The Good Friend
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Good Friend |
| Publisher: | Agent With Style |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Jack Reuben Darcy |
| Cover Artist(s): | K9 |
| Illustrator(s): | K9 |
| Date(s): | September 1999 (online), May 2000 (print zine) |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | The Sentinel |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | online here some art for this zine by K9 here (many broken links) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Good Friend is a slash 149-page Sentinel novel by Jack Reuben Darcy. The art is by K9.
It was the author's last Sentinel story.
It may have been planned to be in the series, Best of the Net.
Summary
From a distributor, Agent With Style:
When Blair is unexpectedly dumped by his boyfriend, he is angry and hurt, but Jim, who is deeply in love with his roommate, swears to himself that he won't catch Blair on the rebound; that he'll be a 'good friend' to him. But when Blair's ex is found dead and Blair seems to be the culprit, Jim's friendship is needed even more desperately. How can the Sentinel cope with his desire to love and protect Blair while still being a cop? Good friend or not, he must uncover the truth -- and only if Blair is found innocent can he give in to his burning need to love his Guide.
The Author's Last Sentinel Story
Well, folks, this is my last Sentinel story. It's been a lot of fun, playing in this sandbox and I'd like to thank you all for reading and for sharing your enthusiasm for my work. It's been an invaluable experience for me and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Special thanks go to Rie for doing a mega-fast beta on this and for all that wonderful support. Thanks also to Top Gun (you know who you are) for being dragged into this without any kicking and screaming and to Mairaid for pages and pages of enlightenment. Finally, a big thank you to Kadru - you're the best. This has indeed been made an exceptional experience due entirely to the people I've met. [1]
Sample Interior
Reactions and Reviews
This is another one of the stories I keep going back to. It's long (434k), and plotty in the really good way, and elegantly written. It starts with a stolen kiss, and has a happy ending, and in between there's a big case with Blair as a suspect and lots of angsty Jim. (I dunno why, but Jimangst gets to me much more than Blairangst. Or, wait, I do, but that's a post for another venue.) I keep coming back to this one because I love the way the boys circle around what they feel for each other, and second-guess themselves, and slowly figure things out. [2]
Summary: Three years into their friendship, Blair comes out to Jim--and then starts seriously dating a man named Nick. Jim doesn't particularly like Nick; something about him sets Jim's spidey sense tingling. But he wonders whether it might just be Blair's revelation of bisexuality, and decides to just stay quiet and be the supportive good friend that Blair needs.Three months later, Nick has inexplicably dumped Blair, who is devastated. Pining for Nick, a drunk Blair falls asleep in Jim's arms and Jim, curious about the less-than-brotherly feelings he's starting to have, kisses Blair.
Thus starts a long and winding road that includes a lot of misunderstanding, anger, guilt and resolutions made and broken on both sides. Jim finally comes to realize he wants Blair but must stifle those feelings and continue to be just that good friend.
Then Nick is found murdered.
Reccer's Notes: Jack's been called the "master of angst" and this is a great example. Enjoy. [3]
This is another one that I really enjoyed every minute of. It was LONG and juicy and plotty. Feelings are very complicated between Jim and Blair. Blair gets accused of murdering an ex-lover. So on top of the confusion between Blair and Jim there is INTERROGATION and potential jail omg! And lots and lots of delicious angst. And it's very well written. [4]