Scenes Ill Lit
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Scenes Ill Lit |
| Author(s): | Greer Watson |
| Date(s): | 5 September 2011 |
| Length: | 1464 words |
| Genre: | sequel |
| Fandom: | Mary Renault |
| External Links: | "Scenes Ill Lit" |
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"Scenes Ill Lit" is a short story by Greer Watson based on Mary Renault's 1953 novel The Charioteer. It takes place three years after the book, when Ralph Lanyon journeys north to Scapa Flow to join his new ship. (The Hardesty is an invention of the author's.) In passing, the careers of other characters are also updated, with Laurie in a ministry job in London and Alec stationed in Burma.
Synopsis
The unwelcome surprise that Bunny is stationed at the naval base at Scapa Flow seems only a temporary nuisance for Ralph until the Hardesty is damaged and returns to the base for repairs that last over Christmas.
Background
"Scenes Ill Lit" was written in response to the Spangled Loincloth Challenge (2011 Summer Challenge) on the maryrenaultfics LJ community to the dual prompt, "summer clothes" (for those writing stories based on a modern novel) or "spangled loincloth" (for those writing historical fiction), but the added challenge of contriving a way to put "spangled loincloth" in a story about Ralph Lanyon. "Scenes Ill Lit" was the third story written to this added challenge, following toujours_nigel's "To Bury Caesar"[1] and fawatson's "Panto!". All three authors found the most likely scenario to involve the performance of a pantomime. Aladdin was mentioned in the first story, and therefore became a point of reference in all three.
The story was posted to maryrenaultfics on 5 September 2011,[2] and added to the author's website the following day. Its webpage has a background tile depicting the ocean, with graphics of an anchor and a compass rose picking up the naval theme. The natural break midway in the story is marked by a map of Orkney, showing the location of Scapa Flow.
Comments
The story was well received. Comments include the following:
- "It's a great story. Being stalked by Bunny! Poor Ralph. The logic behind what to tell Laurie, when, and how much was a fascinating look into his mind."—heartofoshun
- "[...] A little too good, greer - this uni is dead real, and intriguing and enticing! No wonder people are hoping you'll expand. I'm right there with everyone else. [...]"—my_cnnr
References
- ^ "To Bury Caesar" by toujours_nigel on AO3, originally posted to maryrenaultfics on 16 August 2011. Accessed 15 September 2018.
- ^ "Summer Prompt 2011 - Scenes Ill Lit" by greerwatson (members-locked), posted to maryrenaultfics on 5 September 2011. (Accessed 6 September 2011.)