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Date Posted: 22:51:51 09/17/02 Tue
Author: Katlurkin
Author Host/IP: pcp02303222pcs.manass01.va.comcast.net / 68.52.163.61
Subject: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Ozmandayus, 11:03:17 09/20/02 Fri (cache-mtc-ac10.proxy.aol.com/64.12.96.79)

As you can probably imagine this was not the easiest story for me to begin with, but I wanted to do B/S right out the gate.

Kaylorin broke the rules.

See, I think all fanfic readers have a sort of mental checklist in terms of what they expect from reading fics outside their own ship. Usually you expect a certain character to act one way, another to be put down, and yet another to be background furniture all story long.

As I said before, Kaylorin broke the rules.

The story is very romantic and feels still in-character, something you don't always see in shipper fics. With the exception of Buffy's *solo* fun which I really didn't find necessary *I know, that coming from the king of smut, lol* This story is very well written, executed, and romantic.

But what ruels did Kaylorin break? Well I personally have always felt, and I know this does not count for all B/S fics, but for me I have always felt that the characters of Xander and Angel get trashed to hell while Spike is made to look like the best thing since sliced bread. They also seem, IMHO, to discount the B/A relationship as being irrelevant as well as the Xander/Buffy friendship as being unimportant to Buffy.

Kaylorin broke all those rules.

First off, the author wrote Xander and Angel with such respect and care to their characters and history. She made enither a bad guy, no matter their beliefs. She did not change Angel or Xander one single bit from the show, and showed them the utmost respect. Neither characters were put down one single time. Angel was not written as a brooding, boring man, nor was Xander written and unintelligent or useless. Kay did a marvelous job there and I commend her for changing my views on how I percieved a B/S fic to be.

It was nice to see Buffy not brood over how she feltr about Spike, but simply embrace it and tell her friends. Kay let the woman in the Slayer shine by having her deal with how she loved Spike fairly quickly. There was not a lot of angst about her love for him. Her angst came in how her friends would react, especially Xander.

In a fair amount of B/S fics I have read Buffy seems to views Xande's friendship as no big deal. Furthermore, those authors seemd to discount anything of real importance he has given to her journey both as the Slayer and a good friend. Kay showed us a Buffy who truly worried about how Xander would react. She loves him and values his friendship. The writer also clearly wanted the reader to know how what Xander had done for Buffy over the years and how he stood by her. This aspect of the story was so well done.

The plot was very interesting and the backhistory of the other older Slayer, as well as the scene in which she meets Buffy meld together so very well and you can just see the care the author took in crafting this novel.

I highly recommend this fic. I give it a score of 89

Ozmandayus


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Doe, 20:58:30 09/20/02 Fri (proxys.sj4.marketscore.com/216.148.246.134)

I found this a very well written story. Everyone was in character. I agree with Ozmandayus about the portrayal of Angel and Xander in this story. A big plus was that the author didn't do a self-insertion to lecture Buffy on how she should feel about Spike instead let the character come to terms with her feelings on her own.

My score: 90

Doe


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- KatLurkin, 22:18:38 09/20/02 Fri (pcp02303222pcs.manass01.va.comcast.net/68.52.163.61)

Akoshta

What can I say this is my one of my favorite stories? Something about the relationship between the characters, just reaches me. I find the story very romantic, passionate, (despite the lack of explicit sex). I like that none of the character are slammed. And I just love the whole story line of seeking Akoshta, both Spike and Angel were handled wonderfully.

Downside: Kay does have typo and spelling issues. Spikes character is a tad idealized :-D, but that is easily forgiven LOL

Rating 96


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- morgain, 12:47:12 09/21/02 Sat (modemcable214.10-202-24.mtl.mc.videotron.ca/24.202.10.214)

I have to say that I really liked Akoshta. And that was before I got to know [and like] Kaylorin. It was her talent for telling a good story that led me to volunteer to be her beta reader for a later one. What particularly stands out for me in this tale is the genuine affection that she obviously has for ALL of the characters and for the world that Joss has created. And she avoid two of the biggest pitfalls that seem to plague some fan fic, in my opinion.

One thing that often bugs me about ‘shipper fic in general is the bashing of some characters in order to enhance others. While I may sometimes find it cathartic, I do not find that it enhances the genre or the overall elaboration of the world of Buffy. In B / S shipper fic in particular, I find Buffy is sometimes characterized as a “ditz” who is ruled by her libido, not the strong woman we have come to know with a great capacity for love. Having a good **** is an important part of expressing our sexuality [and I like a steamy graphic scene as much as anyone], but I do not think that this is the sole thing Buffy is ever after in a physical relationship.

