![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendelah1 posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xf_book_clubWelcome 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"
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"
Re: Well, yes and no, Part 2
Date: 2009-09-06 12:40 am (UTC)Talking never was their strong suit, no, but there's a very marked difference between the brand of communication that exists between Mulder and Scully in S1-S7 vs. S8 and S9. Sure, the truth is that the writing has just taken a nosedive overall, but since that's canon as it's presented to us, I have to mark that difference, whether I like it or not, as significant.
I do think the pregnancy is a factor (which is why I probably should have edited that comment when I looked back on it and felt that doesn't "have anything to do with it" didn't really articulate what I meant). And a major one, even. I just don't feel that it's the only one, and that Mulder is reacting to Scully as he is only because of the pregnancy, which was what
I do think the writers do a great job, definitely. I just read another story of Zuffy's that tackled the mess that is S8 ("Hieroglyphs of Memory") and it pretty much blew my mind with how successful and engaging it was.
Re: Well, yes and no, Part 2
Date: 2009-09-06 01:05 am (UTC)Maybe we should add that to the reading list, then?
I don't think it's the only reason either, but I also don't think it should ever be underestimated. If Scully wasn't pregnant maybe she would have pressed harder to find Mulder. She seems so passive during that whole season, which really annoyed me. Can you imagine season seven Scully putting up with Doggett's crap? She'd have eaten him alive. Instead of crumpling into a widdle ball when Mulder says "I don't know how I fit in here," she'd have told him (and shown him *cough*).
Yeah, of course you have to blame the writing but as you say, it is canon and so I have to try to make sense of it. The major changes in Scully's life in season eight are (1.) Mulder's abduction, death and whatever you want to call the coming back from the dead thing he did and (2.) her pregnancy. If it was just about losing Mulder, you'd think she'd be getting back to herself once he came back but she never does. Grrr. Another reason to hate season eight.
Parenthood is often a make or break for relationships and it certainly does end up coming between them by the beginning of the (hated by me) season nine opener.
Re: Well, yes and no, Part 2
Date: 2009-09-06 01:09 am (UTC)Oh, I don't mean to underestimate it, certainly. I just felt that saying "Mulder's condescending to Scully because she's pregnant" didn't fly with me.
Can you imagine season seven Scully putting up with Doggett's crap? She'd have eaten him alive. Instead of crumpling into a widdle ball when Mulder says "I don't know how I fit in here," she'd have told him (and shown him *cough*).
All I can do is agree vehemently with all of that, heh. Definitely.
Oh, I hate the S9 opener too. It damages both characters so much. "He's just gone." Yeah, thanks. That doesn't jive with the Mulder I know (or the Scully), sorry.