Date: 03 Dec 2019 20:03 Title: The End of the Season
One thing that is really quite obvious in this story is that Arnie's got a big heart and the fact that he has taken such a liking to these two kids is plenty of evidence of this. It truly pains him to know that they may never get the chance to escape their bleak fate.
But in any case, mission accomplished, as far as the supplies were concerned, this was clearly a successful run into a ghastly and somewhat hopeless nation which may still be paranoid about "undocumented immigrants"
Nice bit of social commentary in here which is exactly what good sci-fi and Trek should do, I think.
The ending, too, is quite delightful and ties in nicely with beginning of the story. A journey that started out gloomy and depressing, ends on a note of hope for the future.
The writing, especially the prose, was outstanding and certainly extremely professional. The way you interspersed plot with backstory was also very effective in giving the reader great insight into this fascinating character and his history, as well as advancing the story of a daring raid under tough conditions in a dystopian future.
Naturally this has whetted my appetite for more stories featuring your universe-hopping hero. What do I read next?
Author's Response: I think he's got a bigger heart than he thinks he does, anyway. His character arc in his original canon was one of my favorite things ever. Because he's NOT a likable guy to start, he's a total prat, he's got a mean streak; yet, by the time you get through six seasons, you're cheering for him anyway.
And OMG, the sociology of this universe is fascinating stuff, honestly. It's a big mental work out trying to parse events and how they relate to Prime!Trek, but I've been enjoying it.
I'm so glad you liked that ending! I did too. Things do go downhill -- I mean, there is eventually the Terran Empire -- but there are still good people trying to do good here, too.
Thanks.
Date: 01 Dec 2019 19:43 Title: The End of the Season
Finally! The end of the story!
"Sault Ste. Marie was a guarded border crossing both ways;"
I had been wondering about The Soo. The explanation here makes sense. Ontario's north is rough but full of natural resources that one could reap with the right amount of exploitation.
I'm really interested to see what becomes of Will and Jim in the future. I suspect nothing great, given that this timeline is going to get worse before it gets any better. Better being a vague term here.
I'm particularly fond of the visuals these two lines invoke:
"Just as anticipated, the sleet had turned to snow; dawn had broken in monochrome."
"Whenever a pothole or some other disturbance pulled him back to the waking world, he'd glance around and make sure all was well, then rest his head back against the window and watch the snow fly past until he drifted again."
I enjoy the ending with the billboard, although I can't shake that it feels like a bright spot in what is going to be a rapidly darkening future. Arnie makes a pretty bold, public statement, despite that he's going to eventually withdraw in about ten years. He's also displaying a lot of hope and attachment to a country that's about to fall in the years to come. There's the immediate threat of the coming winter and that Arnie's exposure limiting what he's going to be able to do beyond the safe zones for months.
There's a lot of unsaid dread and unknowns on the horizon. I like the way that's presented, as it doesn't shy away from how grim the world is, but my heart breaks a bit for what terrible things could be after this success.
Author's Response: Yeah, I wanted to figure out how that complicated border up there would look, especially given that it didn't get nuked. I imagine it's not a very fun posting for either side of things, really.
I have plans for them, though whether I'll ever write them all out in detail is more in the air. LOL! I do not plan on killing them in some awful manner, at least.
Adding to the billboard was a bold statement! The best part being that it's not a simple statement, either; it's kinda defiant and kind of a challenge. It's also oddly a reassurance. And it's just a tiny bit hopeful, too. I think the signature was less for himself and more for the Canadians he's surrounded with, but it was the right way to sign it. Which, I think, is why I like it. It's a complicated thing and I'm not sure even he could detangle his reasoning even if he had the mental space to do it and someone he trusted enough to explain it to, but I can see most of it from this side.
We kinda know what's coming. But I do think there are good moments ahead, even if the overall arc is heading downwards. Thanks so much for the comment!