Story 95: "Iolokus" by Mustang Sally and RivkaT

[wendelah1]

A few days ago, someone was talking about fic and the phrase "most famous fic in our fandom" came up. I'm not sure what story she had in mind but surely "Iolokus" has to be a contender for that title. I have seen it nominated by many people for the best fan fiction novel, not just in our own, but in any fandom. I have also seen people say they couldn't finish it because Mulder and Scully were too "out of character."

The misspelled monster that started it all. Although I'm told it promotes heteronormativity in the end, we were more going for polymorphic perversity; you'll have to judge for yourself.

Summary: Painted across the barren and desolate reaches of Texas, the shadows of the Project put additional pressure on Scully and Mulder's already fragile relationship. After a hostage crisis raises more questions about the Project's breeding program, Scully begins her own investigation, leaving Mulder to choose between saving her and saving himself. Finally, the investigation leads to tragedy and Mulder and Scully find that more questions have been asked than answered.

The title reference was to an island mentioned in Medea, to which we turned for fairly obvious reasons.

Warnings: extreme violence, including the death of children.

There are four long sections to this behemoth. My first time through this fic I hadn't much knowledge of canon, so I am curious to see what I think of it now. Thank you to sangria_lila for this excellent nomination. If there is enthusiasm to continue, I suppose we can forge through to the end or just quit with book one. It's your call.

Please leave feedback for the authors and then come back and let us know what you think. Nominations for next time are made here. Since rivkat's site is down at the moment, the link is to the wonderful Fugues Fiction Archive. Of course, the story is also available at Gossamer.

Iolokus

Edit: Since Rivkat's site is back up, here is another link to the story: Iolokus.

Comments

[notacrnflkgirl.livejournal.com]

No, no, definitely agreed. :)

[aloysiavirgata.livejournal.com]

True. I take issue with some of the autopsy stuff (there's no MPD MD, why did the bodies smell of formalin when they were fresh, etc.?) But this right here is what makes everything work for me:

Where was the anger? Why wasn't he aiming it at me? I needed him to be angry so that I could be indifferent to it. His hands slid closer, brushing against my hips and I tried to stand up, but he was too close and I slumped back down without grace.

His face was buried in my neck and he was rocking me, crooning lullaby nonsense and I was so angry with him for infantilizing me. Except that I was also sobbing, without any idea how that had happened, and he had to stop being nice so that I could remember how to be strong.

[wendelah1]

Yes. This was a very powerful, emotional scene; I felt we were robbed of this kind of catharsis at the end of Emily.

[aloysiavirgata.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree. It was so real that I could just see it. Her all stiff and pale, then just falling apart.

And whoops! I meant to write ME, not MD.

[sixpences.livejournal.com]

Oh absolutely. Any story of any length is probably going to throw up nitpicks for any reader who knows more about subject x than the author did, but I've gotten through and liked stories with far more problems than Iolokus, which were far, far inferior in the writing. That quote in particular could cover a vast multitude of authorly sins. Also it makes me want to cry more than a bit...

[wendelah1]

Another way to look at this story is as a kind of inside-out AU. Most AU stories (which I generally dislike, actually) operate on the premise of "let's take the exact same characters and make them have the exact same reactions they would ordinarily, but change the surroundings and see what happens." Iolokus is more like, "let's keep the external variables the same and see what happens if we take the essence of Mulder and Scully but let them come undone by all the horrific personal tragedy they've suffered and see what happens."

I agree with this.

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

I must confess - the only reason I reread Iolokus is to read Book 4 and Book 5. I think the fic's great success and failing is that it takes Mulder and Scully in a completely different direction from the TV show, to the point where I don't think it's the characters we see on TV. And you know what? That's completely fine, because most of the time, the writers of the show didn't know who their own characters were anyway.

I remember someone once saying that Mulder sounded like a very feminist version of a man, and I agree. I think the Mulder here lacks the squidginess of heart and ineptness that he does onscreen. If you are squidgy and inept, you don't know you're squidgy and inept, and sometimes I think Mulder here is too self aware. But whatever. I love the writing. I love the Mooselet (I love that she's called the Mooselet), and she's exactly the kind of child you expect M&S to have. And M&S own descriptions of the Mooselet is hilarious.

