Uncertain Changes
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Uncertain Changes |
| Author(s): | Sylvia Knight |
| Date(s): | 1990 |
| Length: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | Blake's 7 |
| External Links: | Uncertain Changes |
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Uncertain Changes is a Blake's 7 Blake/Avon story by Sylvia Knight.
It was published in Fire and Ice #1.
Reactions and Reviews
I'm a het fan rather than a slash fan, but a friend recently loaned me some zines and made recommendations, so I could sample what my fellow fen are reading. Most of them I found more interesting than compelling, but I liked several and one really stood out for me: "Certain Changes" by Sylvia Knight (FIRE AND ICE #1) -- The characterizations were to me spot on, with neither Blake nor Avon being weakened or forced into a submissive role. And though it doesn't feature the slots and tabs that I personally prefer, I gotta say I thought it was pretty damned sexy. There was one concept in the story (I minor one, I admit, but it tickled me) that I liked so much that I'd love to track down the author one of these decades and see if I could borrow it for a het piece. I'm sure there are other slash stories I'd like, but since I've only read a relative few out of those written, I'm only naming this particular story.[1]
Now again - let's be very fair to this zine: 'Uncertain Changes' is one of my favourite B/As. It most definitely made the list. If I hadn't read it already, I would have been very pleased to have come across it now. But it is online already... so I'd already read it and rather cruelly therefore I count its presence more as a minus sign (no - spending money on something already available!), than a positive.Since Molly wrote the rec on our list, though, I will use this opportunity to say a few things about the fic. Obviously it's good - I've implied that already. One of the things I like most about it is the uncertainty at the beginning - the way the distraction and then the look upwards, eyes meeting, 'oh fuck, we both just saw that' is described is both poetic and so so awkward - as a device to make you think 'what is going to happen now????' it really works. And a similar sort of thing happens with the second section, with them struggling... not to misunderstand each other, or to misunderstand each other on purpose if it would be convenient. The urge to make things easier for themselves by not going for it is clearly so strong (and Avon reveals what happened in 'Gambit' like a weapon to keep Blake away), but Blake fights it - and it is very exciting (not just in a sexy way). I absolutely love it.
The other thing I would say about this fic is purely personal i.e. that as much as I like it, I swear I did not remember Avon's plan about Star One until I re-read it for The List. And then I thought 'fuck, I thought I invented that for Chance of Freedom. But I guess I may have just remembered it from here...' Sigh. It's a good plan, though. Actually I think it's done better here than in my version... (double damn). If theft there was, it was unintentional :(
Anyway - to return to the fic: I love the ending. It's so lovely and so beautifully timed. Excellent stuff. Do very strongly recommend.[2]
Opens with intimate first time love-making between Blake and Avon that keeps you waiting for the other shoe to drop. What makes this story a standout is the way it delivers on that tension.[3]
References
- ^ Lysator, Pat Nussman, August 31, 1994.
- ^ Aralias reviewed this zine in 2013 on Dreamwidth, Archived version
- ^ from Katy and Molly's 77+ Favourite A/B and A-B Stories, Archived version, August 5, 2013