Hmm. Do I wade back into this mess?

[icarus]

Do 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:

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.

Comments

[fluffyllama.livejournal.com]

I knew you'd like it, and after I posted my comment I saw your reply to someone else about your favourite episodes of the last series and was doubly sure *g*.

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* trobadora and I regularly discuss Sheppard characterisation in fics, though, and she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of McShep fics and a much better memory than me, so she can probably point out the next best contenders. I'll give her a prod :-) (She's the one who recommended Exigencies to me, after all!)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Fantabulous. I would really, really like to hear what she can recommend. For myself and also for the recs. Because, wow. That was a hell of a story. I'm going to show that one to WG.

Icarus

[fluffyllama.livejournal.com]

Well, trobadora agrees that Exigencies is a rare thing. Still, if you like the same Sheppard we do, these might have something of interest:

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

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I've just read "Time Cannot Benumb" and I'm blown away. These are perfect. Thank you.

Icarus

[trobadora]

Hi :-)

fluffyllama told me you asked for recs, and I see she's already passed them on. I hope you'll like them!

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.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you, these recs are awesome. I should be doing my first John/Rodney recs post in the later part of the week.

Wow....

Icarus

[trobadora]

I'm glad you like them!

Still, Exigencies is one of a kind. *sigh*