FIC: The Chuck Writes Story - Afterword 5

[lettered]

Title: The Chuck Writes Story: Afterword 5
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: gen. Chuck, Becky
Rating: PG-13 for themes
Length: Total fic: 30,000. This part: 100
Summary: Fandom has a new god.
A/N: Please see notes here.
Previous parts: The Chuck Writes Story | Afterword | Afterword 2 | Afterword 3 | Afterword 4


6:15 pm Thursday, September 23, 2011
Afterword 5

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REPENT, FOR CASTIEL LIVES AND SHALL SMITE YOU.

Fans claim that the mass murderer walking around in a trench-coat and killing, murdering and maiming people in the news is in fact the character Castiel from Supernatural.

LOL fandom, never change.

Comments

[lettered]

Er, but how would you explain the being-transported-to-another-universe phenomenon, in the case of Pern? I mean, I guess it depends on what you believe. But even if you subscribe to the idea of infinite universes (and thus the idea that all fictional universes must be true), for me it would be more well, world-shaking than joy-making. And if something like Supernatural is true, than you already know you're not a dragonrider, you know? You're one of the peons who didn't know, just like all the extras Dean and Sam save.

Though I guess this is a problem I have with say, the Fionavar Tapestry type books, or even Harry Potter. I want a lot more existential angst than immediate adventure; I suppose that's just how I am?

Sounds like a cool book! Thanks for the rec! I loved that first epic Lessa/F'lar scene when I first read it (7th grade? I think), but later years have thought of it and been a little squicked. But in general, I can separate my "that's hot!" response from my "that would not actually be hot irl" response. The green rider problem had definitely occurred to me, yes.

I'm convinced Mercedes Lackey somehow has a pipeline straight into the twelve-year-old girl id.

I only ever read the Arrows of the Queen trilogy. I mean, I tried Winds of Change, or whichever those were called, and they weren't my cuppa. I've heard I should try the Vanyel ones?

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Er, but how would you explain the being-transported-to-another-universe phenomenon, in the case of Pern?

I was thinking more of this-world narratives, where it's possible I live alongside that stuff and don't know it. Where secondary worlds are concerned (and yeah, I consider Pern secondary, even if it's technically a futuristic space-exploration scenario), if I found out one of those really existed, the metaphysical implications would distract me from pretty much everything else. :-)

Though I guess this is a problem I have with say, the Fionavar Tapestry type books, or even Harry Potter. I want a lot more existential angst than immediate adventure; I suppose that's just how I am?

Yeah, with stories like that, the worst-case scenario (for me) is the token "omg magic is real!" scene that's forgotten three pages later. I either want a lot more trauma over the revelation, or a Buffy-style "actually, that explains a lot" reaction. The former is more realistic, and the latter at least has the virtue of not making me sit through yet another iteration of the standard-issue response.

(It gave me great joy, when writing my Elizabethan faerie novel, to realize that the human protagonist's reaction would not be "omg faeries are real!," but rather "omg faeries are underneath London!" I didn't much want to write the former.)

But in general, I can separate my "that's hot!" response from my "that would not actually be hot irl" response.

Yeah, I can enjoy in narrative all kinds of things that aren't actually good in real life. Mostly I'm bugged by the sense that the author thinks what they're writing is genuinely romantic, to be hoped for in real life. Exhibit A: Twilight.

I've heard I should try the Vanyel ones?

Yeah, Vanyel and Talia are the two really id-tastic series. They're pure "my family doesn't understand me, but a magical friend will come and SAVE ME and stand by me through HORRIBLE ANGST" indulgence, much more than Elspeth or the others.

[lettered]

I either want a lot more trauma over the revelation, or a Buffy-style "actually, that explains a lot" reaction.

Exactly.

my Elizabethan faerie novel

Is that With Fate Conspire? That's an interesting reaction (re: the protagonist)--I look forward to reading it. :o)

by the sense that the author thinks what they're writing is genuinely romantic,

Oh yes, I have that feeling too. What's so interesting about it is I don't care about authorial intent, not really, and yet--to use your example--the feeling you get when reading Twilight, that the author intends it all to be romantic, is repulsive to me (well, and also highly amusing and really really sad and possibly symptomatic of what's wrong with society today). I guess maybe intent doesn't matter, but our perceptions of it matter to us? Or something. I may be talking about the uber!SPN again; I just never know.

"my family doesn't understand me, but a magical friend will come and SAVE ME and stand by me through HORRIBLE ANGST"

That sounds perfect. I'm so cheap.