Date: 17 Jan 2014 02:26 Title: Reveille
I like this oh os much. I have also read this before and I have reviewed or raved about it elsewhere even if you want to say otherwise and all of that. Simply put, you are wrong. Moving on to an actual review:
Love the Academy slice of life. I love just how daunting an experience it is. And no matter the time frame, finding yourself in college, in the big pond and being a small fish is just so overwhelming and there's no denying Maren is very much a small fish at this stage. For Icheb, it is slightly the other way in that he is a big fish in terms of notoriety by virtue of his nature. How funny, sweet and cosmically fated that he spies Maren and of all cadets takes a closer look at her. I know it is their minds and personalities that end up attracting one another but here we kinda got a little hint that maybe Icheb was drawn by the eye too? Hmmm?
And I've commented already on JQ and Maren's meeting and how much I loved that. I love the fitting of it into this day and quite frankly it really sums up the bad day she had. Such a shame for JQ that the bad day stuff gets in the way of his making an impression on Maren. Later it will be Icheb and all of that. Seems the guy was destined to be kicked into the friendship zone. How sorry. Honestly, you can see the potential with the two of them here. Though in fairness, the relationship that ends up developing with Icheb is more fascinating and different and the M/JQ might have been more pedestrian as a relationship. But still.
Date: 13 Aug 2013 15:15 Title: Reveille
Awww! Cadet Quigley ad Cadet Maren together are so cute! :)
Seriously, though, a great intro to the Academy for our plebes, with some rough introductions for Icheb, some humiliating encounters for Maren and - wouldn't you know it - some apparently easygoing beginnings for John. I loved the way you advanced all three of the characters through their encounters with one another, moving us from Icheb seeing Maren getting chewed out by her group leader to Maren bumping in to John in the replimat. You nailed the atmosphere and the eat or be eaten life of a first year cadet.
A great chapter, can't wait for more!
Date: 08 Jun 2013 15:03 Title: Reveille
Starfleet Academy sure ain't a breeze as Maren O'Conner is finding out the hard way. At least she made a friend thanks to an awkward encounter to remember.
It's going to be very interesting to find out more about the beginning of this three way friendship which will offer quite a few complications for these guys in their later years.
Date: 06 Jun 2013 16:51 Title: Reveille
Icheb vs. Atherton! Already I want to punch Atherton in the face. The kid is a legacy brat, a big one, and has his own issues to deal with (losing his mother sucks, of course, and I’m sure it sucked for him) but taking it out on an innocent guy (who, if Atherton was really more than just looking for someone to hate on would realize that Icheb was nowhere near Wolf 359) is just not cool.
So, Atherton, I’m lining you up for a beatdown in the near future. Whomever decides to do it will get a cookie (JQ, you know you want that cookie).
We get to see here that Icheb first catches a glimpse of Maren, who is getting dropped for twenty because some Vulcan decided to snitch on her because she dropped out step. All right, fine, it was a legitimate gripe, technically speaking, but it was unnecessary. I love the way Maren beats the Vulcan chick though … the way you described the race, the way she’s aware of only the immediate threat (rather than everyone) is perfect. You felt like you were in her shoes (pardon the pun).
Maren getting some pats on the back, the accolades, was great to see but the Vulcan being the sore loser and getting the last word in was just a perfect way to end that scene.
And then we have JQ. Great to see this scene in context finally and, just as before, you clearly see JQ falling over himself for this girl. We feel your pain later JQ. We feel bad for you.
But Team I/M is about to see the liftoff point. We’re excited. :)
Date: 05 Jun 2013 20:15 Title: Reveille
The atmosphere here is really excellent; the scenery just sort of flows into the mind like prose. I absolutely adore how you characterize all of them, too; I like that the Vulcan was at least not disrespectful to Icheb. That Icheb immediately took to Maren. That Maren smoked that race hardcore. That she and JQ met up and clicked that way. --JQ so obviously has a crush already!
The little details make it. I never got much of a chance to really explore the San Fran campus, but I can't honestly picture it any way better than you've got it here. Brilliant.
Date: 04 Jun 2013 23:51 Title: Reveille
Ah, and so it begins.
The pushups in particular, felt very real and true, the whole idea of being called out quickly and so thoroughly yelled at in front of everyone.
Some of the instructor bits that Maren recalled are a little like first year Law School. If they need to stand in order to recite their homework, then it'll have even more of a Law School feel to it (for the record, case recitation stinks, BTW).