Hmm. Do I wade back into this mess?
Jul. 3rd, 2006 01:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icarusDo I do it, or not?
People in the SGA fandom were really pissed off about Last Port Of Call. The discussion started out interesting, revealing, and turned ugly. There are a couple of theories about this kicking around.
1) The "young fandom" theory, where everything's fresh and new, but the controversies haven't cropped up yet; "the explorers are the ones with the arrows in their backs";
2) The "drunken luau" theory, where yes, SGA is a fun drunken luau, but the flip side of that is that serious, challenging stories are not acceptable, the way you don't discuss the Holocaust at a cocktail party;
3) The characterization of John was really off. If I were a new writer, I'd consider it, but... no, I don't think so. I've been writing quite some time now, and characterization has always been where I'm solid. Now if someone came after me with a pitchfork about my yerk-transitions, or the stripped-down scenery ("Hello, Icarus? This is not a one-act play with a tree and a bucket, tell us where they are") or sloppily using the same word fifteen times in three pages, yeah okay.
Besides, the reaction was just too strong for it to be a simple characterization issue. Poor characterization you just go *snerk* and walk. It doesn't launch a crusade. Nor does the story get recc'd by people whose opinions I respect.
Nah. The issue was content.
But that's not what this poll is about. Or it is, but only sort of.
You see, I have another probably-guaranteed-to-be-unpopular John-fic. An SGA story where the content might fan the flames. It comes from the question:
Okay, there are worse things in life than being controversial. But I'm feeling gun-shy. This isn't what I expected of SGA, naive of me, I know. I haven't encountered a reaction this bad since I defended slash to a group of Lord of the Rings anti-slashers in 2002 (and the arguments were eerily familar).
So, to everyone on the f-list, not just the SGA fandom who might not respond (results are viewable by none but me):
[Poll #761572]
ETA: Adds "if Carson screws up." Because "if Carson screws due to his medical curiosity and far-too-flexible ethics" has a completely different meaning.
ETA2: Wow. I'm far behind on answering everyone's comments, but that answered the question pretty thoroughly. I did not expect "er, I kinda liked Last Port" to be the strongest response, not by a long shot. So either a) the people who hated Last Port Of Call don't read my LJ (a good possibility), or b) the ones who hated it were a strident, vocal minority, and I got the wrong impression about how the story was received. Those who liked it were shouted down by those who didn't.
Either way, there's enough interest to, okay, write the Sheppard Screws Up story. But I warn you: it's het. It might not be that bad, I just... I didn't think Last Port Of Call was that controversial either.
ETA3: I'm so glad this person stopped by. Yes. Perfect example. This is the tone and nasty attitude that I've encountered over Last Port Of Call.
I've made the poll viewable to only me so that SGA readers can feel free to respond without facing problems from others. Most of the responders are SGA readers.
People in the SGA fandom were really pissed off about Last Port Of Call. The discussion started out interesting, revealing, and turned ugly. There are a couple of theories about this kicking around.
1) The "young fandom" theory, where everything's fresh and new, but the controversies haven't cropped up yet; "the explorers are the ones with the arrows in their backs";
2) The "drunken luau" theory, where yes, SGA is a fun drunken luau, but the flip side of that is that serious, challenging stories are not acceptable, the way you don't discuss the Holocaust at a cocktail party;
3) The characterization of John was really off. If I were a new writer, I'd consider it, but... no, I don't think so. I've been writing quite some time now, and characterization has always been where I'm solid. Now if someone came after me with a pitchfork about my yerk-transitions, or the stripped-down scenery ("Hello, Icarus? This is not a one-act play with a tree and a bucket, tell us where they are") or sloppily using the same word fifteen times in three pages, yeah okay.
Besides, the reaction was just too strong for it to be a simple characterization issue. Poor characterization you just go *snerk* and walk. It doesn't launch a crusade. Nor does the story get recc'd by people whose opinions I respect.
Nah. The issue was content.
But that's not what this poll is about. Or it is, but only sort of.
