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crack_van2004-02-01 03:53 pm
umbo.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-02-01 03:53 pm
Entry tags:
Xeriscape by Kat Allison (no rating)
Fandom: HARD CORE LOGO
Pairing: John/f
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
katallison
Author website: http://www.katallison.com
Why this must be read:
I guess there might be a few people out there who haven't read anything that Kat has written, but I would hope they're few and far between, because she is quite seriously an incredible writer. She's written in due South, Highlander, X Files, and Hard Core Logo, and there's not a single story that isn't great. But I think Xeriscape is the best thing she's written. As a matter of fact, if I had to pick one story as the best example of fanfiction I've ever read, it would be this one.
Xeriscape takes one of the supporting characters in the movie, John Oxenberger, and looks at his life a few years after the movie ends. He's living in Austin, Texas, playing for a country band, and married to a deaf woman, Mattie, who does xeriscaping, landscaping that uses native plants that suit the central Texas heat. His life is calm. His life is safe. He's happy, or what passes for happiness in Kat's writing.
And then he finds a message on his answering machine from Billy.
It's hard to know what to say about this story beyond rhapsodizing on its absolute perfection. John's first-person narrative is completely recognizable and totally compelling, and Kat's very dark view of post-movie Billy is completely canon-supported. Her knowledge of everything from xeriscaping to the side effects of psychotropic drugs is amazing, and it all fits seamlessly into the story.
Kat doesn't write happy stuff, and this story is no exception, but the ending, while absent any hearts and flowers, at least leaves the reader some hope for John and Mattie.
From the story, John describing what happens those rare times someone approaches him after a show, wanting to know about his old band:
It's never just John, never Ox. "John Oxenberger?" And by then they're close enough to take in the grey hair, the tics and twitches, and you can see them slow down, the confusion—but having made it this far, they push on, and I could sing the chorus in harmony with them. "Hey, man ... aren't you the guy who / weren't you the one that / didn't you used to play with Hard Core Logo?"
That's my cue to give them the shiteating grin and the agreeable nod and turn and get the hell out of there. I learned the hard way not to get into conversation with these guys. I can't ever give them what they want—what they want is a time machine, a ticket back to the Days of Young and Stupid—and nothing they have to give me does me anything but harm.
I don't care if you've never seen the movie, if you never *do* see the movie, if you've never even heard of *fanfiction*, for christ's sake--*everyone* should read this story. It's that good.
Xeriscape.
Pairing: John/f
Author on LJ:
katallisonAuthor website: http://www.katallison.com
Why this must be read:
I guess there might be a few people out there who haven't read anything that Kat has written, but I would hope they're few and far between, because she is quite seriously an incredible writer. She's written in due South, Highlander, X Files, and Hard Core Logo, and there's not a single story that isn't great. But I think Xeriscape is the best thing she's written. As a matter of fact, if I had to pick one story as the best example of fanfiction I've ever read, it would be this one.
Xeriscape takes one of the supporting characters in the movie, John Oxenberger, and looks at his life a few years after the movie ends. He's living in Austin, Texas, playing for a country band, and married to a deaf woman, Mattie, who does xeriscaping, landscaping that uses native plants that suit the central Texas heat. His life is calm. His life is safe. He's happy, or what passes for happiness in Kat's writing.
And then he finds a message on his answering machine from Billy.
It's hard to know what to say about this story beyond rhapsodizing on its absolute perfection. John's first-person narrative is completely recognizable and totally compelling, and Kat's very dark view of post-movie Billy is completely canon-supported. Her knowledge of everything from xeriscaping to the side effects of psychotropic drugs is amazing, and it all fits seamlessly into the story.
Kat doesn't write happy stuff, and this story is no exception, but the ending, while absent any hearts and flowers, at least leaves the reader some hope for John and Mattie.
From the story, John describing what happens those rare times someone approaches him after a show, wanting to know about his old band:
It's never just John, never Ox. "John Oxenberger?" And by then they're close enough to take in the grey hair, the tics and twitches, and you can see them slow down, the confusion—but having made it this far, they push on, and I could sing the chorus in harmony with them. "Hey, man ... aren't you the guy who / weren't you the one that / didn't you used to play with Hard Core Logo?"
That's my cue to give them the shiteating grin and the agreeable nod and turn and get the hell out of there. I learned the hard way not to get into conversation with these guys. I can't ever give them what they want—what they want is a time machine, a ticket back to the Days of Young and Stupid—and nothing they have to give me does me anything but harm.
I don't care if you've never seen the movie, if you never *do* see the movie, if you've never even heard of *fanfiction*, for christ's sake--*everyone* should read this story. It's that good.
Xeriscape.
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