about the
events of "To Be, Not To Be", and Cassandra has some troubled thoughts
of her own too. Then we have Cassandra asking Methos for help, with all
the tension that comes from that. Then we have some Amy PoV, as Methos
starts playing games, that only we as the Reader know, because we know
things that Amy doesn't. Then we have The Raid, and then we have the
Aftermath, in which Methos' plans come together just in time to mess
everything up -- almost. One feels as if the author is killing several
birds with one stone in this -- but they were worthwhile birds, so even
though this could have been broken up into more than one story, it
probably works better as one story, since the motivations run as a
common thread through it all.
One of the things that gets touched on in this series is the nature of
immortals, as to whether they are really human any more, and what that
means for them and the mortals in their lives. That's why I decided to
pick the last story title "Once Out of Nature" as the title of the
series -- the question being, that once an Immortal, could one ever go
back, and would one want to? They are "out of nature".
Interesting thoughts.