Object of Desire
| Bodie/Doyle Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Object of Desire |
| Author(s): | Courtney Gray |
| Date(s): | 1995 |
| Length: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | The Professionals |
| External Links: | online here |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
"Object of Desire" is a Bodie/Doyle story written by Courtney Gray.
It was published in D-Notice and is online.
Reactions and Reviews
Unknown Date
exactly why is bodie so determined they're going to burn themselves out, anyway? [1]
1995
I'd say that Courtney and Sebastian have some things in common, but I'd never be able to pick apart the mechanical details of their writing to tell you WHAT. I see what Courtney wants me to see. It has a profound impact on me (sometimes emotionally, sometimes sexually, sometimes both). I almost always love it.
Courtney gave Bodie an ugly history that Doyle (being Doyle <G>) became fascinated with. Bodie's history, told by Courtney, was completely believable (the smack-my-forehead wondering how I missed something so *obvious* authenticity that I tend to LOVE about her writing). Even that Bodie didn't have much interest in his old flirtation ("hobby", Doyle called it-- " brief flirtation", Bodie corrected) was wonderful, and their relationship--and their issue--ended well for them both.
There were moments of utterly shocking sexuality, and moments of real tenderness. There were lovely pieces of characterization, curiosities, excitements--I'm getting all tingly and happy, just remembering it. :-)
That Courtney also tends to offer a lovely plot just sweetens the pie, for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I recommend it highly,
particularly for anyone who likes fetishy s&m-type things (which is NOT the main point of the story--just a piquant spice).[2]
I'm not really going to review the whole zine because I don't have it to check details. I sent my copy on to England, and I'll be sending you a check for another....so don't sell them all. But I do want to comment on the first story, Object of Desire by Courtney Gray. This is one Hot Story. On Friday morning at ZCon various people in our room were slurping coffee and reading D Notice. We all started with the first story, and you could tell when someone got to page 8, because there was some kind of reaction. I blurted out Ohmygod. (Don't turn straight to page 8, though... You need the set-up for the full effect.) In the interest of avoiding spoilers I won't say much more, but this story also has finely crafted sex scenes. I often skip those choreographed sex scenes that don't really advance the story or develop the characters. This is one of those things that keeps me from being a true Slash Slut. But I read every word of this one - the sex and the story develop together, and the intensity never lets up. This is a very fine story, and will be one of those I reread.[3]
The first story, "Object of Desire" by Courtney Gray is a walk in the hot sex world of S/M and Bondage/Domination. It reminded me somewhat of a combination of Night Moves and Kink in tone and action, with a little bit of humor thrown in. [4]
2010
There's something about this story that grabs me every time - it's got a kind of depth, or heart or something that makes me want to know more, to read more no matter how many times I've read it before...The lads come across a young man tied in leather and chains in a suspect's bdsm-decorated cellar, and although Doyle can't get anything out of him, Joey takes a very specific liking to Bodie, who it turns out knows exactly how to handle him. This intrigues Doyle, especially as he and Bodie are exploring their own newly sexual relationship. There's something about watching Doyle work it out, and watching him watching Bodie, that's just really nicely done here - lovely little touches where Gray shows us both what Bodie's thinking about things, and Doyle's reaction to what Bodie's thinking about things...
