Susan
The Amazing Adventures
of Sara Corel
A novel by Toomey
Comments
on the Interlude
- Jecel Assumpcao Jr.
Your
story had several things going against it, for my taste, yet managed to come out on
top:
- I don't like dream stories or parallel
universes. Fiction is already a parallel universe and I see no need to add
another. But it worked great in your story, for Sara's nature made it into
something way more serious than, for example, in the Wizard of Oz. Speaking of Oz,
the great lengths through which you went to to set up the joke with the
'Little People' shows
you think a lot like me. I don't know if that is a good thing :-)
- Most crossovers on the internet are
really bad, as you said. But there are a few good ones where the spirit of both
sources are respected, and this story really does this. Of course, if you notice
the names of my machines on my home page you will see that I am partial to a
crossover with 'Middle Earth'…
- I am not a big fan of,
"There is no
way to win this, so let's blow everything up," endings. I didn't like it in the
Return to the Planet of the Apes nor in Silent Running (two
70s SF films). And you had this twice - in 'Muriah' and then the whole
of 'Midgarde'. In both cases it made a lot more sense than this normally does,
but especially the end wasn't very satisfying (though it was obviously expected
by 'Gundolf' and the Elves). Sara could have blown everything up in the first minute.
Of course I understand that this was a learning experience for her, and only after
she had gone through all of that would she know that this was the solution, so I
guess I don't really have anything to complain about. It is just a pity that she
ended up following the Jabberwauk's example.
I really liked the characterizations of
the people she met, especially 'Gundolf'. And the way everyone spoke very formally
while she came across as a Texas teenager in every language was great!
I lived the first half of the 70s in the
US, and the second half in Brazil where a dictatorship which had exchanged freedom
for progress was trying to hold on to power (they managed to stretch it
until 1985, though I bet they are very sorry that they did). So
the confrontation between Sara and the suited CEOs has a special meaning for me.
My experience probably led me to a very
different viewpoint about freedom than yours. I have found out that most people don't mind
it as long as it isn't too much of a bother. A lot of people don't find it particularly
useful, as they have no idea what to do with it (and this includes, unfortunately, people
who spend their whole lives fighting for it).
In a situation like your
'Little People' were
going through, some people would rebel and be eliminated. A few others would think like
the first group, but speak otherwise out of fear. But most would 'get along' and
not think twice about it.
The US was very lucky to have people like
Thomas Jefferson setting the country's direction when it was created. But while most of
the people and their current leaders speak the right words, I don't think they have a clue
about what it all means.
Thanks for a really great story.
-Jecel
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© Patrick Hill, 2000 |