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franciskerst.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crack_van2006-01-10 06:14 pm
franciskerst.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2006-01-10 06:14 pm
Entry tags:
Intrinsic Natures by Pat Foley (PG-13)
About the rating, I must warn I only know NC-17 and PG-13; so I use the one or the other and nothing else! (N-C 17 if there are explicit sexual situations or graphic violence and PG-13 for all the rest)
Fandom: MAN FROM UNCLE
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya (Gen)
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sanshalive
Author Website: Pat Foley's fanfiction Website
Why this must be read:
Notwithstanding my rather sardonic rendering of the young Illya's character in "The Red Retriever" (borrowed from Lois Balzer's universe and consistent with it), which I previously recced, Pat Foley is for me the ultimate standard of MFU gen fanfiction; I have others in high esteem, of course, but, among the writers who have their work focused on NS/IK relationship in a gen context, she is the one I feel the most totally in tune with. I positively love the way she shows their interaction, the mutual commitment and loyalty they keep in spite of their stark differences in personality and turn of mind, their indissoluble bond and their occasional fights.
"Intrinsic Natures" relates to one of these fights. It takes place at a critical moment, when Solo is approaching the time of retirement from field assignments and Waverley, already decided to choose him as his successor, is pondering about the wiseness of putting Kuriakin in Solo's place as CEA. So the story is all about leadership, responsability and oppositions of allegiances (partnership against higher interests).
It is also about U.N.C.L.E.'s morals and politics, about the ends and the means. The clash is severe and Napoleon's determination uncompromising. Illya's behaviour is ruthless, but not without motives; Waverley appears here as the sly and pragmatic mastermind he is so rarely in fanfic. As a whole, characterisation is perfect and the moral issues clearly defined:
“Jesus, Illya,” Solo said, looking at the carnage left behind on the field as the copter swung away. “Was that necessary?” He wondered how this would look in the mission report. U.N.C.L.E. agents were expected to always use the minimum of force to accomplish their goals. Sleep darts instead of killing force, and selective force when killing force was required. They took lives, but they weren’t supposed to be rabid about it, or to take them en masse, and certainly not merely to save their own. What Kuryakin had done was close to murderous and it was against every policy in U.N.C.L.E.
“You’re alive, aren’t you?” Kuryakin retorted. “The mission was a success, wasn’t it? And that’s what matters.”
Through the crisis the partnership will be strengthened and Solo's authority and position confirmed. The narrative is maybe a little austere in some parts but so clever and thoughtful it's well worth the effort. If you have liked "Partners" (one of the first stories recced in![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
crack_van) you'll certainly enjoy this as much.
Intrinsic Natures
Fandom: MAN FROM UNCLE
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya (Gen)
Author on LJ:
sanshaliveAuthor Website: Pat Foley's fanfiction Website
Why this must be read:
Notwithstanding my rather sardonic rendering of the young Illya's character in "The Red Retriever" (borrowed from Lois Balzer's universe and consistent with it), which I previously recced, Pat Foley is for me the ultimate standard of MFU gen fanfiction; I have others in high esteem, of course, but, among the writers who have their work focused on NS/IK relationship in a gen context, she is the one I feel the most totally in tune with. I positively love the way she shows their interaction, the mutual commitment and loyalty they keep in spite of their stark differences in personality and turn of mind, their indissoluble bond and their occasional fights.
"Intrinsic Natures" relates to one of these fights. It takes place at a critical moment, when Solo is approaching the time of retirement from field assignments and Waverley, already decided to choose him as his successor, is pondering about the wiseness of putting Kuriakin in Solo's place as CEA. So the story is all about leadership, responsability and oppositions of allegiances (partnership against higher interests).
It is also about U.N.C.L.E.'s morals and politics, about the ends and the means. The clash is severe and Napoleon's determination uncompromising. Illya's behaviour is ruthless, but not without motives; Waverley appears here as the sly and pragmatic mastermind he is so rarely in fanfic. As a whole, characterisation is perfect and the moral issues clearly defined:
“Jesus, Illya,” Solo said, looking at the carnage left behind on the field as the copter swung away. “Was that necessary?” He wondered how this would look in the mission report. U.N.C.L.E. agents were expected to always use the minimum of force to accomplish their goals. Sleep darts instead of killing force, and selective force when killing force was required. They took lives, but they weren’t supposed to be rabid about it, or to take them en masse, and certainly not merely to save their own. What Kuryakin had done was close to murderous and it was against every policy in U.N.C.L.E.
“You’re alive, aren’t you?” Kuryakin retorted. “The mission was a success, wasn’t it? And that’s what matters.”
Through the crisis the partnership will be strengthened and Solo's authority and position confirmed. The narrative is maybe a little austere in some parts but so clever and thoughtful it's well worth the effort. If you have liked "Partners" (one of the first stories recced in
crack_van) you'll certainly enjoy this as much.Intrinsic Natures
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thanks
(Anonymous) 2006-01-13 03:28 am (UTC)(link)Pat
Re: thanks
I suppose it was what I had in mind when I wrote this sentence. Actually I wasn't speaking for myself for, deep introspection and keen insights are maybe the skills I favour among a writer's various achievements (there are a lot if in "Partners" too). But many readers, especially of gen stories, are used to fast successions of action scenes and dialogues. So, I wanted to warn them that here the interest was elsewhere.
Come back to MFU soon, please (and not only to young Illya). We are waiting for you impatiently.
I don't see why you use the "anonymous" post, sice you have a LJ screen name. And by the way, I am going to add it to my friendlist if you don't mind.
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