Ringing in the Changes by PFL (NC-17)

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: not known
Why this must be read:

My Excuse: here in Australia it’s just past the Winter Solstice. It’s ranging 6 – 16 degrees C in the City, and there’s snow on the Blue Mountains (Yah, poor me). That’s about as cold as it gets in NSW unless you go inland or south to the Snowies. Therefore I feel free to rec fics that have a winter/Christmas theme.

OK, Ringing in the Changes needs no excuse. It’s one of the best ever Pros fics in it’s own right, and candidate for head of the class in the 21st century writing school. Charting the relationship between Bodie and Doyle it covers the years from 1975 until 1983, starting 19 December and finishing 27 December, leaping a year and a day each chapter. I gave it to a friend who gave it to a non-slasher fan in her office, who loved it ("You realise there's sex in it?" “oh, that’s just the boys, it’s OK”). Solid story, realistic plotting. Great sex. Just enough angst. Finely tuned relationship dynamics.

Just go read.

Ringing in the Changes

Edit 9 June 06. The Circuit Archive link is now:
Ringing in the Changes
I've left the old link in place in case the domain is returned.

Comments

[partners4life.livejournal.com]

Wonderful rec. I had never read this before. I will have to check out this author's other Pros stories. Thank you!

[ts5000.livejournal.com]

I've never seen this story. Wow - thanks for the rec.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Do. I rather like 'Rules' as well.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

My pleasure.

[(Anonymous)]

Another one of my favourite stories. Thanks for this.

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

Yep, this is a good one. It made me laugh, cry, and get very angry with a certain character. What a roller coaster ride!

I first read it when it was featured in the Hatstand Advent Calendar this past Christmas. I liked it so well, I wrote to the author to tell her so and received a nice reply from her.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I recall your comment on Thomas' 'Ambush' as well. Am I correct in guessing you've been in 'Pros' for quite a while? I've only been _avidly_ reading since October last year, and the amount of really good writing in this fandom continues to astound me.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

*thud* Thanks for the reminder :-) I usually do write when I really like a story, but I haven't done so this time. Must remedy.

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry I've just seen this message. Yes, it was me who enjoyed your Ambush rec. I've been reading Pros since Autumn 2000 but I still don't feel I've read *that* much. (For example, people like Sharon Brondos have argued for a long time that the best writing is not on-line yet and I wouldn't claim to have read that many off-line zines - a few maybe). But even though I have little experience of reading in other fandoms, I still have the feeling (like you) that the standard of writing in Pros is pretty high. Have you seen Nell Howell's recommendation page on her site? It's very good and I think she's recommended a lot of stories which I like too, such as Ambush, so you might find it a helpful place to look (if you haven't seen it already)! PB.

[(Anonymous)]

That's quite a while longer than me (since October 2004)! Yes I have seen Nell Howell's site.

Don't know when Sharon made that comment, or what stories she was referring to, but I have noticed a lot of zine stories have made their way to the circuit archive in recent months. I think the on-line fic collection is gaining momentum. And the proslib disc has more good stuff that isn't on line anywhere as well.

Having said that, I do intend to start getting some 'zines. I've borrowed a few, I want to get a copy of "Wine Dark Nexus" and some more HG.

cheers

[(Anonymous)]

I think Sharon's made that comment more than once over the years, I think probably on lists such as Pros Lit. I'm not sure which stories she was referring to either. Talking of which, I've just begun her Journey West and enjoying it a lot.

Haven't read Wine Dark Nexus (Anne Carr)? Have you got the ProsLib CD? There's quite a lot of HG on that.

Cheers to you too.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

<1> Have you got the ProsLib CD?

Yes I have. I keep coming across new stories, though. Reading Jane's Flesh and Steel trilogy at the moment which I'm (surprisingly) enjoying.

[(Anonymous)]

Poor old Jane! It doesn't surprise me at all that you might like something she's written. For example, I love the first five sections of The Hunting. I know lots of negative things have been written about her, but I think the bottom line is that she's a fine story teller which is all I ask, really. A while ago, last year I think, Justacat wrote a very eloquent piece on why it's possible to enjoy different styles of Pros writers, styles ranging from someone like Sebastian right through to Jane. (I think she'd just read Czardis - not sure of spelling).

May I mention JM on the CD? Someone pointed out her stories to me and I really enjoyed them. I would have missed them otherwise that's why I thought I'd mention them to you. Cheers, pb

[(Anonymous)]

You've got me started now, Gravity's Angel by Anonymous on the CD is another story I enjoyed and you might. (Not written by me, worse luck).

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Flesh and Steel has a lot of the style I associate with "bad Jane" elsewhere - repetition, rotten grasp on history (even when doing an alternate timeline), florid prose. But somehow in this work it doesn't bother me as much. It's very dream-like. And sensual. And I like her characters.