Out of the War Zone
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Out of the War Zone |
| Publisher: | What D'Ye Think Yer Doin' Productions |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Virginia J. Wurth and Narrelle M. Harris |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | 1986 |
| Series?: | yes, sequel is Postscripts |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | A4 |
| Genre: | het |
| Fandom: | V |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | online here |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Out of the War Zone is a het 150-page V novel by V.J. Wurth and Narelle M. Harris.
It is one story broken up into three chapters and focuses on the character of Ham Tyler. The cover is maroon and buff, and has textured card covers. It is illustrated. This zine was published in Australia.
The Chapters
- Second Time Around
- Changeling
- Celebrations
Reactions and Reviews
Okay, V fans out there, this is the zine you've been waiting for! I know I have! It had been so long since I've gotten a really good V zine, I was beginning to think they'd been put on the endangered species list, but OOTWZ reassured me that such an animal actually still exists. I recall ordering this zine with a bit of hesitancy after reading the flyer. After all, it promised three stories, two of which featured a MARRIED Ham Tyler! could anything so far from the accepted series norm possibly be good? The answer is a resounding YES...
The first story in the zine, 'Second Time Around' is by the author's own admission, 'a completely pre-meditated attempt to draw out some of the personality and background of Tyler that was implied in the series but never fully explored.' They have done a great job of achieving their goal. In this story, Ham Tyler is on a mission to Canada when he meets Alex Bailey, a female vet, who discovered a new toxin to use against the Visitors. All kinds of battles follow, both military and personal, but Ham and Alex eventually must come to terms with each other and their feelings. The results make for an interesting story.
My personal favorite in the zine is the second story, 'Changeling.' Time has passed, Ham and Alex are married, and the Visitors have been defeated... or have they? Ham's security firm is assigned to clean-up pockets of resistance from Visitors who have stayed behind, refusing to admit to defeat. Alex must learn to accept her husband's dangerous and unconventional work and balance that with her long hours of work... with Willie as her veterinary assistant. The character of Tash Petersen provides some interesting personal insights into the war with the Visitors and its personal ramifications, as well as the hint of promise of a future romance for Chris Farber. Who could resist? The final story in the zine is really more of a postscript to the first two stories, and in that respect, it is by far the most predictable.
In story one, Ham and Alex meet and fall in love, in story two they come to terms with their marriage, and in the third story, 'Celebrations,' they... well, you can figure that one out for yourself. I found this zine to be totally absorbing, the kind of thing I couldn't put down. it is the kind of zine you can read easily in one day and have a great time doing it.
The print is clear and layout is consistently good throughout. Typos are at an absolute minimum, and the authors have avoided one of my pet peeves when it comes from overseas; even though this zine is from Australia, the Americans talk like Americans! I always groan inwardly when well-meaning and frequently very talented overseas writers sprinkle our American heroes' vocabulary with their own local or colloquial expressions.
Is there anything to complain about in regards to this zine? Not really, at least nothing major. I can't help but wish that perhaps the cover were the same color other than a dark shade of burgundy. The color is perhaps a bit too dark to do full justice to the excellent portrait of Tyler... Any other gripes? No, not from me, unless i can complain about the the fact that the zine wasn't any longer. I wasn't ready for the story to be over after only 150 pages. I liked these characters, I liked these stories, and I wanted to read more. This is one of those zines that I sincerely hope will have a sequel. The writers are quite capable of doing it, and the fans deserve it! [1]