And I suppose that's what I want in Prosfic, what I like best - stories that show me the lads rather than telling me about them. Object of Desire does that, right down to having a title that means so many different things to the different characters, at different times. Intelligent and fun to read, come to think of it... *g* [6]
Yes, I think Object of Desire is one of her best stories. It's well-told, has a real emotional impact, and is just highly enjoyable to read. It's high on my list of stories that I reread. I like how Doyle is curious, and slightly (much to his own disgust) insecure in this new area of their relationship. And Bodie is rock solid and, as we see, utterly devoted to Doyle. It's a splendid story. [7]
It is good, isn't it! And actually, even through Bodie's certainty and devotion he's got his own deep-seated uncertainties about Doyle, and I do like the psychological h/c of that too... *sighs happily* [8]
Also a favourite. One of the very very few stories I can think of that can make me believe in our actual lads, (almost!) as we see them on screen - as opposed to a couple of lookalikes - having a brush with this side of sexuality. A great exploration of their relationship, and very well constructed. [9]
[This story is] one of the few that can convince me they'd have anything to do with d/s. There are quite a lot of fics that have them into d/s, bondage, bdsm .... but most of those don't seem to me to be very like them to me. (some, maybe, at a stretch. There is one I remember where it's a catharsis thing for Bodie, which works for me - followed by them heading off for a bacon buttie, iirc *g*).[10]
2011
I love the story, I love the portrayal of the characters, their strengths and flaws. It all works for me, I can see it in my head and marks a well crafted story to me. [11]
Yes, this story has always worked really well for me. I'm not into BDSM at all--I get bored silly with the stories that really explore this issue. More power to them, but...I get bored. Anyway, this story used some BDSM elements in an exploration of the characters and movement in their relationship. That scene where Doyle races Bodie to the safety release? That's hot. *g* And I love how this is part of Bodie's past, but he's not interested--all his focus is on Doyle. As you say, it takes Doyle a while to understand that and see it, but now that he does... Well, it's like Bodie has been turned to focus solely on Doyle, but Doyle has been half-turned away. Now he's looking back squarely at Bodie. I like that. *g* And that, too, underscores the equality in the Bodie/Doyle relationship--the very thing that Joey doesn't understand at all. Anyway, it's a terrific story! [12]
The story's nicely layered and features Courtney Gray's excellent characterisation and storytelling--with, of course, a warmly rewarding B/D relationship powering it.I have to say this story isn't actually one of my favourites of hers, but I do enjoy it. Unlike msmoat, I am into BDSM, at least in a limited, specific way: as long as a BDSM fic hits the note I like, which is an emphasis on emotion rather than the mechanics, it works for me. The BDSM part of this fic is well done in the genre, but its dynamic doesn't engage me a lot in the visceral emotional way I look for in fic that turn on a BDSM pivot.
The real pivot here isn't the BDSM, though; rather, it's Bodie and Doyle's already existing emotional connection. The BDSM, and the kid's outsider observations that give Doyle a new insight, provides the catalyst, but the relationship between Bodie and Doyle doesn't turn on this element, or even its recognition; it would exist even without the encounter in that room. It might've just taken a bit longer to get to home base, so to speak! [13]
2012
Hunting a suspect, Bodie and Doyle come across someone's home dungeon, complete with someone tied up in it. Doyle is taken aback both by the situation and by Bodie's easy assumption of the role of the master. He thinks he knows Bodie - especially since they have recently begun sleeping together - and apparently he doesn't. At all. He's also disturbed by the realisation that he and Bodie are taking increasing risks in when and how they come together, to coin a phrase, and that he is getting in very deep, despite Bodie's claims that this "temporary case of the hots" is bound to pass over soon. The first time I read this story, I was too tangled up in the plausibility or otherwise of a side character - Joey - and the chances of stumbling over such a situation and didn't really pay attention to the core of the story: Doyle's perception of what he and Bodie are doing. I still can't find the set-up entirely credible, but I do like the rest of the story built around it. And the scene where they return to that room is a nice bonus. [14]
2006
Bodie's kinky interrogation impresses and confuses Doyle. I'm simply impressed. [15]
Ooh yes, dark dark Bodie! And Ray wanting to figure it all out, right down to how the handcuffs feel... *g* [16]
I've recced this story before to people outside the fandom, with usually positive results. *g*... [17]
It's always interesting to see different author's perspectives of the lads' past experiences, and Master!Bodie is definitely fun... [18]
References
- ^ The Pros recs; archived link
- ^ comment by Michelle Christian at Virgule-L, quoted with permission (Dec 28, 1995)
- ^ posted to the Virgule-L mailing list in 1995, quoted anonymously with permission.
- ^ Shortly thereafter the review above, longtime Pros fan Kathy S. sent the following review to the Virgule-L mailing list (reposted here with permission)
- ^ *In 1995, Alexfandra posted a brief review of the zine as part of her ZCon convention report sent to the Virgule-L mailing list (reposted here with permission)
- ^ 2010 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2010 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2010 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2010 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2010 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2011 comments by krisserci5, prosrecs, Archived version
- ^ 2011 comments by msmoat, prosrecs, Archived version
- ^ 2011 comments by istia, prosrecs, Archived version
- ^ from moonlightmead on December 6, 2012 at Discovered in a Livejournal, Archived version
- ^ 2006 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2006 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2006 comments at CI5hq
- ^ 2006 comments at CI5hq