Helen W

"Dropping by Blair" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (3)
(29K)

Now, I admit I find it hard to believe that Blair could be a fan and write fanfic; it just seems too much like authorial projection to me. So it's rather surprising that I actually even bothered to read this story, seeing as how that's the premise -- but this one actually works. This story is set just after "Dead Drop" -- and the story-within-a-story is a retelling of... guess what?

Summer of 1999

(1) "Blair Gets a Job" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (1)
(14K)

A post-TSbyBS piece, in which Blair is cheered up by the number of people outside of academia who are willing to employ him. Good Blair voice, and a nice bit of smarm.

(2) "A Long Night's Conversation Regarding Long Ago" (Sentinel/Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (2)
(22K)

This one is more of an interlude, because, as the author herself says, the end sort of trails off. This introduces the Stargate folks, with the "no, we know your thesis isn't a fake", but this is really then just left, to be taken up later in later stories in the series. I'm not sure whether it works or not.

(3) "The Fruits of Java" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (3)
(57K)

This is a nice travelogue and a chance for Jim and Blair to sort themselves out with each other. And some interesting side-bits that prompted me to do some research on my own. I like titles with double meanings.

(4) "Grace, Naomi, Sally, Mary Margaret" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (2)
(26K)

This is described as "a short play about what happens when all the mother figures in Jim's life share Chinese take-out", and it sounded intriguing enough for me to take a chance on it. I don't usually read fic scripts, but this one worked; I could see it happening in my mind's eye. It also had some interesting explanations of Jim's background. Though this is part of a series, it made enough sense standing on its own.

(5) "The Serpent and the Sentinel" (Sentinel/Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (4)
(60K)

This is where things really take off: following on from events of "The Fruits of Java", somebody finds an American Sentinel irresistable, and Bad Things happen. It doesn't really matter that one can guess immediately with the title what's going to happen, because with the interesting PoV here, the tale is in the telling. And there are surprises here anyway, as we get the unique Sandburg Zone reaction to events. This is a good crossover.

(6) "No More Lies" (Sentinel/Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (5)
(35K)

This continues on the story of "The Serpent and the Sentinel" from Blair's point of view, jumping forwards and backwards a little. We have fallings out and fallings in, hurt and comfort, anger and reconciliation.

I really liked the bits with Naomi and Mary Margaret (and that little note that Blair writes to himself as he's recalling the events). One thing I'm not so sure about is the whole infection thing leading to bone damage -- huh? It doesn't make sense to me, and is a bit too convenient. But that's just a little niggle.

(7) "Inquisition" (Sentinel/Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th July 2004 (6)
(70K)

Ah, another lovely double-meaning title. This is again an overlapping timeline; this time of the events of "No More Lies", from Jim's point of view, where we find out more of what motivated Jim's actions there, and where we have some major angst, as Jim flashbacks to memories that aren't his own.

Now I can't wait for the next story.

(9) "Pieces" (Sentinel/Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 10th July 2004
(88K)

And here is the next story, just what the reader ordered! More angst, more memories, more pain, more comfort. Mind you, I want to shake them all, silly people! Being perfectly in character and dropping the ball (or shall we say, dropping the vase? Ooops!) Blair gets a little shake for not explaining more. Jim gets a big shake for not trusting Blair -- geeze, after all they've been through! But I guess that's the thing; in a crisis, one's flaws come to the fore, the faultlines crack in the old patterns. And the rest of them deserve the shaking for pushing too far, but then they don't know how idiosyncratic Sentinels are...

As an aside, it's quite different having a Daniel who actually doesn't like Blair, since most crossovers of this sort have them being old friends. It was also interesting, again, looking at the memories of a gou'ald who was not as bad as your average System Lord. Still bad, though.

What Jim needs now is a nice, long, holiday. With Blair.