Story 163: "China" by Punk Maneuverability

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Punk Maneuverability is one of the X-Files fandom's long-time authors. A quick scroll of her Gossamer page tells me she did most of her writing for this fandom in 1997, but she continued to write XF fic for close to a decade. China, posted in 2006, is one of the last XF fics she's posted to date.

It's a short AU in which Scully has made a drastic change in her life, one that has left both she and Mulder's lives torn asunder. I don't want to say too much more about the plot, because part of what makes this fic intriguing is the way the reader doesn't immediately know exactly what's going on. I picked this fic because, though they are very different fics, the central tension of China is very similar to that of last week's rec: Scully's discontent and her desire for a "normal life".

China by Punk M

You can also find the author at runpunkrun, and you can find our recommendation page over here.

Comments

Re: I like Punk, too, but...

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I have admitted to many reservations about this story, including the unresolved ending. I don't see how "drove the plot off a cliff" differs substantially with "so many things are described to no particular point."

You say the reader is left with work to do. I suppose you're right, in a way, but I don't feel compelled to do it; mysteries are mysteries. Scully's inner life is as hard to penetrate here as her spiky, enigmatic demeanor and I have no problem with the eerie feeling it leaves us with. There is, after all, always more fanfic.

I didn't say "happy ever after," just "end up together." As for charisma--there, I think we bump up against the unique nature of fanfic. Mulder looks like David Duchovny; what does Richard look like? I realize appearance isn't *everything*, but in tv/film fanfic it is powerful. Plus, to the polite cypher that is Mulder in "China" we can add the rich history of canon, with all the genius jumps, jokes and neuroses that make up this iconic character. (I too am sick of the word "iconic," but, darn it, I'm thinking The X-Files owns it.)

While patient Richard has a twin sister, a breakdown, a restaurant and a deteriorating grasp on a difficult lover. He seems like a good guy, though there's actually not too much evidence. He's probably a better bet for long-term than Mulder. But this is *Mulder,* this is *the X-Files,* and this is *fanfic*! If we are to take a major interest in Richard, he must at least be cast! (What do you think of Tom Selleck?)

Have I made myself sufficiently unclear?

Re: I like Punk, too, but...

[wendelah1]

I love Tom Selleck but he's too old for this part. How about Jon Stewart? He and GA had great chemistry, too.



So Punk's fic gets a pass here because of the unique nature of fanfic? Because David Duchovny is a hunk? Because we all love the show? So how come no one else gets one?

The difference between driving the plot off a cliff (a pop-cultural reference to Thelma and Louise, see--I watch movies, too) and describing things to no particular point is that you are complaining about the little details not adding up, and I'm bitching specifically about the ending. Although I admit these two issues are not unrelated, I don't think the problem with the ending is the fruit or that Richard is insufficiently characterized, I think it's the ending itself.

The whole point of a mystery is to solve it, elegantly and completely, and in such a way that the reader thinks, of course! I should have seen that coming! The mystery can remain unsolved for poor Richard--but the reader should get more consideration.