Changes (Stargate SG-1 story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Changes
Author(s):	Morgan
Date(s):
Length:
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Fandom(s):	Stargate SG-1
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Changes is a Stargate SG-1 story by Morgan.

Reactions and Reviews

Morgan's "Changes" is a reflective story that deals with abstract emotions, not concrete events. It reveals Jack's state of mind at a crisis point in his life that leads, by the end of the story, to a life-altering change. I enjoy reflective prose if it is done well, and this story is an excellent example of the genre.

What I liked most about this story was the tense atmosphere that the author evokes so skilfully and that is so evocative of the actual nightmares Jack is experiencing. She achieves this in a number of ways, not least of which is a deliberate, understated style that fits Jack's laconic personality like a glove. The careful use of the repetition of key words and phrases ("Fool! Fool!" and "Just a dream. Just a dream") highlights the increasing tension within Jack's nightmares. Hathor, the root cause of the problem, is referred to with the oblique and sinister soubriquet of "Her", the word capitalised and endlessly repeated—without ever once mentioning her by name—as Jack remembers her domination of his mind. The true horror that fuels Jack's nightmares—the threat of parasitic domination by a Goa'uld—is the mysterious nightmare horror that can only be referred to as 'the thing'. I found this understated method of describing the truly horrific very effective.

The author uses small, subtle actions of the character—"The mug fell from Jack's hands, smashing on the floor. Hot coffee flew everywhere."—to reveal Jack's emotional turmoil. For the most part, the author doesn't fall into the trap of telling the reader what is going on—quite a feat when one considers the reflective nature of this story. The characterisation of Jack was spot on, in my opinion. His emotions are subtlely drawn, right down to his difficulty in asking for help when he needs it. In describing Jack's actions, not telling the reader how he feels, Morgan has succeeded in convincingly portraying the emotional upheaval that Jack experiences in "Changes" with typical Jack reticence. The emotion is there but it's never overt.

The overall structure of the story is also very effective, with the use of flashbacks underscoring the emotional tension. The title "Changes" is significant as it points to the thematic concern of the story, which is Jack's moment of revelation as he prepares to break the emotional habits of a lifetime. I also see in this choice an ironic echo of the physical effects of his encounter with Hathor that no longer exist on Jack's body.

The language of "Changes" was very readable, but it did show a tendency to revert to clichéd images—"the deep, numbing cold of the grave" and "his heart beating against his ribs like a caged bird trying to escape"—when a more original metaphor or simile would have been more effective. Grammatically, the use of too many commas and ellipses was a problem for me, and there is a small bit of exposition within the text that bothered me as well. One throwaway comment—"not bothering with a robe—he lived alone, for crying out loud"—unexpectedly threw me completely out of the story. Would Jack have thought such a thing in his state of emotional upheaval?

However, these are all small problems that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this story. Morgan's Changes is quite short but it is wonderfully evocative and the emotional impact is quite profound. It should appeal to those readers who are happy to read fiction that relies on emotional reflection rather than exterior action for its effects—and, of course, to Jack fans generally.