Anything (Sentinel zine)

Zine
Title:	Anything
Publisher:	Agent With Style
Editor:
Author(s):	Lucy Hale
Cover Artist(s):	see below
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	October 2000
Medium:	print
Size:	312 pages
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	The Sentinel
Language:	English
External Links:
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Anything is a 312-page slash Sentinel novel by Lucy Hale that focuses on the relationship between Rafe and Simon Banks.

Controversy Regarding the Cover

• 

  cover of Whispers of the Heart #3 by K9. The art on this cover was, for a while, used on the cover of the zine Anything

• 

  cover of the first edition

• 

  subsequent cover, H. Ann Walton

This zine originally had a color cover by K9 that also appeared on the cover of Whispers of the Heart #3, something that was controversial:

AngelWings Press is the only one authorized to use that cover as per the artist. Since K9 has requested all the covers featuring her art be removed from the 'zine Anything.

Excerpt

Rafe was at the table, merrily dishing eggs on to two plates already loaded down with bacon and toast. "Come in, grumpy. You're going to be late if you keep dragging your feet like that."

Simon shook his head with a silent laugh, but went over and plopped down into a chair. "You've been busy."

"Only returning the favor. Dinner was wonderful, did I tell you?"

"About fifteen times," Simon confirmed. He picked up a fork and stared at the plate.

"Eat. You need the calories." Rafe dropped into the chair beside him.

"Do I?"

"Sure you do. You have to keep up with me."

Simon heard the playful challenge in his voice, and the fork went back on the table. He turned to face him, eyebrows up. "So you don't think I can keep up, huh?"

Rafe's grin grew even broader. "Oh, I'm not going to voice an opinion one way or the other. But it's a known fact that most men your age--"

Simon cut him off instantly with a growl. He jumped out of his chair and pounced, forcing Rafe out of his own seat and pressing him to him fiercely.

The younger man almost stumbled under the force of it, but held on to Simon for everything he was worth as he was consumed passionately.

Simon tore away from his mouth and pressed firm kisses down his throat, his hand reaching down to stroke at the tented fabric of his lover's slacks.

Rafe tilted his head back to give Simon greater access. He moaned audibly, his legs almost buckling under him.

Simon gripped him to keep him from falling, and lowered him slowly to the floor of the kitchen, never stopping the light trail of kisses he pressed all over his neck. He braced himself with one hand, using the other to quickly unbutton the top of Rafe's shirt. He opened the front of it just enough to expose his chest and his mouth moved to quickly capture a brown nipple.

Rafe arched beneath him, his moans only growing louder.

Reactions and Reviews

I hear the "Bare-chested Rafe"-cover (K9) is being replaced soon by artwork from Ann Walton. Don't mistake Anything with Whispers of the Heart III.

Lucy Hale is a terrific writer who managed more than once to create a colorful world of fanfiction. This zine contains five stories, stand-alones, that are connected through the undeniable affection and adoration Rafe and Simon feel for each other, glued together by "interludes" that give the reader a sense of the timeline used.

I loved the plots of the stories and the sex between Rafe and Simon, so devoted to each other, is really fantastic, creative and loving, a joy to read. And yet I was barely able to finish each of the stories. Rafe gets beaten, raped, suffers from childhood abuse, is humiliated by an ex-lover and is forced into non-consensual sex, before he is beaten, shot at and has to suffer through the abduction and beating of Simon. It is a sea of hurt the reader has to wade through until (s)he gets to the good parts - the plot and the sex... LOL

No warnings are given in this zine. I stumbled into this world of pain without knowing what to look for. And this is not a good thing for me.

As to the major characters, who are minor characters in this anthology: I was not quite able to grasp Jim's character and the interaction between Blair and Jim - maybe that's because they are so straight (ptuuui, dirty word), maybe because "my" Jim is loyal to his friends, even though they are depicted as being corrupt (we've seen it in Deep Water, where he didn't believe Pendergrast was dirty till he could prove the man's innocence!) and wouldn't turn his back to a man he had known longer than Blair just because said man discovers his homosexuality.

So I'd say: If you don't mind that your very favorite character (Rafe, for those who hadn't guessed till now - snicker) has to suffer through the whole zine, it is a great read. If you are - like me - "faint of the heart": Beware.

Lucy writes wonderfully! She really kept my interest in Simon and Rafe's part of the story, but I had a lot of trouble with Jim's character. He was, um, I don't really know if "homophobic" would be the right word. But he never could reconcile himself to Simon's and Rafe's choice to be together. Though he was eventually supportive of Simon and Rafe during all their trials, I got the feeling it was from a feeling of duty to their long friendship rather than that he was happy for them. Jim declared right up to the end that Simon was making a mistake with Rafe, or maybe not Rafe himself, but the decision to love a man. I was significantly upset by this characterization and that there was no J/B. However if you are a Simon/Rafe fan, you are in for a mega treat! Simon will literally do Anything for Rafe. And he does. There're lots of owies, torture and angst here, but love wins in the end. This is really a beautifully written 'zine. Did I mention the angst?! First time S/R. Quite the tome and if you begin the story reconciled to the fact there's no J/B you are going to be in for a Simon/Rafe fest that will stick with you for some time.

A little update here: Thanks so much to [fan's name] for providing a much more informative review than I managed. Gee, did we even read the same 'zine? LOL! Please be sure to read her review as she provides many warnings you may wish to be aware of before buying and/or reading the 'zine.

I decided I didn't take the Rafe torture as hard as she did because, though I love to look at him, he's not a fave character of mine and I wasn't as hard hit that "my guy" was being tortured. Rather, I was much more disturbed by Jim's characterization. Still... I think if you are prepared mentally for this, you can thoroughly enjoy this 'zine.