Anthology zine
Review by: Metabolick
Review
Encore! by Kathy Keegan 167 pages
This zine contains 3 stories: Gentle On My Mind 4, Pas
de Deux (sequel to Fancy Dancing), and A Question of
Priorities (sequel to Affairs of the Heart). I am not
a big fan of AU's, but the three different ones
created by Kathy Keegan that are represented in this
zine appeal to me because they are so well drawn.
Gentle On My Mind #4
I must admit that I love the GOMM series. Of course,
Doyle is radically changed from the agent we know and
love, but in their own way the GOMM stories tell a
beautiful love story and for me is great comfort fic.
GOMM #4 is the shortest of the 5 stories in the series
by Kathy Keegan. Ray is working for CI5 as a
therapist, is still growing up mentally, and is
learning to deal with various life situations
including homophobia from an unexpected source. I
enjoyed the device of Bodie reading entries in Ray's
diary, giving insight into the mind of his lover.
However, I found this the weakest story in the series
in that there is little real action to relieve the
mundane day-to-day happenings in the lives of our
heroes.
Pas de Deux
This is the second story in the Fancy Dancing
universe, which is one of my absolute favorite AUs.
Slandtedlight has written a marvelous review of the
first story, Fancy Dancing, and I urge you to read it.
My thoughts about that story are very similar to hers,
and Pas de Deux is more of the same. The action takes
up some months after the eventful events at the end of
Fancy Dancing. Bodie is no longer working for CI5.
Doyle and Bodie are struggling to make their
nightclub, Black Velvet, a money-making proposition
again. This involves much much hard labor, ingenuity,
and anxiety. The question is, will Ray's body be up to
the challenge? Not only that, Ray has competition in
the dancing arena at a nearby club. How will he cope?
As I mentioned, I adore the world of glamor and sensuality that Kathy Keegan has created in this universe. It sucks me right in and makes me want to be part of it if only to watch Doyle dance onstage. Part of this is due to the cast of supporting characters, which is wonderful and wholly believable. I found this story a very worthy and entertaining sequel to Fancy Dancing and highly recommend it.
A Question of Priorities
This is story #3 in the Affairs of the Heart series
(#2 is Little White Lies, found in Cross My Heart 4).
I must admit I am going about this the wrong way
because as of this writing I have not read the first 2
stories in the series (something that I hope to
rectify in the near future!). Nevertheless, I enjoyed
A Question of Priorities quite a lot, as I picked up
enough of what went on the the earlier stories to
understand what was happening.
When this story begins, Doyle and Bodie are working for CI5, but circumstances soon necessitate a change, bringing them into contact with acquaintences from the earlier stories. This involves Doyle working as a model for a high-powered agency with Bodie as a minder/road manager for the same company. But once a CI5 agent, always a CI5 agent, and Cowley wants to use their current occupations as a cover for a very dangerous op. Will they agree?
I imagine most readers of this zine will have already become familiar with the settings of these stories. Hard and fast CI5 action and the lads as they are in canon you will not find, but if you enjoy an AU that sucks you in and keeps your attention, and Bodie and Doyle recognizable enough care about them, then give this one a try. Each of the stories is a worthy sequel to its predecessor.
Metabolick, August 2007