Story 91: "The Fractured Landscape" by Zuffy and Littljoe

[wendelah1]

Welcome back! I hope you had a great August holiday.

In light of some recent discussions I've had about character POV, and whether or not writing a character unsympathetically accurately represents how an author feels about the character, especially in season 8 fic, I decided to read some season 8 fic. Just to get my biases out of the way, I haven't read much of it because I kind of hate season 8. Okay, I really hate season 8. But we aren't here to discuss that, we're here to talk about fan fiction!

Synopsis: How does the tense and chilly Mulder of 3Words turn into the relaxed and confident man joking about "the pizza man"?

The authors rate this story PG-13 for language.

If anyone has season 8 fic they would like to recommend we discuss, you may make those suggestions here. If you think reading season 8 fic is a terrible idea and want to read something else, you can make that suggestion at the same place. I know I've skipped over some of your suggestions, but I promise we'll get to them eventually.

Give feedback to the authors and then tell us what you think about the story. Heck, you can even tell us what you think about season 8 and/or author POV versus character POV in season 8 fic. Come prepared with supporting examples of your thesis. Joke. Just read the fic. Although, I would love to read meta about that topic if there is any, she said wistfully.

"The Fractured Landscape"

Comments

Re: Well, yes and no, Part 1

[leucocrystal]

You know, it's funny, but you've reminded me of exactly how I viewed that scene in Requiem -- I see resignation to fate, Mulder coming back to his typical belief of not deserving what he truly wants (to be with Scully, among other things) and having to accept that, and so on. The thing is, that's something that's never resonated with me while reading the end of "Parabiosis". I wish it would, because that way I could reconcile it with canon, but no matter how many times I reread it (and given that I love it, that's been many times), it just doesn't line up for me.

And now that you remind me of the ship theory from Amor Fati (the very theory I subscribe to, even!), I suppose it isn't such a great leap after all. At least, not in the context of "Parabiosis". In the context of this story and S8, once we learn of the fact that the events of Per Manum did indeed take place... I find it harder to reconcile. I suppose because, I can see Mulder second guessing his theory once they're led to believe that the IVF doesn't take (since they don't find out, until she's already pregnant, that they were likely lied to by Parenti and co.).

I think this works fine for the story as a whole, and for her characterizations of Mulder and Scully. That it might contradict canon now doesn't detract from the power of the story.
Yes, agreed, and thanks for bringing me around there. I think I was confusing my reading of this story and S8 on the whole (for which I can't reconcile the leap) with my original reading of "Parabiosis", where it does work.