Fandom meme - answers
18 Jun 2006 06:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kangeikoAs requested -
For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
selenak, who wanted to know how I'd write the psi corps trilogy, if I'd been given the timeline for it:
Book I:
I didn't really read this book in depth, sort of skimming it. I found it quite functional in that it delivered what it was supposed to, but not one iota more. Things I would have done differently include the over-sentimentalisation of the bad guy's motives, and the complete over-kill on the heroic qualities of Bester's mum and dad. They were being set up to be martyrs from the word go, and their sweet little baby was also heading that way.
There's this concept I read about in the ST: TOS books - maybe it was taken from an actual Roman practice, or it was made up, but it was bloody good - where a child was kidnapped from an important family and then placed with another, even more powerful enemy. That way, the parents will never be able to get the child back, and it's a sweet, sweet revenge. I really liked that concept, and I liked the idea of Bester as a changeling child. Seeing as how the first book was supposed to set up the seeds for him to become who he is, it somehow... came out wrong.
Also, you know that the whole thing is one giant fairytale anyway, so we might as well come out and treat it that way.
Book II:
Again, it delivered what it was supposed to, and not one bit more.
1. Bester as a small child, talking to the telepathic Director - could have been so much more. Why was he brought there? What purpose did that meeting serve, other than him being able to recall it later on in life?
2. The function of Bester-has-a-crush was annoying. In fact, the whole idea of teep sexuality was badly done IMO. As far as I could tell, it was exactly the same as non-teep sexuality, despite the fact that these were Cadre Prime. Now, I love the idea of Cadre Prime and I would have done more things with their teachers, and with their experiences growing up. Certainly more things with their sexuality.
3. Ditto for Montoya, who was basically Hot Girl (TM), who inexplicably likes Bester. The set-up was for a worthy choice later on for Bester, but it was broadcast so loudly at the very beginning that it fell flat on his face. We know that he turns her in, but why not not make her a rogue-in-training?
4. I'd expand on the 'what happens to teeps who run' section, which was deliciously macabre and could have worked wonders for Bester's motivation. As a psi cop in training he would have seen the worst things that mundanes do to teeps, and that would have been a powerful motivator.
5. The hand bit - oh, so disappointing. It's a psychological block? He's the child of important rogues? What makes Bester think that this could be used against him, for crying out loud, it makes no sense. That whole section made no sense to me, so I'd rework it to do... something. else.
Book III:
1. The normal girl made no sense. Scrap her. I know that a romance has to happen for plot purposes, but it was pants.
2. Garibaldi's hunt was good in theory, poorly done in practice. In the end, the book became about Garibaldi being the better man, which is deeply unsatisfying.
3. I'The irony with the statue was nice, but unnecessary.
Foryahtzee63, who wanted to know my top 3 bad-ass women of Alias:
1. Allison: she fooled them all and scared the bejeezus out of me. Also, she never let herself become too involved with her life - she didn't fall in love with Will, or feel sympathy for Syd. She was a consummate professional all the way through.
2. Anna Espinoza: similarly, she was trained, deadly, and didn't have a single sentimental bone in her body. When she was on screen you could feel that she was a genuine threat and it wasn't too much of a stretch to understand Sloane's belief that she'd killed Sydney.
3. Irina: Only early on, mind you. Pre-S3 Irina had balls so large you'd need a suitcase to carry them around. Walking into the CIA, for crying out loud. Playing all sides off against the middle. Being The Man. Post S3, Irina became a lot softer, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just made her different. In my head, she was slowly being reconciled to the Laura personna, who was most definitely not a bad-ass. I have no words for what happened to her in S5 and my head can't cope with it.
For
selenak, who wanted to know how I'd write the psi corps trilogy, if I'd been given the timeline for it:Book I:
I didn't really read this book in depth, sort of skimming it. I found it quite functional in that it delivered what it was supposed to, but not one iota more. Things I would have done differently include the over-sentimentalisation of the bad guy's motives, and the complete over-kill on the heroic qualities of Bester's mum and dad. They were being set up to be martyrs from the word go, and their sweet little baby was also heading that way.
There's this concept I read about in the ST: TOS books - maybe it was taken from an actual Roman practice, or it was made up, but it was bloody good - where a child was kidnapped from an important family and then placed with another, even more powerful enemy. That way, the parents will never be able to get the child back, and it's a sweet, sweet revenge. I really liked that concept, and I liked the idea of Bester as a changeling child. Seeing as how the first book was supposed to set up the seeds for him to become who he is, it somehow... came out wrong.
Also, you know that the whole thing is one giant fairytale anyway, so we might as well come out and treat it that way.
Book II:
Again, it delivered what it was supposed to, and not one bit more.
1. Bester as a small child, talking to the telepathic Director - could have been so much more. Why was he brought there? What purpose did that meeting serve, other than him being able to recall it later on in life?
2. The function of Bester-has-a-crush was annoying. In fact, the whole idea of teep sexuality was badly done IMO. As far as I could tell, it was exactly the same as non-teep sexuality, despite the fact that these were Cadre Prime. Now, I love the idea of Cadre Prime and I would have done more things with their teachers, and with their experiences growing up. Certainly more things with their sexuality.
3. Ditto for Montoya, who was basically Hot Girl (TM), who inexplicably likes Bester. The set-up was for a worthy choice later on for Bester, but it was broadcast so loudly at the very beginning that it fell flat on his face. We know that he turns her in, but why not not make her a rogue-in-training?
4. I'd expand on the 'what happens to teeps who run' section, which was deliciously macabre and could have worked wonders for Bester's motivation. As a psi cop in training he would have seen the worst things that mundanes do to teeps, and that would have been a powerful motivator.
5. The hand bit - oh, so disappointing. It's a psychological block? He's the child of important rogues? What makes Bester think that this could be used against him, for crying out loud, it makes no sense. That whole section made no sense to me, so I'd rework it to do... something. else.
Book III:
1. The normal girl made no sense. Scrap her. I know that a romance has to happen for plot purposes, but it was pants.
2. Garibaldi's hunt was good in theory, poorly done in practice. In the end, the book became about Garibaldi being the better man, which is deeply unsatisfying.
3. I'The irony with the statue was nice, but unnecessary.
For
yahtzee63, who wanted to know my top 3 bad-ass women of Alias:1. Allison: she fooled them all and scared the bejeezus out of me. Also, she never let herself become too involved with her life - she didn't fall in love with Will, or feel sympathy for Syd. She was a consummate professional all the way through.
2. Anna Espinoza: similarly, she was trained, deadly, and didn't have a single sentimental bone in her body. When she was on screen you could feel that she was a genuine threat and it wasn't too much of a stretch to understand Sloane's belief that she'd killed Sydney.
3. Irina: Only early on, mind you. Pre-S3 Irina had balls so large you'd need a suitcase to carry them around. Walking into the CIA, for crying out loud. Playing all sides off against the middle. Being The Man. Post S3, Irina became a lot softer, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just made her different. In my head, she was slowly being reconciled to the Laura personna, who was most definitely not a bad-ass. I have no words for what happened to her in S5 and my head can't cope with it.