[Report This]Date: 06 Feb 2022 10:21 Title: Life is Choices
I like seeing phrases and memes repeated to effect. Here the repeat is right next to its predecessor with Ebnal. Making Sandhurst the classic reluctant hero - thrust into the center seat and accepting it from a standpoint of duty rather than ambition.
Too bad for him... He probably would have had a much happier (and longer) life living in Brussles.
For some reason this scene is very familiar although I had not read it before. I think a lot of these sentiments and even part of the conversation might have been in one of the opening scenes of the series.
Thanks!! rbs
Author's Response:
Yes, this conversation was alluded to in the opening to Embers of the Fire, but I went back and fleshed it out into a short story of it's own.
Thanks for commenting!
[Report This]Date: 04 Feb 2022 04:29 Title: The Penalties of Success
I like these shorter scenes. I'm a big fan of the ultra-short story. Anyone can tell a decent story in 4,000 words. Packing a punch in 500-1K words is art.
I really liked the character portrait of Ebnal and particularly his parting shot. Very much like a boss I had once (I was one of very few who actually liked him - Old Yeller had a really short fuse.) Evidently some of that personality rubbed off on a young Sandhurst.
Thanks!! rbs
Author's Response:
Lucian Ebnal is a legendarily mercurial captain in the United Trek universe. A mix of Patton, Kirk, and Dr. Perry Cox from Scrubs. He does not suffer fools easily. This was Sandhurst's captain just prior to his assuming command of Gibraltar.
Glad you enjoyed the tale!
[Report This]Date: 27 Jan 2022 22:55 Title: Salt the Wounds
Now I want to see a series of stories around Betrik and his tussle with the Pah'wraith... I particularly liked the description of the man. He's an interesting protagonist.
That last bit about ways to fight a god - yeah - that's something I wanna see...
I'm hoping you can gen up (or have already genned up) a series focusing on him. Bajoran noir...
Thanks!!! rbs
Author's Response:
I haven't got around to it yet, but I fully intend to at some point. He's one of those characters you create for a short story that just begs for tales of his own!
Thanks!
[Report This]Date: 16 Aug 2021 20:55 Title: The Plebe
I'm a big fan of the ultra-short story format. I consider them to be a hallmark of good writing - to be able to put a lot of heart into a small number of words - in this case with a favorite character from STNG/STV. I can definitely hear Ray Walston's voice in that dialogue.
Brevity. Focus.
Thanks!! rbs
Author's Response:
I'm pleased you enjoyed it! It was both fun and cathartic to write.
Date: 24 Jan 2012 19:57 Title: Life is Choices
It really is mad, but as you say you have referred to this moment before in your stories that one almost imagined you actually had written and published it before. It reads almost exactly how I imagined it, but of course always with your excellent writing style Gibraltar. Like CeJay, it really almost feels like the readers are shouting at the computer screen saying, "NO, don't do it!"
However, it really illustrates how far Sandhurst has come. I think this is key to why your stories and series proves so popular. Your main character has such character growth from the very beginning but that growth has come at such great cost and through some very horrid lessons.
And as TLR said, despite the costs and the hard calls he has had to make, something about Donald's character, about his unfailing stick at it attitude and mettle to never give up, despite all the detractors, all the hard luck situations and all the tragedy and bad results, he stays the course, finishes the mission and sticks to what he believes is right. Yeah, this piece works to make a person very nostalgic about your stories. Good job.
Author's Response:
Thank you very much! I'm pleased you enjoyed the story.
Date: 22 Jan 2012 16:02 Title: Life is Choices
Terrific tale of that one fateful encounter that started it all. And yes, by all I mean a series of rather unfortunate events, mostly to do with death, destruction and general despair.
And a whole bunch of gripping adventures.
Author's Response:
Thanks, CeJay! I'd like to think after all the crew (and Sandhurst) have been through, eventually they're going to catch a break. Knowing their luck, though... ;-)
[Report This]Date: 02 Feb 2011 20:01 Title: The Penalties of Success
Wonderful glimpse into Sandhurst's L.B.C. (Life Before Command). He's obviously a gifted engineer but sometimes the service requires people to step up and assume responsibilities they never imagined or wanted. I also enjoyed Captain Ebnal's command style - blunt and to the point. Great story!
Author's Response:
Much obliged, TLR! I thought this was a nice look into the first step on Donald's path to command, as well as a chance to use the ever effervescent Captain Ebnal again. ;-)
[Report This]Date: 01 Dec 2009 04:50 Title: Salt the Wounds
Well, this answered a few questions I'd had, like what happened with Donald and Ojana after Treacherous Waters, and what happened with the Bajora-Tava. I think you did a masterful job with the political aspects of this. It really felt down-to-Earth (down-to-Bajor?) and realistic, from the hitman-turned-inspector, to the news reporting, to the feel of the city and the nice hotel and the smoke rising in the air from the unrest, the misnamed "Picard's War", the concern over whether a civil/religious war will prevent Bajor's entrance to the Federation ... very evocative, detailed imagery all the way around. Thanks for pointing this one out to me, I very much enjoyed it.
Author's Response:
I'm glad you liked the story. I was a quick write for me, but it helped to tie up some loose ends as well as shed some light on the toll the Bajora-Tava were taking on Bajor.
[Report This]Date: 06 Aug 2009 18:30 Title: Salt the Wounds
Very intriguing. I know little of the overall background of this, and yet I was immediately drawn into the action. Your portrayal of Sandhurst as a pragmatist strikes a very real chord for a man in his position. I'm looking forward to making my way through more of the Gibraltar stories.
Author's Response:
Thank you very much. :) This is one of those stories that doesn't make a whole lot of sense without the backstories involved, so I'm pleased you enjoyed it regardless. I appreciate your comments.
Date: 13 Jun 2009 18:28 Title: The Plebe
Very nice read. The bajoran hitman turned inspector was a nice touch.
Author's Response:
Thanks! He's a character I hope to writing more about before too long.
[Report This]Date: 13 May 2009 17:57 Title: The Plebe
I know I read The Plebe on another site, but just had to re-read it and give my kudos! I'm looking forward to learning more about Liana's history...
Date: 11 May 2009 06:10 Title: The Plebe
I really liked this one--especially the chance to see what it might be like for someone raised in a non-planetary environment to be out in nature (even if it's just Boothby's garden) for the first time in her life.
Date: 27 Feb 2009 21:57 Title: The Plebe
Yes, I'd like to see a few more too. This was such a cool and off-beat read, I want more and I'm self-centered enough to demand it! LOL.
Date: 27 Feb 2009 03:57 Title: The Plebe
I really liked this the first time I read it, and I still do; not only for the homage to Boothby, but also for the atmosphere you instill into the story, right from the beginning. Top rate stuff, Sam! Looking forward to seeing more of these little history pieces.