I do take issue to how quickly Scully gave birth in Book 5, and to the fact that they named their twins Bram and Cordelia.

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

I think the Mooselet is sheer genius. You can practically feel the cuteness radiating off the page.

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

Also, the Mooselet is my favorite Original Character, ever.

Oh absolutely. Every time she's described you want to pick her up and cuddle her, until you remember that she's well, not real.

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

I think my biggest problem with Penumbra is that she idealizes Mulder and Scully to the point where you can feel it in the writing. That's my problem with Parabiosis - it's just too pretty. And life isn't pretty.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

I know the scene you speak off in Alien Resurection, and had the same reaction. But if this is the scene where you brain went "NO", this is the scene where my brain went "HELL, YES!" I could completely buy that this particular Scully would do something like this.

I loved all the difficult scenes in Iolokus - though I did not "buy" all of them - but that's probably because I'm a sucker for deep dark angst and love it when good writing roughens me up out of my comfort zone a little.

Overly pretty language distracts me from the narrative flow, which is why I always had troube with Penumbra's writing until Fathom Five came along.

The Mooselet is made of pure genius.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

I'm such a sucker for beautiful language. But these two aside, the characterization has to ring true or I just can't get through it.


See I love pretty language too, but I think it should be used parsimoniously, otherwise it becomes too distracting, and I'm pulled out of the story. You're going to be more stunned by the one perfect lily in a garden than if you're surrounded by hundreds of them.

One of the issues I had with Iolokus was the overuse of metaphors at times. Some were very striking but the impact was lost because there was another one right on the heels of the previous one.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

I think my biggest problem with Penumbra is that she idealizes Mulder and Scully to the point where you can feel it in the writing. That's my problem with Parabiosis - it's just too pretty. And life isn't pretty.

Marry me.

I so completely agree with this. Though some writers would argue that fic doesn't have to be like life and that they can make their stories as pretty as they want to if they so wish - which is a valid point too - even if those stories will never be my cup of tea.

Regarding Penumbra's characters, I thought Fathom Five was much, much better in that respect.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

but when it turns around, oh my, it'll shine the sun straight into the pieces of your heart it just broke, and you'll be begging for more.

This calls for another proposal *laugh*

Kate, in order for this to be a little easier for you to digest, you have to imagine that the Mulder and Scully in Iolokus are the Mulder and Scully that haven't gone through the "Erase and Rewind" process of the TV episodes. These are the Mulder and Scully carrying with them a huge ledger of 4 years of various traumas. All the deaths, shocks, violence, illnesses, hurt and fear they ever encountered left their marks. As a result these Mulder and Scully are pretty traumatized and not quite sane.

These are Mulder and Scully without the 1013 fabric softener.

But the great thing about this story, is that if you stick with it, as infinitlight so nicely put it, you'll be rewarded ten folds. This story does have a heart, a big bruised one, and there is lots of heartwrenching love in it. You may not find any huge gushing display of affection in there but you will find little kernels of subtle poise and beauty. A look, a move, or a few words that will make your heart melt completely.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

But to love someone so much that when you're sinking into despair you trust them to stick with you even though you hurt them and punish them because you don't know what else to do?

This sums up the Iolokus M&S relationship so perfectly, it makes me want to cry.

[scarletbaldy.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think that, because of its dark side people tend to forget another major element of Iolokus, its humour.

Zippy's comments, the Mooselet of course, Catzilla...etc, this story is full of fun moments and witty repartee, some more subtle than others.

And the mutiple Mulders are a damn interesting concept, I agree. Then again, I always had a thing for clones. :)

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I actually though Fathoms Five to be the worst transgressor in that regard. A girl called Arabella? Mulder and Scully and William in a house in California, with a pool? I didn't buy that. At least Parabiosis lifted the characters above canon, albeit in a highly idealized way. That said, I adore Contact High.

No, fic doesn't have to be like life, but the stories that move us most are those that you feel could happen in real life. I like Penumbra the way I like Michael Ondaatje's writing - utterly gorgeous, but completely fanciful.

