U.N.C.L.E. Confidential

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Zine
Title: U.N.C.L.E. Confidential
Publisher: File 40 Press
Editor(s):
Date(s): 2000-2005
Series?:
Medium: print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Man from UNCLE
Language: English
External Links: File 40 Press
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U.N.C.L.E. Confidential is a slash Man from UNCLE anthology.

General Reactions and Reviews

Published by File 40 Press, but sadly unavailable at the moment. (Drat.) These were my introduction to MFU, and I recommend them highly. This series of zines is consistently well edited and nicely produced, with readable fonts and interesting covers; the stories are generally enjoyable and worth re-reading. (I didn't care much for numbers three and four in this series, simply because so many of the stories were not to my taste, but that's a personal quibble and nothing against the zines overall.)[1]

Issue 1

cover of issue #1, by Bev

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 1 was published in 2000 and contains 185 pages. Cover by Bev.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

See reactions and reviews for Menage a Trois.

[Act Two]: "Act Two" and "Act Three" - in U.N.C.L.E. Confidential, File One and File Five, respectively. I really enjoy stories that revisit canon through a slash lens, showing us the missing scenes and placing episodes in the context of a relationship between the guys. She's done a nice job with this series. [2]

[The Cryptic Quote Affair]: She's at the top of her game in this one; the banter is beyond hilarious, and her characterization is razor-sharp. And her description of that outfit on Illya is really inspiring. [3]

[The Kalamazoo Affair]: I loved her vivid descriptions of the medieval conference in this one, and found it really easy to picture NS & IK trying to fit in. Her Illya here is assured and confident, and completely believable. [4]

[zine]: U.N.C.L.E. Confidential, File One, is the first issue in a very delightful series of anthology slash zines. Edited and published by File 40 Press, the same people who bring us the excellent File 40 online fiction archive. These zines are apparently now out of print.

File One is a full size 8.5" x 11" zine, comb-bound, double-column layout, with satisfyingly large size print. My eyes thank the publishers. I also really like the fact that the story title appears on every page; makes it easy to flip through and find what I want. Originally published in 2000. Color cover cleverly designed to look like a top secret file folder, featuring a nice black & white photo manipulation of Napoleon and Illya. The zine contains nine stories in 185 pages. Several of the stories are online.

The zine leads off with a strong and very funny story from Blondie. Ménage à Trois is a Mary Sue of a different stripe, wherein a female agent thinks she's getting her own fantasy but finds herself outmaneuvered by the master strategist himself. Napoleon knows what he wants and takes advantage of an opportunity. 12 steamy, hilarious pages. This story is online.

"The Kalamazoo Affair" is almost a Mary Sue story, although the Mary Sue in question is a profession and conference many fen are familiar with. The talented Emrys drops Illya and Napoleon into the annual Medieval Conference (held in Kalamazoo, Michigan), where they must cope with obsessed academics and a shadowy threat. Twenty pages of good scholarly fun.

You'll never look at the second season in the same way after reading Theresa Kyle's "Act Two". Missing scenes are woven through the second season episodes, showing the developing intimacy between partners. It's an intriguing glimpse of some personal doubts and fears we never see projected on screen, but lend depth and poignancy to the episodes. 61 pages.

Illya has had it to the breaking point with Napoleon's constant flirting and teasing. The result is "Hot Monkey Sex", a sizzler of a PWP from Gilrain. Four very stimulating pages. This story is online.

Taking a bit of R&R after a harrowing mission, Illya and Napoleon discover the delights of Olympic festivities - and each other - in Ravenschild's "The Grenoble Affair". 12 pages.

Clare Chew is one of my favorite writers, for her fine characterizations, unusual storylines, the way she weaves canonical fact into the fabric of each story. "With This Ring" is no exception to this tradition. 34 yummy pages. This story is online.

Established relationship stories tend to be less popular than first-times, so I treasure the few I find. In "The Mile High Affair", Anita has Napoleon and Illya vacationing in India, Sadly, their relationship doesn't seem all that healthy here. 13 pages.

Kate Drummond writes some very sweet snapshot vignettes, capturing precious fleeting moments in time. "I Was Asleep" is one of these; both Illya and Napoleon need reassurance after a stressful near-disaster. Six pages.

Elizabeth Urich, queen of banter, mouth-watering descriptions and erudite slash, does it again in "The Cryptic Quote Affair". Illya takes on yet another impersonation while Napoleon teases him with gifts and a quote to identify and interpret before the mission is over. 21 fast, funny and very very smart pages. [5]

Issue 2

cover of issue #2, Bev

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 2 was published in 2000 and contains 198 pages. Cover by Bev.

  • Meow by Taliesin (10 pages)
  • The Back From The Dead Affair by Emrys (52 pages)
  • Winding Down, by Nickovetch (4 pages)
  • The Matter of Convenience Affair by Deb (21 pages)
  • Sepia Dreams (teaser for a planned novel) by Jane Terry (A related story is in We Have Each Other #3) (7 pages)
  • First Flight by Sarah Lindsay (20 pages)
  • The Way of Men (poem) by Ravenschild (1 page)
  • Ice Over Snow: Thaw by Hephaiston (7 pages)
  • Haunted by Elizabeth Urich (16 pages)
  • At a Distance by Nyssa (14 pages)
  • He Was Asleep by Kate Drummond (6 pages)
  • The Nietzsche Formula Affair by Linda White (44 pages)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

[The Back from the Dead Affair]: I found her portrayal of the relationship between NS and IK in this story to be particularly moving and poignant. Her NS and IK act precisely as I'd expect them to, given the circumstances involved; their actions are entirely in character. [6]

Issue 3

cover of issue #3, by Bev

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 3 was published in 2001 and contains 203 pages. The cover is by Bev.

