Reviews for Running on Faith: Season One
| Quortoth |
02/04/06 - 10:02AM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
I liked that story, Poor Conner. But I think slowly a surely he'll get over the trigger happy idea. I like Faith, she was all, 'if you need me.' That was good. I wonder what's going on with Buffy too. I'm going to read the next one now.
Author's Response: Yeah, BUffy definitley has somehting gooing on. And Faith will continue to take more and more of a leadership role as she becomes more confident in her own abilities not just as a fighter, but as a leader. |
| Selene |
03/25/05 - 10:00PM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
I love the fact that Faith is a loyal friend to Angel. He was always there for her in the past and I feel that he was a very important person to her. Very in character. Your explanation of the shanshu is fantastic. It is so perfect. The dangling carrot has been taken away from Angel and Spike and I love it. To tell the truth I don't really want either of them to become human. It would spoil my reading fun! :D Faith was handeled perfectly in questioning Spike on how he was hoilding up. Not too emotional but her concern came through loud and clear. Great work balancing on the line of emotional and sappy. (You definately do NOT fall into the sappy catagory.) It is very hard to convey emotions like that. Great work!
Author's Response: It’s Faith’s story, so I figured I’d show off her more positive attributes, such as the loyalty to Angel. I’m glad you liked my Shanshu. I think the show actually kind of hinted at it in the finale. Connor says W&H will kill Angel, and Angel tells him “As long as you’re alright, they can’t.” Most people only achieve immortality through their children. I think Angel achieved mortality/ humanity through his son. That’s why he had no problem signing away the Shanshu. It’d already happened. Just my 2 cents. Thanks so much for all your reviews! |
| Angeldove |
12/15/04 - 01:23AM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
I absolutely loved your explanation for the Shanshu prophecy. So simplistic, yet nothing I would have ever come up with on my own. Here you have a definition that in the tradition that is the vagary of prophecies, provides a beautiful, definitive explanation. I loved it! And this is coming from a person who still believes that in the end, Angel regains his humanity and he and Buffy live happily ever after – Shanshu! So the fact that I reacted so strongly positive to this explanation means a lot. I can’t say anything better than that I loved it and it was pure genius. Who knew you had that waiting in the wings (especially since we chat so often. Seriously I am amazed that you kept me spoiler free from that, with me being such a spoiler-slut and all.) All I can say is that without a doubt this was your finest chapter, and the perfect start for a second season. (Yeah, I know there is another episode, but that can only be icing on the cake after this one which could have easily served as the season finale.) This chapter, in one word, Brilliant. Giving this episode a mere 10 seems an insult!
Author's Response: I was worried how some people would react to the Shanshu prophecy. It's not that my explanation is so much of a leap, but I think a lot of people really got attached to the idea of human Angel. But the explanation does fit with the vagueness of prophecies in the Buffyverse. Connor's definitely the sort of occurrence that might warrant several prophecies. The idea for this actually came from a line at the end of "Not Fade Away." Connor wants to help Angel fight the SP's, but Angel wants him to go home. Connor says "They'll destroy you." Angel answers, "As long as you're okay, they can't." At this moment, Angel is, like many parents, investing his child with his legacy, future, etc. Children are the only way that most people can in any way achieve "immortality." (Some people get elected President or Prime Minister or maybe get a museum or University named after them). So, in that sense, his son is what makes Angel immortal. But his son also makes him mortal because his son makes him immortal in the same way mortals are made immortal. Try saying that ten times fast. Your reaction to this makes me really happy I kept this one under my hat. Thanks again for reviewing! |
| Angeldove |
12/15/04 - 01:04AM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
“Let me show you parts of this world that are wonderful and beautiful and worth living for.” I love how this parallels Buffy’s words to Dawn in the BTVS Season 6 finale once Buffy realizes she has been doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons. I always felt the same between Angel and Connor…Angel always meant well, but the decisions he made were not the right ones. It was about time he was called on it. Some of this was dealt with in “Origin”, but for the most part Angel’s erroneous decision (in the sporting goods store) was disregarded. You brought that to the surface and finally made him deal with this mistake, no matter how well intentioned, you made it definitive that it was wrong. I like that you brought this out of the gray into the black. Even though (as strange as this is since I really like what you did here with this) I understand and agree with the choice that Angel made and do feel it was the only option he had at that time. But the fact that you make me, one who so strongly agreed with the path the show took (yes I do know a lot of it was to make a clean break from the “Connor Saga”), appreciate and enjoy this version of events, says a lot about you as a writer. I felt it. I enjoyed it. And a big part of me wished I had been able to see it first hand on the show. Great job!
