First of all I want the world to know that I was astonished, though delighted, to discover I had co-authored this splendid fic; it was news to me. In my enthusiasm I made some small contributions, but mostly I hovered, eager for more. Duende is my favourite AU in this fandom (or in any, for that matter) and I have been in a state of squeee since alltoseek agreed to write a sequel. That it turned out to be such a wonderful, thoughtful piece is just so much more icing on an already pretty amazing cake.
I say that to excuse my heaping praise on Juerga and its marvellous author: nothing I have to say here has any bearing on my own little bits.
So here is some - I say some - of what I think is noteworthy about it: , (1) It is clever. The world-building is awesome. Things that happen need to be explained, the social not to say physiological underpinnings, laws, attitudes, all have to be imagined; this is entirely alltoseek's work and bloody impressive it is. Astolat gave us the gifts and the swordmasters, touched on the laws that treat swordmasters like cattle, imagined duels, rings and one kind of bonding. The rest is alltoseek's, including the concept of family bonds, dissolution of bonds, the Biblical explanation of where gifted people and swordmasters come from, ancient philosophers' take on them, the changing social values relating to bonding, the intersection of gallantry, sexism and pragmatism, and much, much more. For example, the amount of thought about what swordmasters and bonds are to the Gifted is significant, but is referenced only by the various alternative terms offered; it was my privilege to find some of the foreign-language terms, but the ideas are all hers. This unobtrusive depth is present throughout.
(2) It is respectful to both its parents - canon, in that it more or less reimagines the plot of Post Captain as Duende does that of M&C, and astolat's world. I love that Jack is striving to play the Locatelli quartet he heard in Mahon: It was the most amazing thing – I heard an Italian quartetto play it once, in Mahon. Just before I met you, I believe. I was so enthralled by it I fear I may have considerably disturbed my seat-neighbours in my enthusiasm for it. Brilliant.
Also, please note that every proper name in this monumental fic is canonical.
(3) It is engaging to read, the story line flows; the characters are themselves. There are surprises. There are scenes that are almost recognisable, AU at its best. It is fun.
(4) It has something to say on a number of subjects, notably about women's place in society in conflict with sense and justice.
(5) It contains possibly the greatest Aubreyism of all time: Mrs Villiers looked, as Jack remarked privately to his swordmaster, like the cat that had got both the birds. “What birds?” asked Stephen.
“Why, the two in the bush, I suppose,” said Jack. “Or perhaps the ones the stone killed.”
“Might it be the early bird?”
Jack frowned, puzzling this out. “No, why would the bird be early just to be got by the cat? Cats aren't up early anyway; they sleep all day. What I mean to say is, she needn't look so smug about it, is my point.”
Count 'em : the early bird catches the worm; like the cat who got the canary (or the cream); to kill two birds with one stone; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Awesome.
I had a vast amount of fun watching Juerga take form, and shall read and re-read it many more times with the greatest satisfaction and pleasure.
Many, many thanks, dear alltoseek, for this wonderful fic.
no subject
I say that to excuse my heaping praise on Juerga and its marvellous author: nothing I have to say here has any bearing on my own little bits.
So here is some - I say some - of what I think is noteworthy about it:
,
(1) It is clever. The world-building is awesome. Things that happen need to be explained, the social not to say physiological underpinnings, laws, attitudes, all have to be imagined; this is entirely alltoseek's work and bloody impressive it is. Astolat gave us the gifts and the swordmasters, touched on the laws that treat swordmasters like cattle, imagined duels, rings and one kind of bonding. The rest is alltoseek's, including the concept of family bonds, dissolution of bonds, the Biblical explanation of where gifted people and swordmasters come from, ancient philosophers' take on them, the changing social values relating to bonding, the intersection of gallantry, sexism and pragmatism, and much, much more. For example, the amount of thought about what swordmasters and bonds are to the Gifted is significant, but is referenced only by the various alternative terms offered; it was my privilege to find some of the foreign-language terms, but the ideas are all hers. This unobtrusive depth is present throughout.
(2) It is respectful to both its parents - canon, in that it more or less reimagines the plot of Post Captain as Duende does that of M&C, and astolat's world. I love that Jack is striving to play the Locatelli quartet he heard in Mahon: It was the most amazing thing – I heard an Italian quartetto play it once, in Mahon. Just before I met you, I believe. I was so enthralled by it I fear I may have considerably disturbed my seat-neighbours in my enthusiasm for it.
Brilliant.
Also, please note that every proper name in this monumental fic is canonical.
(3) It is engaging to read, the story line flows; the characters are themselves. There are surprises. There are scenes that are almost recognisable, AU at its best. It is fun.
(4) It has something to say on a number of subjects, notably about women's place in society in conflict with sense and justice.
(5) It contains possibly the greatest Aubreyism of all time:
Mrs Villiers looked, as Jack remarked privately to his swordmaster, like the cat that had got both the birds. “What birds?” asked Stephen.
“Why, the two in the bush, I suppose,” said Jack. “Or perhaps the ones the stone killed.”
“Might it be the early bird?”
Jack frowned, puzzling this out. “No, why would the bird be early just to be got by the cat? Cats aren't up early anyway; they sleep all day. What I mean to say is, she needn't look so smug about it, is my point.”
Count 'em : the early bird catches the worm; like the cat who got the canary (or the cream); to kill two birds with one stone; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Awesome.
I had a vast amount of fun watching Juerga take form, and shall read and re-read it many more times with the greatest satisfaction and pleasure.
Many, many thanks, dear alltoseek, for this wonderful fic.