Kaylorin avoids both of these limitations, and manages to tell an interesting, romantic, passionate, and entertaining story. All of the characters in Akoshta acted within the parameters we know as their “basic personality”, with their flaws as well as those little positive quirks fans who support a particular character resonate to. They are true to how ME has drawn them, but Kaylorin takes them further in their development in a believable way. Buffy’s friends and her burgeoning relationship are equally important. The competition between Angel and Spike has that “family dynamics” edge to it. Her introduction of the Sisters was intriguing; the history of the other Slayer and her involvement with another vampire made Buffy’s own history with Angel and Spike much less anomalous [there is another story in there, Kay]. I found myself anxious and excited to read each chapter as it was posted [being plot girl].

The only limitation I could identify has more to do with the level of experience in writing. Kaylorin could use more variety in her language, but I think this will come with time. And then there’s the spelling, which Kaylorin has acknowledged is a weakness of hers. Small things, really, when compared with the overall impact of the story.

I highly recommend it.

Rating: 90


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Persephone, who would really like to read this, 17:27:16 09/21/02 Sat (blhg335ty8sk.bc.hsia.telus.net/66.183.197.50)

Gah. I'm having trouble reading this story for formatting reasons.

Kaylorin, hon, the table you have your story in is 937 pixels wide. My screen is only set to 800 pixels wide. I have a small, crappy monitor, so I really don't like to go any larger than that. If you changed it to a percentage width rather than a pixel width, or made it narrower, then people like me would be able to read it without scrolling right to read the end of ever single line.

I'm getting "story not found" on ff.net, so I assume that it was taken down for nc-17 reasons. Does anyone know if there is somewhere else I can read it other than Kaylorin's site?

I could cut and paste the entire thing into Word I guess, but that's a bit of a pain, and so far I've been too lazy.


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[> [> Persephone, Kaylorin doesn't write NC-17 -- morgain, 17:53:11 09/21/02 Sat (modemcable214.10-202-24.mtl.mc.videotron.ca/24.202.10.214)

so I think it is FanFic being persnickety.


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[> [> Here u be.. ff addy -- Kaylorin, 18:32:18 09/21/02 Sat (pcp632159pcs.newhvn01.in.comcast.net/68.53.200.184)

http://fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=965879


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Chani, 10:12:07 09/22/02 Sun (curie.noos.net/212.198.0.93)

I've been caught by the story from the start to the end!
I liked the idea of Samantha the Slayer's story, and how this discovery helps Buffy to accept her feelings for Spike, or in any case to feel herself being allowed to love him because she isn't the first. Maybe Buffy's psychology would have been explored a little bit more. She comes to terms with her feelings for Spike too easily IMO, but i may be spoiled by the rest of the season!

Very good story: 85


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- JSlayerUK, 15:12:42 09/22/02 Sun (cache-loh-af06.proxy.aol.com/195.93.50.12)

When reading this, and trying to commend it, I decided to throw out of my mind completely my shipper preference. I could do that and still thoroughly enjoy the story. I've never been fond of fics that smash other characters and this didn't do it at all. And that in my opinion is the most important thing in a fic, especially one with this ship that is rather touchy between the characters within the show. It didn't run too fast or too slow. With the exception of spelling and the odd grammar mistake it was fantastic.

Rating: 90


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Girl Guide jones, 22:38:41 09/22/02 Sun (dhcp024-210-034-173.columbus.rr.com/24.210.34.173)

I'd like to say something different than the other reviewers, but I can't, really. *L* It's a great fic, that doesn't have to make Xander the enemy (I immediately stop reading those). The occasional spelling/grammar errors are the only things that marred it for me.

92!

~GGj


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[> Re: DISCUSSION: Akoshta by Kaylorin -- Tarasgirl, 01:03:34 09/23/02 Mon (ppp-208-15-96-30.dialup.ltrkar.swbell.net/208.15.96.30)

my personal favourite although i am not a B/Ser. it was sexy and smart without being smutty. i give it 95, it is good to all characters and rings true to the show


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[> I kick But!! -- Kaylorin, 15:13:42 10/02/02 Wed (pcp632159pcs.newhvn01.in.comcast.net/68.53.200.184)


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