Author's Response: I definitely felt Angel was often doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons. There were a couple times Angel was just being bratty, but for the most part he seemed to want to help his son. I'm glad I at least partially converted you on the sporting goods store decision. Thanks again for your way, way too nice compliments. *blushes* |
| Angeldove |
12/15/04 - 12:47AM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
So many things I loved about this episode. I think this one may be my favorite…I know I have said that in the past (can you blame me, deviations… was fantastic!), but I really do believe this chapter has it all. The humor, the tension, the heart, the genius that is the explanation of Shanshu! (I’ll come back to that one). Let’s first talk about poignant parallels. “But I got so lost.” I loved how this paralleled Fred’s “I got so lost” to her parents in “Fredless” in reference to being in a hell dimension for 5 years. I felt that moment with Fred and her parents, just as I felt this moment between Angel and Connor. This is the moment when everything gets very real, slows down, and the heart of the Angel/Connor relationship is finally dealt with. I’m amazed at the amount of emotion that jumps off the page in this chapter. Not because I didn’t know you had it in you (I’ve seen it, I knew it) but that you were willing to take the chance and go there, to that place. It can be a risky place. The fear of seeming sappy. But you didn’t have that. All the emotion was there, and it was true and it was right. Very nice.
Author's Response: Thanks as always for reading. I can't even begin to thank you for reviewing. It would take at least two dozen thanks you's. The two episodes you picked as your favorite were mine as well, so it's especially nice to read this. I really enjoy being an iconoclast, so I guess it should be no surprise that an extremely unorthodox hook up and a rewriting of the Shanshu prophecy were my favorites. I'm so happy to know they were your as well. "I got so lost"- I think Connor and Fred have a lot in common. That's probably one of the reasons that, tazering aside, Fred seemed to be on Connor's side until the bitter end. If you think about it, Connor and Fred were both thrown more by returning to our world than they were by living in a hell dimension. They seemed to be able to manage an existence there. But when they came back and had to act normally, that's when the whole thing broke down for them. Although I have been accused of being sappy in this chapter (once), I was too afraid of that. Most of my story is so unsappy, that I wasn't afraid to pop a few holes in the maple tree jut this once. Thanks so much for reviewing. |
| crayonbreaky gal |
10/10/04 - 05:11PM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
But what can I do? He’s family. Spike gets it. It seems he always gets it before anyone else does. And the scene between Angel and Connor, and Angel talking him down. I have to say, one of the best chapters you have written. This was how it should have been in that sporting goods store instead of Angel taking that deal which killed all of his friends. Loving the Faith/Spike/Angel banter, fighting too. No dick swinging? That's what Angel and Spike do constantly. You really do it well here.
Author's Response: Thnka yu so much! This is my favorite episode of mine, so I'm really happy you think it's one of my best. I, too, wanted Angel to talk Connor down and really try to save him in the sporting goods store. I'm also glad you liked everything else; the fight scenes, the banter, the "dick swinging" comment. Thanks again for all your kind words. |
| Danielle_G |
10/02/04 - 08:48PM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
Hi! I'm really enjoying this story! I like the idea of a Faith series cause I thought the Faith Charactor on Buffy and Angel was cool! Cant wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: I thought Faith would be a nice character to center a series around. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series. |
| eerie_ave |
10/01/04 - 06:22PM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
It’s not a small thing when I say that I think this was your best chapter yet. It was definitely my favorite. Despite the fact that you are great at writing fight scenes, I found it ominous yet thrilling to only learn about the fights when Faith and the crew show up to see the results. Your interpretation of the Shanshu prophesy is so simplistic, yet still pure genius. I want to say more, but I don’t want to write a spoilery review. I do want to say that one of the things I love most about this story is how you take all these loose threads from the show and weave them into this thrilling and beautiful tapestry. Most of all, I loved the ending. God do you know how to end a story! Your cliffhangers are always great, but this chapter ended with one of the few legitimate resolutions in the series. Moreover, it was a resolution that the show cheated us out of, although I didn’t realize that until I read this chapter. I literally cried BOTH times that I read that ending. Connor saying he was so lost seemed like an easy and natural line. But you struck pure gold when you parlayed that into Angel’s line: “However lost you are, you can always look to me. And I will always lead you home.” *sob* I’m tearing up again. I loved your exploration of Angel’s thoughts. The character was always so withdrawn that it was nice to read that lovely ending about Angel, Connor, and their future. The line that “Connor was paradoxically the key to both his mortality and immortality” wash both brilliant and moving, as was the ensuing paragraph. I can’t tell you how much I loved this chapter. I wish I could give it a rating higher than 10.