You see, I have another probably-guaranteed-to-be-unpopular John-fic. An SGA story where the content might fan the flames. It comes from the question:
If Rodney screws up due to hubris and ends up blowing up a solar system, and Carson screws up due to his medical curiosity and far-too-flexible ethics for the sake of his bright-eyed good intentions and fucks up a sentient being, and Weir screws up by bargaining away her principles for the sake of 'pragmatism' and gives away the position of Atlantis -- how and why does John screw up?
Okay, there are worse things in life than being controversial. But I'm feeling gun-shy. This isn't what I expected of SGA, naive of me, I know. I haven't encountered a reaction this bad since I defended slash to a group of Lord of the Rings anti-slashers in 2002 (and the arguments were eerily familar).
So, to everyone on the f-list, not just the SGA fandom who might not respond (results are viewable by none but me):
[Poll #761572]
ETA: Adds "if Carson screws up." Because "if Carson screws due to his medical curiosity and far-too-flexible ethics" has a completely different meaning.
ETA2: Wow. I'm far behind on answering everyone's comments, but that answered the question pretty thoroughly. I did not expect "er, I kinda liked Last Port" to be the strongest response, not by a long shot. So either a) the people who hated Last Port Of Call don't read my LJ (a good possibility), or b) the ones who hated it were a strident, vocal minority, and I got the wrong impression about how the story was received. Those who liked it were shouted down by those who didn't.
Either way, there's enough interest to, okay, write the Sheppard Screws Up story. But I warn you: it's het. It might not be that bad, I just... I didn't think Last Port Of Call was that controversial either.
ETA3: I'm so glad this person stopped by. Yes. Perfect example. This is the tone and nasty attitude that I've encountered over Last Port Of Call.
I've made the poll viewable to only me so that SGA readers can feel free to respond without facing problems from others. Most of the responders are SGA readers.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 11:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 12:34 am (UTC)Hey, do you know any edgy Sheppard stories? One's that have a definite military bend to them? I'm rec'ing John/Rodney at
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 12:49 am (UTC)I'll have a dig through my links and saved fics to see what else there is, but the only one that springs to mind right now is Exigencies (http://rivier.livejournal.com/267985.html). I love that fic for the same reason I love the 'Michael' episode, no matter how many people complain about the ethics in it.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 01:19 am (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 02:15 am (UTC)Wow.
And darn it, it's already been recc'd at Stargateficrec. I don't suppose you know any more stories like this? Because, yes, this is exactly what I was looking for.
Icarus *impressed*
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 02:27 am (UTC)There just aren't enough fics like it, unfortunately. Past there they tend to go into either genuine or gimmicky psycho territory - not that I'm complaining, because I like those just fine as long as they hit my dominant!Sheppard kink *cough*
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 02:37 am (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 09:36 pm (UTC)Untitled story by tigs (Lorne meets Sheppard, gen)
http://tigs.livejournal.com/485865.html
Paved With Good Intentions by sesame_seed (team, gen)
http://sesame-seed.livejournal.com/171381.html
Icing on the Cake & Strange Attractors by z_rayne (McShep)
http://community.livejournal.com/sga_flashfic/98394.html
http://community.livejournal.com/sga_flashfic/103083.html
Time Cannot Benumb These Feelings by thepouncer (McShep)
http://thepouncer.livejournal.com/347938.html
no subject
Date: 2006-07-05 11:39 pm (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 10:28 pm (UTC)Just one thing you should know - "Strange Attractors" is and AU version of "Icing on the Cake," so don't be put off by the fact that "Icing" is totally fluffy. It's just needed as set-up for the other story.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-05 11:38 pm (UTC)Wow....
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-06 08:35 am (UTC)Still, Exigencies is one of a kind. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2006-07-04 02:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-09 11:59 pm (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-10 03:43 am (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-07-10 03:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-10 04:18 am (UTC)http://www.eternalvox.net/~auburn/LegionOblivion.html
This story broke me, seriously broke me for days.