  • Behind the Eight Ball by Kate Drummond (6 pages)
  • Sanctuary by Banshee Caoine (55 pages)
  • The Palm Beach Pirate Affair by Emrys (13 pages)
  • Warm Blooded by Nickovetch (6 pages)
  • The Saturday Affair by Julia Justina (19 pages)
  • Elixir by Sarah Lindsay (8 pages)
  • Dinner for Two by Blondie, sequel is "Old Blood, New Blood" in the next issue (From the author: "WARNING: for those fans who are believers in the One True Pair – this story will not be to your liking. It is an AU, Illya/Original Character story. However, if your tastes are more flexible – I hope you enjoy.") (19 pages)
  • Incurable by Nickovetch (20 pages)
  • The Somewhere Affair by Kate Drummond (49 pages)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

[Dinner for Two]: I have to admit, I liked it a lot better once I'd read the sequel. It's so much nicer with a happy ending. :-) [7]

Issue 4

cover of issue #4, by bev

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 4 was published in 2002 and contains 246 pages.

The cover is by bev. There is no interior art.

Issue 5

cover of issue #5, by Bev

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 5 was published in 2003 and contains 221 pages. Cover by Bev.

  • Flirtation by Kate Drummond (7 pages)
  • Interlude New Orleans by Banshee Caoine (8 pages)
  • On the Job: Light Relief by Blondie (7 pages)
  • My Better Half by Elizabeth Urich (19 pages)
  • Solo Turn by Emrys (12 pages)
  • Act Three by Theresa Kyle (37 pages)
  • Mettle Under Tension by Nickovetch (4 pages)
  • The Last Time by Lee the T (26 pages)
  • Rain by Nataliya (6 pages)
  • Two Men in a Boat by Di T (25 pages)
  • The Unexpected Talents Affair by T. Gabrielle (20 pages)
  • A Man of Few Words by Nickovetch (16 pages)
  • The Sweet Pea Affair by L. White (34 pages)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

See reactions and reviews for The Unexpected Talents Affair.

See reactions and reviews for I Took it for a Faery Vision.

See reactions and reviews for Two Men in a Boat.

[The Last Time]: Just gorgeous. The writing is restrained yet powerful, and the story gripping and poignant. Both characterization and voice are excellent. [8]

[Act Three]: "Act Two" and "Act Three" - in U.N.C.L.E. Confidential, File One and File Five, respectively. I really enjoy stories that revisit canon through a slash lens, showing us the missing scenes and placing episodes in the context of a relationship between the guys. She's done a nice job with this series. [9]

Issue 6

U.N.C.L.E. Confidential File 6 was published in 2005 and contains 195 pages. The cover is by Bev.

  • "Woof!" by Taliesin--"My partner is a dog, he's always been a dog. But this morning when I woke up he had four legs and a tail." (16 pages)
  • You Can't Keep a Good Man Down by Nickovetch--Will the real Napoleon Solo please stand up? (31 pages)
  • The Naked Truth by Lee the T--Illya finds his partner all tied up, and gets ideas. (6 pages)
  • The Choices We Make by Ceindreadh--A young file clerk named Illya Kuryakin catches Napoleon's interest, but other agents are less happy with the Russian's presence at UNCLE. (32 pages)
  • 20/20 Foresight by Elizabeth Urich--After Napoleon confesses his feelings, Illya contemplates possible futures for them. (14 pages)
  • Cold by Julia Justina--Slowly freezing in a cellar, Illya waits for Napoleon to come.
  • With A Little Help From my Friends by Nickovetch--Sequel to "Remission of Sin" in #2. (13 pages)
  • The Rainbow Affair by Lee the T (26 pages)
  • The Dating Game Affair by Deb (4 pages)
  • On the Job: Payback by Blondie (6 pages)
  • The Lonely Sea and the Sky by Di T--Sequel to "Two Men in a Boat" in issue #5. Napoleon wants what happened on the Pursang to happen again, but Illya has reservations. (11 pages)
  • Things That Go Bump in the Night by Emrys--As a favor to a friend, Mr. Waverly sends Napoleon and Illya under cover at a gay resort being threatened by a blackmailer, just as Napoleon has started to realize his feelings for his partner are less than platonic. And then there's the ghost haunting their room... (33 pages)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

[Woof!]: As Taliesin says in the short fore-word of the fic: "This story contains a completely impossible crossover, given the respective time periods of the shows involved. But then, given the basic premise of the story, I'm not sure anyone complaining about realism has a leg to stand on, now do they?"

It was enough to get me reading. And I was trying to find out with what show this fic would cross-over and yet she managed to surprise me.

I'm not giving away the surprise though. I want you to be as pleaseantly surprised as I was while reading this fic.

She has the "Illya voice" right and even though this is an unusual situation our agents find themselves in, they're not out of character. [10]

References

  1. ^ from This is Katya
  2. ^ from This is Katya
  3. ^ from This is Katya
  4. ^ from This is Katya
  5. ^ from Partner Mine
  6. ^ from This is Katya
  7. ^ a 2006 comment at Crack Van
  8. ^ from This is Katya
  9. ^ from This is Katya
  10. ^ a 2007 comment at Crack Van
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