Tiger by the Tail (Professionals story)

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The Professionals Fanfiction
Title: Tiger by the Tail
Author(s): Lillian Sheperd
Date(s): 1983
Length: 21,111 words
Genre:
Fandom: The Professionals
External Links: online at the AO3

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Tiger by the Tail is the first in a series of gen stories written by Lillian Sheperd in the 1980s.

It appeared in the zine Impact #1. The series of stories, which were released to the paper circuit library are popular and often feature on fans' list of favorites. A slash sequel "Action of the Tiger" rounds out the series.

Writer's summary: "Think again," Cowley snapped. "You've a tiger loose; it'll kill anything that gets in its path. My advice is to call off everything except your alert to the ports. If your men do spot him, just contact us and leave the arrest to my men."

art for this story by Roo, for the zine Impact #1

The story has been described as a case fic.

One of its creators commented years later: "We charged printing costs for 'Tiger by the Tail' - because it was so long, so that might be regarded as a zine." [1]

Series

Reactions and Reviews

It's very good gen, the kind that lets you feel the relationship between the Lads in the middle of a cracking good case fic."[2]

Tiger by the Tail is actually a gen story, but I was totally able to read it as "pre-slash" - it didn't hurt that I'd read the slash sequel (Action of the Tiger by EPS) first! Actually, I think I enjoyed the "gen" story almost more than the slash sequel - there's some lovely partner worry, and h/c to be going on with, and even if the lads haven't realised it yet, it was perfectly clear to me as the reader that they were deeply bound to each other."[3]

"TIGER BY THE TAIL"を読んだ元もとの目的であるslash続編の"ACTION OF THE TIGER" by EPSも読み終わり、こちらも堪能。そしてこの作品とは別に"TIGER BY THE TAIL"の作者自身によるgen続編"Bull by the Horns"という作品もあり。他の人が書いたslash続編に対抗する形で1作目の作者本人が書いたのではないかと思われ、どういう展開となっているのか興味深いところ。なるべく近いうちに読みたいと思います" (discussing the series) [4]

I read 'Tiger by the Tail' early on - it's very good gen, the kind that lets you feel the relationship between the Lads in the middle of a cracking good case fic. The gen sequel (BBTH) kicked me out early on - too much of the kids. Although I had enjoyed them in TBTT they were too much for me in that one. They're basically the same in AOTT, but more tolerable, as the story is all the better for the slash relationship *g*. And the case part of the plot is good. [5]

The first part is, Bodie and Doyle go undercover in different areas of things, and it's a casefic type story. And there's a couple of kids that, as the author said, may grow up to become Modesty Blaise and, I don't know if you're familiar with those, they're basically kids that are interesting characters as original characters. And it's a good story and it's a good fiction, good characterization. [6]

References

  1. ^ 2010 comment at The Safehouse
  2. ^ discussion of the story at the CI5hq LJ community, dated September 14, 2008.
  3. ^ discussion of the story at the CI5hq LJ community, dated September 12, 2008.
  4. ^ CI5 rec page dated April 2, 2003.
  5. ^ story discussion at the ci5hq LJ community on September 12, 2008.
  6. ^ from Media Fandom Oral History Project Interview with Jan Levine (2013)