Daydreams and Knightmares
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Daydreams and Knighmares |
| Publisher: | Penguin Press |
| Editor(s): | Susan M. Garrett |
| Date(s): | 1995 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Forever Knight |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Daydreams and Knightmares is a gen 84-page Forever Knight anthology. It has a wrap-around cover and other artwork by Ann Larimer. This fanzine won a 1996 FanQ. It is a two-sided story collection. The Daydreams have happy endings and the Knightmares are tragic, including two versions of one story ("Assignment: Knight" and "A Knight in Hell").
In the editorial, the author discusses writing the two stories:
Last year I was getting together my stuff for Media West when I heard that there was going to be an FK party at Baycon hosted by Karin Weiss and Marian Gibbons. Unfortunately, Baycon was in California and MediaWest is held in Lansing, Michigan.It wasn't fair. So I concocted a small practical joke to play on the Baycon party-goers.
It was a story. A very sweet and ubiquitous story—wouldn't hurt a fly, this story.
For the first six pages. Then it got very dark and deep and nasty....
Of course, just when the reader reached the end and they were ready to have me eviscerated or thrown into a version of Clive Barker's dementia, they were informed there was another version of the story. The nice version. The version that wasn't at all like the first one.
I did this to some people with another story once before, just for a lark. And Karin agreed to try it out on the Baycon crew (she isn't a Cousin for nothing, this one). In fact, she was such a sweet soul, she printed up copies for them to take home so they could relive the torment.
Well, now you can relive the torment, too. The two party favors—"Assignment: Knight" and "A Knight in Hell," are part of this collection.
Karin doesn't deserve condemnation for having perpetrated such cruel fiction on an unsuspecting audience at my behest (that's what friends are for). I couldn't resist temptation. If you were
unfortunatelucky enough, you received the story and instructions when you passed by my dealer's table at last year's MediaWest—"Read this and bring it back to me when you're done." Of course, I handed them the dark story first.And they always came back. In fact, they often asked if they could spring the story on other people. I've been told at least seventeen people at last year's convention were traumatized by their so-called friends in just such a manner.
It makes you concerned for the health and well-being of the populace at large, it surely does.
Part One:
- Mortal Ways and Miracle Plays by Susan M. Garrett. There are some aspects of the mortal world that just never will make sense to a vampire. (9 pages)
- Back to Normal by Sharon S. Scott. Life as a mortal isn't all that Nick expected...it's more. (9 pages)
- A Noteworthy Occurrence by Susan M. Garrett. Nick begins to realize he's taken Natalie's assistance for granted...but is it too late to make amends? (4 pages)
- Assignment: Knight by Susan M. Garrett. It's only an hour in an ice-cream parlor, answering a list of question for Jenny's school assignment. So why is Nick so uneasy? (20 pages)
Part Two:
- Be Careful What You Wish For by Sharon Himmanen. An alternate version of the second half of "Dark Knight" in which Nick manages to save the second cup from destruction, only to find himself faced with an impossible choice. (8 pages)
- Ever After by Susan M. Garrett. Standing vigil with Janette in a graveyard isn't Natalie's idea of a fun time—but who they waiting for? And whose name is on the headstone? (6 pages)
- A Knight in Hell by Susan M. Garrett. A traffic accident sets in motion a chain of events that destroy Nick and the fragile world he's built around him. (24 pages)
Reactions and Reviews
Why this must be read: Fic by this author really needs no introduction. Pick any Forever Knight story by her and you're bound to pick a winner. I find this particular story appealing because of the wonderful way Susan builds on the world of show by fleshing out characters that only talked about but never seen. In this case, it's Jenny Schanke, the young daughter of Nick's partner. Through her Nick begins to get an idea of how he has unintentionally weaved his way into the lives of a lot of people. [1]