Author's Response: Wow! Thanks for the far too kind review. It’s nice to know you’re enjoying this. I was afraid some traditionalists would not like my version of the Shanshu prophecy, but so far I’ve received nothing but positive feedback on that. I’m also happy you appreciated Connor’s paradoxical value to Angel. Most prophecies on the show, of course, had vague meanings. I thought it would be nice if I did the same with this one. I, too, liked the “however lost you are” line and actually considered calling this episode “Beacon” as a reference to that line. In a way, Angel is acting as a moral beacon for a couple people in this ep. I’m pleased you liked the discussion of Angel’s thoughts at the end and didn’t think that was overdone. I’m also pleased you wish you could give me more than a ten. Thanks again! |
| Michael J |
10/01/04 - 02:01PM |
21: Episode 21: I Shanshu, You Shanshu, He Done Been Shanshued |
Signed |
Another fine chapter. Can I say that I'm glad Buffy's under the influence. It'll be interesting to find out exactly how long she's been (if it dates back to her night with Connor, then you wrote yourself into a plot hole). Enjoying Faith's unwavering devotion to Angel. Honestly I thought you were leaning towards putting the two of them together if you end up doing a second season of this, but one way or the other, seeing Faith 100% devoted to a mission is a refreshing change in her character. The end I think borders on weak, but only because you're a tad too descriptive. A weakness of efiction in general is that it's very hard to convey the subtle messages that come across when you see something on screen. Everything you say at the end about Angel showing Connor the world, well I think that is pretty obvious without you laying it out for the reader to see. Leave a little for the reader to figure out. You're a talented enough writer that you get the point across just from Angel's speech and the hug they shared. Explicitly saying it all actually weakens the significance of the moment for me. This is episode 21, so there's just one more to go. I sincerely hope you wrap up the dangling Buffy thread and set up something to center on Faith for later. I'm very interested in seeing Faith get her own Big Bad, her own universe, etc. to live in.
Author's Response: Thanks for reviewing once again. It’s always nice to get the feedback. To answer your question, Buffy was not under the influence of anything but alcohol when she slept with Connor. In fact, she wasn’t yet possessed when she told Kennedy to bring Connor in over the phone. Not until arriving in L.A. on the most recent trip was she nabbed. However, explanation of this will not happen until next season, provided I write one. Also provided I write a next season, the story will certainly be more Faith-centric. As for the narrative at the end that you felt weakened the story, I personally like it. There’ve been people who’ve e-mailed me in the past who wanted nothing but material like that. Some people, mostly guys, like the action and tend to complain character exploration. These are both valid viewpoints. However, they generally lead to readers criticizing me for either not writing enough thought/feeling narrative while others think I do too much. For my part, I try to walk a fine line between these two philosophies and provide a bit of both. And damn if I don’t think I have. The writings that I try to sell (as of yet unsuccessfully) are screenplays, so I understand the idea of conveying thoughts, feelings, and exposition solely through dialogue since narration is not an ideal option. However, I think it’s a strength, not a weakness, of narrative fiction that the writer can explore a character’s thoughts and feelings. This isn’t meant to say that your own perspective is invalid, but rather a warning that this kind of writing, which you feel borders on weak, will likely be in future chapters. However, so will the action sequences and dialogue that you seem to like. Whether what you like in my stories is worth putting up with what you don’t is for you to decide. In the meantime, I’m glad I have intelligent readers like you who can discern emotion from my dialogue. And again, thanks for the review. |
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