Anthology zine
Review by: Metabolick
Review
I have enjoyed several other zines in the Unpro Conduct series, but unfortunately
this isn’t one of them. The stories are all competently written, but for
various reasons most of them just don’t work for me.
Reflections At Midnight by Mary T. – The lads are lying in bed. While one of them sleeps the other carries on a silent monologue reflecting on their relationship and what his lover means to him. The narrator could be either of the lads, which leaves me with a sense of incompleteness.
Scenes From The Edge by Kate MacLean – Bodie is in love with Doyle, who doesn’t want commitment and is feeling smothered. Doyle has a one-night stand but lies to Bodie about it. Bodie finds out and leaves. He begins a casual affair with another man. Doyle becomes jealous, finally realizes he loves Bodie, and is feeling how Bodie must have felt. He sees Bodie in a pub with the other man and confronts Bodie, telling him he loves him. Bodie agrees to start again.
I always enjoy Kate MacLean’s stories for the gorgeous writing and her ability to make me feel the emotions of the characters. This is one of KM’s usual angst-fests but is probably my least favorite because of Doyle’s incredible callousness and downright nastiness to Bodie, who acts reasonably throughout and for whom I just feel sorry. The depth of Doyle’s passion when he finally realizes that he’s “slid right over the edge” and fallen in love is a wonder to behold. I also enjoy seeing how Bodie, justifiably apprehensive of being hurt once again, is simply unable to help himself and succumbs to Ray’s onslaught. The ending, as usual for KM, comes just as things are starting to look up; I’d like to see a bit more of a payoff for having gone through all the angst.
Constant Companion by Cherilyn – This is a DEATH fic, though perhaps not the usual kind. (Any kind is anathema to me!) Bodie was killed in 1985. It is now 50 years later and Doyle dies. Bodie welcomes him to the afterlife, where they can be together again. For the rest of his life, except for a one-night stand Ray has been celibate!
Windmills Of The Mind by Ginny – Doyle loves Bodie but has never told him. Bodie is injured and gets amnesia; now Doyle thinks that he must hold his tongue, as Bodie seems to be straight. He helps Bodie recover, hoping that he will remember CI5 and their past lives. Finally Doyle inadvertently blurts out his true feelings, but Bodie is offended. He doesn’t want an emotional commitment to anyone. His memory returns; he realizes he loves Doyle. They confess their feelings to each other, have a long talk, and go to bed together.
I find this story rather boring. The ending scene where they talk things out just seems to go on and on and is too “girly.”
Out, Damned Spot by HG – The lads are lovers. During a lie-in Bodie playfully joins the freckles on Doyle’s back with a felt-tipped pen. However, much to Bodie’s chagrin it doesn’t wash off easily!
I enjoy the loving and playful relationship HG portrays between the lads here as well as Bodie’s appreciation of Ray’s body.
The Breaking Point by Liz Bradford – Doyle appears to be inexplicably cold and indifferent when Bodie goes missing, but when his partner is rescued after being tortured Doyle becomes angry with him for his ineptitude in getting himself kidnapped. Bodie decides to help Doyle get over his anger by tying him to the bed and dominating him during sex. His plan does the trick and all is well.
This strikes me as being three separate stories thrown together to make one. First is the time Bodie is missing and Ray is cold; second is the part where Ray is angry, and he asks Bodie what could make him break; the third is the bedroom scene. I don’t think the author makes an understandable connection between the three parts. I’m not sure how being subjected to some light bondage will dispel Ray’s anger and tension. The fact that Bodie can engage in anything this energetic while he’s in his physical condition seems unbelievable to me. Finally, I really don’t see Ray so childish that he has a tantrum and takes out his anger on the crockery.
Bubble Trouble by Cherilyn – Bodie commandeers Doyle’s bath after an op; Doyle joins him. Hijinks turn to sex. They admit they love each other. Promise of things to come. All in all, this is one of the better stories in the zine.
The Ghost And Raymond Doyle by Barbara Thomas – This story was inspired by the film “The Ghost And Mrs. Muir.” In the early 20th century Doyle, a widower with a small daughter, rents a cottage near the sea to recuperate from illness and to get away from his meddling relatives. The house is haunted by the ghost of sea captain Bodie, who has driven away all previous tenants. Bodie and Doyle soon become friends and then fall in love but know that they can never have a real relationship in this life. Bodie helps Doyle write a book about his life at sea to help with finances. Bodie is afraid that Doyle will kill himself to be with him, thereby denying himself a full life and his daughter a father, so he is able to alter Doyle’s memory and make him think their time together was a dream. Doyle lives another 20 years as a lonely and celibate author, then finally dies shortly after Bodie appears to him again. Bodie greets him in the afterlife, where they can now embark on the relationship they always longed for. The best is yet to come.
I find this story incredibly sad. The lads can’t have a physical relationship,
though Doyle (unbelievably to me) seems content with that. In fact, this Doyle
is so subdued he is almost unrecognizable. Also, Doyle’s lonely 20-year
separation from Bodie, which we (thankfully) don’t have to read about,
is such a waste. The ending is beautiful, but it doesn’t make up for the
rest of this depressing tale.
Metabolick, August 2008