Cat's Cradle (Stargate SG-1 story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Cat's Cradle
Author(s):	Corby
Date(s):
Length:
Genre(s):	gen
Fandom(s):	Stargate SG-1
Relationship(s):
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Cat's Cradle is a Stargate SG-1 story by Corby.

Reactions and Reviews

I'm a cat lover. So when I tell you that there are several characters in this story who deserve to be poked many times over with a big, pointy stick, you may just want to take my bias into account. Of course, a few

of these characters were also mean to Daniel, and that may sway a few more people over to my side of the fence.

Let me get back on track. Cat's Cradle is about Daniel's recovery from a mission that went very wrong. It's about how he deals with his grief, anger and incomprehension in the face of the evil in the universe.

During the story I was buffeted from despair to laughter, via empathy and hope. All of those emotions were drawn out through the undeniable skill of the author: Corby wields her words with a panache that's matched, in my opinion, by a mere handful of other writers in the fandom. A fistful of impact comes from a handful of words: "Why should there be balance, when ignorance provided as much pain as hatred and was so easily come by?"

Daniel is painted in vivid colours: his reaction to what he's beenthrough and his healing are beautifully handled. There have been subtle and not so subtle hints of his emotional depths and personal strengths in various SG-1 episodes, and both are investigated and exposed here.

Jack, Sam and Teal'c behave just as I've come to expect them to. Daniel's angst is complemented by some extremely amusing scenes where the whole team are together at Daniel's place. The intensity of the horror that Daniel is dealing with is balanced by these scenes, so nothing in the story is too overwhelming.

And of course, there's the cat. If you're incredibly perceptive, you may have noticed that I love cats. The charming feline in this story begins helping Daniel to heal almost as soon as he finds her. The author's obvious understanding of feline behaviour is demonstrated in all the little details, and Jack's reaction to the animal at times is nothing short of hilarious. The cat certainly doesn't have everything easy, and those characters that I mentioned earlier have much to do with her misery. But I see this as her story as much as it is Daniel's, and thesimilarities between the two are many - after all, didn't we already know that Daniel has nine lives?

Cat's Cradle may be a little introspective for some readers. It may seem the tiniest bit saccharine at times. Personally, I love the insights into Daniel's psyche, and the close family feel of SG-1. Corby writes from the heart, and it's clear in every word. Cat's Cradle is a favourite that will forever remain on my top ten list.

Corby's Cat's Cradle is an excelent read. (I reread it often, it's so gorgeous!)

You'd expect a story that could be summarized as, "Daniel gets a cat," to be saccharine and fluffy, wouldn't you? It's not. From the first, surprisingly harsh adoption scene through the "OMGNO!" climax and resolution, Corby keeps you on the edge of your seat. Go. Read. Now.