[sangria-lila.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the snarkiness did get old in Iolokus after a while. I have to say I kept reading because of the Mooselet.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I think said scene is where my brain keeps trying to reconcile Iolokus Scully with 1013 Scully, and it just doesn't seem to gel for me. I like my angst plastered on with a trowel, and it certainly brings that, plus is an amazingly written scene but I have trouble with it.

I really enjoyed Penumbra's Black Hole Season, but while I think she (?) writes beautiful stories, I wasn't as crazy excited about Contact High or Parabiosis. I couldn't seem to get into Fathom Five, but I'll give it another go sometime.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I see the love in the early parts of the story as being implicit rather than explicit. They never say it - well, Mulder does - but I think by knowing Scully's character we can infer the same. She's scared of giving herself completely to another person on an emotional level, but she still stays with him. I think she's doing the best she knows how right now, and trusting Mulder to let her lash out.

I agree. I think this is a Scully who's had all her options taken away from her and has found herself powerless against the machine that's driving them. She's always been the one, of the two of them, who takes things personally, who takes everything to heart. Mulder, by comparison, is a big dog continually following the scent, more open and softer and able to express himself without breaking apart.

I think Scully has nowhere else to direct her anger and sadness, and so Mulder cops the brunt of it, because, as you said, he'll take it. There is literally no-one else she can rail against.

[wendelah1]

Overly pretty language distracts me from the narrative flow, which is why I always had troube with Penumbra's writing until Fathom Five came along.

That's how I feel about a lot of poetic writing, too, although, I'm not sure narrative flow was the point of Parabiosis. It's long on characterization and short on plot, apart from season seven's. "Fathoms Five" is very carefully plotted, the writing is clear and lucid and lyrical. It's very dark--but I think it is by far her best writing.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I so agree with your first paragraph, since IMO the argument that Iolokus M & S veer from show characterization tends to break down. Approximately as much as the characterization on the show broke down, which was A LOT.

I am not a canon loyalist. Fic writers can create whatever they want, provided they can get away with it. It takes talent. Iolokus is a ferocious display of raw talent.

Yes, the metaphors/similes are sometimes overdone. They can jostle each other. This, incidentally, is a view one can take of Penumbra's beautiful scenes and glittering images. Nevertheless, I love her stuff.

[leucocrystal]

And mine. I'm told to try and suffer through it by just about everyone, but frankly, I draw the line and Iolokus leaps over it. I'm fine with fiction (or fanfic) making me uncomfortable or challenging my ideas or preconceptions, but when it's being so obviously malicious (or trying so obviously hard to make an angry point), I get absolutely no enjoyment out of it. And if I don't enjoy it at all, overall writing quality will never be enough to salvage it for me. It just reads as a tiresome exercise that holds none of my interest. (YMMV to all, of course.)

[notacrnflkgirl.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine with fiction (or fanfic) making me uncomfortable or challenging my ideas or preconceptions, but when it's being so obviously malicious (or trying so obviously hard to make an angry point), I get absolutely no enjoyment out of it. And if I don't enjoy it at all, overall writing quality will never be enough to salvage it for me."

Oh thank God, someone who sees eye-to-eye with me on this.

One of my favorite things about TXF is that it brought up widespread reproductive objectification and abuse of women and presented it as evil and wrong, even if CC could have done much, much better. I think "Iolokus" attempted to continue with that arc, but it failed miserably when gratuitously violent inner monologuing and the story's tone overshadowed any social commentary intended. You know? It rubs me the wrong way. I read it because of its reputation. Quite frankly, I don't know what others see in it to applaud it so loudly.

I had a strong reaction to Scully's being medicated and eating herself sick, as well, but I will have to reread to remember what it was.

[leucocrystal]

Heh, I could say the same to you! A lot of the time I feel like the only one who really does not like this fic at all.

You're right, CC and co. could have done a much better job, but so many people react as though the show presented the crimes that were perpetrated against women as anything but evil and horrific (which simply is ridiculously untrue). It rubs me the wrong way, too, and I don't see anything laudatory in it either. Of course, this is all subjective, but this is one of those instances when I REALLY don't get it. At all.